Monday, March 8

á           A task force charged with reporting on the Capitol Police departmentÕs preparedness in the run-up to the Jan. 6 insurrection determined that the policeÕs response was poor and recommended significant security upgrades including improved training and intelligence capabilities as well as the formation of a quick-reaction force.

á           The Department of Homeland Security announced it intends to grant temporary protections for 18 months to up to 300,000 Venezuelan migrants. ÒThe living conditions in Venezuela reveal a country in turmoil, unable to protect its own citizens,Ó DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said.

á           President Joe Biden signed an executive order establishing a White House Gender Policy Council Òto ensure that the Biden-Harris Administration advances gender equity and equal rights and opportunity for women and girls,Ó according to a statement.

á           Biden signed an executive order to review the Department of EducationÕs Òregulations, orders, guidance, and policiesÓ related to gender discrimination, including changes former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made to Title IX, which prohibits gender discrimination in federally funded institutions.

á           The Supreme Court tossed the last of former President Donald TrumpÕs cases challenging his election loss. The court rejected TrumpÕs appeal challenging the legitimacy of absentee ballots in Wisconsin without comment.

á           The Centers for Disease Control released guidelines saying fully vaccinated people can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or social distancing.

á           The White House revoked a sanctions waiver for Israeli mining magnate Dan Gertler issued near the end of the Trump administration. GertlerÕs exemption was, according to the Treasury Department, Òinconsistent with AmericaÕs strong foreign policy interests in combating corruption around the world.Ó

Tuesday, March 9

á           The Biden administration announced it would not issue visas to diversity visa applicants between the fiscal years 2017 to 2020 who were denied visas under the Trump administrationÕs ÒMuslim ban.Ó People who were denied during that time can reapply but have to submit a new application and pay another fee.

á           The White House sanctioned two officials from IranÕs Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, for alleged human rights violations against political prisoners and protesters.

á           A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said it decided that continuing to defend TrumpÕs Òpublic charge rule,Ó which made immigrants who receive public benefits like food stamps ineligible for permanent legal status, Òis neither in the public interest nor an efficient use of limited government resources.Ó

Wednesday, March 10

á           The State Department announced Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet top Chinese officials on March. 18 during a stop in Alaska, the first high-level in-person contact between the two powers in the Biden administration.

á           Facebook asked a federal court to dismiss the major antitrust cases filed by the Federal Trade Commission and almost every state in the country, which argues that the social media company broke antitrust law to keep smaller companies at bay and absorb social media rivals.

á           Southern Border Ambassador of the National Security Council Roberta Jacobson announced the Biden administration will restart the Central American Minors program to reunite migrant children with their parents, which was halted under the Trump administration.

á           While testifying before Congress, Secretary of State Blinken condemned acts of Òethnic cleansingÓ in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and called for security forces in the region that will Ònot abuse the human rights of the people of Tigray

á           The United States sanctioned the two adult children of Min Aung Hlaign, the army chief who led the coup in Myanmar, in response to the coup and the intensified crackdown on protestors who opposed it.

á           The Senate voted to confirm two more of BidenÕs cabinet nominees: Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland as attorney general.

Thursday, March 11

á           Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill into law on the one year anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic hitting the U.S. ÒThis historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,Ó Biden said.

á           U.S. and Israeli officials met remotely to discuss the countriesÕ security challenges in the Middle East, specifically Iran nuclear diplomacy, as part of an effort to restore the UN-backed Iran nuclear deal abandoned by Trump.

á           Biden said he would direct states to make all adults eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by May 1, with the goal of achieving some semblance of normality by July 4.

á           Secretary of State Blinken released a statement condemning ChinaÕs approval of immense changes to Hong KongÕs electoral system that he described as denying Hong Kongers Òa voice in their own governance by limiting political participation, reducing democratic representation and stifling political debate.Ó

á           The Senate advanced former California attorney general Xavier BecerraÕs nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Friday, March 12

á           Senior Biden administration officials told Reuters that the White House would begin to grant temporary deportation relief and work permits to Myanmar citizens living in the U.S. due to the Feb. 1 military coup.

Saturday, March 13

á           DHS Secretary Mayorkas ordered the deployment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency over the next 90 days to the U.S.-Mexico border to Òhelp receive, shelter and transportÓ a growing number of migrant children arriving there.

á           The CDC announced that over 101 million vaccine doses have been administered in the U.S. so far, with 35 million people fully vaccinated.

Sunday, March 14

á           The New York Times reported that in the process of withdrawing all U.S. troops in Afghanistan by May 1, European and Afghan officials revealed the U.S. has 1,000 more troops stationed in the country than officially disclosed — 3,500 rather than the 2,500 previously described by the U.S. government as a Òfull withdrawal.Ó