US Executive Branch Update – May 6, 2021

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

POTUS' Schedule *

9:30 a.m. EDT - The President receives the President's Daily Brief | Oval Office

10:10 a.m. EDT - The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews

10:30 a.m. EDT - The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route Lake Charles, Louisiana

1:15 p.m. EDT - The President arrives in Lake Charles, Louisiana (12:15 PM Local)

2:25 p.m. EDT - The President delivers remarks on the American Jobs Plan (1:25 PM Local) | Lake Charles, Louisiana

3:30 p.m. EDT - The President departs Lake Charles, Louisiana, en route New Orleans, Louisiana (2:30 PM Local)

4:20 p.m. EDT - The President arrives in New Orleans, Louisiana (3:20 PM Local)

5:20 p.m. EDT - The President tours Carrollton Water Plant (4:20 PM Local)

6:40 p.m. EDT - The President departs New Orleans, Louisiana, en route Joint Base Andrews (5:40 PM Local)

8:45 p.m. EDT - The President arrives at Joint Base Andrews

9:05 p.m. EDT - The President arrives at the White House

Looking ahead, on Friday, May 7, the President will deliver remarks on the economy.

VPOTUS' Schedule*

11:30 a.m. EDT - the Vice President will convene a roundtable discussion on voting rights | Vice President's Ceremonial Office

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

11:30 a.m. EDT - Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Lake Charles, Louisiana

Note: The Second Gentleman will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, today, with U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, as part of the "Getting America Back on Track" tour.

*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, May 5, 2021

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

The White House

• Fact Sheet: White House Releases Fact Sheets to Highlight Nationwide Need and Impact of the American Families Plan | May 6, 2021
• Remarks by President Biden on His Administration's Implementation of the American Rescue Plan
• Fact Sheet: The Biden-Harris Administration Supports Hard-hit Restaurants and Bars
• Statement from President Joe Biden on the Tragedy in Mexico
• Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, May 5, 2021
• Transcript: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
• Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Georgia Disaster Declaration
• Proclamation on National Day Of Prayer

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the 70th Anniversary of the Bilateral Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Iceland
• Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary Conducts On-Camera Press Briefing
• Press Release: DOD Optimizes Organizational Role of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, Low-Intensity Conflict
• Memorandum on Organizational Role of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict
• Publication: Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Charter
• Article: Chief Details National Guard Contributions in a Year of Trial
• Article: VIPs From Around World Visit Defender-Europe 2021 Exercise
• Article: More Work to Be Done to Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction, DOD Experts Say
• Publication: COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update, May 5, 2021
• Article: Manufacturing Innovation Institutes Integral to U.S. Pandemic Response
• Article: Agency Provides Critical Supplies to USAID for India Pandemic Response
• Contracts for May 5, 2021

Department of State

• Daily Schedule | Thursday, May 6
• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on travel to Kyiv, Ukraine, today.
• May 6: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba before their Meeting
• May 5: Fact Sheet | The United States and Ukraine: Strategic Partners
• May 5: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Meeting with South African Foreign Minister Pandor
• May 5: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Chung
• May 5: Statement | The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Announces New Industry Advisory Group Appointments
• May 5: Transcript | Department Press Briefing

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Readout of Administrator Power's Day Three Activities Focused on the G7 Foreign and Development Ministerial and Investments in Women and Girls
• Press Release: USAID Awards Up to $300 Million to UNICEF to Improve the Lives of Mothers and Children Globally
• Readout on USAID Administrator Samantha Power's Day Two Activities Focused on USAID Engagement in Central America | May 4, 2021

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

• Joint Statement following Russia's Arria-Formula Meeting on Odessa Events
• Remarks at a UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting on Neo-Nazism and Violent Nationalism as Drivers of Conflict in Ukraine
• Remarks at a UN Interactive Dialogue to Commemorate and Promote the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
• Remarks at the 6th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals

Department of the Treasury

• Press Release: More than 1.1 million additional Economic Impact Payments disbursed under the American Rescue Plan; payments total approximately 164 million
• Report to the Secretary of the Treasury from the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee
• Minutes of the Meeting of the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee May 4, 2021
• Press Release: Quarterly Refunding Statement of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Finance Brian Smith

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

• Press Release: Register for the SEC's 40th Annual Small Business Forum, Featuring Inclusive Conversations on Capital Formation from Startup to Small Cap

Department of Justice

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
• Press Release: Court Authorizes Service of John Doe Summons Seeking Identities of U.S. Taxpayers Who Have Used Cryptocurrency
• Press Release: Former City Officials Sentenced for Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Cannabis Dispensary Permit
• Press Release: Justice Department Issues Statement Announcing Decision to Appeal Alabama Association of Realtors v. HHS
• Press Release: Alabama Doctor Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance
• Press Release: Mary Ida Townson Appointed U.S. Trustee for Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
• Statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day

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

• Press Release: Secretary Mayorkas Urges Small Businesses to Protect Themselves Against Ransomware
• Press Release: CBP puts petal to the metal for Mother's Day (Washington, D.C.)
• Press Release: CBP Introduces Simplified Arrival at HNL in Honolulu, Hawaii
• Press Release: USBP Detains Fleeing Hit and Run Suspect (California)
• Press Release: USBP BORSTAR Rescues Lost Migrants (California)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Press Release: FEMA Corps Team Wave 6 Supports DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's Day of Action (Washington, D.C.)
• Press Release: FEMA COVID-19 Update (Washington, D.C.)
• Press Release: FEMA Provides $8.5 Million to the Minnesota Department of Health for Vaccine Distribution (Minnesota)
• Press Release: FEMA Provides $17.9 Million to North Shore University Health System (Illinois)
• Press Release: FEMA Provides $1.3 Million to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (Illinois)
• Press Release: Esperanza Community Vaccination Center in Philadelphia Hosts Deaf Vaccination Day (Pennsylvania)
• Press Release: FEMA Awards St. Vincent's Medical Center Riverside $8.35 Million for Wind Protection, Flood Control (Florida)
• Press Release: FEMA approves $11.4 million in Hurricane Michael Public Assistance grants (Florida)

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

• Press Release: Statement from Ambassador Katherine Tai on the Covid-19 TRIPS Waiver

Department of Commerce

• Press Release: Commerce Department Honors Teacher Appreciation Week Providing Teachers Valuable Online Resources

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Press Release: FTC Sends More than $273,500 in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme
• Press Release: FTC Acting Chairwoman Slaughter Announces New Appointments to Agency Leadership Positions

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

• Press Release: CFPB Issues Reports Detailing Mortgage Borrowers' Continuing COVID-19 Challenges | May 4, 2021

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Fact Sheet: Update on USDA Activities to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Press Release: USDA Invests $92.2 Million in Grants for Local, Regional Food Producers Affected by the Pandemic

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Link: Other Daily EPA Press Releases
• Press Release: EPA Honors 2021 Asthma Award Winners

Department of Labor

• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor to Withdraw Independent Contractor Rule
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor issues guidance to states to permit greater flexibility for waiving the recovery of certain unemployment insurance overpayments

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Press Release: HHS Secretary Becerra, HUD Secretary Fudge Announce Joint Effort to Increase Access to COVID-19 Vaccinations

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release: FDA Outlines Inspection and Assessment Activities During Pandemic, Roadmap for Future State of Operations

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

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.