The inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States at noon on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice president. The inaugural ceremony will take place on the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. and will be the 59th presidential inauguration. Biden will take the oath of office as president, and Harris will take the oath of office as vice president.
Upon his inauguration, Biden will become the oldest president at 78 years and 61 days, older upon taking office than Ronald Reagan, who left office at 77 years, 349 days. He will also become the first president from Delaware, the second Catholic after John F. Kennedy, and the fifteenth former vice president to serve as president. Harris will become the first woman, first African American, and first Asian American vice president.
The Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies chose the inaugural theme “Our Determined Democracy: Forging a More Perfect Union” to highlight the inaugural ceremony as a “hallmark of American governance and democracy” and stress the peaceful transition of power.
Allen, Biden Inaugural Committee CEO, stated that the events will “look different amid the pandemic” but maintain inaugural traditions while engaging Americans in a safe manner. This includes several virtual concerts and events hosted by celebrities, featuring live musical performances and speeches that will span five days—Saturday, January 16, 2021 through the evening of Inauguration Day. The committee’s inaugural theme is “America United” and its official YouTube channel and other social media will feature exclusive content related to the ceremonies.
Travel restrictions and site closures
After the deadly storming of the Capitol, organizers and officials made an unprecedented effort to deter people from visiting Washington, D.C. during the week of the inauguration over concerns of political violence. Efforts include:
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser urged tourists not to visit the city during the week of the event, and the Office of Personnel Management asked federal agencies to allow federal employees to work remotely during the week.
The National Mall, which served as a non-ticketed viewing area in past ceremonies, and Washington Monument at its geographic center will be closed to the public.
Much of the surrounding downtown area near Capitol Hill, Union Station, the Lincoln Memorial, and White House came under significant parking restrictions, and road closures remaining in effect until January 21, the day after the inauguration.
The WMATA announced the closure of 13 Metrorail stations, beginning on January 15 and extending to January 21, “to keep the public safe” and to “discourage travel within the secure zone”; the stations that remained in operation running on a Saturday schedule. Metrobus service was also modified, with routes changed due to the security perimeter.
The Postal Service will temporarily remove or lock public post boxes and suspend mail collection in Washington and several major U.S. cities to “protect postal property, employees, and the public” in the event of civil unrest.
Airbnb canceled all reservations in the city, major airlines banned incoming travelers from checking firearms on board, a local hotel workers’ union called on hotels to restrict guests to those providing inauguration security, and many parking garages around the Capitol will be closed or rerouted.
MARC Train and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail service from suburban Maryland and Virginia, respectively, will be suspended on the days leading up to and including Inauguration Day.
Amtrak issued a travel advisory in Washington, D.C. and increased security, with Northeast Regional service operating south of the city into Virginia to be halted on January 19–20.
The State of Virginia announced on January 15 that, as part of an agreement with the U.S. Secret Service, four bridges over the Potomac River connecting Virginia to D.C.—Theodore Roosevelt, Arlington Memorial, Interstate 395, and 14th Street—would be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic for a 48-hour period over the inauguration, from 6 a.m. on January 19 to 6 a.m. on January 21.
On January 15, the House Oversight Committee asked 27 transportation and hotel companies, including Avis, Hertz, Marriott, and Hyatt to implement screening procedures to prevent the use of their services by domestic terrorists targeting the inauguration.
References
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Biden’s inauguration speech to set the Vision for new America
President Joe Biden called for American unity after four years of political divisiveness and the “raging fire” it provoked.
He promised to be a president for all Americans.
“I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did,” he said.
