US Executive Branch Update – February 15, 2022

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

POTUS' Schedule *

9:50 a.m. EST - THE PRESIDENT receives the President's Daily Brief | The White House

2:00 p.m. EST - THE PRESIDENT addresses bipartisan county officials from around the country at the National Association of Counties 2022 Legislative Conference | Washington Hilton

VPOTUS' Schedule *

The White House had yet to release the Vice President's schedule for Tuesday.

Looking Ahead: The Vice President will travel to Munich, Germany, to attend the Munich Security Conference (February 18-20).

White House Press Briefing Schedule *

3:00 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 Monday, February 14, 2022

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments

The White House

• Readout of President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom
• Transcript: Press Briefing by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
• Remarks by Vice President Harris on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• Readout of White House Discussions with Conservation Leaders on $1.5 billion Investment and Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• Statement by President Biden Four Years After the Parkland Shooting
• Fact Sheet: Biden-?Harris Administration Celebrates First Anniversary of the Reestablishment of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
• Fact Sheet: Biden-?Harris Administration Announces 10 Million Households Enroll in Broadband Affordability Program, Thanks to Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• Fact Sheet: Department of Defense Releases New Report on Safeguarding our National Security by Promoting Competition in the Defense Industrial Base | February 15, 2022
• Fact Sheet: Biden-?Harris Administration Advances Cleaner Industrial Sector to Reduce Emissions and Reinvigorate American Manufacturing | February 15, 2022
• Nominations Sent to the Senate

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing
• Article: Putin Adds Military Capabilities in Belarus, Russian Border With Ukraine, Kirby Says
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
• Readout of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl Virtual Quad Meeting with France, Germany, and the UK
• Advisory: Secretary Austin to Travel to Belgium, Poland, and Lithuania
• Press Release: DoD Announces Chair for the Defense Science Board
• Article: Medal of Honor Monday: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Elmer Bigelow
• Contracts for February 14, 2022

U.S. Army

• Press Release: S. Army exercise Allied Spirit 22 concludes in Hohenfels, Germany
• Press Release: S., British train together in Poland

U.S. National Guard

• Press Release: Virginia Guard officer leads U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team
• Press Release: Kentucky Soldiers conduct riot control training in Germany

U.S. Marine Corps

• Press Release: S. Marines Activate New Littoral Anti-Air Battalion

Department of State

Daily Schedule | Tuesday, February 15

Ukraine, Russia

• February 14: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba
• February 14: Readout | Deputy Secretary Sherman's Call with Chief of Staff for the President of the European Commission Seibert
• February 14: Statement | U.S. Action to Strengthen Ukraine's Economy
• February 14: Statement | Operations at U.S. Embassy Kyiv

COVID-19

• February 14: Readout | The COVID-19 Global Action Meeting
• February 14: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Virtual COVID-19 Global Action Meeting

Other Matters

• February 14: Transcript | Department Press Briefing
• February 14: Statement | Release of Summit for Democracy Written Commitments
• February 14: Notice of Meeting | U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (Feb. 24)

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Press Release: USAID Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Faiths4Vaccines to promote a COVID-19 Year of Action
• Remarks: Administrator Samantha Power at the Faith4Vaccines Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony
• Press Release: USAID Providing Additional Humanitarian Assistance to Respond to Needs in Tanzania
• Press Release: USAID Providing More Than $39 Million in Humanitarian Assistance to Respond to Drought in Ethiopia

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

• Remarks at U.S. Intervention for?2nd?Informal Consultation?on?Our?Common Agenda
• S. National Statement for the First Regular Session of the UN Women Executive Board

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

• Press Release: BlockFi Agrees to Pay $100 Million in Penalties and Pursue Registration of its Crypto Lending Product

Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases

• Speech: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the National Congress of American Indians Winter Conference
• Press Release: Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related Offense
• Press Release: Peruvian Brothers Sentenced to More than Seven Years in Prison for Defrauding Thousands of Spanish-Speaking Immigrants
• Press Release: Cleveland-Cliffs Agrees to Improve Environmental Compliance at Indiana Facility and Pay $3 Million Civil Penalty for Ammonia and Cyanide Violations
• Press Release: Florida-Based Medicare Reimbursement Consultant Resolves Litigation for Allegedly Causing False Diabetic Supply Claims to Medicare
• Press Release: Florida's NCH Healthcare System Agrees to Pay $5.5 Million to Settle Common Law Allegations for Impermissible Medicaid Donations
• Press Release: Maryland Accountant Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Preparing False Tax Returns

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

• Press Release: Three Separate Vehicle Pursuits and a Vehicle Stop leads to 17 Migrants Arrested (Texas)
• Press Release: BORTAC conducts Selection and Certification Course (Texas)
• Video Release: Air and Marine Operations Aircraft Locate and Rescue a Lost Migrant in the Baboquivari Mountains (Arizona)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily press releases

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

Week Ahead Schedule

On Wednesday, Ambassador Katherine Tai will be in New York City for meetings with business leaders and stakeholders. Ambassador Tai will participate in a roundtable on Thursday with small business leaders and entrepreneurs in New York City. Ambassador Jayme White is on travel to Ecuador this week.

US Department of Commerce

• Press Release: NTIA Announces Members of Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

• Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Networking Devices, Computers, and Components Thereof and Systems Containing the Same

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

• Press Release: FTC to VoIP Providers | Turn over Information for Robocall Investigations or Prepare to be Sued in Federal Court
• Statement Regarding Termination of Nvidia Corp.'s Attempted Acquisition of Arm Ltd.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Press Release: Over 10 Million Households Enrolled in Affordable Connectivity Program

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release: USDA Announces $50 Million in Grants Awarded to States to Support the Seafood Industry

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Press Release: DOE Launches $140 Million Program to Develop America's First-of-a-Kind Critical Minerals Refinery
• Press Release: DOE Announces $175 Million for Novel Clean Energy Technology Projects

Department of Interior (DOI)

• Press Release: Department of the Interior to Solicit Nominations for First-Ever Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Press Release: Cleveland-Cliffs Agrees to Improve Environmental Compliance at Indiana Facility and Pay $3 Million Civil Penalty for Ammonia and Cyanide Violations
• Link to other EPA press releases

Department of Labor

• Press Release: S. Department of Labor seeks public comment on changes to program for employment of seniors in community service
• Press Release: S. Department of Labor sues Florida security contractor who terminated worker who raised coronavirus, firearm storage safety concerns
• Press Release: Two Turlock, California, agricultural employers shortchanged workers; transported, housed them unsafely, federal investigation finds
• Press Release: S. Department of Labor awards $2.9M to assist clean-up, recovery after northern California's 2021 wildfires
• Press Release: S. Department of Labor cites employer - involved in 2021 double fatality in downtown Boston - for new trench violations at East Boston worksite

Health & Human Services (HHS)

• Remarks by Secretary Xavier Becerra at the 2022 National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Policy & Issues Forum
• Press Release: HHS Awards Nearly $55 Million to Increase Virtual Health Care Access and Quality Through Community Health Centers

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

• Press Release: Federal Housing Administration Removes Temporary COVID-19 Underwriting Mitigants for Multifamily Transactions

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