US executive branch text over image of White HouseNote:  The US Federal Government is closed on Monday in recognition of Presidents’ Day. 

This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases.

POTUS’ Schedule*

The President has no public events scheduled.

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

The White House did not release the Vice President’s schedule for Monday.

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


Recap of Friday-Sunday, February 18-20, 2022

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments

The White House

February 20

  • Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki (re: possible Biden-Putin Meeting)
  • Readout of President Biden’s Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France (RUS)
  • Readout of President Biden’s National Security Council Meeting (RUS)
  • Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle | Munich, Germany (RUS, UKR)

February 19

  • Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki on President Biden’s Briefings on Ukraine
  • Remarks by Vice President Harris and President Zelenskyy Before Bilateral Meeting | Munich, Germany
  • Remarks by Vice President Harris at the Munich Security Conference

February 18

  • Remarks by President Biden Providing an Update on Russia and Ukraine
  • Readout of President Biden’s Call with Transatlantic Leaders
  • Readout of Vice President Harris’ Meeting with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg | Munich, Germany
  • Remarks by Vice President Harris and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Before Bilateral Meeting | Munich, Germany
  • Readout of Vice President Kamala Harris’ Meeting with Baltic Leaders | Munich, Germany
  • Remarks by Vice President Harris, President Levits of Latvia, President Nausėda Of Lithuania, and Prime Minister Kallas of Estonia Before Multilateral Meeting | Munich, Germany
  • Transcript: Background Press Briefing on the Vice President’s Events in Munich, Germany
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger, and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics and Deputy NEC Director Daleep Singh, February 18, 2022 (RUS, Cyberattacks)
  • Bill Signed into Law: H.R. 6617 (Continuing Resolution extending USG funding until March 11, 2022)
  • Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency Concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-⁠19) Pandemic
  • Letter to Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency Concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-⁠19) Pandemic
  • Statement: Day Of Remembrance Of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II
  • Proclamation on National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 2022

Department of Defense (DOD)

February 19

  • Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Meeting in Lithuania with Estonian Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet, Latvian Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
  • Transcript: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Acting Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis Joint Press Conference
  • Article: Russian Forces ‘Uncoiling,’ Poised to Strike Ukraine, Austin Says

February 18

  • Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III’s Call with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu
  • Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda
  • Transcript: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Holds a News Conference with Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak, Warsaw, Poland
  • Article: Austin Says Current Operations Give Hints of New National Defense Strategy
  • Article: Defense Secretary Visits Polish Ally as Russia Continues Provocations in Ukraine
  • Press Release: Department of Defense Releases New Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge
  • Press Release: DOD Awards Contracts to Purchase COVID-19 Antigen Over-the-Counter Test Kits in Support of POTUS’ One Billion Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
  • Press Release: DOD Awards Contracts to Purchase COVID-19 Antigen Over-the-Counter Test Kits in Support of POTUS’ One Billion Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
  • Contracts for February 18, 2022

U.S. Army

  • Press Release: Wiesbaden remembers Berlin Airlift Candy Bomber and his legacy

U.S. National Guard

  • Press Release: Alaska Army Guard aviation recognized for ‘Rescue of Year’
  • Press Release: Nebraska Guard assists with civilian airplane emergency

U.S. Navy

U.S. Marine Corps

  • Press Release: Jungle Warfare Exercise 22:  7,500 Marines, Carrier Strike Group Rehearse Rapid Deployment, Joint Operations During Large-Scale Training Exercise

U.S. Air Force

  • Press Release: Brown modifies Action Orders to lock in gains, accelerate change

Department of State

Russia, Ukraine, Europe

  • February 20: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken on CBS Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan (RUS, UKR)
  • February 20: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken on NBC Meet the Press with Chuck Todd (RUS, UKR)
  • February 20: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken with State of the Union on CNN with Dana Bash (RUS, URK)
  • February 19: Statement | G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Russia and Ukraine
  • February 19: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Ekaterina Kotrikadze of Dozhd TV (RUS, UKR)
  • February 19: Interview | Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Stefan Kornelius of Süddeutsche Zeitung
  • February 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with French Foreign Minister Le Drian
  • February 19: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian Before Their Meeting
  • February 18: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Munich Security Conference

Asia-Pacific

  • February 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Trilateral Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Payne and UK Foreign Secretary Truss on AUKUS
  • February 18: Statement | Joint Statement on the 2nd United States-Thailand Energy Policy Dialogue

Middle East

  • February 18: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al Thani (RUS, AFG)
  • February 18: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani Before Their Meeting
  • February 18: Advisory | Senior Official for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Hall Godfrey’s Travel to the United Arab Emirates
  • February 20: Advisory | Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Kerry’s Travel to Egypt (Feb. 20-21)

Africa

  • February 18: Advisory | Assistant Secretary Medina’s Travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya (Feb. 19-25)
  • February 18: Statement | The Gambia’s National Day

Other Matters

  • February 20: Statement | Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Sison’s Travel to Geneva (UNHCHR, WHO, ITU)

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Readout: USAID Administrator Samantha Power Call with European Union Commissioner Janez Lenarčič
  • Readout: Administrator Samantha Power Meets with Civil Society Activists and Experts from Eastern Ukraine
  • Readout: USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman’s Meeting with Chairman of the Syrian Civil Defense Raed al-Saleh

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Transcript: Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” (RUS, UKR)
  • Transcript: Deputy to the U.S. Representative to the United Nations Jeffrey Prescott’s Interview with JJ Green of WTOP’s Podcast “Target USA” (RUS, UKR)
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Briefing on Haiti

Department of the Treasury

  • Press Release: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting Communiqué
  • Press Release: Treasury Announces New Acting Director of the Office of Financial Research

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: Wife of Maryland Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty to Espionage-Related Offense
  • Press Release: Pakistani Man Sentenced for Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy
  • Press Release: Pennsylvania Man Charged with Torture
  • Press Release:  California Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Creating Child Sexual Abuse Material of A Number of Young Children and Engaging in a Child Exploitation Enterprise
  • Press Release: Wisconsin Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking Adult and Minor Victims
  • Press Release: Oregon State Employee Indicted for Sexual Misconduct and Kidnapping Woman with Developmental Disabilities

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)/US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  • Press Release: Operation Allies Welcome Announces Departure of All Afghan Nationals from U.S. Military Bases
  • Press Release: DHS CWMD and Seattle Conduct a Biological Threat Preparedness Exercise
  • Press Release: CISA Releases New Insight to Help Critical Infrastructure Owners Prepare for and Mitigate Foreign Influence Operations
  • Press Release: CISA Launches New Catalog of Free Public and Private Sector Cybersecurity Services
  • Press Release: USCIS Urges Eligible Applicants to Switch Employment-Based Categories
  • Press Release: CBP Releases January 2022 Monthly Operational Update (Washington, D.C.)
  • Press Release: RGV Agents Continue To Disrupt Human Smuggling Activity (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Officers Seize over $18 Million in Methamphetamine at Pharr International Bridge (Texas)
  • Press Release: CBP Memphis Seizes over 2,000 lbs of Drugs so far this Fiscal Year (Tennessee)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Link to daily press releases

US International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • Press Release: USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Cellular Base Station Communication Equipment, Components Thereof, and Products Containing Same

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • Press Release: FTC Approves Modifications to Boston Scientific Corp. Divestiture Agreement
  • Press Release: FTC Sending Refunds to Consumers who Bought Deceptively Marketed Indoor TV Antennas and Signal Amplifiers from Wellco, Inc.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

  • Press Release: FCC Proposes $45 Million Fine Against Robocalling Telemarketer
  • Press Release: FCC Requires Aureon to Submit Data for Refunds of Illegal Rate Charges
  • Press Release: FCC Seeks Comment on Further Reforms to Rural Health Care Program

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

  • Press Release: CFPB Steps Up Scrutiny of Student Loan Servicers That Deceive Borrowers About Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Department of Interior (DOI)

  • Press Release: Secretary Haaland, Colorado Leaders Announce Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding to Build New USGS Research Building

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  • Press Release: EPA Issues Power Plant Emissions Data for 2021
  • Press Release: EPA Announces Availability of $20 Million to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water
  • Statement from Administrator Regan on RMG Permit Denial by the City of Chicago
  • Link to other EPA press releases

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor recovers $259K in overtime back wages for 330 Michigan healthcare workers
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor recovers $61K for 39 workers after investigation finds improper use of Concord restaurant’s tip pool

Health & Human Services (HHS)

  • Readout of Secretary Becerra Virtual Roundtable on the Importance of Build Back Better’s Critical Investments in Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)
  • Press Release: In Florida, Secretary Becerra Encourages COVID-19 Vaccinations and Boosters, Spotlights Community Efforts to Increase Vaccine Confidence

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: FDA Alerts the Public to Potentially Contaminated Products from Family Dollar Stores in Six States
  • Press Release: FDA Roundup | February 18, 2022

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

  • Press Release: HUD Announces Disaster Assistance for Kansas Disaster Survivors