President Joe Biden is reaching his first 100 days in office and it is the perfect opportunity to look at what he has accomplished and what he still has on the docket. The largest achievement of the administration is the COVID-19 vaccine rollout that has benefited many. Biden has also signed a record number of executive orders and signed bills like The American Rescue Plan. He has already participated in a climate summit that has helped generate his two newest proposals. The administration has been busy since January, however questions surrounding the minimum wage and taxes still loom.

The vaccine distribution began last December under the Trump administration and the number of vaccines administered and areas reached has continued to increase since Biden took the mantle in January. To date, over 215 million doses have been administered. The increased immunity in the U.S. has allowed people to return to work and companies have been able to reopen more locations. Biden has pushed the vaccination process forward by opening FEMA sites across the country and recently announced a tax credit to businesses who give paid time off for employee vaccinations.

President Biden also signed The American Rescue Plan into law which saw another round of stimulus checks go out to Americans and added $7.25 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP loans aimed at small businesses had their eligibility expanded and the deadline for applications was extended by 30 days. It is no secret that the restaurant industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic and the new rescue plan is set to rectify shortcomings in previous aid by setting aside nearly $29 billion for struggling restaurants.

The new administration has accomplished a great deal in the first 100 days, notably with regards to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, although he has not been without controversy. Biden faced backlash when he raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 via executive order and then attempted to include a mandated minimum wage hike into the aforementioned American Rescue Plan. The wage proposal was removed, yet it is clear that a higher minimum wage is in Biden’s future plans since there is a minimum wage hike for early childhood staff in the newly proposed American Families Plan. The increased minimum wage has been divisive with business owners as many restaurants are grappling with record low revenues following the pandemic. Some companies already offer wages beyond $15 and other are concerned that proposed timelines could upend their business models. The complete impact of a wage hike is currently unknown, though it is likely to appear on future bills during Biden’s tenure.

Another bill on the horizon is the American Jobs Plan that would invest in infrastructure and jobs across the U.S. over 10 years. The focus on infrastructure and electric vehicles could provide needed changes for certain companies and tax relief for those who have solar and other electric upgrades. The plan could also disrupt current supply lines and industries like convenience stores. The corporate income tax rate would also be increased from 21% to 28% and it has met with expected pushback from major corporations. The tax concerns from this plan have also been married with the proposed increase of the top income tax rate that is part of the American Families Plan. These two plans did not become law during Biden’s presidency, nevertheless they are likely to see the floor in Congress soon.

The majority of Biden’s first 100 days were focused on COVID-19, while we are likely to see that change as vaccinations continue and cases drop. The President still has details to release on his economic agenda and plans to release a new proposal each month. Some Americans and companies have benefited from the short term salves of COVID-19 relief, though the long term impact of his recent proposals remain unclear. As the administration moves towards more traditional politics, such as taxes and sustainability, voices of dissent could become louder. The first 100 days is a small sample size of a President; however, it has given us a better opportunity to see what President Biden wants to accomplish and how he hopes to accomplish it.