US Executive Branch Update – January 10, 2022

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. EST - THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House, after spending Sunday at Camp David

10:30 a.m. EST - THE PRESIDENT receives the President's Daily Brief | The White House

VPOTUS' Schedule*

The White House did not release the Vice President's schedule for Monday.

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

1:30 p.m. EST - 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, January 7-9, 2022

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.

The White House

Foreign Affairs

• Transcript: Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on Russia | January 8, 2022
• Statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Iranian Threats and Provocations Against American Citizens | January 9, 2022

U.S. Economy

• Remarks by President Biden on the December 2021 Jobs Report | January 7, 2022
• Press Release: Biden Administration Announces State-by-State Funding to Address Home Energy Costs | January 7, 2022

Other Matters

• Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on the Administration's Response to Recent Wildfires | January 7, 2022
• Transcript: Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre | January 7, 2022
• Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Amends Kentucky Disaster Declaration | January 8, 2022
• Press Release: September 2021 Visitor Log Records Posted | January 7, 2022
• Nomination: President Biden Announces Nominee for Deputy Administrator for Resilience at the Federal Emergency Management Agency | January 7, 2022
• Nominations Sent to the Senate | January 7, 2022 (HHS, State, CFTC, etc.)
• Remarks by President Biden at the Memorial for Senator Harry Reid | January 8, 2022
• Statement by President Joe Biden on the Passing of Sidney Poitier | January 7, 2022
• Statement: Orthodox Christmas Statement | January 7, 2022

Department of Defense (DOD)

Russia

• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's Call With Latvian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks (re: RUS, NATO, etc.)

COVID-19 Developments/Defense Production Act

• Press Release: DoD Awards Contract to Revival Health Inc. to Purchase COVID-19 Antigen Over-the-Counter Test Kits in Support of POTUS' 500 Million Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
• Press Release: DoD Awards $51.6 Million Contract to Goldbelt Security LLC to Purchase COVID-19 Antigen Over-the-Counter Test Kits in Support of POTUS' 500 Million Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
• Press Release: Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 18) Revision 1 – Department of Defense Guidance for Protecting All Personnel in DOD Workplaces During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Publication: Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 18) Revision 1 – Department of Defense Guidance for Protecting All Personnel in DOD Workplaces During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Other Developments

• Press Release: The Defense Microelectronics Activity Designated as a Center for Industrial Technical Excellence
• Advisory: Military Commissions Media Invitation Announced for United States v. Encep Nurjaman et al. Pre-Trial Hearing
• Article: Snow Blankets Hallowed Ground (ANC)
• Article: 'We All Want Peace': Soldiers Gain Better Understanding of Islam Through Training
• Contracts for January 7, 2021

Department of State

• Daily Schedule | Monday, January 10

Russia/Ukraine/NATO/Diplomatic Talks/Kazakhstan

• January 9: Readout | Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov (SSD, territorial integrity, bilateral issues)
• January 9: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken with George Stephanopoulos of ABC This Week
• January 9: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Jake Tapper of CNN State of the Union
• January 8: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with EU High Representative Borrell (RUS, UKR, Lithuania, PRC)
• January 7: Advisory | Update to State Department Travel Advisory for Kazakhstan
• January 7: Transcript | Briefing with Senior State Department Officials Previewing Deputy Secretary Sherman's Travel to Switzerland and Belgium
• January 7: Transcript | Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Press Availability (RUS, UKR, Diplomatic Talks, KAZ)
• January 7: Readout | Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Linde (RUS, UKR, OSCE, Yemen)
• January 7: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba (RUS)
• January 7: Readout | Deputy Secretary Sherman's Call with OSCE Secretary General Schmid (RUS, UKR)

Africa

• January 8: Statement | The Quad Welcome UNITAMS Announcement on Facilitating Discussions to Resolve Sudan's Political Crisis

Other Department Developments

• January 7: Statement | Bicentennial of the Arrival of the First Free Black Americans to Providence Island, Liberia

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Readout: Administrator Samantha Power's Meeting with Daniel Endres, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for East Africa
• Press Release: USAID Providing Humanitarian Assistance in Response to Severe Flooding in Brazil

Department of the Treasury/Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

• Press Release: November Sets New Record for Emergency Rental Assistance Disbursed-$2.9 Billion to Aid 665,000 Households-As Eviction Filings Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels Nationally
• OFAC Guidance: Issuance of new Frequently Asked Question

Department of Justice

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
• Press Release: Nine MS-13 Gang Members Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy
• Press Release: MS-13 Members and Associates Indicted in Racketeering, Narcotics and Multiple Murder Conspiracies
• Press Release: Justice Department Settles with Texas Recycling Company to Prevent the Release of Ozone Depleting Refrigerants, Which Contribute to Climate Change
• Press Release: New Orleans City Judge Indicted for Filing False Returns
• Press Release: Three Amazon Marketplace Sellers Plead Guilty to Price Fixing DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs in Ongoing Investigation

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

• Message from Secretary Mayorkas on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day | January 9, 2022

CBP - January 7, 2022

• Press Release: Agents find undocumented individuals inside railcars, one suffers medical emergency (Texas)
• Press Release: Three Failed Human Smuggling Attempts Lead to 16 Arrests (Texas)
• Press Release: Laredo Sector Border Patrol intercepts a human smuggling attempt (Texas)
• Press Release: Laredo CBP Officers Apprehend Man Sought on Child Molestation Warrant (Texas)
• Press Release: Brownsville CBP Officers Seize $358K in Methamphetamine at Los Indios Bridge (Texas)
• Press Release: RGV Agents Seize $300K of Marijuana (Texas)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily FEMA press releases

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

• Press Release: Week Ahead Guidance for the Week of January 10-14, 2022
• Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Call with European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis | January 7, 2022

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

• Press Release: USITC Releases Report Concerning Effect of Imports on U.S. Seasonal Cucumber Market
• Press Release: USITC Releases Report Concerning Effect of Imports on U.S. Seasonal Squash Market
• Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Knitted Footwear

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Press Release: Lead Generator that Deceptively Solicited Loan Applications from Millions of Consumers and Indiscriminately Shared Sensitive Info Agrees to Pay $1.5 Million FTC Penalty

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Press Release: Chair Rosenworcel Debuts Affordable Connectivity Program Draft Rules

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release: USDA Announces Increased Funding to Support School Meals and to Help Continue Serving Healthy Meals to Kids

Department of Interior (DOI)

• Press Release: Interior Department Seeks Nominations for Committee to Replace Derogatory Names

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Link to daily EPA press releases

Department of Labor

• Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Walsh on the December Jobs Report
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor finds Idaho utility contractor put workers at risk by failing to provide lifesaving training on excavation hazards

Department of Education

• Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Approves Florida's Plan for Use of American Rescue Plan Funds to Support K-12 Schools and Students, Distributes Remaining $2.3 Billion to State

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Press Release: LymeX Diagnostics Prize
• Press Release: HHS-Led Initiative Releases Unified Specification for Patient Addresses in Health Care

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release: FDA Shortens Interval for Booster Dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to Five Months
• Press Release: FDA Roundup | January 7, 2022

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.