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

POTUS' Schedule*

10:45 a.m. EDT - The President and The VICE President receive the President's Daily Brief | Oval Office

11:50 a.m. EDT - The President delivers remarks on the Colonial Pipeline incident | Roosevelt Room

:30 p.m. EDT - The President, The Vice President, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Transportation meet with Senator Capito, Senator Barrasso, Senator Blunt, Senator Crapo, Senator Toomey, and Senator Wicker | Oval Office

Note: On Thursday, May 13, First Lady Jill Biden, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D) and actor Jennifer Garner will travel to West Virginia to visit a vaccination center and deliver remarks at Capital High School in Charleston.

VPOTUS' Schedule*

10:45 a.m. EDT- THE VICE PRESIDENT will receive the President's Daily Brief in the Oval Office

1:30PM EDT - THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT will meet with Senator Capito, Senator Barrasso, Senator Blunt, Senator Crapo, Senator Toomey, and Senator Wicker about the best ways to invest in American infrastructure in the Oval Office

5:15PM EDT - THE VICE PRESIDENT will meet with the Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office

Looking ahead, on Tuesday, May 18, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will travel to Annapolis, Maryland.

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

12:30 p.m. EDT - Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki | James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

4:00 p.m. EDT - Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and public health officials | The White House

*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, May 12, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19, the American Jobs Plan and reopening developments.

The White House

  • Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity
  • Fact Sheet: President Signs Executive Order Charting New Course to Improve the Nation's Cybersecurity and Protect Federal Government Networks
  • Transcript: Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on Executive Order Charting a New Course to Improve the Nation's Cybersecurity and Protect Federal Government Networks
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Michael Regan, May 12, 2021 (re: Colonial Pipeline)
  • Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Restart of Colonial Pipeline and Continued Federal Government Efforts to Mitigate Impacts | May 13, 2021
  • Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki (re: Colonial Pipeline)
  • Remarks by President Biden on the COVID-19 Response and the Vaccination Program
  • Readout of Oval Office Meeting with Bipartisan Leaders of Both Chambers of Congress (re: infrastructure)
  • Remarks by President Biden Before Meeting with Members of Congressional Leadership to Discuss Policy Areas of Mutual Interest (re: infrastructure)
  • Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel
  • Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani
  • Nominations Sent to the Senate

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Phone Call With Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin "Benny" Gantz
  • Article: Defense Officials Explain U.S. Policy, Strategy in Afghanistan
  • Article: Modernization Investments Needed to Protect Space Domain, Space Force Chief Says
  • Publication: COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update, May 12, 2021
  • Contracts for May 12, 2021

Department of State

  • Daily Schedule | Thursday, May 13
  • May 12: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Palestinian Authority President Abbas
  • May 12: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
  • May 12: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
  • May 12: Statement | Designation of Chinese Communist Party Official Due to Involvement in Gross Violations of Human Rights
  • May 12: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken on Release of the 2020 International Religious Freedom Report
  • May 12: Transcript | Briefing with Senior Official Daniel Nadel, Office of International Religious Freedom on Release of the 2020 International Religious Freedom Report (Part I)
  • May 12: Transcript | Briefing with Senior Official Daniel Nadel, Office of International Religious Freedom On the Release of the 2020 International Religious Freedom Report (Part II)
  • May 12: Statement | United States Trains Ukraine To Identify and Respond to the Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Targeted Assassinations
  • May 12: Advisory | Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry Travels to Europe (May 13-19)
  • May 12: Statement | Call for Recommendations: 2021 Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence
  • May 12: Statement | On the Occasion of Eid al-Fitr

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a High-Level Virtual Event Co-Hosted by the United States on the Situation in Xinjiang
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Briefing on Yemen
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting Co-Sponsored by the United States on UNITAD

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

  • Press Release: CBS "Intelligence Matters:" Top counterintelligence official Mike Orlando on foreign espionage threats facing U.S.

Department of the Treasury

  • Readout: Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo's Meeting with the Board of Directors of the Opportunity Finance Network
  • Press Release: Nearly one million additional Economic Impact Payments disbursed under the American Rescue Plan; Total payments reach nearly 165 million
  • Sanctions: Treasury Identifies Sinaloa-based Mexican Narcotics Trafficker That Helps Fuel the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
  • Sanctions List Updates: Kingpin Act Designations and Designation Removal

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Press Release: SEC Awards Approximately $3.6 Million to Whistleblower
  • Press Release: SEC Charges Broker-Dealer for Failures Related to Filing Suspicious Activity Reports

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: Prison Official Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes to Smuggle Contraband to Inmates
  • Press Release: Two Individuals Charged for their Roles in Massive Cattle Ponzi Scheme
  • Press Release: Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS
  • Press Release: Two Indicted for $2 Million Scheme that Defrauded Over 20 Investors
  • Press Release: Florida Man Sentenced After Fraudulently Obtaining $3.9 Million in PPP Loans
  • Press Release: Residents of Florida, Georgia and North Carolina Indicted for Promoting Tax Fraud Scheme
  • Press Release: Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty in False Returns Scheme

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

  • Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on Charting New Course to Improve the Nation's Cybersecurity and Protect Federal Government Networks
  • Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on the Approval of a Jones Act Waiver in Response to Eastern Seaboard Oil Supply Constraints
  • Press Release: DHS Improves Process for Humanitarian Exceptions to Title 42 (re: U.S. Southwest Border Crisis)
  • Blog: DHS Recognizes Ramadan In Virtual Event with Muslim Community Leaders
  • Press Release: CISA and State and Local Officials Host Virtual Exercise to Strengthen San Antonio's Resilience to Widespread Flooding
  • Press Release: Agents Aid 11-Year-Old Boy Suffering Heat-Related Illness (Arizona)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers Seize $297K in Unreported Currency at Del Rio Port of Entry (Texas)
  • Press Release: Smugglers Cross a Large Group Amidst the Storm in Hidalgo (Texas)
  • Press Release: Six Smuggling Events Lead to 136 Arrests in the RGV (Texas)
  • Press Release: U.S. Soldiers and Laredo Sector Border Patrol Rescue Two in Rio Grande River (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers at Hidalgo International Bridge Arrest Man Wanted on Sexual Assault Charges (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers Seize Disposable Gloves Under Top Glove Forced Labor Finding (Missouri)
  • Press Release: CBP announces $46 million rail refresh (Washington, D.C.)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: FEMA COVID-19 Update
  • Press Release: Free ticket voucher with COVID-19 vaccine at Tides Opening Night in Norfolk, VA
  • Press Release: Building Safety Month: Five Tips for a More Resilient Home
  • Press Release: Only Two Weeks Remain for Oklahomans to Register for Disaster Assistance
  • Press Release: FEMA Awards City of New Smyrna Beach $2.5 Million to Rebuild, Elevate Flood-Prone Homes (Florida)
  • Press Release: FEMA Supports the Restoration of Historic Buildings in San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Congressional Testimony of Ambassador Katherine Tai at a Senate Finance Committee Hearing on the President's Trade Agenda | May 12, 2021
  • Remarks from Ambassador Katherine Tai at the 2021 Committee of 100 Virtual Event | May 12, 2021
  • Press Release: United States Seeks Mexico's Review of Alleged Worker's Rights Denial at Auto Manufacturing Facility | May 12, 2021
  • Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Virtual Meeting with New Zealand Minister of Trade Damien O'Connor | May 11, 2021
  • Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Virtual Meeting with Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko | May 11, 2021
  • Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai's Virtual Meeting with Ireland's Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | May 11, 2021

Department of Commerce

  • Blog: Spotlight on Commerce | Theodora Meredith, Meteorologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service
  • Blog: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Addresses Economic Recovery and Need for Greater Equity and Opportunity for Women

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • Press Release: USITC Recommends that the President Make Certain Modifications to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule Nomenclature

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Fact Sheet: Update on USDA Activities to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic

Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Press Release: DOE Awards $6.2 Million for Cutting-Edge Research for Efficient Hydrogen Gas Turbines

Department of Interior (DOI)

  • Press Release: Secretary Haaland Approves New Constitution for Cherokee Nation, Guaranteeing Full Citizenship Rights for Cherokee Freedmen

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • Press Release: EPA Rescinds Rule on Guidance Documents
  • Press Release: Shimkin Named Chesapeake Bay Program Office Deputy Director
  • Press Release: EPA Awards Over $17 Million to Benefit Small Water Systems
  • Press Release: EPA Relaunches Climate Indicators Website Showing How Climate Change is Impacting Peoples' Health and Environment
  • Link: Other Daily EPA Press Releases

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: South Florida H-2A employer pays $21K after U.S. Department of Labor uncovers guest worker visa program violations
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor secures court order requiring Tennessee disaster relief company and officer to pay $87K in back wages and damages to employees who worked in U.S. Virgin Islands

Health & Human Services (HHS)

  • Statement on the Swearing-In of Andrea Palm as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services

US Government (USG) COVID-19 Webpages

Non-USG COVID Webpages

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

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.