| By Matt Viser He’s designated national monuments in California and removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. He’s blocked a Japanese company’s takeover of U.S. Steel and extended temporary protected status to nearly 1 million immigrants. He’s commuted the sentences of nearly everyone who was on federal death row, and he’s granted to his son Hunter a sweeping pardon. President Joe Biden is ending his time in office as he began, with a burst of executive actions meant to differentiate him from the man who preceded him and will succeed him: President-elect Donald Trump. Biden’s actions have been far-reaching, touching nearly every area of government, and are likely to continue up until his final hours in office, according to administration officials. Even as many at the White House were packing up their offices — planning to vacate at the end of the day on Friday — there were still last-minute preparations for additional executive actions. The president has been weighing action aimed at advancing the Equal Rights Amendment, which would prohibit discrimination based on sex, according to people familiar with the discussions, speaking on the condition of anonymity to disclose internal plans. And Biden has been considering issuing preemptive pardons for figures who might face the hostility of the incoming Trump administration. Outgoing presidents often conclude their tenure with a flurry of activity, such as pardons or proclamations, but Biden’s efforts have been unusually wide-ranging, reflecting his conviction that Trump represents a unique threat to American traditions. In recent days, Biden’s administration has canceled student loans for 150,000 borrowers and approved unprecedented new export controls on computer chips and other technology crucial to advanced artificial intelligence projects. | 
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