This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases.
Note: The US Government is closed on Friday, in observance of the Christmas Day holiday.
POTUS’ Schedule*
The President has no public events scheduled.
VPOTUS’ Schedule*
The Vice President and Second Gentleman are in California through the New Year.
*The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change.
Recap of Thursday, December 23, 2021
Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.
The White House
- Remarks by President Biden at Signing of H.R. 3537, the “Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act”
- Bill Signed into Law: H.R. 3537 (re: ALS)
- Bill Signed into Law: H.R. 6256 (re: China)
- Transcript: Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on Russia
- Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak of Ukraine
- Proclamation to Modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States and for Other Purposes
- Summary of Summit for Democracy Proceedings
- Nominations: President Biden Names Twelfth Round of Judicial Nominees
- Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, December 23, 2021
Department of Defense (DOD)
- Press Release: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Makes Christmas Calls to Service Members
- Article: Holiday Greetings from Secretary Austin, Charlene Austin
- Article: ‘A Journal for Jordan’ Brings Soldier’s Story of Love, Legacy to Life
- Contracts for December 23, 2021
Department of State
Europe
- December 23: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg
- December 23: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with UK Foreign Secretary Truss
- December 23: Statement | Welcoming the Ceasefire in Donbas (Ukraine/Russia)
Asia-Pacific
- December 23: Statement | Signing of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
- December 23: Readout | Second Japan-U.S. Clean Energy Partnership (JUCEP) Plenary Recognizes Achievements and Affirms Indo-Pacific Support Plans
Middle East
- December 23: Statement | Illegal Iranian Flow of Weapons to Yemen
Other Department Developments
- December 23: Statement | Expanded Interview Waivers for Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants
US Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Readout: Administrator Power’s Meeting with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva
Department of the Treasury
- Guidance: Issuance of amended Weapons of Mass Destruction Trade Control Regulations
- Enforcement Action: Settlement Agreement between the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and TD Bank, N.A.
Department of Justice
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards More Than $40 Million to Improve Services for Crime Victims
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards Nearly $444 Million to Support Violence Intervention Efforts
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards More Than $37 Million to Support Innovations in Policing
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards Nearly $87 Million to Combat Human Trafficking and Help Victims
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the STOP School Violence Act
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards $34 Million to Support Community Crisis Response
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards More Than $100 Million to Support Youth
- Press Release: Justice Department Awards More Than $210 Million to Support Forensic Science
- Press Release: Defendant Returned by Egypt to the United States to Face Charges for Alleged Scheme to Defraud the Kuwaiti Embassy
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Press Release: Operation Allies Welcome Announces Departure of Last Afghan Nationals from Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia
- Press Release: Law Enforcement Collaboration Leads to 34 Arrests in RGV (Texas)
- Press Release: Border Patrol Agents Find Unaccompanied Children (Texas)
- Press Release: Del Rio Sector Agents Arrest Two Convicted Sex Offenders (Texas)
- Press Release: Lost Migrant Rescued in the Mountains (California)
- Press Release: Border Patrol Agents reveal $82K worth of narcotics (California)
- Press Release: CBP expands Simplified Arrival to four ports of entry in Washington state (Washington State)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Link to FEMA press releases
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Link to daily EPA press releases
Department of Transportation
- Press Release: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Announces Over $241 Million in Grants for America’s Ports
Department of Labor
- Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report
- Press Release: Contractor faces possible incarceration for failing to abide by court’s orders after willfully, repeatedly subjecting roofing workers to serious safety hazards
- Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor cites two contractors after 25-foot fall fatally injures one carpenter, seriously injures another at Bradenton Beach project
Health & Human Services (HHS)
- Press Release: HHS Announces Availability of Nearly $48 Million to Increase the Public Health Workforce in Rural and Tribal Communities
Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
- Press Release: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update | December 23, 2021
- Press Release: FDA Authorizes Additional Oral Antiviral for Treatment of COVID-19 in Certain Adults (re: molnupiravir)
- Press Release: FDA Authorizes Marketing of Tobacco Products that Help Reduce Exposure to and Consumption of Nicotine for Smokers Who Use Them
