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*

9:50 a.m. EDT – The President and The Vice President receive the President’s Daily Brief | Oval Office

2:45 p.m. EDT – The President and The Vice President receive the Weekly Economic Briefing | Oval Office

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

9:50 a.m. EDT – the Vice President will receive the President’s Daily Brief in the Oval Office

2:45 p.m. EDT – the President and the Vice President will receive the Weekly Economic Briefing in the Oval Office

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

11:00 a.m. EDT – Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and public health officials | James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

12:30 p.m. EDT – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg | 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 Thursday, April 8, 2021

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

The White House

  • Remarks by President Biden on Gun Violence Prevention
  • Remarks by Vice President Harris on Gun Violence Prevention
  • Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, April 8, 2021
  • Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Washington Disaster Declaration

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Advisory: Secretary Austin Travels to Israel, Germany, NATO HQ and United Kingdom
  • Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Phone Call With Swiss Minister of Defense Viola Amherd
  • Transcript: Defense Health Officials Provide a COVID-19 Update to Media
  • Article: DOD Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccinations to Those Deployed
  • Article: First Lady Calls Joining Forces Effort a National Security Imperative
  • Contracts for April 8, 2021

Department of State

  • Daily Schedule | Friday, April 9
  • April 8: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Locsin
  • April 8: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Jordanian King Abdullah II
  • April 8: Readout | Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry’s Visit to India and Meetings with Prime Minister and Top Officials in the Government of India
  • April 8: Statement | Imposing Sanctions on Burmese State-Owned Enterprise
  • April 8: Statement | Burma New Year 2021 – Thingyan Festival
  • April 8: Transcript | Department Press Briefing

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Press Release: United States Announces More than $152 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the People Affected by Tigray Crisis

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Remarks at a Joint UN Security Council Stakeout with Germany and Nauru on the United States Joining the UN Group of Friends on Climate and Security
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Ministerial Open Debate on Mine Action
  • Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

  • Press Release: National Intelligence Council Releases Global Trends Report

Department of the Treasury

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Press Release: Jane Norberg, Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower, to Leave Agency

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: Abatement Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Illegally Removing Asbestos
  • Press Release: Justice Department Moves to Intervene in Disability Discrimination Suit Against City of Chicago Regarding Pedestrians with Visual Disabilities
  • Press Release: Colorado Physician Charged for Misappropriating Thousands from Three Different COVID Relief Programs
  • Press Release: Justice Department Tax Enforcement Already in Gear

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

  • Press Release: CBP Announces March 2021 Operational Update (Washington, D.C.)
  • Press Release: Border Patrol Agents Seize Methamphetamine on Interstate 10 (California)
  • Press Release: CBP Launches Simplified Arrival at Tampa Airport to Secure, Streamline International Travel (Florida)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Press Release: Esperanza Community Vaccination Center Soft Opening Day in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
  • Press Release: One Month Left to Register with FEMA, Apply for SBA Low-Interest Loans for Severe Winter Storms (Louisiana)

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Readout of Ambassador Katherine Tai’s virtual meeting with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès

Department of Commerce

  • Sanctions: Commerce Adds Seven Chinese Supercomputing Entities to Entity List for their Support to China’s Military Modernization, and Other Destabilizing Efforts
  • Blog: Commerce Secretary Raimondo Hosts Town Hall Meetings with Employees: Stresses Importance of Accessibility, Equality and Transparency

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • Press Release: USITC Institutes Two Separate Section 337 Investigations of Certain Toner Supply Containers and Components Thereof
  • Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain LED Landscape Lighting Devices and Components Thereof

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Press Release: USDA Announces Upcoming Changes to the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Rice and Soybean Tables
  • Joint Statement from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Western Water Crisis

Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Press Release: DOE Announces $35 Million for Technologies to Reduce Methane Emissions
  • Press Release: DOE Announces $61.4 Million for Biofuels Research to Reduce Transportation Emissions

Department of Interior

  • Joint Statement from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Western Water Crisis

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • Link to Other EPA Press Releases
  • Press Release: EPA Releases Updated PFBS Toxicity Assessment After Rigorous Scientific Review
  • Press Release: EPA Seeks Environmental Education Experts to Serve on the National Environmental Education Advisory Council
  • Press Release: EPA To Host Brownfields Stakeholder Session on April 23rd to Hear from Nonprofit Organizations and Community Foundations Across the Country on Their Work at Sites in Underserved Communities

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor, Texas Panhandle construction industry group to continue alliance to protect workers’ safety, health

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: FDA Releases Action Plan for Reducing Exposure to Toxic Elements from Foods for Babies, Young Children

US Government (USG) COVID-19 Webpages

Non-USG COVID Webpages

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine