Irish Americans for Biden Harris

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama offer a special holiday tribute to some of the strongest, bravest, and most resilient members of our American family – the men and women who wear our country’s uniform and the families who support them. The theme for this 2011 holiday season is "Shine, Give, Share," which offers an opportunity to pay tribute to our troops, veterans, and their families throughout the White House. View this Christmas Greeting from President and Mrs. Obama on December 24, 2011: <p><p><p><br><br><br&g

The Boston Globe reports that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has ordered "an extensive and thorough review" of the J1 Summer Work Travel Visa that allows students from around the world to work in the United States each summer. The program has come under fire recently for a variety of abuses that include poor living conditions and workplace problems for many of the 150,000 students who use the visa each year. Among the countries using the J-1 visa, according to the Globe story, are Russia, Brazil, Ukraine, Thailand, Ireland, Bulgaria, Peru, Moldova and Poland. Follow Irish Americans for Obama/Biden on Twitter .

President Barack Obama returned to his mother's state of Kansas this week and called for a new economic equality that ensures shared prosperity and responsibility in the spirit of President Theodore Roosevelt .  "Roosevelt understood the free market only works when there are rules of the road that ensure competition is fair and open and honest," the president said to the audience in Osawatomie, Kansas, a place President Roosevelt visited in 1910. "And so he busted up monopolies, forcing those companies to compete for consumers with better services and better prices. And today, they still must. He fought to make sure businesses couldn’t profit by exploiting children or selling food or medicine that wasn’t safe. And today, they still can’t." You can read the entire speech here. Follow Irish Americans for Obama/Biden on Twitter . 

(Photo: Herman Van Rompuy, President Obama and Jose Manuel Barroso) "The United States urged European Union officials to move forcefully and decisively in responding to the mounting crisis involving the euro and a potential threat to the world economy," according to a report by the US State Department. President Barack Obama met with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso at the White House for an annual summit. Much of the discussion focused on the euro crisis and its potential impact on the world economy and the United States.   To read the full story by Merle David Kellerhals, Jr., click here .  To view regular updates about European affairs, visit Embassy of the United States in Dublin . Follow us on twitter: @Obama_IrishUSA

Photo, left to right: John Sweeney, President Emeritus of AFL-CIO; Richard Bruton, T.D., Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Daniel M. Rooney, US Ambassador to Ireland. On October 7, 2011 US Ambassador Daniel M. Rooney, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, T.D. hosted a bilateral business conference entitled “ Growing Jobs: US-Ireland Priorities and Bilateral Opportunities.” To read Ambassador Rooney's remarks, click here . Find out more about the US Embassy in Ireland or follow it on FaceBook . To follow Irish Americans for Obama/Biden on Tweeter, click here .

On Wednesday, September 21, 2011, United States Attorney General Eric Holder was in Dublin, Ireland, addressing the Institute of International and European Affairs on “Advancing Common Priorities: Combating Crime and Ensuring Gobal Security through International Partnerships.” Holder praised "a tradition of cooperation (between Ireland and the United States) that stretches back nearly two and a half centuries – to the time when America was little more than a grand, improbable idea." To read the entire speech, click here .   To view a video of the speech, click here .  You can find ongoing information on US-Ireland relations by visiting the US Embassy in Ireland website . Follow IrishAmericans for ObamaBiden on Tweeter

On Sunday, September 11, 2011 U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Daniel M. Rooney   and his wife Mrs. Patricia Rooney held a Ceremony of Peace and Reflection at the Royal Dublin Society Concert Hall (RDS) to mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. To read a full transcript of Ambassador Rooney's remarks, click here . You can find ongoing information about Ambassador Rooney and the American diplomatic mission in Ireland by visiting http://dublin.usembassy.gov/index.html 

On Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.(GMT) the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, Ireland is holding a special Ceremony of Reflection and Peace in honor of the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2011 and to remember the victims of 9/11. Joining US Ambassador Dan Rooney at the Embassy are Ireland's President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach Enda Kenny. You can see a full schedule of activities for the day by clicking here . For more information about the US Embassy in Ireland, click here or follow it on Facebook . To find out more about President Barack Obama and ceremonies marking 9/11, visit the WhiteHouse . Follow Irish Americans for Obama/Biden on Twitter .

Last Thursday, August 11, 2011, leaders from a variety of ethnic communities – from Irish, to Polish, to Macedonian and many others - met at the White House to discuss the way forward on immigration reform. For details on this meeting, visit the White House Office of Public Engagement . President Barack Obama issued his Blueprint for Building a 21st Century Immigration System , during a s peech in El Paso Texas on May 10, 2011. To have a voice in the immigration reform issue, visit the White House Roundtable on Immigration Reform .

The US Embassy in Dublin has great photos of the recent trip to Ireland by President Barack Obama and first Lady Michelle Obama. To view the photos, click here . US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney welcomed the Obamas on their arrival at Dublin Airport and accompanied them to Moneygall, County Offaly.

White House blogger Jesse Lee has captured the spirit of excitement and enthusiasm that greeted President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during their visit to Ireland on Monday, May 23, 2011. You can read blog in its entirety . To read President Obama's speech in Dublin at an outdoor rally attended by 60,000 people, click here .

Remarks of President Obama at Irish Celebration in Dublin Ireland, Monday, May 21, 2011. For Full White House transcript, click here . THE PRESIDENT : Thank you! Hello, Dublin! Hello, Ireland! My name is Barack Obama -- of the Moneygall Obamas. And I've come home to find the apostrophe that we lost somewhere along the way. Some wise Irish man or woman once said that broken Irish is better than clever English. So here goes: Tá áthas orm bheith in Éirinn -- I am happy to be in Ireland! I'm happy to be with so many á cairde. I want to thank my extraordinary hosts -- first of all, Taoiseach Kenny -- -- his lovely wife, Fionnuala -- -- President McAleese and her husband, Martin -- -- for welcoming me earlier today. Thank you, Lord Mayor Gerry Breen and the Gardai for allowing me to crash this celebration. Let me also express my condolences on the recent passing of former Taoiseach Garrett Fitzgerald -- -- someone who believed in

Check out the live feed from Dublin for President Barack Obama's Speech at College Green on RTE.ie , happening on Monday, May 23, 2011 at 12:50 (EST).

Remarks at the Farmleigh House, Dublin Ireland, on Monday, May 23, 2011: PRIME MINISTER KENNY: If everybody can hear. Obviously this is the first occasion in world history I think there is two bilaterals with an American President in the space of 67 minutes. But I want to welcome President Obama and the First Lady Michelle to Dublin on their way through to a state visit in England and further activities. I can say that the Irish people have been waiting for this visit. Their excitement is palpable. And I trust that the President and his wife and party will enjoy their visit to Moneygall, home of his triple-great grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, when he goes down there today. I’d like to say on this occasion here we’ve discussed a range of issues. I've explained to the President the seriousness of which Ireland and its new government -- thereby myself and the presence here of the Oireachtas -- are dealing with the issues that affect our country -- the banks and

Dublin Airport, 9:29 a.m. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are arriving in Moneygall, County Offaly, this afternoon to visit the ancestral home of the president's maternal family. You can view the visit live at RTE.ie . Later this afternoon, the President and First Lady return to Dublin for an outdoor concert on College Green, featuring Imelda May, Sharon Shannon and other musicians. For more details, visit the United States Embassy in Dublin for follow on Tweeter Obama_IrishUSA .

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived this morning at Dublin Airport in Ireland, aboard Air Force One at 9:29 a.m. European time. They were greeted by US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney and his wife Patricia, along with Ireland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore, T.D . The Irish Times newspaper has a live blog of President Obama's Ireland visit. For ongoing details, visit the US Embassy in Ireland .

The Irish Echo Newspaper in New York City published an exclusive interview with White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley , who talked about President Barack Obama 's upcoming visit to Ireland on Monday, May 23, 2011. In the interview, conducted by reporter Susan Falvella Garraty, Daley is quoted as saying that "the heritage passed through (Obama's) grandfather is something he’s curious about." Daley also indicated that President Obama will discuss policy issues with Ireland's government officials, such as immigration visas for the Irish, or the nation's low corporate tax. The Echo quotes Daley as saying: "Obviously the global economic crisis for the past two and half three years will be talked about and the difficulties in Ireland, what steps the Irish government have taken and what steps we have taken to come out of our crisis, but I think it’s going to be a very loose, comfortable conversation around the economic issues.” Daley himself accompanied Pre

The US Embassy in Dublin has announced that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are taking part in a public event at College Green in Dublin on Monday, May 23, 2011. President Obama will address the audience after an afternoon and evening of musical entertainment featuring Dublin rockabilly star Imelda May , traditional accordionist Sharon Shannon and others. Irish actor Gabriel Byrne is also attending. Earlier that day, President and First Lady Obama are visiting Moneygall, County Offaly, home of the president's Irish ancestors who left there in 1850. For more about President Obama's connections to the Irish-American community, visit IrishAmericansforObamaBiden .

Irish American leaders from around the country were briefed via teleconference by White House officials in preparation for President Obama's trip to Ireland on Monday, May 23, 2001. The briefing took place on Wednesday, May 18 and was conducted by Denis McDonough , Deputy National Security Advisor to the President, who said the Ireland leg of the trip would celebrate the relationship between the United States and Ireland. McDonough outlined the itinerary of the trip, including President Obama's meetings with Ireland's President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny , as well as a visit to Moneygall, County Offaly, the ancestral home of the president's maternal side of the family and other public occasions. The trip, which includes Ireland as well as England, France and Poland, would serve as a chance for the President to highlight America's national heritage, while underscoring the diversity of the Unites States as a fundamental tenet of its stren

Senior White House officials held a press conference call today to discuss President Barack Obama 's upcoming visit to Europe the week of May 23, 2011. You can read the full transcript of the Press Conference here. Here are excerpts on the Ireland portion of the trip: Ben Rhodes, White House Official : Our first stop on the trip is Ireland, and one of the people who has heritage in Ireland in the United States is, of course, the President. We arrive in Dublin on Monday morning, and the first event will be a meeting between the President and the First Lady, with President McAleese and her husband as well, an important opportunity to discuss both bilateral issues with President McAleese and also to honor her extraordinary legacy of serving the people of Ireland and advancing peace in Northern Ireland as well. After that, the President will meet with the Taoiseach -- again, this will be with the First Lady -- to discuss a range of bilateral issues. Then the Preside

George Mitchell , who resigned this week as US Envoy to the Middle East, was praised for his service to the United States. President Barack Obama said in a statement , "Over the past two and a half years, George Mitchell has worked as a tireless advocate for peace as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East. His deep commitment to resolving conflict and advancing democracy has contributed immeasurably to the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security. "George told me when he took this job that he would put in a couple of years, and I’m so glad he did. He is – by any measure – one of the finest public servants that our nation has ever had. Even though he already had an extraordinary legacy – serving the people of Maine, leading the Senate, and bringing peace to Northern Ireland – he took on the toughest job imaginable and worked grueling hours to advance the interests of the United States and the cause of peace." Secretary of State Hil

President Barack Obama is coming to Boston on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 to kick off his Obama Victory Fund campaign for 2012 The President is appearing at the Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts , at 539 Tremont Street in Boston's South End, at 3:00 p.m. For more details, visit Obama for America website. For President Obama's statements on Irish issues, visit IrishAmericansforObamaBiden .

President Barack Obama is visiting Ireland for the first time and is scheduled to arrive in Dublin on Monday, May 23, 2011. He'll spend most of the day in Dublin but will also take a helicopter to Moneygall, County Offaly, to visit his ancestral home, according to the US Department of State . When he announced the trip on March 17, 2011 at the White House , President Obama said , "I intend to come to Ireland in May, and I’m expecting to go not only to all the famous sites, but also to go to Moneygall, where my great-great-great-great-great grandfather hails from. " Although President Obama is only about 3.1 % Irish, people in Ireland have continuously called for the president to visit Ireland since he first became president. For ongoing details on President Obama's trip to Ireland, visit the US Embassy in Ireland site. For more about President Obama's connections to the Irish-American community, visit IrishAmericansforObamaBiden .

In reaction to the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, U.S. Ambassador Daniel M. Rooney said in a statement: “I am proud and grateful for the President and all the men and women of intelligence and military communities for their constant demonstration of courage and bravery. Their actions this weekend have made the world a safer and more just place to live for all humanity.” Provided by US Embassy in Dublin, Ireland .

President Barack Obama's remarks on the death of Osama Bin Laden on May 1, 2011:

President Barack Obama gives a statement on the matter of his long-birth certificate today at the White House Briefing Room.

President Barack Obama today is releasing his long-form birth certificate to the American public today as a way of putting to rest false rumors and innuendos perpetrated by his political opponents. You can view the birth certificate yourself by clicking here . Read the White House statemen t by White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer.

(April 4, 2011) President Barack Obama launched his 2012 re-election campaign today with an email announcement to his followers and the release of a video from his supporters across the country. For more information about the campaign, visit barackobama.com

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the White House on this beautiful St. Patrick’s Day. (Applause.) It was remarked upon that the fountain is the appropriate green this year. (Applause.) Last year, Michelle asked the White House team to make the fountain green, and it was a little tepid. (Laughter.) So people just thought there was algae in the fountain. (Laughter.) This year they made sure that there was no confusion, so we’re very happy about that. (Applause.) I am not going to stand up here very long because, as the old Irish saying goes, everyone is wise until he speaks. (Laughter.) And I know we’ve got some entertainment to get to. But the Irish also tells us that what fills the eye fills the heart. And tonight, in this room filled with so many friends both old and new, I can’t imagine a better place to be than right here with the sons and daughters of Ireland -- and those who wish they were. (Laughter.) I wa

At a press conference at the White House today, President Barack Obama confirmed that he is planning to visit Ireland in late May, 2011, as part of his European visit: "I wanted to say today that I intend to come to Ireland in May, and I’m expecting to go not only to all the famous sites, but also to go to Moneygall, where my great-great-great-great-great grandfather hails from. Joe Biden is envious because he wants to go first -- (laughter) -- but my expectation is, is that I’ll just be laying the groundwork for what I’m sure will be an even more wonderful trip by him. But I’m very much looking forward to that."

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Thank you so much. Everyone, please have a seat. To Taoiseach Kenny; to his lovely wife, who has made a wonderful luncheon companion; to the Vice President who is here; to our host, Speaker Boehner, for gathering us together; Ambassador Collins and Mrs. Collins; distinguished members of the House and Senate; distinguished guests from Irish, Northern Irish, and British governments: It is wonderful to be here and a great privilege. It’s my privilege to join all of you today for this wonderful St. Patrick’s Day celebration –- a day when red, white, and blue has a strong hint of green. Taoiseach Kenny, welcome. We thank you for joining us. Your presence at this lunch virtually guarantees that any partisan clashes will be limited to who is more Irish than whom. (Laughter.) Now, speaking of ancestry, there has been some controversy about my own background. (Laughter.) Two years into my presidency, some are still bent on peddling rumors ab

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release / March 17, 2011 _______________________________________________ PRESIDENT OBAMA: Hello, everybody. It is my great pleasure on St. Patrick’s Day to welcome the new Taoiseach, Prime Minister Kenny. We are thrilled to have him here. And we want to congratulate him on his historic victory. We obviously have the strongest possible relationship with Ireland. The warmth, the affection, the familial and person-to-person contacts between our two countries extend far beyond any dry policy issues. There is just an incredible bond between our two countries. And that’s one that we want to reaffirm here today. We have had an excellent conversation about how Ireland is going to be bouncing back from the severe economic challenges that it’s experienced over the last several years. The Taoiseach shared with me his plans and his efforts to make sure that people are put back to work in Ireland, that the financial system is stabilized.

President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden have a busy schedule this St. Patrick's Day in Washington, DC. Here is a schedule of Irish activities released by the White House Press Office for Thursday, March 17, 2011. 10:30 am The President and Vice President meet with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny Oval Office 11:05 am The President and Irish Prime Minister Kenny will deliver statements to the press; the Vice President also attends Oval Office 12:00 pm The President, Vice President and Irish Prime Minister Kenny attend a St. Patrick’s Day lunch United States Capitol 12:30 pm Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney James S. Brady Briefing Room 7:05 pm The President and First Lady host a St. Patrick’s Day reception; the Vice President attends East Room