US Executive Branch Update – April 18, 2022

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

POTUS' Schedule*

10:15 a.m. ET - THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY deliver remarks; THE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY, THE VICE PRESIDENT, and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN attend the 2022 White House Easter "EGGucation" Roll | South Lawn

1:45 p.m. ET - THE PRESIDENT receives the President's Daily Brief | Oval Office

VPOTUS' Schedule*

10:15 a.m. ET - THE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY, THE VICE PRESIDENT, and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN will attend the 2022 White House Easter "EGGucation" Roll; THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY will give remarks | South Lawn

12:05 p.m. ET - THE VICE PRESIDENT and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN will depart Washington, D.C., en route Vandenberg Space Force Base

3:15 p.m. PT - THE VICE PRESIDENT will receive a briefing at the Combined Space Operations Center, Vandenberg Space Force Base; THE VICE PRESIDENT will be briefed on the work of U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command advancing our national security

4:30 p.m. PT - THE VICE PRESIDENT will meet with a group of service members and their families at Vandenberg Space Force Base

5:15 p.m. PT - THE VICE PRESIDENT will deliver remarks about our ongoing work to establish norms for space

5:55 p.m. PT - THE VICE PRESIDENT and the Second Gentleman will depart Vandenberg Space Force Base en route Los Angeles, California

8:10 p.m. PT - THE VICE PRESIDENT will deliver remarks at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Los Angeles, California

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

4:00 p.m. ET - 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 Friday-Sunday, April 15-17, 2022

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.

The White House

April 17

• Statement by President Joe Biden on Easter

April 16

• Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit (May 12-13)

April 15

• Press Release: The President and Vice President release their 2021 tax returns
• Statement from President Biden on State Unemployment Rates
• Statement by President Joe Biden on Passover
• Readout of Vice President Harris's Call with Ray Chambers of the Partnership for Central America
• Readout of Vice President Harris' Meeting with President Hassan of Tanzania
• Remarks by Vice President Harris and President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania Before Bilateral Meeting
• Statement from President Biden on His Intent to Nominate Michael Barr to Serve as Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve
• Nominations: President Biden Announces Key Nominees
• Proclamation on National Park Week, 2022
• Proclamation on National Volunteer Week, 2022

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Christine Lambrecht, Federal Minister of Defense, Federal Republic of Germany
• Press Release: Acquisition and Sustainment Leadership Transition
• Advisory: Secretary Austin Hosts Philippines Secretary of National Defense (April 18)
• Publication: Department of Defense Equity Action Plan
• Contracts for April 15, 2022

U.S. National Guard

• Press Release: Nebraska National Guard battles wildfire by air and ground

U.S. Navy

• Press Release: Fleet Readiness Center East Commander Relieved Due To Loss of Confidence

U.S. Marine Corps

• Press Release: Exercise Caribbean Urban Warrior Concludes on MCB Camp Lejeune

U.S. Space Force

• Press Release: Space Force signs partnership with Howard University

Department of State

• Daily Schedule | Monday, April 18

Western Hemisphere

• April 15: Transcript | Secretary Blinken's Upcoming Travel to Panama
• April 15: Advisory | Secretary Blinken's Travel to Panama

Africa

• April 15: Statement | Delivery of Humanitarian Assistance in Tigray

Middle East

• April 15: Readout | U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Lenderking Concludes Regional Trip
• April 15: Statement | Violence in Jerusalem

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Readout: Administrator Samantha Power's Call with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov
• Readout: Administrator Samantha Power's Meeting with Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova
• Readout: Administrator Samantha Power's Call with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal
• Press Release: USAID Announces New Programs to Protect Our Ocean
• Press Release: Release of USAID Equity Action Plan

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

• Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a Fireside Chat with the Brookings Institute
• Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Briefing on Yemen

Department of the Treasury

• Press Release: Treasury International Capital Data for February
• Remarks by Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Lily Batchelder on Global Corporate Tax at the Hutchins Center at Brookings Institute and the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
• Press Release: Secretary Janet L. Yellen Highlights Year One Accomplishments on Treasury's Efforts to Promote an Equitable Recovery and Equitable Economic Growth
• Sanctions List Updates: North Korea Designation Update

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

• Press Release: SEC Obtains TRO and Asset Freeze against Alleged Perpetrators of nearly $450 Million Ponzi Scheme

Department of Justice

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
• Press Release: California Man Convicted of COVID-19 Relief Fraud
• Press Release: Justice Department Files Suit Against Virginia Towing Company for Unlawfully Auctioning Off Servicemembers' Vehicles
• Press Release: Former Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Manipulating U.S. Treasury Securities Prices
• Press Release: Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club Members Sentenced to Life in Prison for Kidnapping, Torturing, and Murdering Former Club Member
• Press Release: Former Oklahoma Supervisory Corrections Officer Convicted for Facilitating White Supremacist Assault on Black Inmates and Ordering Other Abuse

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

• Press Release: Secretary Mayorkas Designates Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months
• Press Release: DHS Releases First-Ever Equity Action Plan
• Press Release: CBP Issues Trade and Travel Report for Fiscal Year 2021 (Washington, D.C.)
• Press Release: RGV Agents Encounter Four Large Groups Within Several Days (Texas)
• Press Release: Border Patrol Agents Encounter Two Large Groups (Texas)
• Press Release: CBP Officers Seize Cocaine, Heroin and Marijuana at the El Paso Area Ports of Entry (Texas)
• Press Release: CBP Officers Seize over $350K in Cocaine at the Hidalgo International Bridge (Texas)
• Press Release: Over 400 Pounds of Meth, Cocaine and Heroin were Discovered in Toolboxes (California)
• Press Release: Wanted Murder Suspect Fleeing U.S. Captured by CBP and Nashville Police (Tennessee)
• Press Release: Houlton Border Patrol to Open Sign-Ups for 2022 Basic Explorer Academy (Maine)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily press releases

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

• Press Release: USTR Announces Reallocation of Unused Fiscal Year 2022 WTO Tariff-Rate Quota Volume for Raw Cane Sugar
• Press Release: USTR Releases Its Equity Action Plan
• Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Trip to Oregon | April 13, 2022

Department of Commerce

• Press Release: ICYMI | Raimondo, Graves, Blanket Regional Media, Underscore Local Impact of Bipartisan Innovation Act
• Press Release: Commerce Department Identifies First Belarusian and More Russian Aircraft Exported to Belarus and Russia in Apparent Violation of U.S. Export Controls
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Commerce Appoints 27 Members to National AI Advisory Committee
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Commerce Releases Equity Action Plan

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

• Press Release: USITC Makes Determination In Five-Year (Sunset) Review Concerning Welded Stainless Steel Pressure Pipe from India

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Press Release: FTC Refunded $4.86 Million to Victims of Abusive Debt Collectors in 2021
• Press Release: Federal Trade Commission Takes Action Against For-Profit Medical School for Using Deceptive Marketing to Lure Students
• Statement Regarding Texas Jury's Verdict that Former Owner Neeraj Jindal Obstructed FTC's Antitrust Investigation into Physical Therapy Staffing Company

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Press Release: Federal Communications Commission Equity Action Plan
• Press Release: FCC To Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday, April 21, 2022

US Export-Import Bank (EXIM)

• Press Release: EXIM Board of Directors Unanimously Approves Make More in America Initiative

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release: President Biden, USDA Forest Service Announce more than $238 Million to Support Rural Schools, Roads, Other Services
• Press Release: USDA Announces Additional Farm Service Agency and Rural Development State Directors
• Press Release: Proposed Scientific Questions to Inform the Development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 Available for Public Comment
• Press Release: USDA Releases Equity Action Plan

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Press Release: DOE Releases New Equity Action Plan, Unveils Investments to Strengthen HBCU Opportunities in Clean Energy

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

• Press Release: FERC issues Equity Action Plan
• Press Release: Sunshine Notice | April Commission Meeting
• Press Release: FERC Staff Issues Henderson County Expansion Project (CP21-467-000) Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Department of Interior (DOI)

• Press Release: Interior Department Announces Significantly Reformed Onshore Oil and Gas Lease Sale
• Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $38 Million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Protect Aquatic Species and Habitats
• Press Release: Interior Department Releases Action Plan, Outlines Steps to Advance Equity

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Joint Statement by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the United States-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
• Link to other EPA press releases

Department of Transportation

• Press Release: White House Initiative for HBCUs IIJA/BIL Monthly Series
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Transportation Announces up to $1.76 Billion Loan for the Purple Line Light Rail Transit Project in Maryland
• Press Release: Air Travel Consumer Report: January 2022 Numbers
• Press Release: Building a Better America Rural Infrastructure Tour – Tell City, Indiana

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

• Press Release: FAA Awards $4.4 Million in Drone Research Grants to Seven Universities
• Press Release: Application Process Opens to Modernize Small Town, Regional Air Traffic Towers Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds

Department of Labor

• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor announces leadership, new members to advisory council on employee welfare, pension benefit plans for 2022
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor, AGC of South Dakota sign alliance to educate workers, employers on construction's deadly hazards
• Press Release: Ocean County landscaping company ordered to pay $220K in back wages, civil penalties after federal investigation, administrative law judge decision, order
• Readout: Secretary Walsh tours Alabama's Spanish Fort Water System, discusses department's efforts to protect workers from heat-related hazards
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor places El Paso metal fabricator in Severe Violator Program after 10th incident in 5 years
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor cites roofing and siding contractor for willfully exposing employees to fall hazards at Hampden, Maine worksite
• Press Release: Federal investigations find Pittsburgh-area homecare service provider denied workers overtime wages, recover $383K in back wages, damages
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor issues equity action plan highlighting progress, continued efforts to ensure access for all workers
• Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

Department of Education

• Press Release: Department of Education Releases Equity Action Plan as Part of Biden-Harris Administration's Efforts to Advance Racial Equity and Support Underserved Communities

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Readout of HHS Secretary Becerra's Black Maternal Health Discussion with State Leaders
• Press Release: ICYMI | HHS Takes Actions to Improve Maternal Health and Equity During Black Maternal Health Week 2022
• Press Release: HHS Announces $226.5 Million to Launch Community Health Worker Training Program
• Press Release: HHS Statements on New Plan to Advance Equity in the Delivery of Health and Human Services
• Press Release: Proposed Scientific Questions to Inform the Development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 Available for Public Comment Starting April 15th

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release: FDA Roundup | April 15, 2022
• Press Release: FDA Authorizes First COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Using Breath Samples

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

• Press Release: HUD Releases First Ever Equity Action Plan

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