U.S. Executive Branch Update – August 21, 2023

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

POTUS' Schedule*

4:15 a.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Reno, Nevada

10:00 a.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

11:40 a.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Reno, Nevada, en route to Maui, Hawaii

5:10 p.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Maui, Hawaii

11:25 p.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Maui, Hawaii en route to Reno, Nevada

• Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration's Latest Actions to Support Communities Impacted by Maui Wildfires

VPOTUS' Schedule*

11:25 a.m. PDT - THE VICE PRESIDENT and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN depart Los Angeles, California, en route to Washington, D.C.

7:00 p.m. EDT - THE VICE PRESIDENT and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN arrive at Joint Base Andrews

White House Press Briefing*

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route to Maui, Hawaii

*The U.S. 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, August 18-20, 2023

Note: All colored text denotes hyperlinks.

The White House

August 20

• Statement from President Joe Biden on Tropical Storm Hilary
• Statement from President Joe Biden on Tomorrow's Visit to Maui

August 19

• Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration's Latest Actions to Support Communities Impacted by

August 18

• Disaster Declaration: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Amends Hawaii Disaster Declaration
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea
• Remarks by President Biden, President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan in Joint Press Conference | Camp David, Maryland
• Remarks by President Biden, President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan Before Trilateral Meeting | Camp David, Maryland
• Fact Sheet: The Trilateral Leaders' Summit at Camp David
• Statement: Commitment to Consult
• Statement: Camp David Principles
• Statement: The Spirit of Camp David | Joint Statement of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States
• Transcript: Press Gaggle by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan | Thurmont, MD
• Proclamation on National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week, 2023

Department of Defense (DOD)

• Transcript: Joint Task Force 5-0 Dual Status Commander Brig. Gen. Stephen F. Logan Off-Camera, On-the-Record Press Briefing With Updates on DoD's Ongoing Response to Maui Wildfires
• Article: Joint Task Force 5-0 Brings DOD Capabilities to FEMA-led Response in Maui
• Article: DOD, FEMA Fully Engaged in Maui Recovery and Assistance Efforts
• Statement from Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on United States Trilateral Summit with Japan and the Republic of Korea
• Article: Japan, South Korea, U.S. Strengthen Trilateral Cooperation
• Press Release: U.S. Department of Defense and Japan Ministry of Defense Press Release on the Commencement of Glide Phase Interceptor Cooperative Development
• Article: Europe/Africa Air Force Chief Cites Lessons From War in Ukraine
• Press Release: Honorable Mara Karlin Concludes Visit to Djibouti
• Press Release: Navy to Christen Guided-Missile Destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128)
• Contracts for August 18, 2023

Department of State

Daily Schedule | Monday, August 21, 2023

Europe

• August 20: Statement | Hungary's National Day
• August 18: Statement | Lifting of Defense Trade Restrictions on the Republic of Cyprus for Fiscal Year 2024
• August 18: Advisory | Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer Travels to Stockholm and Brussels

Asia-Pacific

• August 19: Readout | U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea Trilateral Meeting on Women's Economic Empowerment
• August 19: Statement | U.S.-Philippines Energy Policy Dialogue

Africa

• August 19: Statement | Arrival of Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon to Niger

Western Hemisphere

• August 19: Statement | Promoting Accountability for the Ortega-Murillo Regime for Restricting Freedoms

Other Matters

• August 19: Statement | On the Occasion of World Humanitarian Day

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Statement from Administrator Samantha Power on World Humanitarian Day

U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN)

• Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on World Humanitarian Day

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases

• Press Release: Lab Owner Sentenced for $463M Genetic Testing Scheme
• Press Release: Man Convicted of Submitting False Statements to COVID-19 Relief Program
• Press Release: Owners of Mental Health Counseling Services Company Plead Guilty to Employment Tax Crime
• Press Release: Court Finds that Texas Law Requiring the Rejection of Mail Ballots and Applications Violates the Civil Rights Act

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

• DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement During Hurricane Hilary
• Press Release: Secretary Mayorkas Extends and Redesignates Temporary Protected Status for Ukraine
• Press Release: Secretary Mayorkas Extends and Redesignates Temporary Protected Status for Sudan
• CBP Press Release: CBP Releases July 2023 Monthly Update (Washington, D.C.)
• CBP Press Release: U.S. Customs and Border Protection's San Diego Field Office seizes over $22 million worth of narcotics in July (California)
• CBP Press Release: CBP officers stop spider monkey smuggling attempt at Calexico port of entry (California)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Link to daily press releases

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

• Advisory: Ambassador Katherine Tai to Travel to Indonesia and India
• Statement from USTR Spokesperson Sam Michel (re: MEX)
• Readout: United States and Taiwan Hold Second Negotiating Round for the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade

Department of Commerce

• Press Release: Department of Commerce Issues Final Determination of Circumvention Inquiries of Solar Cells and Modules from China

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Press Release: FCC Activates Disaster Reporting for Tropical Storm Hilary
• Press Release: Emergency Communications Procedures for Tropical Storm Hilary
• Press Release: FCC Assistance for Tropical Storm Hilary Emergencies Available 24/7
• Press Release: Priority Telecom Services Reminder Due to Tropical Storm Hilary
• Press Release: FCC Reminder to California Debris Removal and Utility Repair Teams
• Press Release: Hawaii Wildfires Communications Status Report - Aug. 20, 2023
• Press Release: Hawaii Wildfires Communications Status Report - Aug. 19, 2023
• Press Release: Hawaii Wildfires Communications Status Report - Aug. 18, 2023
• Press Release: Chairwoman Commits FCC to Supporting Hawaii Wildfire Recovery
• Press Release: FCC Retains Industry Traceback Group for Robocall Consortium

Development Finance Corporation (DFC)

• Press Release: Advancing Indo-Pacific Economic Cooperation: DFC, JBIC, and Korea Eximbank Sign MOU to Collaborate on Infrastructure Investments

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Press Release: Deputy Secretary Torres Small Visits Texas to Highlight Biden-Harris Administration Support for Producers and Communities

Department of Energy (DOE)

• Press Release: ICYMI | Secretary Granholm Hosted 13th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting
• Press Release: DOE Announces $70 Million in Research Training Opportunities for Students and Faculty from Historically Underrepresented Institutions

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Press Release: EPA fines Suncor for chemical accident prevention and reporting violations
• Link to other EPA press releases

Department of Labor (DOL)

• Press Release: Federal inspectors find Dixon Ticonderoga again failed to protect employees from unguarded machines during investigation of amputation injury

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Press Release: FDA Roundup | August 18, 2023

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

• Press Release: Federal Housing Agencies Issue Reminder of Mortgage Assistance for Those Impacted by the Maui Wildfires
• Press Release: HUD Approves Changes to Housing Choice Voucher Program to Accelerate Homelessness Solutions in Los Angeles

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

• Report: Trauma-Informed Care | Challenges to Developing and Implementing Performance Partnership Pilots to Serve Children

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

• Cost Estimate: H.R. 3874, Veterans Education Assistance Improvement Act
• Cost Estimate: H.R. 4461, Modernization of Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Benefit Questionnaires Act

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