US Executive Branch Update – January 18, 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*

9:00 a.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing | The White House

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

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

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

3:00 p.m. EST – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre | James S. Brady Press Briefing 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, January 17, 2023

Note: All colored text denotes hyperlinks.

The White House

• Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris Honoring the 2022 NBA Champions, the Golden State Warriors
• Readout of President Joe Biden’s Meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands
• Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands Before Bilateral Meeting
• Readout of President Joe Biden’s Call with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany
• Statement from President Joe Biden on Record-Setting Small Business Applications
• Readout of Vice President Harris’ Call with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates
• Statement from President Joe Biden on the Anniversary of Terrorist Attack on the United Arab Emirates
• Readout of Vice President Harris’ Meeting with Prime Minister Davis of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan Call with National Security Advisor Eduardo M. Año of the Philippines
• Memorandum on Delegation of Authority Under Section 6501(b)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022
• Transcript:  Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, January 17, 2023
• Fact Sheet:  Biden-⁠Harris Administration Continues to Uplift Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Transcript:  Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds an On-Camera Press Briefing
• Advisory:  Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Travel to Germany for Ukraine Defense Contact Group Meetings (Jan. 20)
• Article:  Austin to Convene Ukraine Defense Contact Group Session
• Contracts for January 17, 2023

Department of State

Daily Schedule | Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Europe, Belarus

• January 17:  Statement | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly at a Joint Press Availability
• January 17:  Statement | Responding to Continued Repression by the Lukashenka Regime in Belarus

Middle East

• January 17:  Statement | One-Year Anniversary of the Terrorist Attack on the UAE

Asia-Pacific

• January 17:  Advisory | Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink’s Travel to the Philippines

Department Administrative Matter

• January 17:  Statement | Department of State Reaches Settlement Resolving Longstanding Claims of Disability Discrimination Relating to Its Worldwide Availability Requirement for Career Department of State Foreign Service Applicants

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Readout:  Administrator Samantha Power Attends World Economic Forum

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

• Remarks by Ambassador Richard Mills at a UN Security Council Briefing Called by Russia on Religious Freedom in Ukraine

Department of the Treasury

• Remarks by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo at White House event “Lowering Costs: Inflation Reduction Act Briefing”
• General Licenses:  Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses and Amended Russia-related Frequently Asked Questions
• General Licenses:  Issuance of Venezuela-related General License and Amended Venezuela-related Frequently Asked Question

Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases

• Speech:  Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. Delivers Remarks on Revisions to the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement Policy
• Press Release:  Physician Convicted for Misappropriating Approximately $250,000 from COVID-19 Relief Programs
• Press Release:  Military Contractor Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging
• Press Release:  Eye Surgery Practices Agree to Pay $1 Million and End Discriminatory Policies Towards People with Disabilities

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• Press Release:  CBP announces new path forward for the replacement of deteriorated border barrier near Friendship Park (Washington, D.C.)
• Press Release:  CBP Officers Seize Over $7.5 Million in Marijuana at World Trade Bridge (Texas)
• Press Release:  CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive Wanted for Smuggling of Persons at the Hidalgo International Bridge (Texas)
• Press Release:  Del Rio Sector Agents Arrest Sex Offenders (Texas)
• Press Release:  Border Patrol Assists Local Ranchers with Horse Rescues (California)
• Press Release:  Cincinnati CBP Intercepts Over 140 Pounds of Meth in Acrylic Paint (Ohio)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily press releases

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

• Press Release:  U.S., EU Sign Tariff Rate Quota Agreement
• Readout of January Negotiating Round Under the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Press Release:  FTC Extends Public Comment Period on Potential Business Opportunity Rule Changes to January 31, 2023

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Press Release:  Chairwoman Rosenworcel at Center for Strategic & International Studies
• Press Release:  FCC Adopts Q Link Notice of Apparent Liability for EBB Violations

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release:  USDA Introduces an E-Application for the 1890 National Scholars Program

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Press Release:  DOE Announces $2.3 Million for Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Fusion Energy

Department of Interior (DOI)

• Press Release:  Interior Department Finalizes Offshore Wind Safety and Environmental Responsibilities

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Press Release:  Biden-Harris Administration Announces $9.9 Million from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for Guam Schools
• Link to other EPA press releases

Department of Transportation

• Press Release:  Virgin Atlantic Fined for Operating Flights in Prohibited Airspace

Department of Labor

• Press Release:  Federal court orders Michigan assisted living facility, owner to pay $15K in back wages, damages after U.S. Department of Labor investigation
• Press Release:  Federal court orders Carbondale café, owner to pay $98K in back wages, damages to 31 employees, rectifying jury decision that shorted back wages
• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor recovers $1.1M for 263 foreign workers denied full wages by Wisconsin employer
• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor alleges Colorado restaurant operator intimidated, fired workers who participated in federal investigation
• Press Release:  U.S. Department of Labor recovers $49K for servers after finding restaurant’s owners shared servers’ tips with manager illegally
• Press Release:  Deadly gamble: Ohio contractor with history of violations endangers workers at 3 trench sites in a week; damaged safety gear found at site of worker’s death

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Press Release:  Biden-Harris Administration Unveils National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities
• Press Release:  Biden-Harris Administration Takes Additional Steps to Strengthen Nursing Home Safety and Transparency