US executive branch text over image of White HouseThis report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases.

POTUS’ Schedule*

*The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change.

The White House had yet to release the President’s schedule.

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

2:00 p.m. EST – THE VICE PRESIDENT leads a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting | White House Situation Room

Recap of Friday – Monday, January 15-18, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 and reopening developments.

The White House

  • Proclamation Terminating Restrictions on Entry of Certain Travelers from the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and Brazil
  • Executive Order on Protecting The United States From Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems
  • Executive Order on Ensuring Democratic Accountability in Agency Rulemaking
  • Executive Order on Protecting Americans From Overcriminalization Through Regulatory Reform
  • Executive Order on Protecting Law Enforcement Officers, Judges, Prosecutors, And Their Families
  • Executive Order on Building the National Garden of American Heroes
  • Statement: A Farewell Message from First Lady Melania Trump
  • Press Release: 1776 Commission Takes Historic and Scholarly Step to Restore Understanding of the Greatness of the American Founding
  • Article: Honoring American Craftsmanship in the People’s House by First Lady Melania Trump
  • Memorandum on Space Policy Directive 7
  • Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Southern Border of the United States
  • Statement from National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien (re: China)
  • Statement from National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien (re: 5G)
  • Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding the Designations of the UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain as Major Security Partners of the United States
  • Statement from the Press Secretary on the Awarding of the Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, to His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco
  • Press Release: Trump Administration Issues 75th Annual Economic Report of the President
  • Article: Operation Warp Speed Delivers Best Early Vaccination Rate of the G20
  • Disaster Declaration: President Donald J. Trump Approves Colorado Disaster Declaration
  • Proclamation on National School Choice Week, 2021
  • Proclamation on National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2021
  • Proclamation on Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2021
  • Proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, 2021

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Statement by Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller on National Guard Support in Washington, D.C.
  • Article: Pence Lists Administration’s Accomplishments, Thanks Service Members
  • Article: Pence Thanks Fort Drum Soldiers for Accomplishments, Sacrifices
  • Statement by Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Doses Delivered Today
  • Publication: Department of Defense Highlights January 2021 | January 15, 2021
  • Press Release: DOD Awards $69.3 Million Contract to CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals to Develop U.S.-based Continuous Manufacturing Capability for Critical Medicines
  • Statement by Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Force Levels in Iraq
  • Statement by Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Force Levels in Afghanistan
  • Article: U.S. Completes Troop-Level Drawdown in Afghanistan, Iraq
  • Statement From Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Announcement of DOD Inspector General Investigation
  • Press Release: Defense Department Statement on Unified Command Plan Change
  • Article: U.S. Aligns Key Partners Against Shared Threats in the Middle East
  • Article: DOD Aims to Bring Industrial Base Back to U.S., Allies
  • Article: Admiral Says U.S. Aims to Expand Competitive Space in Latin America
  • Press Release: DOD Announces New Director for the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies
  • Contracts for January 15, 2021

Department of State

  • Daily Schedule | Tuesday, January 19
  • January 18: Advisory | Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Billingslea to Address the Conference on Disarmament (Jan. 19)
  • January 18: Readout | Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Australian Prime Minister Morrison
  • January 17: Statement | Arrest of Aleksey Navalny
  • January 16: Statement | National Elections in Uganda
  • January 16: Statement | Championing America’s First Freedom
  • January 15: Statement | Ensuring a Transparent, Thorough Investigation of COVID-19’s Origin
  • January 15: Fact Sheet | Activity at the Wuhan Institute of Virology
  • January 15: Statement | Increasing Iran Metals Sanctions Targeting Iran’s Nuclear, Military, and Ballistic Missile Programs and the IRGC
  • January 15: Statement | The Ministerial Conference in Support of the Autonomy Initiative Under Moroccan Sovereignty
  • January 15: Statement | United States-Eswatini Declaration on 5G Security
  • January 15: Statement | U.S. Coast Guard Operation Southern Cross Builds Multilateral Cooperation To Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing in the South Atlantic
  • January 15: Readout | Secretary Pompeo’s Call with Republic of Cyprus Foreign Minister Christodoulides
  • January 15: Statement | Designating PRC and Hong Kong Officials After Widespread Pro-Democracy Arrests in Hong Kong
  • January 15: Statement | United States Places Global Magnitsky Sanctions on the Cuban Ministry of Interior and Its Minister
  • January 15: Statement | Imposing Sanctions Related to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and Iranian Shipping Entities
  • January 15: Statement | Imposing Sanctions on Iranian Entities for Activities Related to Conventional Arms Proliferation

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Press Release: Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service
  • Press Release: Religious Freedom Day
  • Press Release: Revised Policy on Counter-Trafficking in Persons of the U.S. Agency for International Development

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Cooperation between the UN Security Council and the League of Arab States (via VTC)

Department of the Treasury

  • Press Release: Treasury Finalizes Payroll Support to Aid Airline Industry Employees
  • Sanctions: Treasury Sanctions the Cuban Ministry of the Interior and Its Leader for Serious Human Rights Abuse

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Advisory: What’s Happening from Start-Up to Small Cap | SEC’s Small Business Advocate to Host Capital Call Feb. 4
  • Press Release: Fee Rate Advisory #2 for Fiscal Year 2021

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: Indonesian Company Admits To Deceiving U.S. Banks In Order To Trade With North Korea, Agrees To Pay A Fine Of More Than $1.5 Million
  • Speech: Remarks by Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim on the Future of ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees
  • Press Release: Man Charged with $5 Million COVID-Relief Fraud
  • Press Release: Former Government Contractor Sentenced for Role in Bribery and Kickback Scheme
  • Press Release: Compounding Pharmacy Mogul Sentenced for Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud Scheme
  • Press Release: Federal Court Restrains Toledo Pharmacy and Two Pharmacists From Dispensing Opioids or Other Controlled Substances
  • Press Release: Appeals Court Upholds 27 Month Prison Sentence Of Former Penn National Horse Trainer
  • Press Release: Two Maui Men Charged With Hate Crimes For Racially Motivated Attack
  • Press Release: District Court Orders Washington State Company and its Owner to Stop Distributing Adulterated Juice Products

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

  • Press Release: DHS Launches “Be Your REAL ID Self” Public Awareness Campaign
  • Press Release: CBP Announces New Facial Biometric Comparison Technology at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa Border Crossings (California)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers Intercept Marijuana Worth Over $141K at the World Trade Bridge (Texas)
  • Press Release: Border Patrol Agents Seize Over 350 Pounds of Marijuana in the Rio Grande Valley (Texas)
  • Press Release: RGV Border Patrol Agents Arrest Sex Offender
  • Press Release: Laredo Sector Border Patrol Stops Human Smuggling Attempt in Box Truck (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Agriculture Specialists Discover Live Ticks on Concealed Deer Hides at Del Rio Port of Entry (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP at JFK Seizes Counterfeit 3M N95 Masks (New York)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: FEMA Provides an Additional $181 Million to Colorado for COVID-19 Response
  • Press Release: Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available to Hurricane Zeta Survivors (Louisiana)
  • Press Release: FEMA Seeking Applicants to Join Hurricane Recovery Team (Louisiana)
  • Press Release: Volunteers and Donations Still Needed to Assist Louisiana Survivors
  • Press Release: All Alabamians Have Equal Access to FEMA Recovery Programs
  • Press Release: Hope for Fishing Villages on the Island (Puerto Rico)

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Press Release: USTR Releases Findings in Section 301 Investigation of Vietnam’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Currency Valuation
  • Press Release: USTR Releases Annual Reports on WTO Compliance of China and Russia

Department of Commerce

  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Commerce Statement on National Urban League Case 21-Day Stay
  • Press Release: Across the Commerce Department | 2020 Year in Review

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Plant-Derived Recombinant Human Serum Albumins (rHSA) and Products Containing Same

US Export-Import Bank (EXIM)

  • Press Release: EXIM Board Adopts New Procedures to Implement Provisions of its Historic 2019 Congressional Reauthorization
  • Press Release: EXIM’s Role in National Strategy to Secure 5G Implementation Plan Approved by White House
  • Press Release: EXIM Chairman Kimberly Reed Kicks Off Second Phase of “All America Initiative” in Partnership with the National Association of State Chambers
  • Press Release: EXIM Board Unanimously Approves $69.8 Million Loan to Support U.S. Oil and Gas Production and Processing Equipment Exports to the Shallow Waters of Mexico and an Estimated 200 American Jobs
  • Readout from EXIM Chairman Kimberly Reed’s Meeting with FedEx Executives

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Statement from Secretary Perdue on H-2A Modernization
  • Press Release: USDA Offers Additional Assistance for Certain Producers Through Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Department of Energy

  • Press Release: Department of Energy Launches Minerals Sustainability Division to Enable the Ongoing Transformation of the U.S. Energy System and Help Secure a U.S. Critical Minerals Supply Chain
  • Press Release: Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette Urges Prioritizing Critical Energy Infrastructure Workers in COVID-19 Vaccination
  • Press Release: DOE Announces $160 Million for Projects to Improve Fossil-Based Hydrogen Production, Transport, Storage, and Utilization

Department of Transportation

  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Transportation Releases “Hyperloop Standards Desk Review”
  • Press Release: Air Travel Consumer Report: November 2020 Numbers
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Draft Strategic Plan on Accessible Transportation
  • Press Release: U.S. DOT releases “Complementary Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) and GPS Backup Technologies Demonstration” Report to Congress

Department of Labor

  • Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia On Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor Revises Interpretation, Issues New Guidance Clarifying Filing, Compliance Requirements in H-1B Visa Program
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Rule to Modernize H-2A Temporary Agricultural Labor Certification Program
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor Awards $40 Million In Strengthening Community College Training Grants
  • Press Release: CORRECTED: U.S. Department of Labor to Award $10 Million Grant to Address Labor Violations in Illegal, Unregulated and Unregistered Fishing
  • Press Release: CORRECTED: U.S. Department of Labor to Award $11.7 Million Grant to Enhance Labor Compliance in Key Export Sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor Awards First Non-Profit Set Aside Contract to Eckerd Youth Alternatives to Operate Washington, D.C. Job Corps Center
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor Issues Three Wage and Hour Opinion Letters

Health & Human Services (HHS)

  • Press Release: HHS Issues Final Rule to Increase Professional Development Opportunities for Career Civil Servants, Harmonize HR Practices
  • Press Release: OCR Seeks Information on Addressing Disability Discrimination in Health Care and Child Welfare Contexts
  • Press Release: OCR Publishes Proposed Rule Protecting Infants Born Alive from Discrimination on the Basis of Disability
  • Press Release: Health Insurer Pays $5.1 Million to Settle Data Breach Affecting Over 9.3 Million People
  • Press Release: HHS Announces Provider Relief Fund Reporting Update

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update | January 15, 2021
  • Press Release: Federal judge enters consent decree against Washington state juice processor
  • Press Release: FDA Warns Firms to Remove Unauthorized E-liquid Products from Market in First Letters Issued to Manufacturers that Did Not Submit Premarket Applications by Deadline

US Government (USG) COVID-19 Webpages

Non-USG COVID Webpages

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine