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

11:55 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT deliver remarks at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial | Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

6:45 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart the White House en route Baltimore, Maryland

7:05 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY in Baltimore, Maryland

8:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT participates in a town hall hosted by CNN | Baltimore Center Stage Pearlstone Theater

10:10 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Baltimore, Maryland, en route the White House

10:30 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive at the White House

VPOTUS' Schedule*

11:55 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT will deliver remarks at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.

6:40 p.m. EDT – THE VICE PRESIDENT will deliver remarks at a Terry for Virginia voter mobilization event in Dumfries, Virginia

Looking Ahead: On Friday, October 22, the Vice President will travel to the Bronx, New York.  She will be accompanied by Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

2:00 p.m. EDT – Press Briefing by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre | 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 Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.

The White House

  • Remarks by President Biden on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and Build Back Better Agenda | Scranton, Pennsylvania
  • Statement by President Joe Biden on Protecting the Sacred Right to Vote
  • Transcript: Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jen Psaki En Route Avoca, PA
  • Transcript: Background Press Call on Climate Security
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by White House COVID-⁠19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
  • Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Announces Update on Operational Planning for COVID-⁠19 Vaccinations for Kids Ages 5-11
  • Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with The Elders
  • Nomination Sent to the Senate

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Visit to Romania
  • Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's at Romanian Ministry of Defense Post-Bilat Joint Press Event
  • Article: Defense Secretary Holds Talks in Romania
  • Publication: Progress at Installations Being Assessed for PFAS Use or Potential Release
  • Readout of Performing the Duties of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Mara Karlin Meeting With Estonian Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Kusti Salm
  • Publication: COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update, Oct. 20, 2021
  • Article: NATO Secretary General Details Agenda for Defense Meeting
  • Article: Army's ‘Dragon's Lair' Opens to All Military Services
  • Article: ‘It Was Just Wild': Guardsmen Fight Fires From the Sky
  • Article: Unique Honor Flight Celebrates Female Veterans
  • Contracts for October 20, 2021

Department of State

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on travel to Ecuador and Colombia, from October 19-21. 

  • October 20:  SecState Speech | Making Democracy Deliver for the Americas
  • October 20:  Statement | Joint Statement on the Western Balkans
  • October 20:  Statement | Anniversary of the Compact of Free Association with the Republic of the Marshall Islands

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Readout: USAID Administrator Samantha Power's Meeting with Ambassador Eynat Shlein, Head of MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation
  • Readout: Administrator Samantha Power Meeting with Indonesian Minister of Health Budi G. Sadikin and Vice Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong
  • Press Release: Administrator Samantha Power and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack Participate in White House Briefing on American Leadership to End Hunger
  • Remarks: Administrator Samantha Power at the 2021 Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the UN Security Council Stakeout on the DPRK
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Open Debate on the Great Lakes Region
  • Remarks at a Second Committee Joint Meeting with the Economic and Social Council on Building Productive Capacities in Least Developed Countries (LDCS)
  • Remarks at UN General Assembly Debate and Briefing on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
  • Remarks at a Third Committee Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Speech: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at Taking the Call Conference
  • Speech: Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta Delivers Remarks at Taking the Call Conference
  • Speech: Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. Deliver Opening Remarks at the Criminal Division's Cybersecurity Roundtable on ‘The Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape'
  • Press Release: Two Individuals Sentenced for Providing “Bulletproof Hosting” for Cybercriminals
  • Press Release: Individual Pleads Guilty to Murder in Indian Country
  • Press Release: District Court Orders Utah Company to Stop Distribution of Unapproved New Drugs and Adulterated Products
  • Press Release: Former IRS Employee Charged with Tax Fraud
  • Press Release: Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violations for Series of Church Arsons

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

  • Press Release: DHS Takes Victim-Centered Approach on First Anniversary of Center for Countering Human Trafficking
  • Press Release: CISA Awards $2 Million to Bring Cybersecurity Training to Rural Communities and Diverse Populations
  • Press Release: CBP Issues Withhold Release Order on Supermax Corporation Bhd. and its Subsidiaries (Washington, D.C.)
  • Press Release: U.S. Border Patrol rescues man utilizing recently deployed rescue beacon in New Mexico
  • Press Release: CBP Officers Seize over $700K in Cocaine and Methamphetamine at Pharr International Bridge (Texas)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center Coming to Norristown (Pennsylvania)
  • Press Release: FEMA Registration and SBA Disaster Loan Application Are Key to Hurricane Recovery (Pennsylvania)
  • Press Release: Storm Survivors Receive Additional FEMA Funding After Counties Join the National Flood Insurance Program (Tennessee)
  • Press Release: FEMA Offers Free Rebuilding Tips at Lowe's in Thibodaux (Louisiana)
  • Press Release: Florida Department of Transportation Approved for Additional $65.4 Million in Hurricane Michael Debris Removal Expenses
  • Press Release: Multi-Million Dollar FEMA Allocation for San Juan's Iconic Parks (Puerto Rico)

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Statement by David Bisbee, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i., on the Trade Policy Review of the People's Republic of China
  • Readout of Ambassador Tai's Roundtable Conversation with European Union Labor Unions
  • Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Meeting with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès
  • Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Participation in the Virtual AGOA Ministerial Meeting

Department of Commerce

  • Press Release: Commerce Tightens Export Controls on Items Used in Surveillance of Private Citizens and other Malicious Cyber Activities

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • Press Release: FTC Sends Refunds to Consumers Who Bought Deceptively Marketed Supplements to Treat Pain and Age-related Health Conditions

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

  • Press Release: Carr Applauds House Passage of Secure Equipment Act
  • Press Release: FCC to Host Consumer Webinar on Robocall Scams in Hawai'i on Oct. 28
  • Press Release: FCC Announces $554 Million for Broadband in 19 States
  • Press Release: Chairs Announced for FCC Diversity Committee – November 3 Meeting Set

US Export-Import Bank (EXIM)

  • Readout: EXIM Bilateral Meeting with Finland Minister of Development Cooperation and Trade

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Joint Statement from U.S. and Mexican Agriculture Secretaries
  • Press Release: Biden Administration Takes Action to Complete Study of Boundary Waters Area Watershed

Department of Interior (DOI)

  • Press Release: Biden Administration Takes Action to Complete Study of Boundary Waters Area Watershed

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor proposes $38K in fines for Illinois healthcare facility where workers were not fully protected from coronavirus hazards
  • Press Release: Federal investigation of employee injury finds Temple, Texas furniture manufacturer repeatedly exposed workers to amputation hazards
  • Press Release: OSHA launches initiative to protect Midwest workers from occupational exposure to hazardous substances, other health hazards
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor and Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity sign agreement to share information, conduct joint operations
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor recovers $27K for 74 delivery drivers denied mileage reimbursement by Jimmy John's franchisee in Clemson, Anderson

Department of Education

  • Statement from Secretary Miguel Cardona on the Confirmation of Catherine Lhamon as Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: FDA Announces Investigation of Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Whole, Fresh Onions
  • Press Release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update | FDA Takes Additional Actions on the Use of a Booster Dose for COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Press Release: Federal Judge Enters Consent Decree with Utah-based Dietary Supplement Manufacturer

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.