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

POTUS' Schedule*

TBA:  The President receives the President's Daily Brief | Camp David

Upcoming White House Visit:

  • August 30:  Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

VPOTUS' Schedule*

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

Looking Ahead: The Vice President is slated to travel to Singapore and Vietnam this month (dates yet-to-be-announced) to strengthen relationships and expand economic cooperation with two critical Indo-Pacific partners of the United States.

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

1:30 p.m. EDT – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan | 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, August 16, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.

The White House

  • Remarks by President Biden on Afghanistan (“AFG”)
  • Memorandum for the Secretary of State on Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs (re: AFG)
  • Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Florida Emergency Declaration

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing (Afternoon briefing re: AFG)
  • Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds an Off-Camera Press Briefing (Morning briefing re: AFG)
  • Article: Officials Say Kabul Airport Is Secured; DOD Evacuating Americans, Afghans
  • Article: President Details Role of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan
  • Article: Taliban Take Kabul, U.S. Troops Arrive to Facilitate Departures
  • Contracts for August 16, 2021

Department of State

Afghanistan

  • August 16:  Statement | Secretary Blinken's Calls with European Counterparts on Afghanistan
  • August 16:  Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar (re: AFG)
  • August 16:  Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi (re: AFG)
  • August 16:  Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov (re: AFG)
  • August 16:  Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with People's Republic of China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (re: AFG)
  • August 16:  Transcript | Department Press Briefing (re: AFG/Brief opening remarks also on Haiti)

Other Developments

  • August 16:  Readout | U.S. Special Envoy and Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland's Visits to Egypt, Turkey, and Morocco
  • August 16:  Statement | Update on Recent Legislative Developments in Poland
  • August 16: Statement | Zambian General Elections
  • August 16: Statement | Indonesia National Day

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Press Release: Department of Defense Providing Air Transport in Support of USAID Haiti Earthquake Response
  • Press Release: USAID Announces New Award for Expanding HIV Prevention Options for Women

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Press Statement from the UN Security Council on Afghanistan
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Briefing on Afghanistan

Department of the Treasury

  • Press Release: Treasury International Capital Data for June
  • Press Release: Treasury Announces Fossil Fuel Energy Guidance for Multilateral Development Banks

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Press Release: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the European Central Bank Sign Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Cooperation with Respect to Security-Based Swap Entities
  • Press Release: SEC Charges Pearson plc for Misleading Investors About Cyber Breach
  • Press Release: SEC Charges Penny Stock Company, CEO and Others with Multi-Million Dollar Fraud

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Disability-Based Discrimination in Residential Rental Properties in North Dakota
  • Press Release: Federal Court Bars Florida Tax Preparation Businesses and Their Tax Return Preparers from Preparing Tax Returns

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

  • DHS Statement on Safety and Immigration Enforcement During Tropical Storm Fred
  • Press Release: Agents Quick Response in Binational Effort Results in Eight Migrants Rescued (California)
  • Press Release: RGV Border Patrol Agents Arrest Large Groups of Migrants (Texas)
  • Press Release: Dangerous Items Intercepted by Louisville CBP are Setting Records (Kentucky)
  • Press Release: Philadelphia CBP Officers Seize $99K in Unreported Currency from Palestine-bound Travelers (Pennsylvania)
  • Press Release: Baltimore CBP Issues Hefty Zero Tolerance Penalty to Traveler with THC Vapes, Gummies, Leafy Greens (Maryland)
  • Press Release: Baltimore CBP Officers Seize $82K in Unreported Currency from Jamaica-bound Travelers (Maryland)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: FEMA Launches National Risk Index Update (Washington, D.C.)
  • Press Release: FEMA Provides COVID-19 Funeral Assistance State-by-State Breakdown
  • Press Release: Disaster Recovery Project Seeks to Keep Water Flowing in West Jordan (Utah)
  • Press Release: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Hamtramck (Michigan)
  • Press Release: FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Muckamuck Fire in Washington (Washington State)
  • Press Release: FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Patton Meadow Fire in Oregon

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Joint Statement by the United States and Ecuador (re: entry into force of the Protocol to the Trade and Investment Council Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Ecuador Relating to Trade Rules and Transparency)

Department of Commerce

  • Blog: Invention-Con 2021 | Capitalizing on Your Intellectual Property

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • Press Release: Federal Trade Commission Sending Refunds to More than 31,000 Consumers Allegedly Defrauded by Online Training Academy

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Press Release: USDA Modernizes the Thrifty Food Plan, Updates SNAP Benefits

Department of Interior (DOI)

  • Press Release: Interior Issues Statement on Oil and Gas Leasing Program
  • Press Release: Federal Coalition Announces Summit to Improve Broadband

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor receives top marks in Small Business Federal Procurement Scorecard for fourth consecutive year
  • Press Release: U.S. Labor investigation finds Northeast supermarket chain miscalculated overtime, leading to more than $165K owed in back wages
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor cites Colorado home manufacturing company for continuing to expose workers to falls at Pueblo facility
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor awards $1.8M in funding to continue employment, training services to combat Illinois' opioid crisis

Department of Education

  • Press Release: Education, Labor Departments Renew Efforts to Help Unemployed Americans Pursue Postsecondary Education
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights Announces Civil Rights Data Collection for the 2021-22 School Year

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