US Executive Branch Update – August 9, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on August 9, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

US executive branch text over image of White House

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

POTUS’ Schedule*

9:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Briefing | The White House

10:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks and signs into law H.R. 4346, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022; The Vice President, the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget attend | South Lawn

US Executive Branch Update – August 8, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on August 8, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Schedule*

8:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, en route Dover Air Force Base

9:05 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Dover Air Force Base en route Lexington, Kentucky

US Executive Branch Update – August 4, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on August 5, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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 receives the President’s Daily Briefing

1:45 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT hosts a roundtable event with business and labor leaders to discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act lowers costs for families and businesses, lowers the deficit, fights inflation, lowers energy costs, and significantly bolsters domestic manufacturing

US Executive Branch Update – August 3, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on August 3, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

This report provides a snapshot of the U.S. 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 Briefing | The White House

2:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks virtually on securing access to reproductive and other health care services at the first meeting of the interagency Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access; the Vice President, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security attend | Treaty Room

US Executive Branch Update – August 1, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on August 1, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Monday Schedule*

10:15 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Briefing

Transatlantic Trade | US and Europe – July 11-29, 2022

By Stacy Swanson and Christina Economides on August 1, 2022 Posted in Europe, International Trade Policy

Transatlantic Trade Update text overlaid on top of images of US, UK and EU flags

Note: Our next report will circulate in September, after the summer break.

Amid the global food crisis, the Russian Federation (Russia) and Ukraine reached an agreement that was signed in Turkey to allow Ukraine’s grains to ship to global markets; Ukraine awaits sign from the United Nations (UN) that ship passage is guaranteed for the shipments. Just ahead of the agreement, the European Union (EU) approved another sanctions package against Russia. The United States (US) Government expanded agricultural (e.g., fertilizer, etc.) and medical authorizations in a Russia-related General license; released a related fact sheet.

Meanwhile, the US Congress, after months of delays, finally approved a bill at the end of July that provides funding to boost domestic production of semiconductor chips and invest in science and technology innovation. The United Kingdom (UK) inked its second state-level trade arrangement with a US state; the European Parliament voted on the Foreign Subsidies compromise proposal. In addition, the EU launched a new infringement proceeding against the UK in regards to Northern Ireland.

In this issue, we cover:

Ukraine and Russia, and transatlantic responses;
Other notable US, UK, and EU developments;
A brief UK-EU trade deal update; and
Some WTO updates.

US Executive Branch Update – July 27, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on July 29, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Wednesday Schedule*

9:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Briefing

11:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks | Rose Garden

US Executive Branch Update – July 21, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on July 21, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Thursday Schedule*

9:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief | The White House

12:35 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews

FY2023 Spending Bills Face Uncertain Future as Fiscal Year Deadline Looms

By David LesStrang on July 18, 2022 Posted in Budget and Appropriations

Will the House complete consideration of all 12 fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills before the August recess? Will Senate appropriators keep pace with their House counterparts? What obstacles must the House and Senate overcome to complete spending bills following the mid-term elections?

With the August congressional recess only weeks away, House and Senate appropriators are making a concerted effort to position annual spending bills for future negotiation and enactment following November’s mid-term elections. At stake is federal funding for a myriad of government programs and priorities, as well as policy direction to guide spending decisions, for the next fiscal year beginning on October 1.

US Executive Branch Update – July 11, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on July 11, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Monday Schedule*

9:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief

5:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and The Vice President receive a briefing from National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials and preview the first images from the Webb Space Telescope | South Court Auditorium

Transatlantic Trade | US and Europe – June 25 – July 8, 2022

By Stacy Swanson and Christina Economides on July 11, 2022 Posted in Europe, International Trade Policy

The past two weeks saw the conclusion of the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summits in Germany and Spain, respectively. The G7 Leaders’ issued a Communique affirming continued solidarity with Ukraine. Aligning with the G7, the United States (US) started its domestic process to impose tariffs on a number of goods from the Russian Federation (Russia). Separately, US lawmakers appear to have stalled on advancing legislation that includes domestic semiconductor chip incentives.

Meanwhile, the European Union concluded a free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand; forward momentum continues in the bloc on proposals that would address foreign subsidies and deforestation. The United Kingdom (UK) saw political upheaval this week that culminated in the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which some believe may help change the narrative in talks between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland Proposal.

In this issue, we cover:

Ukraine and Russia, and transatlantic responses;
Other notable US, UK, and EU developments; and
A brief UK-EU trade deal update.

US Executive Branch Update – July 7, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on July 7, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Thursday Schedule*

10:15 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the President’s Daily Brief | Oval Office

2:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to seventeen recipients; The Vice President and The Second Gentleman attend | East Room

US Executive Branch Update – July 1, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on July 5, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Friday Schedule*

9:45 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief

1:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT convenes a virtual meeting with Governors to discuss efforts to protect access to reproductive health care | South Court Auditorium

Executive Branch Update – June 29, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on June 29, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Tuesday Schedule*

4:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. local) – The President meets with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom on the margins of the G7 | Summit Pavilion, Schloss Elmau, Krün, Germany

4:30 a.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. local) – The President attends and delivers remarks during the final session of the G7 Summit, focused on Multilateral and Digital Order | Yoga Pavilion, Schloss Elmau, Krün, Germany

Transatlantic Trade | US and Europe – June 27, 2022

By Stacy Swanson and Christina Economides on June 27, 2022 Posted in Europe, International Trade Policy

With the mid-term elections approaching (November) in the United States (US), the White House and those Members of Congress up for re-election (the full House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate) continue to focus domestic matters of concern for American voters – namely the US economy, high gas prices, and an inflation rate that is the highest in 40 years. The US President continues to focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, citing it as a significant driver of higher gas prices and inflation, while also exploring options for addressing the higher costs facing Americans.

Over the past two weeks, the US continued to discuss European Energy Security with the European Union (EU); some Senators introduced a bill seeking to advance the US-United Kingdom (UK) trade negotiations. Meanwhile, the EU’s proposals on an Emission Trading Systems (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) appear to be moving forward again, after being rejected a few weeks ago. Additionally, the UK announced new free trade talks with Gulf Cooperation Council, along with some new investment initiatives related to Commonwealth countries, including those in Africa.

Looking ahead, Germany is set to host the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit at Schloss Elmau, from 26-28 June; Spain is set to host the 2022 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Madrid, from 28-30 June. The US President is set to attend both Summits; he will deliver taped remarks at the 2022 SelectUSA Investment Summit, held in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area from 26-29 June, a forum that highlights investments and opportunities in the United States.

In this issue, we cover:

Ukraine and Russia, and transatlantic responses;
A synopsis of the twelfth WTO Ministerial meeting;
Notable US, UK, and EU developments; and
A brief UK-EU trade deal update.

US Executive Branch Update – June 24, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on June 24, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Friday Schedule*

9:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief | The White House

US Executive Branch Update – June 14, 2022

By Stacy Swanson on June 14, 2022 Posted in COVID-19, US Executive Branch

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

POTUS’ Schedule*

June 14, 2022

8:10 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews

8:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route Philadelphia International Airport

Transatlantic Trade | US and Europe – June 1-10

By Christina Economides and Stacy Swanson on June 13, 2022 Posted in Europe, International Trade Policy

The United Kingdom (UK) celebrated Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of her reign. The United States (US) hosted the Summit of the Americas, unveiling another economic framework initiative, with this one focused on countries in the Western Hemisphere. In the European Union (EU), the European Parliament failed to advance a number of environmental legislative proposals, such as the proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, returning them to committee level for additional work and likely further delaying these measures from enactment.

In this issue, we cover:

Ukraine and Russia, and transatlantic responses;
Other notable US, UK, and EU developments; and
A brief UK-EU trade deal update.

Biden Administration Boosts Domestic Manufacturing – EXIM to Provide Competitive Financing

By Angela Mariana (Manana) Freyre, Ludmilla Kasulke and Kara-Marie Urban on May 2, 2022 Posted in Global Infrastructure, International Trade Policy, US National Security/Supply Chains

Money Pile $100 US dollar bills For the first time, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) will make its existing financing programs available to export-oriented domestic manufacturing facilities and infrastructure projects. The Make More in America Initiative was unanimously approved by the EXIM Board of Directors in April 2022, and had support from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the American Association of Port Authorities (APPA), and the US LNG Association. US manufacturers and infrastructure project stakeholders seeking competitive financing options now have an additional resource to consider. Continue Reading

The Impact of Russia-Ukraine Crisis on Capitals, Markets and Boardrooms

By Capital Thinking on March 23, 2022 Posted in Events, Financial Services, International Trade Policy, Multimedia Content, SPB Global Public Policy Thought Leadership

Moderated by Stephen Lerner and hosted by the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), a multidisciplinary team from our firm engaged in a wide-ranging discussion about the crisis in Ukraine. Topics included geopolitics, the global economy, sanctions and trade compliance, supply chains, the legal response from Moscow, and other business critical issues.

Watch the webinar recording here. Continue Reading

DHS Released a Notice on the Addition of Entities to the UFLPA Entity List

By Ludmilla Kasulke and Alexis Chandler on August 8, 2022 Posted in US National Security/Supply Chains

Aerial top view container cargo ship working

On August 4, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the Chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), formally published the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The Entity list is a consolidated register of the four lists required to be developed and maintained pursuant to Section 2(d)(2)(B) of the UFLPA. DHS also released details on seeking changes to the UFLPA Entity List, including requests for removal from the list.

Read full post on our Global Supply Chain Law blog here.

Bipartisan Bill Introduced by Senate relating to Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020

By Ludmilla Kasulke on August 8, 2022 Posted in US National Security/Supply Chains

On August 2, 2022, Senators Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) introduced the Sanctioning Supporters of Slave Labor Act, legislation that would expand the categories of persons that could be sanctioned under the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (UHRPA). Rep. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) filed a companion in the House of Representatives.

Read full post on our Global Supply Chain Law blog here.

Sustainability Outlook European Union – June 2022

By Anita Lloyd, Francesca Zuccarello Cimino and Josep Nicolas Bellot on July 13, 2022 Posted in Energy, Environment and Natural Resources

Download the Sustainability Outlook Report for the EU

Our European Public Policy team is pleased to share with you our monthly horizon scan of key developments in EU sustainability law and policy.

This month’s newsletter is a packed edition including the following:

European Parliament demands the right to legislative initiative.
European Commission updates legislative and policy timeline until the end of 2022.
European Parliament agrees its position for ETS and CBAM after some controversy.
Council adopts a position on ETS and Commission to consider including waste incineration from 2031.
European Parliament Committees object to labelling gas and nuclear activities as sustainable.
European Commission updates the definition of nanomaterial.
ECHA highlights progress on substances of concern and the need for harmonised classification.
Authorities of three Member States consider restricting skin sensitisers in consumer products.
European Commission considers EU audit system to enforcement chemicals regulation.
European Commission discusses tensions with IP rights under “one substance, one assessment”.
EU co-legislators agree to reduce limit values for POPs in waste.
EU Court dismisses claims on damages for wrong classification of CTPHT.
European Commission releases new Blue Guide on the implementation of EU product rules
UK agency issues UK REACH Consolidated Report and Work Programme for 2022-2023
UN countries agree on further regulating e-waste shipments and banning harmful chemicals.
European Commission concludes evaluation of food contact materials legislation.
European Commission consults on sustainable food systems initiative.
European Parliament Committee adopts report on product safety rules.
France implements extended producer responsibility for construction products and materials.
UK authorities publish guidance to prepare for extended producer responsibility (EPR).
Slovenia suspends rules on extended producer responsibility (EPR).