Monday, May 17

á           The Federal Reserve released a report showing nearly a quarter of U.S. adults reported being worse off financially in 2020 compared to previous years, the highest rate since 2014. The report also showed that people on insecure financial footing to begin with in 2020 were more likely to be in an even worse position by the end of the year.

á           The U.S. coordinated with the United Kingdom and Canada to impose sanctions on MyanmarÕs State Administrative Council and 13 officials, the latest punitive action against those deemed responsible for the military coup that took place in the country in February. The sanctions freeze the council and officialsÕ U.S. assets and bar Americans from dealing with them.

á           Despite the U.S. three times vetoing a United NationsÕ joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, President Joe Biden released a statement expressing Òhis support for a ceasefire and discussed U.S. engagement with Egypt and other partners toward that endÓ in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

á           The State Department revealed Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia about the Israeli air attacks on Gaza and related Israel-Palestine tensions.

á           Blinken said he has not seen any evidence that Hamas operated in the Gaza building that housed residences, offices and media organizations including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera that Israel bombed the previous Saturday.

á           The Washington Post reported on the efforts of legislators questioning whether to use an approved $735 million weapons sale to Israel as leverage amid the continued Israeli bombing of Gaza.

á           The U.S. approved the release of Guantanamo BayÕs oldest prisoner, a 73-year-old Pakistani man named Saifullah Paracha, who has been held on suspicion of ties to al-Qaeda but never charged with a crime since January 2002.

á           White house press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration will send 20 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines overseas to countries in need.

Tuesday, May 18

á           A State Department report found that certain Central American officials — including five Salvadoran officials with ties to President Nayib Bukele, six Honduran lawmakers and two Guatemalan legislators — are Òcredibly allegedÓ to be corrupt.

á           House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to ChinaÕs alleged human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims and other ethnic minorities.

á           The House overwhelmingly approved legislation aimed at addressing the rising wave of anti-Asian sentiment in the country. The law would require the Justice Department to focus on prosecuting hate crimes against Asians.

á           A U.S. warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from China, an act which China said threatens the peace and stability of the region. The U.S. said it was a routine transit journey in accordance with international law.

á           Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors booed Biden during a visit to an electric vehicle plant in Michigan. Biden also joked about running over a reporter who asked if she could ask a question about Israel.

á           The United Nations Security Council failed to find a consensus on a joint statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for the fourth time, this time with the U.S. saying such a statement would not help to calm the situation.

á           House Democrats narrowly passed a $1.9 billion emergency funding bill to fortify the police budget at the Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, despite discontent from both the left and right. The bill is unlikely to pass in the Senate.

Wednesday, May 19

á           State Secretary Blinken met face-to-face for the first time with RussiaÕs Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Iceland in preparation for a summit between Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

á           The Biden administration waived sanctions on the company behind RussiaÕs oil pipeline to Europe, Nord Stream 2, and its CEO in the hopes of providing leverage for cooperation with other involved countries like Russia and Germany.

á           White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden urged Netanyahu to deescalate tensions in Gaza Òon the path to a ceasefire.Ó

á           The House voted to establish a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol against Republican opposition. The commission would be a 10-member bipartisan team researching the riot itself, the security and intelligence failures that allowed it to occur and influencing factors including those of former President Donald Trump. It will release a final report by December 31.

á           Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) led a group of Democratic lawmakers in introducing a resolution to block the sale of $735 million in precision-guided munitions to Israel, saying the Biden administration should not be Òrubber-stampingÓ arms transfers to Israel while that country continues to bombard the Gaza Strip.

Thursday, May 20

á           Biden signed the anti-Asian hate crimes bill into law.

á           Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) introduced a resolution to block the $735 million arms sale to Israel. ÒAt a moment when U.S.-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children,Ó Sanders tweeted, Òwe cannot simply let another huge arms sale go through without even a Congressional debate.Ó

á           The U.S. imposed sanctions on two Houthi military officials leading the movementÕs attempt to seize YemenÕs Marib region, which is rich in fossil fuels. A U.S. official said the attempt is endangering over a million Òinternally displaced people.Ó

á           Centers for Disease Control data showed the Navajo Nation continues to lead the U.S. in vaccination efforts, fully vaccinating over 102,000 of its members as of May 15, about 60% of the tribal landÕs population of 170,000. The U.S. has otherwise fully vaccinated 38% of its population as of May 19.

á           The Treasury Department released a report revealing the Biden administrationÕs tax-enforcement proposal includes a requirement that all cryptocurrency transfers of $10,000 or more must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

á           The Treasury Department said that countries should agree to a 15% global minimum corporate tax rate to end the lure of countries with low tax rates. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said discussions should push that rate higher.

á           Biden signed an executive order asking the Financial Stability Oversight Council to create a strategy to reduce risks to the countryÕs financial assets posed by climate change.

á           Biden welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but said the U.S. would continue to support Israel militarily.

Friday, May 21

á           The Biden administration Òput forward a reasonable counterofferÓ to appease Republican lawmakers by reducing BidenÕs infrastructure and jobs plan by about a quarter to $1.7 trillion, trimming spending requests on roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure projects.

á           Biden met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to express Òdeep concernÓ about North KoreaÕs nuclear weapons program. Biden appointed State Department official Sung Kim to serve as special envoy for North Korea and said he would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right conditions.

Saturday, May 22

á           The Department of Homeland Security announced it plans to expand its 18-month temporary protection against deportation to Haitian citizens already in the country. HHS Secretary Alejandro Majorkas said this is because Haiti is experiencing Òserious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty, and a lack of basic resources.Ó

Sunday, May 23

á           State Secretary Blinken responded to the enormous wave of criticism from both lawmakers and citizens decrying the Biden administrationÕs selling of military weapons to Israel by restating its commitment to Ògiving Israel the means to defend itself.Ó