Trump announces new impeachment legal team

The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee is holding a confirmation hearing for Biden's Cabinet nominee Denis McDonough to serve as veterans affairs secretary.

"Though only a small percentage of Americans have served in our armed forces, the president has called on every American to embrace our responsibility to support our veterans and their families," McDonough said in his opening statement, noting that he is not a veteran but has witnessed their service, which he praised.

In addition to helping to get veterans through the pandemic, McDonough said he would focus on what he described as the department’s three core responsibilities: providing the best health care, ensuring timely access to benefits and “honoring our veterans with their final resting place.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., introduced McDonough to the committee as an "adept manager who understands how to tackle complex challenges throughout our government," adding, "He will listen, then he will get things done for you."

McDonough, 51, who served as former President Barack Obama's chief of staff in his second term, was previously Obama's principal deputy national security adviser, including during the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Like Biden's Secretary of State Antony Blinken, McDonough is in the famous Situation Room photo.

Prior to his eight-year White House tenure, McDonough served in senior leadership and policy-making positions in both chambers of Congress.

He's credited with helping Obama bridge divides on Capitol Hill, including gaining support for the Veterans Choice Act, which former President Donald Trump later signed into law.

Biden is continuing his calls with world leaders and spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga Wednesday morning.

The two world leaders spoke about renewing the U.S. commitment to Article 5 of NATO, regional security issues -- particularly with regard to China -- and the need to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, according to a White House readout. 

The pair also spoke about working together on COVID-19 as well as a desire to address climate change. Biden has also had calls with leaders of Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Russia.

-ABC News' Moly Nagle

Biden has signed a series of actions on climate change, fulfilling campaign promises such as freezing new oil and gas leasing on federal land and kicking off his ambitious agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- making tackling climate change a priority across the federal government.

In addition to Biden’s domestic policy priorities on climate, one executive order sets climate change as a key consideration for U.S. national security and foreign policy. It also sets up the U.S. to host an international climate summit on Earth Day on April 22.

The order directs the federal government to purchase electric, zero-emissions vehicles for its enormous fleet, double the country's offshore wind energy, establish a Civilian Climate Corps and sets the goal of conserving at least 30% of the country's lands and oceans. It also directs federal agencies to address the health, environmental and climate impacts on disadvantaged communities and to direct 40% of relevant federal investment to those areas.

Biden has tasked former Secretary of State John Kerry, in his position as special presidential envoy for climate, with “enhanced climate ambition” to increase the U.S. commitment and push other countries to reduce carbon dioxide emissions even further in the fight against climate change, another part of the order.

Wednesday's actions follow several climate-related executive orders Biden signed in his first few days in office, including rejoining the Paris Agreement on climate and revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Biden’s aggressive actions come after former President Donald Trump rolled back much of his predecessor’s climate work, a point Biden acknowledged in his remarks.

-ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs and Sarah Kolinovsky

Ahead of signing executive actions tackling climate change, Biden delivered remarks from the White House State Dining Room and was joined by Harris, along with former Secretary and State and now presidential envoy of climate John Kerry and national climate adviser Gina McCarthy, who had just come from briefing reporters.

"Today is climate day at the White House and -- which means that today is jobs day at the White House," Biden began. "We're talking about American innovation, American products, American labor. And we're talking about the health of our families, and cleaner water, cleaner air, and cleaner communities. We're talking about national security, and America leading the world in a clean energy future."

Biden said his plan provides "concrete, actionable solutions" not "pie in the sky dreams" to address problems plaguing the country, including extreme weather and poor air quality.

"Just like we need a unified national response to COVID-19, we desperately need a unified national response to the climate crisis because there is a climate crisis. We must lead global response," he said, drawing a contrast with the Trump administration's isolationist approach.

As he did on the campaign trail, Biden said he wanted to "be clear" that he would not ban fracking but that the executive order he was signing would help create new jobs among other climate-focused initiatives.

"This is a case where conscience and convenience cross paths, where dealing with this existential threat to the planet and increasing our economic growth and prosperity are one and the same," he said.