This report provides a snapshot of the U.S. Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases.

POTUS’ Schedule*

9:00 a.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

1:20 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route the U.S.-Africa Business Forum | South Grounds

1:30 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum

• Fact Sheet:  U.S.- Africa Partnership in Promoting Two-Way Trade and Investment in Africa

• Fact Sheet:  New Initiative on Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA)

• Fact Sheet:  U.S.-Africa Partnerships in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

2:55 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House

3:40 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT hosts a small group multilateral meeting with leaders | Cabinet Room

7:00 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT and The First Lady host the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit dinner; The Vice President and The Second Gentleman attend | East Room

The White House is hosting the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit this week.  More information on the Summit is available here.

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

7:00 p.m. EST – the Vice President and the Second Gentleman will attend the President and the First Lady’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit dinner |  East Room

*The U.S. President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change, as is the White House press briefing schedule.

Recap of Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Note: All colored text denotes hyperlinks.

The White House

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Remarks by Vice President Harris at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum

• Executive Order on Establishing the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States

• Fact Sheet:  U.S.- Africa Partnership in Elevating Diaspora Engagement

• Statement:  Strengthening the U.S.-Africa Partnership in Space

• Fact Sheet:  U.S-Africa Partnership in Health Cooperation

• Fact Sheet:  U.S-Africa Partnership in Supporting Conservation, Climate Adaptation and a Just Energy Transition

Other Matters

• Remarks by President Biden on the Administration’s Efforts to Tackle Inflation

• Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at Signing of H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act

• Bill Signed into Law:  H.R. 8404

• Transcript:  Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Transcript:  Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds an On-Camera Press Briefing

• Readout:  Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Participates in Call with Ukrainian Leaders

• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Meeting with the President of Angola

• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Meeting with Djibouti, Niger, and Somalia

• Article:  Military Esports: How Gaming Is Changing Recruitment & Morale

• Contracts for December 13, 2022

Department of State

Daily Schedule | Wednesday, December 14, 2022

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken at the African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum

• December 13:  Statement | Private Sector Partnerships Support the African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Blinken at the Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and Just Energy Transition Forum

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Blinken at the Peace, Security, and Governance Forum

• December 13:  Statement | Plans for a Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy

• December 13:  Statement | Nigeria and Rwanda: First African Nations Sign the Artemis Accords

• December 13:  Statement | State Department Announces Partnership Opportunity Delegation to Ghana

• December 13:  Readout | Innovators Gathering: Secretary Blinken Convenes U.S. and African Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Philanthropists Ahead of U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Blinken at an MOU Signing with Democratic Republic of the Congo Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula and Zambian Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo

• December 13:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with DRC President Tshisekedi

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Blinken and Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi Before Their Meeting

• December 13:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Blinken and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Before Their Meeting

• December 13:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Senegalese President Sall

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Blinken and Senegalese President and AU Chairperson Macky Sall Before Their Meeting

• December 13:  Readout | Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin’s Meeting with Angolan President Lourenço

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Angolan President João Lourenço before Their Meeting

• December 13:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Joint Meeting with Secretary Austin and President Guelleh of the Republic of Djibouti, President Bazoum of the Republic of Niger, and President Hassan Sheikh from the Federal Republic of Somalia

• December 13:  Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Before Meeting with Djiboutian President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Eurasia

• December 13:  Statement | Joint Statement on the United States-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership Dialogue

Europe

• December 13:  Advisory | Ambassador at Large Fick Travels to the OECD Digital Economy Ministerial in Spain

• December 13:  Fact Sheet | U.S.-Croatia Treaty for the Avoidance of Double Taxation

Asia-Pacific

• December 13:  Statement | Resettlement Initiative for Vulnerable Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

• December 13:  Statement | The United States and the Republic of Korea Reaffirm Commitment to Deepen Economic Partnership at the 7th Senior Economic Dialogue

• December 13:  Readout | U.S. Special Representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim’s Meeting with Republic of Korea Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim and Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Funakoshi

Department Press Briefing

• December 13:  Transcript | Department Press Briefing

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Press Release:  Vice President Harris Announces New Investment in Young African Leaders Initiative

• Readout:  Administrator Samantha Power attends the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit: Day 1

• Press Release:  USAID Announces a $415 Million Partnership with Five African Nations to Accelerate Primary Health Care

• Press Release:  United States Commits to Reducing Inequities in Access to Quality Health Services in Africa Through Strategic and Coordinated Health Workforce Investments

• Press Release:  Famine Threats Persist in Somalia, Yet Recent Findings Show Surge in Humanitarian Assistance is Stalling Famine

U.S. Mission to the United Nations (UN)

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Readout of Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

• Readout of Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Meeting with President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon

• Readout of Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Meeting with Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló

• Readout of Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Meeting with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo

• Transcript:  Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Interview with Anita Powell of Voice of America

• Transcript:  Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Interview with Kethevane Goriestani of France 24

United Nations

• Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in South Sudan

Department of the Treasury

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Press Release:  Remarks by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit’s African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum

Other Matters

• Remarks by Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy Ben Harris at the Brookings Institution’s Retirement Security Project Event

• Guidance:  Counter Narcotics Designation; Issuance of Counter Terrorism General License and Amended Frequently Asked Question

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

• Press Release:  SEC Charges Samuel Bankman-Fried with Defrauding Investors in Crypto Asset Trading Platform FTX

• Press Release:  SEC Charges Danske Bank with Fraud for Misleading Investors about Its Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Failures in Estonia

Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases

• Press Release:  FTX Founder Indicted for Fraud, Money Laundering, and Campaign Finance Offenses

• Press Release:  Russian Military and Intelligence Agencies Procurement Network Indicted in Brooklyn Federal Court

• Press Release:  Danske Bank Pleads Guilty to Fraud on U.S. Banks in Multi-Billion Dollar Scheme to Access the U.S. Financial System

• Readout of U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Meeting with Vietnamese Prosecutor General Le Minh Tri

• Press Release:  Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco’s Trip to Oklahoma

• Press Release:  United States Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Chiropractor, Modern Vascular Office-Based Labs and Modern Vascular Corporate Entities

• Press Release:  Justice Department Secures Settlement with Trucking Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims

• Press Release:  Court Orders Remedy in Clean Water Act Case, Directs Individual and Company to Restore Sensitive Tidal Channels and Marsh

• Press Release:  Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime and Arson Charges for Burning Down Islamic Center

• Press Release:  Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crimes for Death Threats Targeting Black Lives Matter Supporters

• Press Release:  Justice Department Secures Award Against Tennessee Landlord for Sexually Harassing Female Tenants

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on Planning for End of Title 42

• Press Release: DHS to Address Life, Safety, Environmental, and Remediation Requirements for Border Barrier Projects in San Diego, Yuma, El Paso

• Press Release:  DHS Announces Customer Experience Improvements One Year Following President Biden’s Executive Order

Texas

• Press Release:  Laredo CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive Sought for Sexual Offense

• Press Release:  Falfurrias Checkpoint Agents Stop Two Trailers Smuggling Migrants

• Press Release:  CBP Officers Seize $3.6 Million in Cocaine at World Trade Bridge

• Press Release:  RGV Agents Interdict Third Largest Methamphetamine Seizure in USBP History

Indiana

• Press Release:  Indianapolis CBP Seize Illegally Shipped Firearm Parts

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily press releases

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Readout of the African Growth and Opportunity Act Ministerial During the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Opening Remarks by Ambassador Katherine Tai at the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Ministerial Meeting

Department of Commerce

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

• Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the United Republic of Tanzania

Other Matters

• Press Release:  Biden-Harris Administration Awards ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants to: 

  • Washington State

  • Connecticut

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Press Release:  Commissioner Carr Applauds Bipartisan TikTok Bill

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

• Press Release:  CFPB & FHFA news release announcing the publication of updated loan-level data for public use collected through the National Survey of Mortgage Originations

U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM)

• Press Release:  Export-Import Bank of the United States Announces First-Ever China and Transformational Exports Program Deal of the Year Award at 2022 Annual Conference

• Press Release:  Export-Import Bank of the United States Recognizes Eight Customers as Exporters of the Year at 2022 Annual Conference

• Press Release:  Bayshore Group and Regions Bank Awarded Deal of the Year at Export-Import Bank of the United States 2022 Annual Conference

• Press Release:  2022 Renewable Energy Deal of the Year Awarded to Stakeholders in Honduran Solar Project at Export-Import Bank of the United States Annual Conference

• Press Release:  Small Business Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh Awarded REPP Member of the Year at Export-Import Bank of the United States 2022 Annual Conference

• Press Release:  Trade Acceptance Group and Meridian Finance Group Awarded 2022 Brokers of the Year at Export-Import Bank of the United States Annual Conference

• Press Release:  East West Bank and Centre Merchant Finance Named 2022 Lenders of the Year at Export-Import Bank of the United States Annual Conference

• Press Release:  Export-Import Bank of the United States Announces Sub-Saharan Africa Deal of the Year Award at 2022 Annual Conference

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Press Release:  DOE National Laboratory Makes History by Achieving Fusion Ignition

• Press Release:  Biden-Harris Administration Announces $3.7 Billion to Kick-Start America’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Industry

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

• Press Release:  Notice of Change | December Commission Meeting

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Press Release:  EPA Announces Settlement with TForce to Correct Hazardous Waste Violations in 39 States

• Link to other EPA press releases

Department of Labor

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor awards $4M grant to combat child labor in the West African agriculture sector

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor, Port of San Diego Ship Repair Association align to protect workers, minimize exposure to shipyard safety, health hazards

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor recognizes Molson Coors Beverage Company USA LLC as exemplary for workplace safety, health excellence

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor recovers $59K in back wages for 10 Oklahoma City workers denied full tips, minimum wage, overtime by restaurant employer

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Readout:  CMS Hosts Maternal Health Convening with Leaders Across Government, Industry

• Press Release:  SAMHSA Proposes Update to Federal Rules to Expand Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Help Close Gap in Care

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release:  FDA Roundup | December 13, 2022

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

• Press Release:  HUD Awards Almost $14 Million to Local HIV/AIDS Housing Programs