The White House Daily Chronicle – January 3, 2019

The news behind the news on the president, administration and everything that happens in the White House is always in …  The White House Daily Chronicles.

note: this post is updated throughout the day as events warrant

See all of the daily White House Daily Chronicles HERE.

Presidential Itinerary – the details

President Donald Trump will hold a press briefing Thursday.

See all of the president’s daily schedules HERE.

Trump’s Tweets (newest to oldest)

….President Trump deserves a lot of credit, but again, you have the anti-Trump people who are not going to give him a lot of credit.”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2019

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1080881680779542533

pic.twitter.com/JzfXMAPwKP

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2019

The United States Treasury has taken in MANY billions of dollars from the Tariffs we are charging China and other countries that have not treated us fairly. In the meantime we are doing well in various Trade Negotiations currently going on. At some point this had to be done!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2019

The Shutdown is only because of the 2020 Presidential Election. The Democrats know they can’t win based on all of the achievements of “Trump,” so they are going all out on the desperately needed Wall and Border Security – and Presidential Harassment. For them, strictly politics!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2019

“MAGA list: 205 ‘historic results’ help Trump make case for 2020 re-election” https://t.co/vtqnUwdhjB

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2019

Official Statements

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on President’s call with family of Ronil Singh

“This afternoon, President Trump spoke with the family and law enforcement colleagues of fallen Newman, California, police officer Ronil “Ron” Singh. The President praised Officer Singh’s service to his fellow citizens, offered condolences, and commended law enforcement’s rapid investigation, response, and apprehension of the suspect. Included in the President’s calls were Corporal Singh’s wife, Amanika “Mika” Chand-Singh; Newman, California Police Chief Randy Richardson, and Sheriff Adam Christianson of Stanislaus County, California.”

On House Democrats attempts to pass funding legislation that does not include border wall funds

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 21 — Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, and
H.J. Res. 1 — Making Further Continuing Appropriations for the Department of
Homeland Security for Fiscal Year 2019
(Rep. Lowey, D-NY)
The Administration opposes passage of H.R. 21, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019,
providing appropriations for the fiscal year (FY) ending September 30, 2019, for the
Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Justice,
Interior, State, Transportation, Treasury, and for other purposes. The Administration also
opposes passage of H.J. Res. 1, providing appropriations for the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) through February 8, 2019, and for other purposes. The Administration is
committed to working with the Congress to reopen lapsed agencies, but cannot accept legislation
that provides unnecessary funding for wasteful programs while ignoring the Nation’s urgent
border security needs.

In recent months, the number of people attempting to cross the border illegally has risen to 2,000
per day. Based on 2017 data, an average of more than 300 Americans a week were killed in
heroin-involved overdoses—and Mexico is the source of nearly 90 percent of wholesale heroin
seized by law enforcement in the United States. In FYs 2017 and 2018, Immigration and
Customs Enforcement arrested close to 211,000 aliens convicted of criminal offenses and an
additional 55,000 aliens charged with criminal offenses.

The first duty of the Federal Government is to defend the Nation and its citizens, which is why
President Donald J. Trump has made addressing illegal immigration one of his top priorities
since taking office. Specifically, the Administration has repeatedly encouraged the Congress to
provide resources needed for DHS to secure the border. For FY 2019, the Administration has
made it clear that the Government needs an investment of at least $5 billion for border security,
along with the flexibility necessary to utilize these funds efficiently. The appropriations bill,
H.R. 21, and the corresponding H.J. Res. 1, does not come close to providing these necessary
investments and authorities.

Despite not meeting the minimum requirements identified by those who are directly responsible
for the Nation’s border security, this package funds a number of unnecessary programs at
excessive levels well beyond what was put forward in the FY 2019 Budget. The six bills
provided for under H.R. 21 provide funding at levels nearly 20 percent higher than the
President’s FY 2019 Budget. For instance, H.R. 21 provides $12 billion more for international
affairs programs, 29 percent higher than the President’s request. This includes $2.9 billion more
than the request for economic and development assistance, including funding for the West
Bank/Gaza, Syria, and Pakistan, where our foreign aid is either frozen or under review. It
includes $700 million more than requested for the United Nations, including restoring funding
for the United Nations Population Fund. The bill would also undermine the President’s Mexico
City Policy (Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2017), which prohibits the funding of
foreign nongovernmental organizations that promote or perform abortions. Further, H.R. 21
includes approximately $2 billion in excessive Environmental Protection Agency funding,
providing funds beyond the Agency’s core mission and including funding for programs that can
and should be executed at the local level. The bill also includes substantial unrequested funding
for HUD programs, including $7.1 billion above the FY 2019 Budget request for HUD rental
assistance programs. These and other excessive spending items makes the lack of adequate
border funding in the combined package all the more unacceptable.

The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to enact appropriations that will
adequately secure the Nation’s borders and get the Federal Government back to work for the
American people as soon as possible.

If either H.R. 21 or H.J. Res. 1 were presented to the President, his advisors would recommend
that he veto the bill.

President Trump participated in a press briefing

President Trump, Sec. Sarah Sanders and officers from the National Border Patrol Council participated in a last-minute press briefing Thursday afternoon. During the briefing, the President re-asserted the need for a barrier at the southern U.S. border. Representatives of the NBPC also said that walls work and that they appreciate all the president is doing to get them funding for border barriers.

Executive Actions

On Thursday, January 3, 2019, the President signed into law:

• H.R. 1660, the “Global Health Innovation Act of 2017,” which requires the United States Agency for International Development to report to the Congress on the development and use of global health innovations in its programs;
• H.R. 3460, which designates the United States courthouse located at 323 East Chapel Hill Street in Durham, North Carolina, as the John Hervey Wheeler United States Courthouse;
• H.R. 6287, the “9/11 Memorial Act,” which authorizes competitive grants for the operation, security, and maintenance of certain memorials to victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;
• S. 2276, the “Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act” or the “GAO–IG Act,” which requires each Federal agency, in its annual budget justification submitted to the Congress, to report on the status of certain Government Accountability Office and Office of Inspector General recommendations;
• S. 2652, the “Stephen Michael Gleason Congressional Gold Medal Act,” which provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Stephen Michael Gleason;
• S. 2679, the “Veterans Small Business Enhancement Act of 2018,” which amends the Small Business Act to provide veteran-owned small businesses access to surplus property owned by the Federal government;
• S. 2765, the “RBIC Advisers Relief Act of 2018,” which exempts investment advisers who solely advises Rural Business Investment Companies (RBICs) or companies applying for an RBIC license from the requirement to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission;
• S. 2896, the “Justice Against Corruption on K Street Act of 2018” or the “JACK Act,” which requires lobbyists to disclose convictions of certain crimes when registering as lobbyists with the Congress;
• S. 3031, the “Federal Personal Property Management Act of 2018,” which requires Federal agencies, in accordance with guidance from the General Services Administration, to conduct an inventory and assessment of personal property;
• S. 3367, the “Department of Transportation Reports Harmonization Act,” which requires the Department of Transportation to make certain reports and information publicly available; and establishes sunset dates for certain Federal advisory councils and committees;
• S. 3444, which designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as the Douglas Fournet Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic; and
• S. 3777, the “Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act of 2018,” which requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a tiger team to address issues with implementing the Forever GI Bill’s housing benefits payment requirements.

Executive Branch Nominations/Designations

• William Pelham Barr, of Virginia, to be Attorney General
• Richard K. Bell, of Pennsylvania, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire
• Russell A. Berman, of California, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020
• Mark Anthony Calabria, of Virginia, to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency for a term of five years
• William English, of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2024
• John Fonte, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020
• Marjorie Fisher Furman, of Michigan, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2022
• Charles L. Glazer, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy for a term expiring July 1, 2020
• Claire Griffin, of Washington, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2022
• Joyce Malcolm, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020
• Adair Margo, of Texas, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2022
• Nicole R. Nason, of New York, to be Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, vice Gregory Guy Nadeau
• Eliot Pedrosa, of Florida, to be United States Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank for a term of three years
• Matthew Rose, of Iowa, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2024
• William Schneider, Jr., of Colorado, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020
• Noel Valis, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities for a term expiring January 26, 2020
• Robert Williams, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs

Communications with Heads of State and State Officials (readouts often come the day after the conversation)

None

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