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*

9:30 a.m. EDT – The President and The Vice President receive the President’s Daily Brief | Oval Office

1:15 p.m. EDT – The President and The Vice President receive a COVID-19 briefing | Oval Office

2:15 p.m. EDT – The President and The Vice President receive the Weekly Economic Briefing | Oval Office

3:15 p.m. EDT – The President delivers remarks on the state of vaccinations | East Room

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

9:30 a.m. EDT – the Vice President will receive the President’s Daily Brief in the Oval Office

10:30 a.m. EDT – the Vice President will ceremonially swear in Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building

11:15 a.m. EDT – the Vice President will meet with women leaders in the labor community to discuss the American Rescue Plan and supporting America’s workers in the Vice President’s Ceremonial Office

1:15 p.m. EDT – the President and the Vice President will receive a briefing from members of their COVID-19 Response Team on the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of vaccinations in the Oval Office

2:15 p.m. EDT – the President and the Vice President will receive the Weekly Economic Briefing in the Oval Office

3:15 p.m. EDT – the Vice President will join the President when he delivers remarks on the state of vaccinations in the East Room

6:15 p.m. EDT – the Vice President will ceremonially swear in Katherine Tai as U.S. Trade Representative in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

12:30 p.m. EDT – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge | 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, March 17, 2021

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

The White House

  • Joint Statement by President Joe Biden and Taoiseach Micheál Martin
  • Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Martin of Ireland Before Virtual Bilateral Meeting
  • Readout of Vice President Kamala Harris Meeting with First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill of Northern Ireland
  • Transcript: Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on President Biden’s Upcoming Virtual Bilateral with Ireland
  • Statement by President Biden Applauding House Passage of Paycheck Protection Program Extension
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials
  • Statement on the House of Representatives Passage of House Joint Resolution 17 (re: gender)
  • Statement by President Biden on the Passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 in the House of Representatives
  • Press Release: President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate Jose W. Fernandez as Under Secretary of State (Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment)
  • Nominations Sent to the Senate
  • Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
  • Statements by Press Secretary Jen Psaki & Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber Anne Neuberger on Microsoft Exchange Vulnerabilities UCG
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, March 17, 2021

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Transcript: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Remarks With Defense Minister Suh Wook of South Korea in Seoul
  • Transcript: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony Blinken Conduct Press Conference With Their South Korean Counterparts After the U.S.-South Korea Foreign and Defense Ministerial
  • Article: US, South Korean Defense Leaders Consult on Issues, Plan for Future of Alliance
  • Article: US-Korean Alliance is Key to Peace, Stability in Northeast Asia
  • Article: DOD Working With Norway to Develop High-Speed Propulsion Technologies
  • Publication: COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update, March 17, 2021
  • Article: DOD Health System Archives COVID-19 Vaccination Data
  • Contracts for March 17, 2021

Department of State

  • Daily Schedule | Thursday, March 18
  • March 17: Joint Statement | 2021 Republic of Korea – United States Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (“2+2”)
  • March 17: Fact Sheet | Strengthening the Ironclad U.S.-ROK Alliance
  • March 17: Statement | U.S.-ROK Alliance – Expanding Bilateral Cooperation for the 21st Century
  • March 17: Readout | Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin’s Meeting with Republic of Korea President Moon
  • March 17: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in Before Their Meeting
  • March 17: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Chung
  • March 17: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, and Republic of Korea Defense Minister Suh Wook at a Joint Press Availability
  • March 17: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong Before Their Meeting
  • March 17: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Yang Man-Hee of Seoul Broadcasting System
  • March 17: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Lee So-Jung of Korean Broadcasting System
  • March 17: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Izumi Oguri of Nippon TV
  • March 17: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Yuki Morikawa of TV Asahi
  • March 17: Statement | Final Adoption of the U.S. Universal Periodic Review
  • March 17: Statement | G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Ukraine
  • March 17: Statement | Actions in Turkey’s Parliament
  • March 17: Statement | Aruba National Day
  • March 17: Statement | On the Passing of John Pombe Magufuli
  • March 17: Statement | The Department of State Dedicates the New U.S. Embassy in Niamey, Niger
  • March 17: Transcript | Department Press Briefing

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Joint Statement Following Russia’s Arria-Formula Meeting on the Situation in Crimea
  • Remarks at a UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting on Crimea
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a Virtual Side Event on Gender-Based Violence Co-Hosted by the United States and Israel
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a Virtual Discussion of U.S. Gender Priorities with the White House Gender Policy Council

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

  • Press Release: Unclassified Summary of Assessment on Domestic Violent Extremism
  • Press Release: ODNI, DOJ, and DHS Release Unclassified Summary of Assessment on Domestic Violent Extremism

Department of the Treasury

  • Press Release: Treasury and IRS extend filing and payment deadline to May 17
  • Readout: Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen’s Videoconference with Irish Finance Minister and Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe
  • Readout: Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen’s Meeting with Governors Andy Beshear and Henry McMaster, Co-Chairs of the National Governors Association’s Bipartisan Economic Recovery and Revitalization Task Force
  • Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen to the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee
  • Press Release: Treasury and IRS Disbursed 90 Million Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan
  • Press Release: Hong Kong-related Designations Updates

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Press Release: SEC Issues Agenda for March 19 Meeting of the Asset Management Advisory Committee

Department of Justice (DOJ)

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: ODNI, DOJ and DHS Release Unclassified Summary of Assessment on Domestic Violent Extremism
  • Press Release: Man Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison for Violating Sanctions Against Senior Venezuelan Leaders
  • Press Release: Tax Preparer Charged with COVID-19 Loan Fraud
  • Press Release: Former Construction Company Owner Indicted for Defrauding Federal Program Intended for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
  • Press Release: Pharmacist Charged in $4 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme
  • Press Release: Man Sentenced to Prison for Producing Images of Child Sexual Abuse
  • Press Release: New Jersey Man Charged with Tax Evasion and Filing False Returns
  • Press Release: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Illinois Tax Return Preparer

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

  • Press Release: ODNI, DOJ, and DHS Release Unclassified Summary of Assessment on Domestic Violent Extremism
  • Press Release: Agents apprehend convicted rapist (Arizona)
  • Press Release: S. Border Patrol Rescues Subject is Distress (New Mexico)
  • Press Release: Large Groups Encountered Illegally Entering in Hidalgo County (Texas)
  • Press Release: Convicted Sexual Predators Arrested by Border Patrol in Rio Grande Valley (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Field Operations at Hidalgo International Bridge Arrests Man Attempting to Smuggle $1.5 Million in Methamphetamine (Texas)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: FEMA COVID-19 Vaccination Update
  • Press Release: FEMA Provides An Additional $14.3 Million To Colorado For COVID-19 Response
  • Press Release: Team Rubicon Deploys Response Team to Philadelphia Vaccination Site
  • Press Release: W.Va. volunteer organization hosts first vaccine event of its kind in the nation
  • Press Release: Holden Beach Awarded $15.49 Million to Renourish Beaches Damaged by Hurricane Dorian (North Carolina)
  • Press Release: Department of Transportation Receives $2.39 Million for Hurricane Florence Repairs (North Carolina)
  • Press Release: Magna Earthquake – One Year Later
  • Press Release: FEMA Awards $3.89 Million for Hurricane Dorian Expenses (Florida)
  • Press Release: Allen County Residents Invited to Attend Virtual Flood Map Open House (Ohio)
  • Press Release: Millions in Funds Allocated for the National Guard to Complete Permanent Work (Puerto Rico)

Department of Commerce

  • Statement from US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on Actions Taken Under ICTS Supply Chain Executive Order
  • Sanctions: US Department of Commerce to Expand Restrictions on Exports to Russia in Response to Chemical Weapons Poisoning
  • Blog: Spotlight on Commerce | Mojdeh Bahar, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services, National Institute of Standards and Technology

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • Press Release: Subsidized Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico Injures U.S. Industry, Says USITC
  • Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Battery Jump Starters and Components Thereof

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

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

Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Press Release: DOE Announces $24.5 Million for Manufacturing Innovation to Build a Clean, Resilient Electric Grid

Environmental Protection Agency

  • Press Release: Four-Week Webinar Kicks Off Addressing Economy and Food Insecurity

Department of Transportation

  • Fact Sheet: US Department of Transportation Details the American Rescue Plan’s Benefits for Transportation

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: US Department of Labor announces $25M in funding to support education, employment training for workforce entry by justice-involved young adults
  • Press Release: US Department of Labor awards $3.6M in incremental funding for grant providing employment, training services to respond to opioid crisis
  • Press Release: US Department of Labor awards $1.5M grant to support veterans transitioning to workforce in Texas communities struck hard by pandemic

Department of Education

  • Press Release: Department of Education to Host National Safe School Reopening Summit on Wednesday, March 24
  • Press Release: Department of Education Announces American Rescue Plan Funds for All 50 States, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to Help Schools Reopen

Health & Human Services (HHS)

  • Press Release: Biden Administration to Invest More Than $12 Billion to Expand COVID-19 Testing
  • Press Release: Biden Administration to Invest $150 Million to Expand Access to COVID-19 Treatments in Underserved Communities

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: FDA Permits Marketing of First SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic Test Using Traditional Premarket Review Process

US Government (USG) COVID-19 Webpages

Non-USG COVID Webpages

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine