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Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Meaning of assignment in English

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• It was a plum assignment - more of a vacation really.
• He took this award-winning photograph while on assignment in the Middle East .
• His two-year assignment to the Mexico office starts in September .
• She first visited Norway on assignment for the winter Olympics ten years ago.
• He fell in love with the area after being there on assignment for National Geographic in the 1950s.
• act as something
• all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy) idiom
• be at work idiom
• be in work idiom
• housekeeping
• in the line of duty idiom
• join duty idiom
• undertaking

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

assignment | Intermediate English

Assignment | business english, examples of assignment, collocations with assignment.

These are words often used in combination with assignment .

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Translations of assignment

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Word of the Day

to explain something to someone in a way that suggests that they are stupid; used especially when a man explains something to a woman that she already understands

Never say die! (Idioms and phrases in newspapers)

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Make the Most of a Short-Term Assignment

Short-term assignments, transfers, or rotation programs can have big advantages: You’re exposed to new geographies, functions, cultures, and people. But these temporary positions often come with little or no training, so it’s your responsibility to get up to speed fast. Here are three ways to make sure you’re getting the most from a short-term assignment: […]

Short-term assignments, transfers, or rotation programs can have big advantages: You’re exposed to new geographies, functions, cultures, and people. But these temporary positions often come with little or no training, so it’s your responsibility to get up to speed fast. Here are three ways to make sure you’re getting the most from a short-term assignment:

Source: Adapted from “Maximize Your Learning in Short-Term Assignments,” by John Coleman

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Assignment is a legal term whereby an individual, the “assignor,” transfers rights, property, or other benefits to another known as the “ assignee .”   This concept is used in both contract and property law.  The term can refer to either the act of transfer or the rights /property/benefits being transferred.

Contract Law   

Under contract law, assignment of a contract is both: (1) an assignment of rights; and (2) a delegation of duties , in the absence of evidence otherwise.  For example, if A contracts with B to teach B guitar for $50, A can assign this contract to C.  That is, this assignment is both: (1) an assignment of A’s rights under the contract to the $50; and (2) a delegation of A’s duty to teach guitar to C.  In this example, A is both the “assignor” and the “delegee” who d elegates the duties to another (C), C is known as the “ obligor ” who must perform the obligations to the assignee , and B is the “ assignee ” who is owed duties and is liable to the “ obligor ”.

(1) Assignment of Rights/Duties Under Contract Law

There are a few notable rules regarding assignments under contract law.  First, if an individual has not yet secured the contract to perform duties to another, he/she cannot assign his/her future right to an assignee .  That is, if A has not yet contracted with B to teach B guitar, A cannot assign his/her rights to C.  Second, rights cannot be assigned when they materially change the obligor ’s duty and rights.  Third, the obligor can sue the assignee directly if the assignee does not pay him/her.  Following the previous example, this means that C ( obligor ) can sue B ( assignee ) if C teaches guitar to B, but B does not pay C $50 in return.

            (2) Delegation of Duties

If the promised performance requires a rare genius or skill, then the delegee cannot delegate it to the obligor.  It can only be delegated if the promised performance is more commonplace.  Further, an obligee can sue if the assignee does not perform.  However, the delegee is secondarily liable unless there has been an express release of the delegee.  That is, if B does want C to teach guitar but C refuses to, then B can sue C.  If C still refuses to perform, then B can compel A to fulfill the duties under secondary liability.

Lastly, a related concept is novation , which is when a new obligor substitutes and releases an old obligor.  If novation occurs, then the original obligor’s duties are wiped out. However, novation requires an original obligee’s consent .  

Property Law

Under property law, assignment typically arises in landlord-tenant situations.  For example, A might be renting from landlord B but wants to another party (C) to take over the property.   In this scenario, A might be able to choose between assigning and subleasing the property to C.  If assigning , A would be giving C the entire balance of the term, with no reversion to anyone whereas if subleasing , A would be giving C for a limited period of the remaining term.  Significantly, under assignment C would have privity of estate with the landlord while under a sublease, C would not. 

[Last updated in May of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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Definition of assignment noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

"Understood the assignment" refers to recognizing and executing a given task or expectation effectively. It's often used to acknowledge someone's ability to grasp the essence of a situation or to applaud someone's performance in fulfilling that expectation.

"Understood the Assignment" Origins

The phrase gained popularity on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, where it is often associated with videos showcasing individuals who perform exceptionally well, aligning perfectly with what was expected of them.

Examples of Use for "Understood the Assignment"

The following are some ways people might use this term in conversation or messaging:

• "Her performance in that play was incredible! She really understood the assignment."
• "When he aced that presentation, you could tell he understood the assignment."
• "The outfit she wore to the event? Definitely understood the assignment!"

Incorporating "Understood the Assignment" Into Your Vocabulary

How can parents use this term in daily life? Here are some tips!

• Complimenting Efforts: When your child excels in school projects, you might say, "I can tell you understood the assignment with your poster presentation!"
• Encouraging Positivity: After a sports game where your child performed well, comment, "You really understood the assignment on the field today!"
• Discussing Interests: When talking about films or shows with your friends, say, "That actor really understood the assignment in that role!"

Is "Understood the Assignment" Positive or Negative?

"Understood the assignment" is generally a positive term, celebrating competence and achievement in various tasks or situations. It reflects a sense of approval and recognition.

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Synonyms of assign

• as in to task
• as in to allot
• as in to cede
• as in to appoint
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Thesaurus Definition of assign

Synonyms & Similar Words

• share (out)
• parcel (out)
• redistribute
• reapportion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deprive (of)
• appropriate
• pass (down)
• expropriate
• single (out)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word assign different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of assign are ascribe , attribute , credit , and impute . While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

In what contexts can ascribe take the place of assign ?

The synonyms ascribe and assign are sometimes interchangeable, but ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

How is attribute related to other words for assign ?

Attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe , less definiteness than assign .

Where would credit be a reasonable alternative to assign ?

In some situations, the words credit and assign are roughly equivalent. However, credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

When is it sensible to use impute instead of assign ?

While in some cases nearly identical to assign , impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

Examples of assign in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near assign

assiduousness

assignation

Cite this Entry

“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assign. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on assign

Nglish: Translation of assign for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assign for Arabic Speakers

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Taking Another Look at Short Term Assignments and Talent Mobility

Corporate Relocation , Domestic Relocation , Employee Relocation , Talent Mobility

The Covid pandemic has spurred companies and employees to reassess work models and locations, and to consider more flexible, cost-effective ways to achieve business objectives. While not new, short-term assignments can be an effective workaround to current obstacles to employee relocation —from reluctance to relocate to a frenzied real estate market and global restrictions.

Short-term assignments are a “lite” form of talent mobility, enabling businesses to achieve specific, finite project objectives with less expense and disruption. International short term assignments have a longer history, arising as a relatively inexpensive alternative to global relocation . Domestic short-term assignments became more popular over the past 15 years, as the U.S. recovered from the Great Recession.

Objective of Short-Term Assignments

Companies originally devised short-term assignments as a developmental opportunity for high potential, junior-level employees. The employee had the opportunity to meet and work with employees in a different company location, master new skills and hone leadership abilities. This opportunity can increase the employee’s job satisfaction and loyalty and help the company to retain a promising employee. Employees who shine in STAs can be candidates for promotion and future STAs or possibly a traditional global assignment.

Short-term assignments also can be an effective way for more experienced employees to share their expertise with other parts of the organization. A company might deploy a manager to oversee the opening of a new company location, lead a merger or acquisition or bring specific IT or other technical expertise to another company location. In these examples, permanent relocation might not be necessary, but a brief business trip wouldn’t be enough.

Tax Implications of Short Term Assignment Jobs

The IRS treats short-term assignments more like business travel than relocation expenses . Relocation expenses are employee benefits and must be reported on the relocating employee’s W-2 for the year. Most companies gross many of these expenses up to cover the tax obligation, creating another expense for the company.

The IRS definition of a short-term assignment is very precise: the company must expect it to last for less than one year and it must actually last for less than one year. In this case, the IRS considers travel, lodging and certain other expenses to be business expenses that are deductible for the employer and not W-2 benefits to the employee.

Assignments can change in scope or length once underway, and this can influence the tax treatment. The minute an employer determines the assignment is going to extend longer than a year, the reimbursed expenses from that point forward become a taxable benefit to the employee. This applies whether the company reimburses the employee directly or pays expenses on his/her behalf.

So short-term assignments can last longer than a year (this is particularly common with rotational assignments), but the company will sacrifice some of the cost-savings of shorter-length assignments. The scope of work will be one consideration in deciding whether a short-term assignment or relocation makes better business sense.

Learn More About Short Term Assignments

Within the mobility arena, short-term developmental assignments are gaining traction with companies looking to support business growth and employee development while controlling costs. This creative strategy allows businesses to deploy talent where needed without making the financial commitment inherent in a permanent domestic relocation or a long-term international assignment, but not without careful consideration. Download the Short Term Assignments White Paper

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What has Kamala Harris accomplished as vice president? Here's a quick look.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her meteoric rise as the successor to President Joe Biden, 81, as the Democratic presidential candidate in the Nov. 5 election is the most significant seismic shift in presidential politics in recent history.

As she gears up to secure the Democratic presidential nomination in Chicago this August, we examine some of Harris’ most significant accomplishments and policy initiatives.

More: Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race: What to know as America looks to election

Immigration

In response to immigration concerns, Harris’ call to action was the public-private partnership Central America Forward (CAF). The idea behind CAF is to support the creation of local jobs and other measures in order to slow the flow of mass migration.

CAF has generated more than $5.2 billion since its launch in 2021, and its partners include more than 50 companies and organizations that have committed to supporting economic growth in the Central America region. The entities represent the financial services, textiles, apparel, agriculture, technology, telecommunications, nonprofit sectors, and others, according to the White House.

Voting rights

Harris was at the forefront of the administration’s pursuit to enshrine voting rights protection throughout the U.S. according to White House transcripts . She pushed for Congress to pass the John R Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act , which would’ve extended the protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and required federal approval for some local election law changes.

In 2021, the bill did not receive the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, preventing the start of debate on the Senate floor where Harris would have cast the deciding vote in the evenly split chamber.

Harris visited a Planned Parenthood clinic on March 14, a historic first for any president or vice president while in office, according to previous reporting by USA TODAY.

Walking through the clinic in Minnesota, the vice president spoke with staff members and health care providers as part of her nationwide “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour earlier this year.

Gun violence

In September 2023, Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to reduce gun violence, overseen by Vice President Harris, as announced by the White House.

The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds upon actions taken by the Biden-Harris administration to end gun violence, which include the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Heralded by the White House as the most impactful gun violence prevention measure in almost three decades, the now law bars individuals under the age of 21 from buying firearms, grants the Justice Department additional powers to prosecute gun traffickers, provides mental health services in schools to assist youth affected by gun violence trauma and grief and funds community-based violence intervention programs.

Maternal health

In her previous role as U.S. Senator for California, Harris introduced the Maternal CARE Act and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act , which would direct multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations as well as maternal health issues related to COVID-19.

The vice president’s prior work on maternal and infant health care was a key component of the Build Back Better Act , passed in 2022. The legislation expands access to maternal care and makes new investments to drive down mortality and morbidity rates.  

Broadband expansion

In 2023, Harris and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin to celebrate the announcement of new electronics equipment production made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s “ Investing in America ” agenda and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requires the use of American-made materials and products for federally funded infrastructure projects, with the goal of bringing hundreds of new jobs to the U.S. The law also notably includes a historic $65 billion investment to expand affordable and reliable high-speed Internet access in communities across the U.S.

“Our investments in broadband infrastructure are creating jobs in Wisconsin and across the nation and increasing access to reliable, high-speed internet so everyone in America has the tools they need to thrive in the 21st century,” said Harris.

In 2021, President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday. Often referred to as the “Second Independence Day,” it commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when 2,000 Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, to announce that enslaved African Americans were freed by executive order two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture .

“As a United States Senator, I was proud to co-sponsor a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday,” said Harris during the Juneteenth concert at the White House. “This [day], we will hold a national day of action on voting.  And I call on all the leaders here to please join us in helping more Americans register to vote.”

Reuters contributed to the reporting of this story.

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Harris tries to flip the script on Trump on the border during raucous Georgia speech

Asma Khalid

Vice President Harris speaks during a campaign rally in Atlanta on July 30, 2024. John Bazemore/AP hide caption

ATLANTA — Vice President Harris used the biggest event of her campaign thus far to take on one of her biggest political liabilities: the reoccurring surges in migration at the southern U.S. border during the Biden administration.

Harris is leaning into her history as a prosecutor. It's not the first time

Republicans have attacked Harris as a failed "border czar" who did little to stop migration, even though President Biden had asked her to find ways to address the root causes of migration from Northern Triangle countries early on in her time as vice president. Former President Donald Trump had made border security one of his signature issues, building a wall on the southern border and using various restrictions to try to cut back on immigration.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., holds up a tweet by Vice President Harris at a news conference at the Capitol on July 30, 2024. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption

On Tuesday, Harris tried to turn the tables on this narrative, painting herself as a hard-charging attorney general of a border state who had walked underground tunnels between Mexico and California with law enforcement.

"I went after transnational gangs, drug cartels and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won," Harris said. "Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been talking a big game about securing our border, but he does not walk the walk," she said.

Harris pledged to bring back border security bill

Harris Heads To Guatemala And Mexico As Part Of A 'Buzz Saw' Assignment

Harris was only a few months into her time as vice president when Biden gave her a politically treacherous assignment: to find ways to deal with the deep-seated economic and societal problems driving tens of thousands of Central American people to try to seek asylum in the United States.

Her first foreign trip was to Guatemala and Mexico, and Republicans slammed her for not first visiting border communities grappling with increased numbers of people. And then she became irritated in an NBC interview , fueling Republican criticism back home.

Biden and Trump were both at the border today, staking out ground on a key 2024 issue

Harris didn't mention her work on the root causes of migration during her Tuesday night speech. Instead, she picked up a strategy that Biden was also seeking to use in his campaign — focusing on a tough border security bill that Biden had agreed to sign, that would give him the authority to, in his words, "shut down the border" when migrant numbers surge.

Republicans in Congress backed away from that bill, after some in the Senate had initially supported it. Harris, like Biden, blamed Trump for tanking the bill, because the issue of immigration played well for him. Biden later took executive action to try to accomplish some of the same goals, though it is being challenged in court.

Vice President Harris speaks at a campaign event at the Georgia State Convocation Center on July 30, 2024 in Atlanta. Megan Varner/Getty Images hide caption

"Donald Trump does not care about border security — he only cares about himself," Harris said. “As president, I will bring back the border security bill that Donald Trump killed, and I will sign it into law, and show Donald Trump what real leadership looks like," she said.

Harris also addressed inflation concerns

All eyes are on Harris after Biden dropped out and passed her the torch

For the first time in her nascent campaign, Harris also sought to put some details around her economic policy platform, responding to another issue that voters say they are concerned about: the high cost of living.

Harris acknowledged that while many economic indictors show the U.S. economy is strong, people aren't feeling it. "Prices are still too high: you know it and I know it," she said.

She said taking on price gouging would be a "Day One" issue, and talked about banning hidden fees and banks' "surprise late charges." She vowed to "take on corporate landlords" and "cap unfair rent increases," as well as cap prescription drug prices. Harris also mentioned the importance of affordable health care, child care and paid leave policies.

• Kamala Harris
• Donald Trump
• immigration policy
• border security

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Nasa shares its spacex crew-10 assignments for space station mission.

Jessica Taveau

Nasa headquarters.

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission, four crew members are preparing to launch for a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers , JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov will join astronauts at the orbiting laboratory no earlier than February 2025.

The flight is the 10th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. While aboard, the international crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions and benefit people on Earth.

Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013, this will be McClain’s second spaceflight. A colonel in the U.S. Army, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and holds master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering, International Security, and Strategic Studies. The Spokane, Washington, native was an instructor pilot in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. McClain has more than 2,300 flight hours in 24 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, including more than 800 in combat, and was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team. On her first spaceflight, McClain spent 204 days as a flight engineer during Expeditions 58 and 59 and was the lead on two spacewalks, totaling 13 hours and 8 minutes. Since then, she has served in various roles, including branch chief and space station assistant to the chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office.

Ayers is a major in the U.S. Air Force and the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class named to a crew. The Colorado native graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a minor in Russian, where she was a member of the academy’s varsity volleyball team. She later earned a master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University in Houston. Ayers served as an instructor pilot and mission commander in the T-38 ADAIR and F-22 Raptor, leading multinational and multiservice missions worldwide. She has more than 1,400 total flight hours, including more than 200 in combat.

With 113 days in space, this mission also will mark Onishi’s second trip to the space station. After being selected by JAXA in 2009, he flew as a flight engineer for Expeditions 48 and 49 became the first Japanese astronaut to robotically capture the Cygnus spacecraft. He also constructed a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, the station’s Japanese experiment module. Since his spaceflight, Onishi became certified as a JAXA flight director, leading the team responsible for operating Kibo from JAXA Mission Control in Tsukuba, Japan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Tokyo and was a pilot for All Nippon Airways, flying more than 3,700 flight hours in the Boeing 767.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission also will be Peskov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he earned a degree in Engineering from the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation School and was a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft for airlines Nordwind and Ikar. Assigned as a test-cosmonaut in 2020, he has additional experience in skydiving, zero-gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.

For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the  International Space Station , advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust  low Earth orbit economy , NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon, where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars.

Find more information on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Joshua Finch / Claire O’Shea Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 [email protected] / claire.a.o’[email protected]

Raegan Scharfetter Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-910-4989 [email protected]

Related Terms

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