This 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 receives the President’s Daily Brief | The White House
10:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with their national security team to receive intelligence, security, and diplomatic updates on the evolving situation in Afghanistan | Situation Room
Looking Ahead: The President is expected to continue focusing on the situation in Afghanistan and the impacts Hurricane Ida – a Category 4 storm – that made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday. He will welcome Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this coming week. On Friday, the President will deliver remarks on the July jobs report.
VPOTUS’ Schedule*
10:00 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT will meet with their national security team to receive intelligence, security, and diplomatic updates on the evolving situation in Afghanistan | Situation Room
White House Press Briefing Schedule*
1:30 p.m. EDT – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki | 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 Friday-Sunday, 27-29, 2021
Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.
The White House
Afghanistan (AFG)
- Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the Rocket Attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport | August 30, 2021
- Memorandum on the Designation of the Department of Homeland Security as Lead Federal Department for Facilitating the Entry of Vulnerable Afghans into the United States | August 29, 2021
- Statement by President Joe Biden on the Evacuation Mission in Kabul | August 28, 2021
- Readout of White House Meeting with Veteran and Military Family Organizations | August 27, 2021 (re: AFG)
- Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the President and Vice President’s Meeting with Their National Security Team on Afghanistan | August 27, 2021
Hurricane Ida (Category 4 Storm)
- Remarks by President Biden on Hurricane Ida | August 29, 2021
- Readout of Biden Administration Calls with Gulf Coast Elected Officials | August 29, 2021
- Remarks by President Biden Before Virtual FEMA Briefing on Preparations for Hurricane Ida | August 28, 2021
- Readout of President Biden’s Conversations with FEMA and National Hurricane Center | August 28, 2021
- Readout of President Biden’s Call with Gulf Coast Governors in Advance of Hurricane Ida | August 27, 2021
- Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Mississippi Emergency Declaration
- Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Louisiana Emergency Declaration
Israel
- Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s Meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of Israel | August 27, 2021
- Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Bennett of the State of Israel Before Expanded Bilateral Meeting | August 27, 2021
Iraq
- Statement by President Joe Biden on the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership | August 28, 2021
- Readout of NSA Sullivan’s Call with Foreign Minister Hussein of Iraq | August 27, 2021
COVID-19
- Statement by President Joe Biden on the Investigation into the Origins of COVID-19 | August 27, 2021
- Transcript: Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials | August 27, 2021
Other Developments
- Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, August 27, 2021
- Memorandum on the Delegation of Authority Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 | August 27, 2021 (re: Ukraine)
- Letter to Congress on the Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments for Civilian Federal Employees | August 27, 2021
- Appointment: White House Announces John D. Porcari as Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force | August 27, 2021
Department of Defense (DOD)
AFG
- Press Release: Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Today’s Dignified Transfer Ceremony at Dover Air Force Base | August 29, 2021
- Press Release: DOD Identifies Marine Corps, Navy and Army Casualties (re: AFG/August 26 Attack at Kabul Airport) | August 28, 2021
- Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby and Major General Hank Taylor, Deputy Director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations Press Briefing | August 28, 2021
- Transcript: Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck, Commander, U.S. Northern Command, NORAD, and Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Press Briefing | August 27, 2021
- Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Phone Call With Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar | August 27, 2021
- Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Call with Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, His Excellency Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah | August 27, 2021
- Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s Call with U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace | August 27, 2021
- Article: ‘Over-the Horizon’ Air Strike Kills 2 High-Profile ISIS-K Targets
- Press Release: DOD Building Capacity to Support up to 50,000 Afghan Evacuees
Other Developments
- Readout of Dr. Mara Karlin’s Call with Estonian Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Kusti Salm
- Press Release: DOD Awards $6.5 Million Contract to U.S. Cotton, LLC, to Increase Domestic Production Capacity of Polyester-Tipped Swabs
- Press Release: DOD’s Office of Industrial Policy Promotes Defense Industrial Workforce Strategy at Stakeholder Summit
- Article: Collaboration Between China, Russia Compounds Threat, STRATCOM Commander Says
- Contracts for August 27, 2021
Department of State
- Daily Schedule | Monday, August 30
AFG
- August 29: Advisory | U.S. to Host Afghanistan Virtual Ministerial and Remarks by Secretary Blinken (Aug. 30)
- August 29: Joint Statement on Afghanistan Evacuation Travel Assurances
- August 29: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with People’s Republic of China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi
- August 29: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Chuck Todd of NBC’s Meet the Press
- August 29: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Martha Raddatz of ABC This Week
- August 28: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu
- August 28: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar
- August 27: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Norwegian Foreign Minister Søreide
- August 27: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Al-Thani
Other Developments
- August 29: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Iraqi President Barham Salih
- August 29: Statement | International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
- August 27: Statement | 30th Anniversary of the Closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (re: Kazakhstan)
- August 27: Statement | Moldova National Day
US Mission to the United Nations (UN)
- Press Statement from the UN Security Council on Terrorist Attacks Near Kabul Airport | August 27, 2021
- Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Terrorist Attacks in Kabul | August 27, 2021
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
- Press Release: Unclassified Summary of Assessment on COVID-19 Origins | August 26, 2021
Department of the Treasury
- Press Release: Secretary of the Treasury Yellen, Attorney General Garland and Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Fudge Sent Letter to Governors, Mayors and State Courts Urging Use of Emergency Rental Assistance Over Eviction | August 27, 2021
- Readout: Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo’s Roundtable Discussion with Emergency Rental Assistance Program Grantees and Call with National Advocacy and Housing Organizations | August 27, 2021
- Readout: Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen’s Call with Mexican Finance Secretary Rogelio Ramírez de la O | August 27, 2021
Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Press Release: SEC Issues Whistleblower Awards Totaling $2.6 Million
- Press Release: SEC Requests Information and Comment on Broker-Dealer and Investment Adviser Digital Engagement Practices, Related Tools and Methods, and Regulatory Considerations and Potential Approaches; Information and Comments on Investment Adviser Use of Technology
Department of Justice
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
- Press Release: Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco Announces Creation of New Cyber Fellows Positions
- Press Release: Former Priest and ‘Shelter Home’ Operator Indicted for Illicit Sexual Conduct Against Minors
- Press Release: Jury Convicts Recidivist Defendant of Possessing Child Pornography
- Press Release: Louisiana Doctor Indicted for Illegally Dispensing Over One Million Doses of Opioids and for $5.1 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Press Release: DHS to Serve as Lead Federal Agency Coordinating Efforts to Resettle Vulnerable Afghans
- DHS Statement on Safety and Immigration Enforcement During Hurricane Ida
- Statement from Secretary Mayorkas on the Cyber Talent Management System
- Press Release: USBP Agents Find Meth & Heroin in Tires (California)
- Press Release: Deadly Black Tar Heroin Seized at Checkpoint (California)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: Federal Agencies Stand Ready for Hurricane Ida Response
- Press Release: ICYMI — President Biden, FEMA Administrator Prioritize Life Safety as Hurricane Ida Makes Landfall
- Press Release: FEMA Urges Residents to Stay Safe as Hurricane Ida Set to Make Landfall
- Press Release: Federal Agencies Mobilize to Support Response to Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Louisiana
- Press Release: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Emergency Declaration for Louisiana
- Press Release: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Emergency Declaration for Mississippi
- Press Release: ICYMI – Administrator Criswell: FEMA is Ready
- Press Release: FEMA Urges Preparedness Now as Hurricane Ida Forecast to Make Landfall
- Press Release: FEMA Urges Preparedness Now for Hurricane Ida
Other Developments
- Press Release: Multiple Ways to Apply for FEMA Assistance; What Happens Next (Tennessee)
- Press Release: More Than $100 Million in FEMA Assistance Approved for Southeast Michiganders
Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)
- Press Release: Week Ahead Guidance for the Week of August 30, 2021 – September 3, 2021
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: FCC Activates Disaster Information Reporting for Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: WCB Waives Numbering Rules for Providers Affected by Hurricane Ida
- Statement of Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel in Advance of Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: FCC Assistance for Hurricane Ida Emergencies Available 24/7
- Press Release: Emergency Communications Procedures for Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: Priority Telecommunications Services Reminder Due to Hurricane Ida
Other Developments
- Press Release: FCC Warns Public of Emergency Broadband Program Imposter Website
- Press Release: Five Million Households Enrolled in Broadband Discount Program
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Hurricane Ida
- Press Release: USDA Encourages Ag Producers, Residents to Prepare for Hurricane Ida
Other Developments
- Statement from Secretary Vilsack on USDA Quarterly Trade Forecast
- Press Release: USDA Assists Farmers, Ranchers, and Communities Affected by Recent Flooding in Tennessee
Department of Energy (DOE)
- Press Release: NNSA Awards $37 Million to Promote U.S. Production of Critical Medical Isotope
Department of Transportation
- Press Release: White House, U.S. Department of Transportation Appoint Port Envoy to Address Supply Chain Disruptions
Health & Human Services (HHS)
- Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Invests $10.7 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Expand Pediatric Mental Health Care Access
- Press Release: SAMHSA Awards $74.2M in Grants to Strengthen Youth Mental Health
- Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Quadruples the Number of Health Care Navigators Ahead of HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment Period
Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
- Press Release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update | August 27, 2021
- Press Release: FDA Approves First-of-Its-Kind Stroke Rehabilitation System