U.S. Executive Branch Update – May 15, 2023

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

POTUS’ Schedule*

8:25 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, en route to Dover Air Force Base

9:05 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Dover Air Force Base en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

9:40 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

3:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Philadelphia, Pennsylvania en route to Joint Base Andrews

3:55 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Joint Base Andrews en route to the White House

4:05 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive at the White House

Looking Ahead: The President is set to meet again with the “Big Four” congressional leaders tomorrow at the White House on the U.S. debt limit.  The president is scheduled to leave Wednesday for the G7 meeting in Japan, but his travel may change, depending on the debt limit negotiations. 

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

The Vice President is in Washington, D.C., and has no public events scheduled.

Looking Ahead: On Tuesday, the Vice President will attend a celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, along with the President, the First Lady, and the Second Gentleman.  The Vice President will also give remarks at the We Are EMILY Gala in Washington, D.C.  The Vice President has no events scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday.  On Friday, the Vice President will travel to Los Angeles, California, for an event on maternal health care.  She will also attend a DNC finance reception.

*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 Friday-Sunday, May 12-14, 2023

Note: All colored text denotes hyperlinks.

The White House

May 14

• Remarks by President Biden in Press Gaggle

• Statement from President Joe Biden on United Steelworkers Vote in Fort Valley, Georgia

• Fact Sheet:  President Biden Announces 13 New Actions to Reduce Gun Violence by Maximizing the Benefits of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

• Press Release:  ICYMI | President Joe Biden Op-Ed: “I’m doing everything I can to reduce gun violence, but Congress must do more”

May 13

• Remarks by President Biden at the Howard University Class of 2023 Commencement Address

• Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Announcement of a Ceasefire Between Israel and Gaza-based Militants

May 12

• Readout of President Joe Biden’s Meeting with President Pedro Sanchez of Spain

• Remarks by President Biden and President Pedro Sánchez of the Government of Spain Before Bilateral Meeting

• Statement from President Joe Biden Ahead of the Fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention

• Transcript:  Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Meeting with PRC Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi

• Transcript:  Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu

• Fact Sheet:  Biden-⁠Harris Administration Kicks off Infrastructure Week by Highlighting Tremendous Progress Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure 18 Months In

• Nominations:  President Biden Announces Key Nominees

• Nominations:  President Biden Announces Nominees to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors

• Appointments:  President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions

• Proclamation on Mother’s Day, 2023

• Proclamation on National Women’s Health Week, 2023

• Proclamation on Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, 2023

• Proclamation on National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week, 2023

Department of Defense (DOD)

May 13

• Speech:  ‘A Summons to Service’: Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at Fayetteville State University’s Commencement (As Delivered)

• Article:  Austin Says Service to Nation is Highest Calling

May 12

• Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks’ Meeting with U.K. Permanent Under Secretary for the Ministry of Defence David Williams at the U.S.-UK Defense Dialogue

• Press Release:  Make It Where You Need It | OSD Program Funds Technology to Enable Point-of-Need Manufacturing

• Press Release:  Navy to Commission Guided-Missile Destroyer Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee

• Article:  Austin Says Taking Care of Troops, Families a High Priority

• Article:  Special Ops Civilian Chief Speaks of Future of Community

• Article:  Water Purification System Helps Marines Go Green

• Contracts for May 12, 2023

Department of State

Daily Schedule | Monday, May 15, 2023

Africa

• May 12:  Statement | Assistant Secretary Molly Phee’s Continued Diplomacy to Resolve the Crisis in Sudan

• May 12:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with South African Minister Pandor

• May 14:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita

Europe

• May 12:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba

• May 12:  Statement | United States Supports Education and Training of Next Generation Advanced Civil Nuclear Workforce through Launch of Small Modular Reactor Control Room Simulator in Romania

• May 12:  Advisory | U.S. Delegation on Atrocity Prevention and Response Travels to Denmark and Germany

• May 12:  Advisory | Under Secretary Zeya’s Travel to Geneva May 14-16, 2023

• May 13:  Advisory | Special Envoy Fowler Travels to Rome and Prague

• May 14:  Advisory | Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Verma’s Travel to Poland, Moldova, and Romania

Middle East

• May 13:  Statement | Welcoming Ceasefire Agreement in Israel and Gaza

• May 13:  Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al Thani

• May 12:  Readout | Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Call with Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Dermer

• May 12:  Statement | Sentencing of Human Rights Defender Guo Feixiong (PRC)

Western Hemisphere

• May 14:  Statement | Paraguay National Day

Other Matters

• May 12:  Statement | On the Retirement of Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Readout:  Administrator Samantha Power Concludes Trip to Kosovo

• Readout:  Administrator Samantha Power Visits Kosovo, Meets with Prime Minister Kurti

• Press Release:  Administrator Samantha Power and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti Launch Kosovo’s First Ever Solar Auction

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

• Readout of Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba

• Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Ambassador Jim O’Brien at a Foreign Press Center Briefing on the Black Sea Grain Initiative

• Remarks at Russia’s Arria-formula Meeting on the Situation of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine

Department of the Treasury

• Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at Bilateral Meeting with Minister of Finance for Japan Shun’ichi Suzuki

• Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at Bilateral Meeting with United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt

• Press Release:  Treasury Department Releases Guidance to Boost American Clean Energy Manufacturing

• Readout:  Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen’s Meeting with German Minister of Finance Christian Lindner

• Sanctions List Updates:  Ukraine-/Russia-related Designation Removal

The Federal Reserve

• Remarks:  Commencement address by Governor Cook at Tuskegee University

• Speech by Governor Jefferson on monetary policy strategy

• Speech by Governor Bowman on the evolving nature of banking, bank culture, and bank runs

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases

• Press Release:  Jury Convicts Priest of Sex Trafficking Three Victims in Northern Ohio

• Press Release:  Appraiser in Billion-Dollar Conservation Easement Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty

• Press Release:  United States Files Complaint Against Telecommunications Service Provider for Assisting and Facilitating Illegal Robocalls

• Press Release:  Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against California Rental Property Manager and Owners

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

• CBP Press Release:  Global Entry enrollment upon arrival available at the Port of San Diego (California)

• CBP Press Release:  Border Patrol Agents foil human smuggling attempt (Minnesota)

• CBP Press Release:  CBP Atlanta Delivers Counterfeit Awareness to Airport Travelers (Georgia)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily press releases

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

• Press Release:  USTR Extends Certain COVID-Related Exclusions from China Section 301 Tariffs

• Press Release:  Week Ahead Guidance for May 15-19, 2023

Department of Commerce (DOC)

• Press Release:  Biden-Harris Administration Launches First Tech Hubs Funding Opportunity

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Commerce Designates First Economic Development District in Puerto Rico

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Press Release:  International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network Selects U.S. FTC as Network’s President for 2024-2025

• Press Release:  FTC Sues to Stop VoIP Service Provider That Assisted and Facilitated Telemarketers in Sending Hundreds of Millions of Illegal Robocalls to Consumers Nationwide

Development Finance Corporation (DFC)

• Joint Statement on Establishment of the Ukraine Investment Platform (G7 countries)

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release:  USDA Highlights New Regional Food Business Center to Strengthen Food Supply Chain Infrastructure in the Delta Region

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

• Press Release:  FERC Staff Issues Environmental Assessment (EA) for Tres Palacios Gas Storage LLC’s Tres Palacios Cavern 4 Expansion Project under CP23-3-000

Department of Labor (DOL)

• Readout:  U.S. Department of Labor, Argentina’s Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare hold labor dialogue in Buenos Aires

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor, Holder Construction, local unions partnership will promote workplace safety during Mustang Data Center Project

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor will hold advisory board meeting on compensation, medical benefits for current, former nuclear weapons workers

• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor recognizes SNF Polychemie Inc. with ‘Star’ level designation for exemplary workplace safety programs at Illinois location

• Press Release:  Federal court issues consent judgment requiring Luzerne County manufacturer to pay former employee $13K in whistleblower case

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Press Release:  HHS Celebrates National Maternal Mental Health Hotline’s First Anniversary; Introduces Updated Number: 1-833-TLC-MAMA

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release:  FDA Roundup | May 12, 2023

• Press Release:  FDA Approves Novel Drug to Treat Moderate to Severe Hot Flashes Caused by Menopause

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

• Press Release:  HUD Negotiates Agreement with the City of Chicago and Community Groups to Advance Environmental Justice

General Services Administration (GSA)

• Press Release:  GSA Administrator appoints inaugural members to the federal secure cloud advisory committee

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

• Report:  Lake Pontchartrain Basin | Additional Transparency and Performance Management Could Improve EPA’s Restoration Program

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