US Executive Branch Update – April 23, 2021

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

POTUS’ Schedule*

9:15 a.m. EDT – The President delivers remarks and participates in the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Session 5:The Economic Opportunities of Climate Action | East Room

11:00 a.m. EDT – The President receives the President’s Daily Brief | Oval Office

1:45 p.m. EDT – The President receives the Weekly Economic Briefing | Oval Office

2:45 p.m. EDT – The President participates in a virtual U.S. Department of Defense Senior Leaders Conference | Situation Room

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

9:25 a.m. EDT – the Vice President will travel to Plymouth and Concord, New Hampshire

11:55 a.m. EDT – the Vice President will hold a listening session on the American Jobs Plan’s investments in broadband at New Hampshire Electric Cooperative in Plymouth

2:00 p.m. EDT – the Vice President will take a tour of IBEW Local 490 with apprentices and staff in Concord

2:40 p.m. EDT – the Vice President will deliver remarks on the American Jobs Plan’s investments in workforce development and infrastructure

4:45 p.m. EDT – the Vice President will depart New Hampshire en route Washington, D.C.

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

11:00 a.m. EDT – Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and public health officials | The White House

11:30 p.m. [stet] EDT – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland | 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.

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Recap of Thursday, April 22, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19, the American Jobs Plan and reopening developments.

The White House

• Remarks by President Biden at the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Opening Session

• Remarks by President Biden at the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Session 2: Investing in Climate Solutions

• Remarks by Vice President Harris at the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate Opening Session

• Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Advances Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

• Fact Sheet: President Biden Sets 2030 Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Target Aimed at Creating Good-Paying Union Jobs and Securing U.S. Leadership on Clean Energy Technologies

• Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Outlines Key Resources to Invest in Coal and Power Plant Community Economic Revitalization | April 23, 2021

• Executive Summary: U.S. International Climate Finance Plan

• Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, April 22, 2021

• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi of Indonesia

• Fact Sheet: The American Jobs Plan Empowers and Protects Workers | April 23, 2021

• Nominations: President Biden Announces 12 Key Climate and Infrastructure Administration Nominations

• Nominations Sent to the Senate

• Proclamation on Earth Day, 2021

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Transcript: Secretary Austin Remarks at Climate Change Summit

• Press Release: DOD Announces Installation Climate Exposure Assessments Plan Through the Defense Climate Assessment Tool

• Article: Defense Secretary Calls Climate Change an Existential Threat

• Article: Deputy Secretary Discusses Climate Crisis, DOD Response

• Article: DOD Using Climate Assessment Tool to Understand Impacts of Climate Change

• Article: Official Describes Impacts of Climate Change, Standup of Working Group

• Article: DOD Working to Mitigate Climate Change Effects on Installations

• Article: Action Team Leads DOD Efforts to Adapt to Climate Change Effects

• Transcript: Navy Adm. Charles A. Richard, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Holds a Press Briefing

• Article: Military Leaders Discuss Defense Authorization Request, Future Years Defense Program

• Article: Nuclear Triad Modernization the Nation’s Highest Priority, Admiral Says

• Press Release: DOD Announces Winners of the 2021 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards

• Article: DOD Announces 2021 Environmental Award Winners

• Contracts for April 22, 2021

Department of State

• Daily Schedule | Friday, April 23

• April 22: Remarks | Opening Remarks at the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate

• April 22: Fact Sheet | Bureau of Energy Resources: Clean Energy Diplomacy on Climate

• April 22: Statement | Earth Day 2021

• April 22: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Kamilov

• April 22: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tileuberdi

• April 22: Transcript | Briefing with Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle Ricardo Zuniga on Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts to Address the Root Causes of Irregular Migration from Central America

• April 22: U.S.-India Joint Statement | Launching the “U.S.-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership”

• April 22: Statement | OPCW Condemns Syria’s Repeated Use of Chemical Weapons

• April 22: Remarks | Introductory Remarks for Youth Speaker Xiye Bastida

• April 22: Statement | Congratulations on Cabo Verde’s Parliamentary Elections

• April 22: Statement | ANZAC Day

• April 22: Statement | Annual Greening Diplomacy Initiative Award Winners Announced

• April 22: Statement | Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute

• April 22: Transcript | Department Press Briefing

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Press Release: Leaders Summit on Climate | USAID Announcements

• Press Release: Commemorating Earth Day 2021

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

• Statement: UN Security Council Press Statement on Ethiopia

• Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a Panel Discussion on Climate Security during the White House Leaders Summit on Climate

• Remarks at a UN Security Council Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East

Department of the Treasury

• Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the Leaders Summit on Climate

• Press Release: Two Million More Economic Impact Payments Disbursed Under the American Rescue Plan; Total Reaches Approximately 161 million as Payments Continue

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

• Press Release: Alex Oh Named SEC Director of Enforcement

Department of Justice

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases

• Statement by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Earth Day

• Press Release: D. Chemist Convicted of Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, Economic Espionage, Theft of Trade Secrets and Wire Fraud

• Press Release: Six Language Recruiters Indicted for Recruiting Unqualified Linguists for Deployment with U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan

• Press Release: Iowa Woman Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Charges for Attempting to Kill Two Children Because of their Race and National Origin

• Press Release: Five Individuals Charged for Roles in $65 Million Nationwide Conspiracy to Defraud Federal Health Care Programs

• Press Release: Justice Department Finds that Alameda County, California, Violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.S. Constitution

• Press Release: Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for ISIS-inspired Bombing in New York City Subway Station in 2017

• Press Release: Justice Department Warns Taxpayers to Avoid Fraudulent Tax Preparers

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

• Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on the Confirmation of Deanne Criswell as FEMA Administrator

• Press Release: Secretary Mayorkas Announces New DHS Commitments to Address the Climate Crisis at Leaders Summit on Climate

• Press Release: Readout of Secretary Mayorkas’ Virtual Meeting with European Commission’s Commissioner for Justice

• Press Release: Yuma Sector Canine Alert Leads to Meth and Gun (Arizona)

• Press Release: CBP Officers at the Laredo Port of Entry Seize Hard Narcotics Worth Over $11 Million (Texas)

• Press Release: Laredo Sector Border Patrol Apprehend Three Criminals in Less Than 24 Hours (Texas)

• Press Release: Three Large Groups of Migrants Encountered in the RGV (Texas)

• Press Release: CBP Announces Opening of Sheboygan County Memorial Airport User Fee Facility (Wisconsin)

• Press Release: Philadelphia CBP Scores Ecstasy Trifecta (Pennsylvania)

• Press Release: CBP at JFK Seize Various Prohibitive Food Items (New York)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Press Release: FEMA Seeks Public Comments on Future Program Delivery (re: Climate Change) (Washington, D.C.)

• Press Release: Paulding County, Ohio, Residents Invited to Attend Flood Map Open House

• Press Release: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee

• Press Release: FEMA is Supporting Several COVID-19 Vaccination Sites for Hampton Road Residents (Virginia)

• Press Release: FEMA approves $7.18 million for Bay District Schools Hurricane Michael recovery expenses (Florida)

• Press Release: FEMA Awards City of Jacksonville $2.45 Million for Hurricane Dorian Costs (Florida)

• Press Release: FEMA Awards over $6.2 Million for Ecotourism Facilities (Puerto Rico)

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

• Statement from Ambassador Katherine Tai on Earth Day

Department of Commerce

• Press Release: Happy Earth Day!

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Statement by FTC Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in AMG Capital Management LLC v. FTC

• Press Release: Cash Advance Firm to Pay $9.8M to Settle FTC Complaint It Overcharged Small Businesses

US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)

• Press Release: DFC Achieves First Close of $100 Million Loan to WaterEquity’s Global Access Fund to Improve Access to Water and Sanitation | April 23, 2021

• Press Release: DFC Commits to Net Zero by 2040, Increases Climate-focused Investments

US Export-Import Bank (EXIM)

• Press Release: EXIM Announces Chair’s Council on Climate to Advise on Increasing Support for U.S. Clean Energy Exports

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release: On Earth Day, USDA Invests $487 Million in Rural Water, Energy, and Biofuel Infrastructure

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Press Release: DOE Announces $109.5 Million to Support Jobs and Economic Growth in Coal and Power Plant Communities | April 23, 2021

• Statement by Secretary Granholm on President Biden’s Latest Department of Energy Nominees

• U.S.-India Joint Statement on Launching the U.S.-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership

Department of Interior (DOI)

• Press Release: Secretary Haaland’s Earth Day Message

• Press Release: Secretary Haaland Continues Pursuit of Justice in Indian Country, Begins Implementation of ‘Not Invisible Act’

• Press Release: White House Announces Additional Interior Leadership Nominations

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Link:  Other Daily EPA Press Releases

• Press Release: EPA Region 7 Launches 2021 ‘See a Bloom, Give It Room: Urban Waters Edition’ Video Challenge

• Press Release: EPA Selects West Virginia University Research Corporation for $1 Million Training and Technical Assistance Funding

• Press Release: EPA New England Celebrates Earth Day by Opening Nomination Period for Annual Environmental Merit Awards

Department of Transportation

• Press Release: NHTSA Advances Biden-Harris Administration’s Climate & Jobs Goals

Department of Labor

• Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor announces funding opportunity to support workforce training in Appalachian, Lower Mississippi Delta communities

Department of Education

• Press Release: Education Department Announces State Allocations of $800 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness | April 23, 2021

• Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Announced

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Press Release: Long Beach Emergency Intake Site for Unaccompanied Children Opens Today

• Press Release: HHS Launches ‘We Can Do This | Live’ Initiative to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release: FDA Approves Immunotherapy for Endometrial Cancer with Specific Biomarker

US Government (USG) COVID-19 Webpages

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 webpage

• Department of Defense COVID-19 webpage

• Department of State COVID-19 Travel Advisory webpage

• Office of Personnel Management COVID-19 webpage

• Food and Drug Administration COVID-19 webpage

• Department of Homeland Security Employee COVID-19 webpage

• Department of Labor COVID-19 webpage

• USAGov COVID-19 webpage

Non-USG COVID Webpages

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

• Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker (tracks vaccine distribution in the United States)

• Coronavirus Resource Center

  • COVID-19 Interactive Map

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