US Executive Branch Update

Stacy A. Swanson

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US Executive Branch Update – March 11, 2021

by: Stacy A. Swanson of Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP - Capital Thinking Blog

Friday, March 12, 2021

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

POTUS’ Schedule*

11:30 a.m. EST – The President and The VICE President receive the President’s Daily Brief | Oval Office

3:15 p.m. EST – The President and The Vice President receive the Weekly Economic Briefing | Oval Office

8:02 p.m. EST – The President addresses the nation on the anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown | East Room

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

11:30 a.m. EST – the Vice President will receive the President’s Daily Brief in the Oval Office

1:45 p.m. EST – the Vice President will drop in a virtual meeting with Americans she has previously met over the first 50 days in office to talk about the passage of the American Rescue Plan

3:15 p.m. EST – the President and the Vice President will receive the Weekly Economic Briefing in the Oval Office

5:15 p.m. EST – the Vice President will ceremonially swear in Merrick Garland as Attorney General in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

12:30 p.m. EST – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki | James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

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

Recap of Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 and reopening developments.

The White House

Statement by President Joe Biden on the House Passage of the American Rescue Plan
Blog: The American Rescue Plan Passed – Now What?
Remarks by President Biden at Event with the CEOs of Johnson & Johnson and Merck
Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with Colombian Minister of Defense Diego Molano and Chief of Staff to the President of Colombia Maria Paula Correa
Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan Leading the First Virtual Meeting of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative Group
Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Special Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Southern Border Ambassador Roberta Jacobson, March 10, 2021
Transcript: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials

Department of Defense (DOD)

Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks Phone Call With U.K. Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defense Sir Stephen Lovegrove
Press Release: DOD Releases Fiscal Year 2020 Freedom of Navigation Report
Article: US Indo-Pacific Leaders Detail Posture to House Armed Services Committee
Article: Defense Department Approves Continued Guard Presence on Capitol Hill
Article: Pentagon Press Secretary Briefs Reporters
Publication: Establishment of the Climate Working Group
Publication: COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update, March 10, 2021
Advisory: Secretary Austin Travels to Hawaii, Japan, Republic of Korea, India (Mar. 13)
Article: Secretary of Defense’s Trip to Asia to Focus on Strengthening Partnerships With Japan, Korea, India
Contracts for March 10, 2021

Department of State

Daily Schedule | Thursday, March 11
March 10: Statement | House of Representatives Vote on a Libyan Interim Government of National Unity
March 10: Statement | The 10th Anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake
March 10: Statement | Condolences to the Victims of the Explosions in Equatorial Guinea
March 10: Statement | State Department Terrorist Designations of ISIS Affiliates and Leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique
March 10: Remarks | Opening Remarks by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken Before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
March 10: Statement | Promoting Accountability and Responding to Violence against Protestors in Burma
March 10: Readout | Secretary Blinken and NSA Sullivan’s Meeting with PRC Counterparts
March 10: Statement | Restarting the Central American Minors Program
March 10: Advisory | Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Tokyo and Seoul (Mar. 15-18)

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

Press Release: The United States Congratulates Afghanistan on the Arrival of COVID Vaccine

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

Advisory: Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to Host a UN Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Conflict-Driven Hunger (Mar. 11)
Statement by the President of the Security Council on Myanmar, March 10, 2021
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Adoption of a UN Security Council Presidential Statement on Burma
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Briefing on OSCE Cooperation

Department of the Treasury

Statement from Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on the Passage of the American Rescue Plan
Sanctions: United States Targets Family Members Profiting from Connection to Burmese Coup Leader
Press Release: Burma-related Designations; Counter Terrorism Designations and Designations Updates; Global Magnitsky Designation Update; Democratic Republic of the Congo Designation Update
Readout: Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen’s Call with Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati

Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
Press Release: National Consumer Bankruptcy Law Firm Agrees to Pay More than $300,000 in Relief to Consumers and to a Six-Year Practice Ban in Settlement with U.S. Trustee Program
Press Release: Justice Department Files Title VII Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against Alabama Sheriff’s Office and the Mobile County Sheriff
Press Release: Correctional Sergeant and Correctional Officer Indicted for Inmate Abuse, Obstruction of Justice
Press Release: Justice Department Settles Claims Against Toms River, New Jersey Over Zoning Code That Restricts Houses of Worship

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ Customs and Border Protection (CBP)/U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)

Press Release: CBP Announces February 2021 Operational Update (Washington, D.C.)
Press Release: Canine Alerts to Fentanyl Pills Hidden in Sealed Medicine Bottles (Arizona)
Press Release: Border Patrol Seizes Over $1.4M Worth of Drugs in Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Press Release: Laredo Sector Border Patrol Apprehends Over 100 Individuals in Separate Smuggling Attempts (Texas)
Press Release: In 4 Days CBP Officers Seize Counterfeit Items Worth Over $290K (Missouri)
Press Release: Agriculture Specialists Intercept Tanzanian Wasps and Mantids in Memphis (Tennessee)
Press Release: Update on USCIS Visitor Policy

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Press Release: FEMA Provides An Additional $46.8 Million To Denver For COVID-19 Response
Press Release: Proposed Goshen County Flood Map Reflects Changes to Local Flood Risk, Insurance Rates (Wyoming)
Press Release: Louisiana Survivors Affected by Winter Weather Can Apply for Possible FEMA Assistance
Press Release: Logistical Collaboration Delivers Resources to Build Out Territory’s Community Vaccination Centers (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Press Release: FEMA Awards $4.1 Million to Create the EcoExploratorio Resiliency Institute (Puerto Rico)

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Congressional Passage of the American Rescue Plan Act
Fact Sheet: United States Department of Agriculture Provisions in H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan
Fact Sheet: Update on USDA Activities to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic

Department of Energy (DOE)

Press Release: DOE Launches Design & Construction of $75 Million Grid Energy Storage Research Facility

Environmental Protection Agency

Press Release: EPA to Request Additional Input on the Lead and Copper Rule

Department of Labor

Press Release: US Department of Labor issues stronger mine safety guidance on coronavirus
Press Release: US Department of Labor recovers $102K in back wages for 11 Tampa restaurant workers after investigation uncovers overtime violations
Press Release: US Department of Labor orders one of the nation’s largest railway companies to pay more than $290K in damages, reinstate whistleblower
Press Release: US Department of Labor releases statement on enforcement of its final rules on ESG investments, proxy voting by employee benefit plans