tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17022902638418550152024-03-13T15:31:49.747-04:00Irish Americans for Biden HarrisThis blog is a continuation of our 'Irish-Americans for Obama Biden' blog launched in 2008. It remains a round-up of opinions, statements and media coverage about the presidential election from an Irish-American perspective.Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-56871836387387492622024-02-29T21:56:00.000-05:002024-02-29T21:56:02.706-05:00President Biden Issues White House Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, March, 2024<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtj1swXMkDoxax0gMFTpX8TjEHYscTnnyUKwaU9K-BAq4WD6Ii6rySFE0xxAliyIYxSjjC7rP4aIlWP_CkE2IuO2enl9zYLavC19L2smMnQoinIVcOXavdlfBtbcdCAtDN6n4zy8uH7ckEdcUyJsZPlBdiGZyehoQ6doKERAyvbp8ILTRJ6frTDNe4KHi/s720/US-WhiteHouse-Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="720" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtj1swXMkDoxax0gMFTpX8TjEHYscTnnyUKwaU9K-BAq4WD6Ii6rySFE0xxAliyIYxSjjC7rP4aIlWP_CkE2IuO2enl9zYLavC19L2smMnQoinIVcOXavdlfBtbcdCAtDN6n4zy8uH7ckEdcUyJsZPlBdiGZyehoQ6doKERAyvbp8ILTRJ6frTDNe4KHi/w640-h436/US-WhiteHouse-Logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;">During</span><span style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/02/29/proclamation-on-irish-american-heritage-month-2024/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e64c1; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Irish-American Heritage Month</a><span style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif;">, we honor our Irish ancestors, all those who carry on their legacies, and the values that have always bound Ireland and the United States together. </span></p><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These values — including determination, decency, and dignity — have been passed down from generation to generation in families like my own and have been grafted into the American character. Last year, I had the honor of visiting the home of some of my Irish ancestors, including the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth. As I traveled across Ireland, I learned the true meaning of the Gaelic expression, “a hundred thousand welcomes.” I was reminded that everything between Ireland and America runs deep — from our history and sorrow to our future and joy. But more than anything, hope is what beats in the hearts of all of our people. </span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For centuries — even during times of darkness and despair — hope has kept us marching forward toward a better future. It is what led so many of our Irish ancestors to leave the only place they had ever called home and seek a new beginning in the United States. It is what drove generations of Irish immigrants to help build the foundations of America with grit and persistence, even as they endured discrimination and were denied opportunity. It is what continues to drive tens of millions of Irish Americans across our country to stand up for greater dignity, liberty, and possibilities for all. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of United States-Irish diplomatic relations this year, hope remains the bedrock of our partnership, as evidenced by our work together to stand with the brave people of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, combat the climate crisis, and advance workers’ rights across both of our nations. </span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the years ahead, I look forward to strengthening the partnership and friendship between the people of Ireland and America even further. United by history, heritage, and hope, nothing is beyond our reach. </span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2024 as Irish-American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs. </span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth. </span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.</span></div><div style="background-color: #f8fcff; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-6987168483622766382024-02-03T13:42:00.001-05:002024-02-12T13:45:36.417-05:00Statement from President Joe Biden on the Restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVaxIpqjSZS7iVhoQ8Wt1vQnMHVlg6egGQxaa8fVgOUQWFxe-ZdDbjs0-O6rgt14n-5lgvxc360YU4LKdnQoV95_yN3DFHx24E2AFxno46jh6wfi8FiHZ9Dp2RXVAUCWOIH0a1zWp1amCbn5udk8v3sMflp_Z-095B-WtNRKrbpROeR2_2NC16LVabTtD7/s720/US-WhiteHouse-Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="720" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVaxIpqjSZS7iVhoQ8Wt1vQnMHVlg6egGQxaa8fVgOUQWFxe-ZdDbjs0-O6rgt14n-5lgvxc360YU4LKdnQoV95_yN3DFHx24E2AFxno46jh6wfi8FiHZ9Dp2RXVAUCWOIH0a1zWp1amCbn5udk8v3sMflp_Z-095B-WtNRKrbpROeR2_2NC16LVabTtD7/w640-h436/US-WhiteHouse-Logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(10, 36, 88); color: #0a2458; font-family: MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif;">"I welcome and strongly support the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly at Stormont, and I commend the political leaders of Northern Ireland for taking the necessary steps to restore these core institutions. As I said when I visited Belfast last year to mark the 25</span><sup style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(10, 36, 88); color: #0a2458; font-family: MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif; line-height: 0;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(10, 36, 88); color: #0a2458; font-family: MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif;"> anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, the democratic institutions it established remain critical for the future of Northern Ireland, and a government that finds ways through hard problems together will draw even greater opportunity to Northern Ireland. I look forward to seeing the renewed stability of a power-sharing government that strengthens the peace dividend, restores public services, and continues building on the immense progress of the last decades. This is an important step, and I am confident that through consistent dialogue and ongoing cooperation with both the United Kingdom and Ireland, Stormont’s restoration will facilitate the critical North-South and East-West relations vital to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and ensure that Northern Ireland will continue to be vibrant and dynamic, defined by unlimited opportunity for all who call it home."</span></span></p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-51509346460549861372024-01-06T14:15:00.006-05:002024-01-06T14:16:16.691-05:00 President Biden Defends the Sacred Cause of American Democracy on the Eve of January 6 Anniversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggSmqR2tgihL6ROPGmG5iszZVCRIoZayOnNMs2ThH1WjK22QFMzGVHgMRxegmh0_3hxBdaziY1UcGEzZ2WiTE7dPoncX5M-mVwEKradb4rd49Yhsf_qRBZJzX5oKfwWiivCzLq90iaekCaKG8wIYdQwT07UiY3DUTfqUFVONmZh5zwgKyx2sbUUIjGyye/s640/Joe%20Biden%20White%20House%20official%20portrait%20LOC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggSmqR2tgihL6ROPGmG5iszZVCRIoZayOnNMs2ThH1WjK22QFMzGVHgMRxegmh0_3hxBdaziY1UcGEzZ2WiTE7dPoncX5M-mVwEKradb4rd49Yhsf_qRBZJzX5oKfwWiivCzLq90iaekCaKG8wIYdQwT07UiY3DUTfqUFVONmZh5zwgKyx2sbUUIjGyye/w512-h640/Joe%20Biden%20White%20House%20official%20portrait%20LOC.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><br />On Friday, January 5, 2024, President Joe Biden gave a speech at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, on the eve of the 3rd anniversary of the January 6 attack of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.<br /><br />He recalled the winter of 1777, when the embattled Continental Army marched to Valley Forge during the American Revolution. <br /><br />"General George Washington knew he faced the most daunting of tasks: to fight and win a war against the most powerful empire that existed in the world at the time. His mission was clear. Liberty, not conquest. Freedom, not domination. National independence, not individual glory. America made a vow. Never again would we bow down to a king. <br /><br />"Today, we gather in a new year, some 246 years later, just one day before January 6th, a day forever shared in our memory because it was on that day that we nearly lost America — lost it all. <br /><br />"Today, we’re here to answer the most important of questions. Is democracy still America’s sacred cause? <br /><br />"This is not rhetorical, academic, or hypothetical. Whether democracy is still America’s sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time, and it’s what the 2024 election is all about."<br /><br /><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/01/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-third-anniversary-of-the-january-6th-attack-and-defending-the-sacred-cause-of-american-democracy-blue-bell-pa/">Read the full speech here</a>. <br /><br />Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-67653790524162637242023-09-29T13:17:00.004-04:002023-09-29T22:50:06.503-04:00U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Joseph Kennedy to Lead a Business Delegation to Northern Ireland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTAtU8t79HQTtyncJKk30ZSNbYzqFQkoTd8ZCL5HNiGeelbuL_HGE8eif7elcGXV33FBaJXs71bMGQTalrJx_cRTxJ8saW9Z8IXfN5Rc1E477J3rOmDz-83tYikEwCpmDs93LuRkLqfPT5mp1gU6glhVN-4ZrbmcdzRUCWIbaandHO6k1m_AG1pyZiYhN/s1280/Joe%20Kennedy%20III_Flag%20Portrait.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTAtU8t79HQTtyncJKk30ZSNbYzqFQkoTd8ZCL5HNiGeelbuL_HGE8eif7elcGXV33FBaJXs71bMGQTalrJx_cRTxJ8saW9Z8IXfN5Rc1E477J3rOmDz-83tYikEwCpmDs93LuRkLqfPT5mp1gU6glhVN-4ZrbmcdzRUCWIbaandHO6k1m_AG1pyZiYhN/w512-h640/Joe%20Kennedy%20III_Flag%20Portrait.jpeg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><br />U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs <a href="https://irishamericansforobamabiden.blogspot.com/2022/12/joe-kennedy-iii-is-selected-as-new-us.html">Joseph P. Kennedy, III</a>, today announced the first four members of his business delegation to Northern Ireland, which will take place October 24 to 26, 2023.<br /><br />Members of the delegation will include:<div><br /></div><div>The Honorable Thomas P. DiNapoli, Comptroller, State of New York<br />Mark Hartney, Breakthrough Energy Ventures<br />John Murphy, President and Chief Financial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company<br />Tim Sweeney, President and Chief Executive Officer, Liberty Mutual Insurance<br /><br />The delegation will engage with a wide range of business leaders in Northern Ireland, including employers who have started or grown operations over the past 25 years.<br /><br />Special Envoy Kennedy’s travel follows President Biden’s announcement of the delegation in April during his remarks at Belfast’s Ulster University. The trip will highlight progress made in the 25 years since the signing of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement, and the important role U.S. investors have made in preserving the gains of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.</div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-65387036820005392562023-05-31T13:14:00.003-04:002023-06-08T13:25:45.847-04:00 June 2023 as National Immigrant Heritage Month, President Biden Proclaims<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOQJ4Hiyt1qsCkYd6z-_pJscmTCTgkrW0S24D8Nro879bbDWNteYRT2Uv_8lq07iVN_mu6o3Ventr53dYEkNNzB1fRQNE7YmiXF6cdiBT87ax-Cc2pevP-CJlURrtchhNDCecNTwEzFX1PHh-uEDutjYpMNok6hD-cfGB_KpHx9yPIVAJgMtHrm9WlQ/s720/US-WhiteHouse-Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="720" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOQJ4Hiyt1qsCkYd6z-_pJscmTCTgkrW0S24D8Nro879bbDWNteYRT2Uv_8lq07iVN_mu6o3Ventr53dYEkNNzB1fRQNE7YmiXF6cdiBT87ax-Cc2pevP-CJlURrtchhNDCecNTwEzFX1PHh-uEDutjYpMNok6hD-cfGB_KpHx9yPIVAJgMtHrm9WlQ/w640-h436/US-WhiteHouse-Logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Proclamation</span></b></p><p data-page="36455" id="p-1" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">America is more than a place; it is an idea. It is the idea that everyone is created equal and deserves to be treated equally throughout their lives and that everyone should have a fair shot and an equal chance to get ahead. That is what has drawn people to our shores for centuries. It is what makes us who we are. And that very idea of America has been advanced by immigrants from every part of the world—my ancestors and yours. Their dreams built America, and during National Immigrant Heritage Month, we celebrate their courage.</p><p data-page="36455" id="p-2" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">The First Lady and I are proud descendants of immigrants—the Giacoppas, from the northeast corner of Sicily in Italy, and the Finnegans of County Louth and the Blewitts of County Mayo in Ireland. Vice President Harris was born in Oakland, California, to parents who emigrated from India and Jamaica. Like so many who still come here seeking a better future, our parents and great-grandparents could not be sure what life would bring. But they had faith that, for their children and grandchildren, anything would be possible in America. And they were right</p><p data-page="36455" id="p-3" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Many families also came to America in search of a better future and the promise of the American Dream, and each wave of newcomers brings energy and new ideas to move our Nation forward. Today, one third of our doctors and nearly three quarters of our farmworkers are immigrants, and so many more are essential workers, first responders, and military service members. Immigrants own approximately one in five businesses, create millions of jobs, pay hundreds of billions in taxes, and spend even more on American goods. Almost half of all Fortune 500 companies were started by immigrants or their kids. Immigrants help strengthen our diplomatic and people-to-people ties around the world. It's simple: immigrants keep our Nation strong and our economy growing.</p><p data-page="36455" id="p-4" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">That truth used to be something most of us agreed on. President Ronald Reagan proudly signed a law giving an opportunity to 2.7 million undocumented people to seek permanent residence. President George W. Bush pushed hard for comprehensive immigration reform. On day one of my Presidency, I sent the Congress my plan that includes a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, people with temporary status, farmworkers, and essential workers; smarter border solutions, including more equipment and modern infrastructure; and provisions to clear court backlogs, speed up processing, and protect families. Let us come together again in a bipartisan way to fix our broken immigration system for good.</p><p data-page="36456" id="p-5" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Until the Congress acts, my Administration will keep using every tool we have to make the system more orderly, safe, and humane. We have announced new pathways for nationals of Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Haiti, and other countries in the region to come here lawfully. And in May, we joined with partners across the Western Hemisphere to launch a plan to open new centers where people can receive help with applying to come to the United States, rather than making the dangerous trek at the mercy of criminal organizations and smugglers. At home, we have expanded whistleblower protections for undocumented workers so they too can call out wage theft or unsafe working conditions, improving things for everyone. And we have strengthened the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that for more than 10 years has allowed 800,000 Dreamers to live and work freely in the only country they know as home. In addition, we have recently proposed a plan to expand DACA recipients' access to health care through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.</p><p data-page="36456" id="p-6" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Immigration has always been essential to America, and this month, we reflect on the strength and spirit of immigrants that have been passed down through families and infused in our Nation. This spring, I had the chance to travel back to Ireland, to walk the ground my ancestors walked, and to celebrate the bonds that connect us still. Over the years, stories of that place have become part of my soul. I stood beside a cathedral built of bricks that my great-great-great-grandfather supplied. I imagined his son bringing his family across the ocean during the famine of 1850, leaving all they had known for hope on a distant shore. I remembered stories of his son—my great-grandfather—who kept those roots alive in Scranton, helping to found the Irish American Association, chairing the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and passing that pride on to his granddaughter—my mom. It is a pride that speaks to the history and the values that bind us: immigrant values of hard work, dignity, and respect that I have tried to pass on to my own children and grandchildren.</p><p data-page="36456" id="p-7" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Most Americans have their own version of that same story: ancestors who overcame incredible odds to build new lives in this promised land and contribute to the fabric of our Nation. And we see those same values alive at the White House every time we celebrate our proud immigrant communities, whose holidays and rich cultures give new life to our Nation—including Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights; Eid, the feast ending Ramadan; Greek Independence Day, a celebration of freedom and democracy; and the Lunar New Year, a festivity committing to new beginnings. We see that spirit of hope at every naturalization ceremony, when we celebrate the journey completed by millions of people whose courage and commitment have earned them a title that is equal to that of President in our democracy—the title of “citizen.” This month, we honor our ancestors by working to keep the torch of liberty lit and held high.</p><p data-page="36456" id="p-8" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2023 as National Immigrant Heritage Month. I call upon the people of the United States to learn more about the history of our Nation's diverse and varied immigrant communities and to observe this month with appropriate programming and activities that remind us of the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.</p><p class="citation-hover-present" data-page="36457" id="p-9" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></p><div class="citation-target-icon cj-fancy-tooltip" data-short-url="https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2023-12061" data-tooltip="Click to copy a short url for this paragraph" original-title="" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span class="icon-fr2 icon-fr2-bookmark"></span></div><p data-page="36455" id="p-2" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span class="printed-page-wrapper unprinted-element-wrapper" style="top: 2px;"><span class="unprinted-element-border"></span></span><span class="printed-page-wrapper unprinted-element-wrapper" style="top: 2px;"><span class="unprinted-element-border"></span></span><span style="background-color: #f6fdff;">IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh.</span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); clear: both; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzP1NlHTHiENpT1Xnq_hOj4f-NyCiNuC-l_OLZZoJzLE74zSWXj0EoxdFZbkkzIo633mxOAipf4jvl7JowGVlglIuRdSn4ZS2ZIsVYpuukmBQCCKtD6uvWjFmXFCGrs86aX9XQYiA4IVy1xdWgng0z3-1_tmV36AFV7qpHOQikqLnVL1xqTQZ4zkHSg/s2729/BIDEN_original_size.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; display: inline-block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="2729" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzP1NlHTHiENpT1Xnq_hOj4f-NyCiNuC-l_OLZZoJzLE74zSWXj0EoxdFZbkkzIo633mxOAipf4jvl7JowGVlglIuRdSn4ZS2ZIsVYpuukmBQCCKtD6uvWjFmXFCGrs86aX9XQYiA4IVy1xdWgng0z3-1_tmV36AFV7qpHOQikqLnVL1xqTQZ4zkHSg/w400-h235/BIDEN_original_size.png" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-91746768814086305602023-04-25T16:25:00.006-04:002023-05-13T16:37:32.094-04:00President Joe Biden announces his Campaign For President: Let's Finish the Job<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CHPDe7io8DpCyA1uYoPbhO8mSYn-gX1sw9jIKbpt-CkofqdDmaDsCFWwooyXoiD0AM54YTPP9xpFPVmwroEZ5hhpR118X8W3O5y7O3DlEXUc94nhzX6YzSSD5oL8wGErDriNHPc4rCE9dDs-62PLajlPnONhMUbvYsbonQK5p65ScZ_8WPR30gpnlw/s1000/joe%20biden%20running%20for%20reelection.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1000" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CHPDe7io8DpCyA1uYoPbhO8mSYn-gX1sw9jIKbpt-CkofqdDmaDsCFWwooyXoiD0AM54YTPP9xpFPVmwroEZ5hhpR118X8W3O5y7O3DlEXUc94nhzX6YzSSD5oL8wGErDriNHPc4rCE9dDs-62PLajlPnONhMUbvYsbonQK5p65ScZ_8WPR30gpnlw/w640-h334/joe%20biden%20running%20for%20reelection.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br />President Joe Biden announced his intention to run for reelection in 2024. <br /><br />In a video released on April 25, President Biden said, <br /><br />"When I ran for president four years ago, I said, “We’re in a battle for the soul of America,” and we still are. The question we’re facing is whether in the years ahead, we have more freedom or less freedom. <div>More rights are fewer. I know what I want the answer to be, and I think you do too. This is not a time to be complacent. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://youtu.be/ChjibtX0UzU" target="_blank">See full video here</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ChjibtX0UzU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div><br /></div><div>"That’s why I’m running for reelection; because I know America. I know we’re good and decent people. I know we’re still a country that believes in honesty and respect, in treating each other with dignity. That we’re a nation where we give hate no safe harbor. We believe that everyone is equal, that everyone should be given a fair shot to succeed in this country. Thank you for choosing us."</div><div><br /></div><div>For updates and details go to <a href="https://joebiden.com">JoeBiden.com</a>. </div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-52261779707063284452023-03-17T16:44:00.004-04:002023-04-04T16:52:08.235-04:00Remarks by President Biden at the Presentation of the Shamrocks, St. Patrick's Day, 2023<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyruZt4uiD4Os8b-ZSPvdO77D7-3gdemcP4wF2Gf0UMCCulm4gfI0G7PWMN753NU8xxLP_6998x9YZd1XjQOOAIm96RcPbgJxv_tnQEJfsS0qmmuvZi-U_k_l-MeZWl5wzG-rPr9gw40EL_edGsnBmddDgCviF3RhbCxvZu8tHd5WfokrJr7t5WsocJQ/s3000/shamrocks,%20potus%2023.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyruZt4uiD4Os8b-ZSPvdO77D7-3gdemcP4wF2Gf0UMCCulm4gfI0G7PWMN753NU8xxLP_6998x9YZd1XjQOOAIm96RcPbgJxv_tnQEJfsS0qmmuvZi-U_k_l-MeZWl5wzG-rPr9gw40EL_edGsnBmddDgCviF3RhbCxvZu8tHd5WfokrJr7t5WsocJQ/w640-h426/shamrocks,%20potus%2023.jpeg" width="640" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadka and U.S President Joe Biden, photo courtesy of the White House</i></div><br /></div><div> PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone. It’s great to see you all here. And last year, because of the pandemic, the Taoiseach and I had to hold our meeting virtually. <br /><br />How you doing, pal? We got all the Irish here today. (Laughter.)<br /><br />And this is the first year we’ve had to make some last-minute adjustments as well. Sadly, the Taoiseach and Ms. Martin are not able to join us today, but they both sent their love and their message for this occasion.<br /><br />And I spoke with the Taoiseach at length this morning, and we had a virtual meeting — bilateral meeting. He is feeling well. And I share his disappointment that we weren’t able to have our meetings in person as we had planned.<br /><br />This year marks the 70th year of Ireland sending shamrocks to the White House and — to celebrate the friendship between our nations and the bond — the bond that has been strengthened by generations of Irish Americans. <br /><br />Apparently, President Truman was away when the Irish ambassador dropped off the first bowl of shamrocks in — and that’s why I just removed his bust from my office. (Laughter.) That’s a joke. That’s a joke. That’s a joke. (Laughter.) I didn’t do that. I didn’t do that. (Laughter.) I’m sure he would have been there had he known. (Laughter.)<br /><br />A virtual meeting back then was sort of out of the question. But by the next year, President Eisenhower was able to accept in person. A joyful tradition was born at that moment when he accepted. <br /><br />So, to everyone here today: Welcome back to the White House. It’s so nice to be able to have you all back inside the White House. (Applause.)<br /><br />There are so many friends here — so many friends here: Irish, Irish Americans, Americans who wish they were Irish. (Laughter.)<br /><br />As my grandfather used to say — our grandfather — my sister Valerie is here, my daughter Ashley is here, my brother-in-law, my brother and my other sister-in-law, my niece. We’re all here. But I’m probably the only one old enough to remember my grandfather, Ambrose Finnegan, as well you might expect someone when they were that age.<br /><br />And he used to have an expression. He’d say, “If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough.” And so — (laughter and applause). <br /><br />There’s a lot of proud Irish American members in my administration. But there’s one person here I want to recognize in particular in my administration: my Secretary of Labor. I’d understand him if he spoke better — if he spoke Gaelic instead of Boston. (Laughter.) Where are you, Marty Walsh?<br /><br />AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right here.<br /><br />PRESIDENT BIDEN: There you are, Marty. (Applause.) Marty Walsh. From Galway — his parents are from Galway. I tell you what, I — I don’t know. Like I said, if you spoke Gaelic, I’d understand it better than, you know, the (inaudible) and all of that.<br /><br />Look, a proud son of two Irish immigrants to this country who found their way in America and to America, and dream through their union membership, and all the work that this man did to promote the union movement.<br /><br />And to all the members of the House and Senate that are here — you have to hear me again, a lot of you. I apologize. (Laughter.) <br /><br />And I look at one Irishman, Bobby Casey, over here. He’s from — we’re from the same hometown: Scranton, Pennsylvania. Right, Bobby? (Applause.) <br /><br />And I knew Bobby’s dad well. He was a hell of a guy. And we lived literally four, five city blocks apart from one another. The problem is that I’m older than Bobby as his father was than me, so we’re right in the middle there. (Laughter.) <br /><br />But the best thing Bobby has going for him is a magnificent wife and his mother is a saint. God love her. And tell Mom I said hi, will you? For real.<br /><br />Look, our new ambassador to Ireland can’t be with us today, but I’m very pleased that Claire Cronin from Boston has officially begun her work in Dublin.<br /><br />I just got off a video with her on — on the phone, and she was mildly tearful. She wanted to be here with everyone, but — and I wish you all are going to get to meet her. She’s really quite a person.<br /><br />And usually, in Washington, as — I’m usually referred to as Jill Biden’s husband, which I’m proud of. But today, I’m Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden’s son. That’s who I am. (Applause.) <br /><br />And — and Jimmy, Val, and I — we come by our love for Ireland honestly. It’s been more than 165 years since our great-great-grandparents left County Mayo and County Louth aboard a coffin ship to cross the Atlantic. <br /><br />Now, I want to ask my relatives from County Louth to stand up, the three of them. Come on. Stand up, guys. (Applause.)<br /><br />Now, you see this guy here on the end? He’s probably the single most famous rugby played in all of Ireland. And he scored the winning goal against the All Blacks when he beat them in Chicago. (Applause.) And he’s my cousin. Good to have you, man. Good to have you.<br /><br />And the Blewitts and Finnegans eventually settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where my grandparents — where my parents met and married. And that’s where my mom, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan, was born and later, as I said, met Joseph Robinette Biden, the Sr. <br /><br />His saving grace was his mother was a Hanafee — his mother’s side, they had a Hanafee from Galway. That saved him in the family. That saved him up in Scranton.<br /><br />Being Irish, as my mother always told me, is about family, it’s about faith, and it’s about courage. Mom used to have an expression. My brother and sister will remember. She’d say, “Courage is the greatest of all virtues because without it, you could not love with abandon.” “Courage is the greatest of all virtues because without it, you could not love with abandon.” <br /><br />Growing up an Irish American gave me a pride that spoke both — to both continents. The heart and soul that drew it from old and new. And the conviction that everyone — everyone is deserving of being treated with dignity.<br /><br />I was mentioning today: I think it’s fair to say — I can’t prove this, but I think it’s fair to say I’ve never heard the word “dignity” used as much as I have among the Irish. Because the deprivation of the — being treated with dignity is understood. Dignity.<br /><br />One of my great-uncles wrote from Ire- — wrote from the United States, after he made it to America, one of those letter they used to call “Amerikay” letters back to his loved ones in Ireland, yearning for home.<br /><br />He wrote, “If there was a road made of furze….” Furze is a yellow flower with thorns in it. “If there was a road….” He said, “If there was a road made of furze in America from America to Ireland, I’d walk it in my bare feet. I’d walk it in my bare feet.”<br /><br />Our great-grandfather, Edward Francis Blewitt, was only the second Catholic ever elected to the state senate — we talked about this, Gov — in the state of Pennsylvania. The first one was in the early 1880s, and — but I think he was — he was the second. <br /><br />And he was elected — when he was elected office, he had a — my great-grandfather was — had an engineering degree from Lafayette College and he had the heart of an Irish poet. He wrote over 200 poems. And fortunately, our Uncle Ed left the poems. I have them all. I’ve had them bound. <br /><br />And he wrote a poem about “his Ireland.” I want to read one of his stanzas of the poem. He said: “From the fairest land, except my own…” nor sun — ‘neath these — excuse me —<br />“…‘Neath sun or star or moon, the citadel of Liberty, My mother’s land, aroon.” <br /><br />Of course, I am not the first Irish American descendent to — not by a long shot — to be in this — in the White House. Fully half of American presidents can claim some ancestral connection to Ireland, including the man who held this job when I was Vice President, Barack Obama.<br /><br />But it was John F. Kennedy, our — and his —<br /><br />Would you stand up, Ambassador? Come on. (Applause.)<br /><br />— our first Irish-Catholic president who visited Ireland in 1963 and said, quote, “Our two nations, divided by distance, have been united by history.” <br /><br />Well, that’s as true today as it was then. Today, those words feel particularly poignant as Ireland and the United States stand united at this momentous point of history.<br /><br />Vladimir Putin — Vladimir Putin has launched an unconscionable war against Ukraine, against the very pillars of international peace and stability.<br /><br />And as two nations that have fought for freedom, we recognize the courage and determination of the Ukrainian people who defend their liberty now. And they do. (Applause.) <br /><br />The Republic of Ireland and our nation have lived through war. We’re determined, though, to help the Ukrainian people, bring an end to Putin’s brutal assault, and restore peace to the Ukrainian people.<br /><br />As nations that have been marked by emigrants who departed Ireland in coffin ships and the immigrants who sought the safety of new beginnings in the United States, we are open — and our hearts are open and our arms are open — to help the more than 3 million Ukrainian refugees who have already fled Putin’s onslaught. (Applause.) <br /><br />And today, as the Taoiseach and I affirmed earlier today, Ireland and the United States are going to stay united together with our partners around the world to keep the pressure on Putin and to strengthen our support for Ukraine.<br /><br />And, by the way, Ireland is supporting the economic sanctions — taking a gigantic hit, a gigantic hit — proportionally, more than we have. It took a hell of a lot of courage for the Taoiseach and the Dáil to stand up and do what they did. And I really mean it. You know that, Mr. Ambassador. You know what it’s like.<br /><br />We’ve also discussed how the United States and Ireland will take on all the challenges we face together. We’re working together to fight COVID-19 and to save lives around the world, to tackle the climate crisis, and to boost global economic recovery. And we’re working — for real — side-by-side in the United Nations Security Council, which they’re now members of, to address the humanitarian crisis not only in Ukraine but around the world.<br /><br />And our nations both are deeply committed to protecting the hard-won gains of peace in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement has been the foundation of peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland for nearly 25 years, and it cannot change. Cannot change. (Applause.) <br /><br />I have made that point — and he’s a friend — to the Prime Minister of England and others: It cannot change. To preserve and extend those gains for all the people in Northern Ireland, and the European Union to make [and] the United Kingdom must continue to resolve challenges over the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocols. <br /><br />The United States stands ready to work with all the communities of Northern Ireland to ensure — to ensure its extraordinary economic potential and ensure that it’s realized. And we look forward to supporting the next Northern Ireland Executive after the upcoming Assembly elections, which are on their way.<br /><br />History has proven that — what the people of Northern Ireland and their leaders can accomplish when they work together. Yeats wrote — can I quote an Irish poet? (Laughter.) He wrote the line in one of his poems, “Hope that you may understand.” “Hope that you may understand.” Because for the Irish and for all us Irish Americans, the hoping is essential to understanding and to life, from our perspective.<br /><br />Hope is what brought forth on the Emerald Isle a nation of poets and patriots, saints, scholars, artists, and engineers. Hope kept us looking toward the far horizon. It urges us — urges us to — over every obstacle. It tells us to try again when we fall short, to rise each time we fall. <br /><br />Our mom used to have an expression, “As long as you’re alive, you have an obligation to strive. And you’re not dead until you’ve seen the face of God.” And she meant it. She meant it.<br /><br />Well, in my view, that’s the Irish of it. And hope is what brought us — the Irish American kid all the way from Scranton to Wil- — Scranton to the White House. And with a lifetime of history of hoping comes the deep understanding of what our nations and our people can accomplish. Hope was what brought us here.<br /><br />And around the same time, my great-great-grandfather Owen Finnegan, a shoemaker, boarded a coffin ship in 1844 in the Irish Sea with another — near — five weeks after another shoemaker named Joseph Kearny from Moneygall arrived on another ship in America just five weeks earlier. That was President Obama’s great-great-grandfather.<br /><br />They were both shoemakers not far from one another. When we were here — when I first got that — the genealogy done by the LDS — by the Mormon’s Church — the most extensive biological — archaeologic — most extensive records on genealogy. (Laughter.) I’m getting into biology here. (Applause.) <br /><br />And they said it was not sure they’d be able to see one another. But when I went over to Ireland, quote, with my family to go home to meet some of my relatives that I didn’t know — our relatives we didn’t know — they indicated the likelihood they were both shoemakers, both not far from one another, both leaving for America five weeks apart — it is not improbable that they’ve would’ve known one another. <br /><br />They left everything behind, like all of your relatives, for an uncertain future. But I wonder, in all of their dreams, whether they could’ve ever dreamt that their two great-great-grandsons of shoemakers from Ireland would be sworn in as Presidents of the United States of America. (Applause.) I wonder. <br /><br />It’s not about me. It’s not about Barack. It’s about hope. Think about it.<br /><br />But again, as my grandpop would say, “That’s the Irish of it.”<br /><br />So I want to again thank the Taoiseach for making the trip to Washington, even though he cannot be with us today, and for continuing to strengthen the relationship between our two great nations.<br /><br />And now, we have a special message from the Taoiseach.<br /><br />(A video message from Prime Minister Martin is played.)<br /><br />PRIME MINISTER MARTIN: Mr. President, First Lady, senators, representatives, ladies and gentlemen, as we gather this year to mark St. Patrick’s Day, an annual occasion that means so much to so many Americans and to Irish people everywhere, we do so in the consciousness that these are not normal times.<br /><br />We are reminded by the appalling events in Ukraine that freedom and democracy can never be taken for granted. Each generation must be ready to stand up and defend them.<br /><br />We are reminded also of the lengths that those who oppose democracy are prepared to go to stop others enjoying its benefits.<br /><br />In the people of Ukraine, we are reminded of the boundless bravery and resolve of those who love their country and who value its freedom. And importantly, we are reminded of the importance of the shared values and principles which are the bedrock of the enduring friendship between our countries.<br /><br />As we confront this crisis, I am reminded of the words of James Joyce, put into the mouth of his 20th century everyman, Leopold Bloom, in “Ulysses,” published a century ago this year by an American woman in Paris, Sylvia Beach.<br /><br />Joyce wrote, “Force, hatred, history, all that. That’s not life for men and women, insult and hatred. And everybody knows that it’s the very opposite of that that is really life.” And that is why we stand together to ensure that what Joyce described as “perpetuating national hatred among nations” shall not prevail in our time.<br /><br />This ceremony has a long history. And yet, it has perhaps never meant as much to us as it does this year. And that is because, more than any other president of our times, your family’s story captures the overlapping stories of Ireland and American.<br /><br />The shamrock presented to you today recalls the lives of the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans from County Louth. I took the opportunity to have the bowl inscribed especially for you in the Irish language, knowing how you would value that.<br /><br />Your family’s perilous journey across the Atlantic, and those of the other Irish names that adorn your family tree, reflect the experience of the millions of Irish people who left their homeland in the 19th century to seek better lives for themselves.<br /><br />The departure of so many people from our shores, many at a very young age, left a huge gap in our society and deposited oceans of pain in the hearts of those they left behind, longing for departed family members they never saw again.<br /><br />In more recent times, our diaspora has been an inestimable source of strength to us in the search and achievement of peace and political progress in Northern Ireland.<br /><br />Mr. President, I salute the immense contribution made by the Congressional Friends of Ireland, of which you were a founding member back in 1981.<br /><br />Their efforts were instrumental in securing indispensable American support for the peace process that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement — an achievement in which I know that you and many other Americans take justifiable pride.<br /><br />Your support, Mr. President, and that of our friends in Congress continues to be a vital importance as we seek to protect the Good Friday Agreement from the complications created by the British decision to leave the European Union.<br /><br />The United States will always be an influential source of support for the cause of peace and reconciliation in Ireland, something for which we are deeply appreciative.<br /><br />Mr. President, your family’s experience is not just woven into the story of Ireland its immigrants, it is also an integral part of the American story.<br /><br />Your Irish ancestors and millions of others from Ireland and around the world strove in their lives to make America the country it is today. <br /><br />Their labor, in many cases, literally built America. Theirs was no easy street. As the Irish poet Eavan Boland once wrote, “They would have thrived on our necessities. What they survived we could not even live…Their hardships parceled in them. Patience. Fortitude…And all the old songs. And nothing to lose.”<br /><br />Irish Americans rose to occupy prominent positions in every walk of American life, including today in this White House, designed by an Irish architect, James Hoban.<br /><br />Your country was transformed in the 50 years after the Civil War, at a time when immigration, including from Ireland, was at its peak.<br /><br />For them and countless others like them, America became what Seamus Heaney calls “the further shore” where “the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.”<br /><br />Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and have a great evening.<br /><br />(The video message from Prime Minister Martin concludes.)<br /><br />(Applause.)<br /><br />PRESIDENT BIDEN: Mr. Ambassador, you got to tell him how much he’s appreciated. Genuinely.<br /><br />Thank you, thank you, thank you.<br /><br />Folks, now we have — I don’t know who’s going to do the introducing, but now we’re going to have entertainment that is all Irish. And so, you’ll get me to sit down — I sit down. And they’re going to clear the stage.<br /><br />And as my — my father said — my father — our father used to have a band when he was a kid. He played the saxophone and the clarinet, and he could dance and he could sing. And he used to say, “Joey, I don’t know where the hell you came from. You have no lip” — (laughter) — “you have two left feet, and you can’t carry a tune in a wheelbarrow.” So I’m getting the hell off the stage.<br /><br />Thank you. (Applause.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-14037640000741499382023-02-28T19:39:00.012-05:002023-04-04T17:02:11.284-04:00The White House Issues a Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, March, 2023<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhes1Aro8s4Y2McD3KoQCFlYrrwPlF6_8hkh2YiwDA_3fgBPKg0OHQOefN6_ox9OrHLqpqfeOCELMBtRAnaCu7VRxujN-sJtsLestmaOUyCmxWQ5vo-AhZxAYDrMU_LirGbI0F9AqI5JqWTpy6PcJ7Kaz6z37Ju_PgVqrDs9bwDvBrmHxGZKoIiCigGQ/s1500/Joe%20Biden_Inauguration%20speech.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhes1Aro8s4Y2McD3KoQCFlYrrwPlF6_8hkh2YiwDA_3fgBPKg0OHQOefN6_ox9OrHLqpqfeOCELMBtRAnaCu7VRxujN-sJtsLestmaOUyCmxWQ5vo-AhZxAYDrMU_LirGbI0F9AqI5JqWTpy6PcJ7Kaz6z37Ju_PgVqrDs9bwDvBrmHxGZKoIiCigGQ/w640-h426/Joe%20Biden_Inauguration%20speech.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">US President Joe Biden has proclaimed March 2023 as Irish-American Heritage Month in the nation, and calls upon Americans to "celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs."</span>Read the full proclamation below or <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/02/28/a-proclamation-on-irish-american-heritage-month-2023/">read it here</a> <br /><br /><br />"During Irish-American Heritage Month, I think of my great-great grandparents — the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth. Like so many other Irish immigrants who sought a new beginning in the United States, they arrived on our shores with hearts full of hope and dreams of the future. With grit and determination, they worked hard. And as they built their lives, they helped build America — never forgetting where they came from, always remembering the courage and pride they brought with them from the old country, and passing these traits down to each new generation. <br /><br />"That pride lives on today in the hearts of Irish Americans across our Nation. It lives on in business owners, scientists, and labor leaders who hold dear the Irish belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. And it runs deep in so many first responders, public servants, and brave service members who defend our lives and liberties — the same liberties that so many Irish immigrants and Irish Americans helped preserve and protect.<br /><br />"President John F. Kennedy once said, “Our two nations, divided by distance, have been united by history.” Today, the Republic of Ireland and the United States are also bound in our hope for the future — a future that is equal, just, and prosperous for all of our people. Together, our nations have stepped up to address COVID-19 and the climate crisis. We have spoken out for human rights around the world and supported the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal war. And this year, we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that helped create a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of Northern Ireland.<br /><br />"Ireland and the United States are forever bound together by our people and our passion. Everything between us runs deep. In the years ahead, I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our countries and the friendship between our people even further.<br /><br />"NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2023 as Irish-American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.<br /><br />"IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh."Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-6141572676937433982023-02-27T23:06:00.006-05:002023-02-27T23:06:58.490-05:00 Massachusetts US Congressman Richard Neal's Statement on EU-UK Agreement on the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgRL2E3F1QaERsO9d03AkqBc09i27xAvMvfafaHjdhDF1GaMqmbJSDxjIjmisOmk7V-YC5UbMWDX9eWJ5dGwk6zCEOIku_T7IWm7GK_YsRHMpf8B57Svgi6pODNl3zyeuGA-pLGygIgoSDJX4MBYulid_-U_aqliNndo_O_o-7YOlTcHz-VGhIbe_NA/s684/Richard%20Neal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="684" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgRL2E3F1QaERsO9d03AkqBc09i27xAvMvfafaHjdhDF1GaMqmbJSDxjIjmisOmk7V-YC5UbMWDX9eWJ5dGwk6zCEOIku_T7IWm7GK_YsRHMpf8B57Svgi6pODNl3zyeuGA-pLGygIgoSDJX4MBYulid_-U_aqliNndo_O_o-7YOlTcHz-VGhIbe_NA/w640-h362/Richard%20Neal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Congressman Richard Neal </p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;">WASHINGTON, DC--Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member <a href="https://neal.house.gov/" target="_blank">Richard E. Neal </a>(D-MA) released the following statement on the agreement reached by the European Union and the United Kingdom regarding the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Windsor Framework:</p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;">“Today’s agreement is the result of constructive, continued engagement by the EU and the UK in search of joint solutions. I appreciate the steadfast commitment and compromise by both sides to find common ground to resolve the trade frictions related to the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, now is the time to protect the hard-earned gains of the Agreement, and to deepen EU-UK cooperation and partnership for generations to come.”</p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-19613747409466925772023-02-27T22:22:00.011-05:002023-02-27T22:37:09.418-05:00Statement from President Joe Biden on the Windsor Framework<p><span face="MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif" style="caret-color: rgb(10, 36, 88); color: #0a2458; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBakh7Hk8_7_ZKnoYsd9RI5djzhv2pjTLba14JL4ARj5PUzW70NWlIxw3ke8ykir0fBsc7fbZA4LWJkQaN4RU9x9KN5wEMPowLhRXiM0fXZKBteFFr7lSZAKL237sIMmo5Q4OZV_PF3DRZ8JeToX8vHMXVVtzb08DjWWg3LQzOOswEqVW-TuPvVx7aw/s1200/white%20house%20blue%20template.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBakh7Hk8_7_ZKnoYsd9RI5djzhv2pjTLba14JL4ARj5PUzW70NWlIxw3ke8ykir0fBsc7fbZA4LWJkQaN4RU9x9KN5wEMPowLhRXiM0fXZKBteFFr7lSZAKL237sIMmo5Q4OZV_PF3DRZ8JeToX8vHMXVVtzb08DjWWg3LQzOOswEqVW-TuPvVx7aw/w640-h336/white%20house%20blue%20template.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div>"Today’s announcement between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the Windsor Framework is an essential step to ensuring that the hard-earned peace and progress of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is preserved and strengthened. I appreciate the efforts of the leaders and officials on all sides who worked tirelessly to find a way forward that protects Northern Ireland’s place within the UK’s internal market as well as the EU’s single market, to the benefit of all communities in Northern Ireland. <div><br /></div><div>"I am confident the people and businesses of Northern Ireland will be able to take full advantage of the economic opportunities created by this stability and certainty, and the United States stands ready to support the region’s vast economic potential. <a href="https://irishamericansforobamabiden.blogspot.com/2022/12/joe-kennedy-iii-is-selected-as-new-us.html" target="_blank">Joe Kennedy</a>, our new Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, will drive this effort in close cooperation with Ambassador Jane Hartley in London and Ambassador <a href="https://www.irishamerica.com/2022/02/claire-cronin-us-ambassador/" target="_blank">Claire Cronin</a> in Dublin, as well as with business leaders in Northern Ireland. </div><div><br /></div><div> "Northern Ireland can accomplish the extraordinary when its leaders work together in common cause. And I hope – as we all do – that Northern Ireland’s political institutions are soon back up and running. Those institutions embody the principle of devolved, power-sharing, representative government at the core of the Good Friday Agreement. </div><div><br /></div><div> "As Northern Ireland prepares to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Agreement in April, let us remember that ending decades of conflict was not easy or inevitable. It required hard work and determination, and an unfailing faith that a better future was possible. Today, an entire generation of young people has grown up knowing only possibility and growing prosperity—the hard-earned dividend of peace. I am deeply proud of the role the United States has played for decades to help achieve, preserve, and strengthen that peace enshrined in the Agreement. And I look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners in Northern Ireland, the Governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the European Union, to further that peace and prosperity. "</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">###</div><div><p>
</p></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-30133947618727731652023-01-15T09:43:00.027-05:002023-01-15T09:52:51.786-05:00MA Congressman Bill Keating + House Colleagues Call for Full Implementation of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHes5QDuOtzRn2rfc6-Er1hADep1K6aza0tgNAtQyDo7fBy6cXSK32H3B4btlgHFzPMpyOW4RTZDjlG3Pa_6G2o-4DGwSMPZF6QZCI4WmOUryb8uwflvmTyiCbXi7E5lCGKFcwAfWzVV1nyM37TLQzHbWALGdTQyI9xfKAB_GcHJoclCQSJnsYSD8yw/s2048/Bill%20Keating.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHes5QDuOtzRn2rfc6-Er1hADep1K6aza0tgNAtQyDo7fBy6cXSK32H3B4btlgHFzPMpyOW4RTZDjlG3Pa_6G2o-4DGwSMPZF6QZCI4WmOUryb8uwflvmTyiCbXi7E5lCGKFcwAfWzVV1nyM37TLQzHbWALGdTQyI9xfKAB_GcHJoclCQSJnsYSD8yw/w640-h426/Bill%20Keating.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://keating.house.gov/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Congressman Bill Keating </span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;">On Thursday, January 12, 2023, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://keating.house.gov/about/full-biography" target="_blank">Massachusetts Congressman Bill Keating</a> introduced House Resolution 33, c</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -2em;">alling for the full implementation of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and expressing hope for the continued success of the Northern Ireland peace process on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -2em;">Congressman Keating was joined fellow congressmen Mike Fitzpatrick, Brendan Boyle and Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Derek Kilmer of Washington and David Rouzer of North Carolina. Here is the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/33/text" target="_blank">text</a> of the resolution.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-indent: -2em;"><br /></span></p><hr style="background-color: #333333; border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: grey; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; height: 1px; margin: 1em auto; overflow: visible; width: 420px;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span class="lbexChamber" style="font-size: 15pt;">IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">January 12, 2023</span></div><div class="lbexHang" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-indent: -2em;"><p class="lbexHangSmalllWithMargin" style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem 2em; text-indent: -2em;">Mr. <span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Keating</span> (for himself, Mr. <span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Fitzpatrick</span>, Mr. <span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Boyle </span>of Pennsylvania, Mr. <span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Kelly </span>of Pennsylvania, Mr. <span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Wilson </span>of South Carolina, and Mr. <span class="lbexSimplecap" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Kilmer</span>) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs</p></div><hr style="background-color: #333333; border: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; color: grey; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; height: 1px; margin: 1em auto; overflow: visible; width: 420px;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bolder;"><span class="lbexLegisType"><span style="font-size: large;">RESOLUTION</span></span></span></div><p class="lbexHangWithMargin" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem 2em; text-indent: -2em;"><br /></p><p class="lbexHangWithMargin" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem 2em; text-indent: -2em;">Calling for the full implementation of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and expressing hope for the continued success of the Northern Ireland peace process on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.</p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas, on April 10, 1998, cross-community representatives in Northern Ireland as well as representatives from the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom signed the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (herein referred to as “the Agreement”) ending the period of violence known as the “Troubles” and establishing a framework for peace in Northern Ireland;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the talks surrounding the Agreement were chaired by the Honorable George J. Mitchell and supported by the United States Government and Congress;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas all communities in Northern Ireland were represented at the talks that led to the Agreement and the United States has played a vital role as a good-faith actor in talks surrounding implementation of the Agreement;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the Agreement was a negotiated settlement between the communities in Northern Ireland as well as the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the Agreement provided for the foundation of the establishment of power-sharing devolved institutions to reflect the will of the people of Northern Ireland regardless of community, tradition, or background and consistent with democratic principles;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the Agreement affirms, protects, and safeguards the inherent human and civil rights of the people of Northern Ireland in abidance with the European Convention on Human Rights and establishes new institutions in Northern Ireland, including an Equality Commission and Human Rights Commission, to ensure equal protection under the law for the people of Northern Ireland;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the “3 Strand” approach which laid the framework for the directly elected Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive as well as North-South and East-West institutions, continues to bring together stakeholders to consult, cooperate, and act on matters of mutual interest;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the Agreement acknowledges the suffering of victims of violence committed during the “Troubles”, including the impact on young people;</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the Agreement contains measures for economic and social progress, addresses cultural issues, and sets out a way forward on decommissioning of paramilitary weapons, the normalization of security, and policing and justice issues that are essential for a sustained peace in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland; and</p></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem;"><p class="lbexHang" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: -2em;">Whereas the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Agreement represents an important moment of reflection on the progress made in ensuring peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and should stand as a catalyst for continued efforts to implement the Agreement: Now, therefore, be it</p></ul><p class="lbexIndent" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; text-indent: 2em;"><em>Resolved, </em><a id="H01D91A011B934420B346C97A98A1A8E3" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a>That the House of Representatives—<a id="HAD74396C5B914DE181D5E3B8E29FE686" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a></p><p class="lbexIndentParagraph" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem 2em; text-indent: 2em;">(1) reaffirms strong and unwavering support for the Agreement on the 25th anniversary of its signing;</p><a id="HF9E61EB6321B456FB66B419C985279B1" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph HF9E61EB6321B456FB66B419C985279B1-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(2) calls for the full implementation of the Agreement in the spirit of peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland;</p></div><a id="H989E5BFB32724367B0047F08520919AD" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph H989E5BFB32724367B0047F08520919AD-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(3) commends the work of all peoples, communities, and traditions in Northern Ireland as well as the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for their work over the past quarter century in furthering peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland in accordance with the principles and values outlined in the Agreement;</p></div><a id="H7B1EADAB79354825986EB3CD5474CDFA" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph H7B1EADAB79354825986EB3CD5474CDFA-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(4) supports the work of the North-South and East-West bodies established by the Agreement;</p></div><a id="HA93268B96B95430EA49677E4B6D87639" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph HA93268B96B95430EA49677E4B6D87639-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(5) supports all measures which seek to break down remaining cultural, religious, and societal barriers in Northern Ireland;</p></div><a id="H6B3C116E92374B5092662D19FEA41FF9" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph H6B3C116E92374B5092662D19FEA41FF9-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(6) expresses solidarity with the victims of violence during the “Troubles” as well as their families and calls for continued measures to ensure accountability, justice, and reconciliation;</p></div><a id="H933E7D00984C489DAF624EAF8FD0E31E" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph H933E7D00984C489DAF624EAF8FD0E31E-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(7) supports further cross-community cooperation including the establishment of more integrated schooling and housing across Northern Ireland as well as the establishment of civic forums to engage with civil society in Northern Ireland; and</p><a class="deep-link-button" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/33/text#" id="dlcl" style="background: rgb(28, 74, 112); border: 3px solid rgb(28, 74, 112); color: white; display: inline; font-family: arial; font-size: 0.7rem; font-weight: bold; position: absolute; right: -44px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; top: 21.3203px; transform: translate(0px, -50%); width: 35px; z-index: 2;"><span class="fas fa-link" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline; font-family: "Font Awesome 5 Free"; font-size: 1.15rem; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1; text-rendering: auto;"></span></a></div><a id="H9D49DD7ADFDF4044BD332EE02838D7D6" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;"></a><div class="deep-link" style="align-items: center; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;" tabindex="0"><p class="lbexIndentParagraph H9D49DD7ADFDF4044BD332EE02838D7D6-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;">(8) supports the continued role of the United States as a good-faith and positive actor in the Northern Ireland peace process.</p><p class="lbexIndentParagraph H9D49DD7ADFDF4044BD332EE02838D7D6-content" style="margin: 0px 30px 1.25rem 2em; position: relative; text-indent: 2em; z-index: 10;"><span style="text-indent: 2em;"> </span></p></div>
Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-47147662765478560832022-12-19T18:15:00.011-05:002023-02-27T22:37:51.597-05:00Joe Kennedy III is Selected as the new U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzCeH6ZBGHLWWZ85IgUBhZIxVxtL-VKn5dZYrbwOw_zIFTyQfheqGCglDXopIkCqCb6mcrpzoAumP0C6f7ZlKDg_CbmcnvYfBUMkeUU9UOflhezz5xDbnG_MMrp1B6TA8sHNlTTBQK7VSzjynqbXTjtXuZbt0gQyOrxwTC5-16dIgVLINnxIrUBMaOg/s1280/Joe%20Kennedy%20III_Flag%20Portrait.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzCeH6ZBGHLWWZ85IgUBhZIxVxtL-VKn5dZYrbwOw_zIFTyQfheqGCglDXopIkCqCb6mcrpzoAumP0C6f7ZlKDg_CbmcnvYfBUMkeUU9UOflhezz5xDbnG_MMrp1B6TA8sHNlTTBQK7VSzjynqbXTjtXuZbt0gQyOrxwTC5-16dIgVLINnxIrUBMaOg/w512-h640/Joe%20Kennedy%20III_Flag%20Portrait.jpeg" width="512" /></a></div><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><p>(December 19, 2022) - Today, the Biden Administration named Joe Kennedy III of Massachusetts as the new U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. </p></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The son of Joseph Kennedy II and Sheila Rauch, he was born in 1980 in Boston and attended Harvard Law School. He served as U.S. Congressman for Massachusetts' 4th congressional district from 2013 to 2021. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The appointment ended months of speculation and calls from the Irish-American community, including the <a href="http://irishamericansforobamabiden.blogspot.com/2021/02/irish-american-petition-to-appoint.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Ancient Order of Hibernians</a> and others, to fill the important position. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://www.state.gov/biographies/antony-j-blinken/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken</a> said in a <a href="https://www.state.gov/announcement-of-joe-kennedy-iii-as-u-s-special-envoy-to-northern-ireland-for-economic-affairs/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">statement</a>:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> "Today we are announcing the appointment of Joe Kennedy III as the U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. In this capacity, he will focus on advancing economic development and investment opportunities in Northern Ireland to the benefit of all communities as well as strengthening people-to-people ties between the United States and Northern Ireland. His role builds on the long-standing U.S. commitment to supporting peace, prosperity, and stability in Northern Ireland and the peace dividends of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">"Joe has dedicated his career to public service, including eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives, tenure as Massachusetts Assistant District Attorney, and service as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He will draw from his extensive experience to support economic growth in Northern Ireland and to deepen U.S. engagement with all communities.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">"In parallel, U.S. diplomats in Europe and Washington will continue to engage with political leaders on efforts to restore the Northern Ireland Executive and to resolve differences on the Northern Ireland Protocol.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">"I look forward to Joe’s engagement and service with the people and leaders of Northern Ireland."<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Kennedy issued this statement: <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">“I’m incredibly honored to be appointed as Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. As we enter the 25th anniversary year of the historic Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, I look forward to working closely with the State Department and entire Biden Administration to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Northern Ireland and to promote economic prosperity and opportunity for all its people."<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://ie.usembassy.gov/ambassador-claire-d-cronin/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin</a> released this statement:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">"I welcome the appointment of my good friend, Joe Kennedy III, as U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. Joe and I worked closely together in our shared district, when I served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and he was serving as a Member of Congress.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">"Joe is an extraordinary public servant, and I know he will work tirelessly in this role increasing investment and economic growth in Northern Ireland, as well as strengthening people-to-people ties between all communities in Northern Ireland and the United States.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">"This appointment demonstrates President Biden's continued, steadfast support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, which he views as an historic achievement that must be protected to ensure peace and stability in Northern Ireland. I look forward to working with Joe to promote the economic opportunities made possible by the agreement."<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The appointment fulfills a<a href="http://irishamericansforobamabiden.blogspot.com/2020/10/joe-biden-issues-statement-on-irish.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> promise to Irish-Americans Biden made</a> during the presidential campaign in 2020, wherein he promised to "support active U.S. diplomatic engagement to advance the Northern Ireland peace process."</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Kennedy's new role as envoy is part of a tradition dating back to 1992, when calls for a Special Envoy to Northern Ireland were first raised by Irish-American leaders during the presidential campaign between Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed former Maine Senator George Mitchell as the first US Economic to Northern Ireland. Although specifically defined as an economic development position, Mitchell also played a pivotal role in the peace negations, which resulted in the seminal Good Friday Agreement of April 1998 that effectively ended most of the violence in Northern Ireland.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Since Mitchell, there have been a string of U.S. envoys to Northern Ireland, including Richard Haass, Mitchell Reiss, Paula J. Dobriansky, Declan Kelly, former Senator Gary Hart and Mick Mulvaney. Read <a href="http://irishamericansforobamabiden.blogspot.com/search?q=envoy" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">archival stories on other Northern Ireland envoys</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Kennedy's second cousin, <a href="https://irishmassachusetts.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-white-house-nominates-caroline.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Caroline Kennedy</a>, is currently U.S. Ambassador to Australia. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The Kennedy Family's engagement with Northern Ireland goes back 80 years, starting with President John F. Kennedy, <span face="Hind, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">who had the opportunity to meet Ireland's Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Eamon de Valera, forging a friendship that lasted through Kennedy’s life. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Hind, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Hind, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Kennedy, an aspiring writer at the time, had interviewed de Valera during that trip and submitted a thoughtful piece titled “De Valera Aims to Unite Ireland” to the New York Journal American in July 1945. He wrote, “De Valera is fighting the same relentless battle fought in the field during the Uprising of 1916, in the War of Independence and later in the [Irish] Civil War. He feels everything Ireland has gained has been given grudgingly and at the end of a long and bitter struggle. Always, it has been too little too late.”</span><span face="Hind, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span face="Hind, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><span face="Hind, sans-serif">President Kennedy's brother, </span><a href="https://irishmassachusetts.blogspot.com/2009/08/edward-m-kennedy-1932-2009.html" style="background: transparent; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Senator Edward M. Kennedy</a><span face="Hind, sans-serif">, became involved in the Northern Ireland Troubles in the 1970s, and helped set in motion peace negotiations with his sister, US Ambassador to Ireland </span><a href="https://www.irishboston.org/profile_Jean_Kennedy_Smith.php" rel="nofollow" style="background: transparent; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;">Jean Kennedy Smith</a><span face="Hind, sans-serif">, that resulted in the historic Good Friday Agreement in April 1998. And <a href="https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/04/05/Joe-Kennedy-in-shouting-match-with-British-soldier-in-Ulster/8150576216000/" style="background: transparent; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Congressman Joe Kennedy II</a>, father of the new envoy, was active during the 1980s and made a heralded fact-finding trip to Northern Ireland in April 1988. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Read stories <a href="https://www.irishboston.org/profiles_main.php#kennedys" style="background: transparent; color: #0d86b3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">about the Kennedy Family</a> here. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br style="background-color: #f6fdff; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;" /></p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-64289473160149346172022-09-28T12:56:00.016-04:002022-09-28T13:04:17.802-04:00Statement by the Committee of Irish for Biden Regarding the 2022 Midterm Elections <p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjOeb1IGVidiahm8O5-vndmon9PE6_mfnBOzKagKuZEhDa63fzOf86E26l1gjMNtPoYF7UmeEmn-vPSFY2UgPJ-lGv7ODxZH-od7VBraCP4qZa2O_qgSOW10FwpqG3i9P99Yidb1uhOpu1CSEwEftOU3m4Ba_-LskerKTLr2bYfWy5Q5oTLOVCkXwWg/s1199/Irish%20Americans%20for%20Biden%20logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1199" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjOeb1IGVidiahm8O5-vndmon9PE6_mfnBOzKagKuZEhDa63fzOf86E26l1gjMNtPoYF7UmeEmn-vPSFY2UgPJ-lGv7ODxZH-od7VBraCP4qZa2O_qgSOW10FwpqG3i9P99Yidb1uhOpu1CSEwEftOU3m4Ba_-LskerKTLr2bYfWy5Q5oTLOVCkXwWg/w640-h336/Irish%20Americans%20for%20Biden%20logo.png" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue;">President Biden's Achievements Inspire Irish Americans
to vote Democrat in November</span></b></p>
<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="section" style="background-color: white;">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">As millions of Irish Americans prepare to vote in this year's midterm elections, we are
grateful that President Joe Biden, the most Irish American President since JFK, has worked
so hard for Irish Americans. For example:
</span></p>
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The president and his Administration are resolutely </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">supporting peace in Ireland
and defending the Good Friday Agreement.
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">Crucially, the friends of Ireland in Congress have fully backed the President in
playing a positive role to protect peace and justice in Ireland, including Speaker
Nancy Pelosi, Chairman Richie Neal, Rep. Brendan Boyle, Senator Bob
Menedez, Senator Chris Murphy, and hundreds of other U.S. lawmakers.
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The President is working tirelessly to </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">repair, restore, and heal America.
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">He is uniting this great country in </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">defense of freedom and democracy </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">in Ukraine.
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">Above all, President Biden is </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">fighting for basic American values and freedoms </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">in
the face of attacks at home. These include:
</span></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The freedom to have your vote counted
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The freedom to join a labor union
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The freedom to enjoy Social Security and Medicare as we age
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The freedom to worship where we wish
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The freedom to walk our streets in safety
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The freedom for women to control their own bodies</span></p></li></ul></li></ol></div></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="section" style="background-color: white;">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">With all these freedoms under unprecedented attack, the President will need the
support of a Democratic House and Senate to continue to make America safe,
prosperous and free.
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">"Scranton Joe" understands the daily struggle of getting a good job and educating
your children and his economic plan is making life a little bit easier for all of us, with </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">10
million jobs created </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">since he took o</span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">ffi</span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">ce less than two years ago.
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">Most importantly, Democrats in Congress have helped the President to pass some of
the most significant and historic legislation since FDR including:
</span></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The passage of the </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">Inflation Reduction Act, </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">which accelerates the needed
transition to non-carbon producing renewable energy, and lowers prescription drug
prices;
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">Chips and Science Act </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">launches a major investment in domestic production of
semiconductors and in science research;
</span></p>
</li>
<li style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
<p><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">The </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">PACT Act </span><span style="font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12pt;">expands health care for veterans exposed to burn pits;
</span></p>
</li>
</ul><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And the passage of what NPR called the “first major gun safety law passed in
</span></p><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">nearly 30 years.”
</span></p><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">These accomplishments come on top of the passage of a $1 trillion </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">which is repairing bridges, airports and roads from Pittsburgh to
Columbus, Chicago to Detroit. In addition, the $1.9 trillion </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">American Rescue Plan
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">significantly helped America recover from the Covid pandemic.</span></p><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The President has also issued an executive order forgiving up to $20,000 in student
loans for 45 million Americans su</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ff</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ering the burden of debt taken on to better
themselves through education.</span></p><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700;">To continue making progress and to protect these gains, we need to have Joe's
back in November by voting for Democratic candidates who will build on this
progress at home and protect peace in the old country.</span></p><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As we say in Ireland, Ni neart go cur le cheile, there is no strength without unity! </span></p><p style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank you.</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue;">Signed on behalf of the Irish for Biden Committee:</span>
</span></div>
</div>
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: medium;">Brian O'Dwyer . Kevin O'Malley . Kieran McLoughlin </span></p>
</div>
<div class="column">
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: medium;">Stella O’Leary . Niall O’Dowd . John Fitzpatrick . </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: large;">Ted Smyth</span></p></div></div>
</div>
</div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-10564797874737752442022-05-23T18:51:00.001-04:002022-05-23T18:51:34.787-04:00Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal + Congressional Delegation Conclude Visit to United Kingdom<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3xG7S4VnkFUbxc1k403GG_MXLUFk7Y_erwY2GDmaaVtgOtcDuEbP7X0rve6fN1hX9dTIPs34VedE3wK96iKhPNzu8O-tpgjf2Z7moq5b8y9QnTFm2fEvEBAVVKGBjv9NKnrdXmKHTC73Cut1oPmd761bNdOV1r1Zllxhq5pfYG36ncJoRXeHEpmT_w/s2048/Richard%20Neal_Leinster%20House.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1642" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3xG7S4VnkFUbxc1k403GG_MXLUFk7Y_erwY2GDmaaVtgOtcDuEbP7X0rve6fN1hX9dTIPs34VedE3wK96iKhPNzu8O-tpgjf2Z7moq5b8y9QnTFm2fEvEBAVVKGBjv9NKnrdXmKHTC73Cut1oPmd761bNdOV1r1Zllxhq5pfYG36ncJoRXeHEpmT_w/w514-h640/Richard%20Neal_Leinster%20House.jpeg" width="514" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Congressman Neal + Delegation in front of the Leinster House in Dublin, with Sinn Fein's Marylou McDonald and US Ambassador Claire Cronin</i></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;">(May 23, 2022) - House Ways and Means Committee Chairman <a href="https://neal.house.gov/" target="_blank">Richard E. Neal </a>(D-MA) released the following <a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-congressional-delegation-conclude-visit-united-kingdom" target="_blank">statement</a> after the Congressional delegation concluded its time in the United Kingdom:</span></span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Our Congressional delegation came to the United Kingdom to reaffirm our bond with one of our oldest allies. Since Russia invaded Ukraine without provocation, we have been in lockstep with the UK in our support for the Ukrainian people. We met with Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer, as well as other members of Parliament, to discuss how we will continue to use any tool at our disposal to stop this war. We underscored our commitment to the Good Friday Agreement in bilateral meetings with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Trade Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan.</span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“We conveyed to our UK allies that negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol must continue in good faith and with urgency.</span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“As we travel to Ireland, we are guided by the economic and strategic cooperation between our two countries that is strengthened by cultural ties and mutual affinity. We look forward to meeting with the President and the Taoiseach, the Foreign Minister, political leaders, and other stakeholders to further this partnership and to demonstrate our unwavering bipartisan commitment to preserving the Good Friday Agreement.” </span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYRa9GYKFFVBynlrhJ7zwE1HitP_JC88hIaVZzvmirQZiFq7-KvExvsHuJZyts__1J1EqJi-_asDFp6fC9QITJ32Hs8hGEoVjDhY1mH7Bp7MyKMbfA0VL1QuG4spaCM9n2lxEfMjD0boIiOZIDBIx0-X2QijcKcH5kk3QIWNqxeq-dV-zFBrJhaqRgQ/s1200/Neal%20Statement%20on%20Visit%20to%20Ireland_may%202022.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYRa9GYKFFVBynlrhJ7zwE1HitP_JC88hIaVZzvmirQZiFq7-KvExvsHuJZyts__1J1EqJi-_asDFp6fC9QITJ32Hs8hGEoVjDhY1mH7Bp7MyKMbfA0VL1QuG4spaCM9n2lxEfMjD0boIiOZIDBIx0-X2QijcKcH5kk3QIWNqxeq-dV-zFBrJhaqRgQ/w640-h360/Neal%20Statement%20on%20Visit%20to%20Ireland_may%202022.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The delegation met with Ireland's Taoiseach Micheal Martin, US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin, Sinn Fein's Marylou McDonald and various other officials. </span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition, Congressman Neal also returned to the Blasket Islands off the coast of County Kerry, where his maternal ancestors came from originally. His family emigrated to Springfield in western Massachusetts, a place where many Blasket Islanders and Kerry folks made a new life in the United States. Neal's paternal grandmother came from County Down. </span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #231f20; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 18.875px; margin-right: 56.6328px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div><br /></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-85137436010567694902022-02-28T06:31:00.001-05:002023-02-28T06:37:15.977-05:00The White House Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, March 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFe53xUBDAbx87zc7xnlitAC_3nUx_riW6a-0TEFdbDb6MUbatzR4IS3Xco1YLJ9XAsddIn0swlYTi6HpjYkzMeB_Z2rWfR4ILVOng553gmFyCsD57UARiFXcg3Y-PfqwIZf8lX0PqPHjr0f003mZ7omtXW6nQ6MdnKKwAtSIgWsdPqROhfLTgs-kUlA/s2048/White%20House_green%20fountain_2022.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFe53xUBDAbx87zc7xnlitAC_3nUx_riW6a-0TEFdbDb6MUbatzR4IS3Xco1YLJ9XAsddIn0swlYTi6HpjYkzMeB_Z2rWfR4ILVOng553gmFyCsD57UARiFXcg3Y-PfqwIZf8lX0PqPHjr0f003mZ7omtXW6nQ6MdnKKwAtSIgWsdPqROhfLTgs-kUlA/w640-h426/White%20House_green%20fountain_2022.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face="MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0a2458; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face="MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0a2458; font-size: 16px;">For centuries, Irish Americans have played a crucial role in helping define the soul of our Nation, and today, nearly 1 in 10 Americans proudly trace their roots back to the Emerald Isle. With hope and faith in their hearts, the first immigrants from Ireland crossed the Atlantic in search of liberty and opportunity. It was the dream of a better life that brought my ancestors — the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth — and countless other Irish immigrants. </span></p>Like so many Irish American families, my grandparents carried the spirit and memory of Ireland in their hearts — a pride and passion they instilled in their home in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Through the journeys of their own mothers and fathers and in the lessons they passed on to my mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, they joined Irish Americans in every corner of America in helping to write the next chapter of the American story. <div><br /></div><div> Like so many Irish American families, my grandparents carried the spirit and memory of Ireland in their hearts — a pride and passion they instilled in their home in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Through the journeys of their own mothers and fathers and in the lessons they passed on to my mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, they joined Irish Americans in every corner of America in helping to write the next chapter of the American story.
The story of Irish Americans has always been one of strength and perseverance through adversity. Many Irish immigrants arrived on America’s shores to escape the Great Famine, only to face discrimination, prejudice, and poverty. Despite these hard times, they embraced their new homes in every corner of America — from the Atlantic to the Pacific, across the Midwest and through the Rocky Mountains — and helped build and fortify our Nation into what it is today. </div><div><br /></div><div> Irish Americans expanded the American middle class, building ladders of opportunity that future generations could climb. They became teachers, firefighters, police officers, labor leaders, farmers, business owners, and more. Along the way, Irish Americans contributed enormously to the American labor movement — championing safe working conditions, advocating for children’s rights, and fighting racism, prejudice, and income inequality. They bravely answered the call to serve, defending our Union and its values in every battle. They continue to work on behalf of the American people as public servants — serving in the Congress, the Supreme Court, Federal agencies, the White House, and in State and local offices across the country. Irish Americans have enriched our culture and nourished our hearts and souls through the arts and humanities, earning recognition as Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning poets and authors, award-winning musicians, storytellers, and dancers, and critically acclaimed actors. They have blessed our Nation with their indomitable spirit, faith, and love for family that has been passed down through the generations. This sense of community, hospitality, resilience, and passion are integral pieces of America’s cultural tapestry. </div><div><br /></div><div>The United States and Ireland are deeply and forever intertwined: linked in memory and imagination — in joy, sorrow, and resilience — by our common love and common dreams. We share, in every heart, an unrelenting optimism — a flicker of hope that guides us through even the darkest of nights. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month, let us honor the journey and contributions of Irish Americans who helped shape this land of opportunity and define what it means to be American. Let us reaffirm the legacy of friendship and strong family ties between the United States of America and Ireland — united by our common purpose, by our histories, and by our futures. </div><div><br /></div><div>NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2022 as Irish-American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.</div><div><br /></div><div>IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth. </div><div><br /></div><div> JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
<p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0a2458; font-family: MercurySSm-Book-Pro_Web, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28.16px; margin: 0px auto 25px; max-width: calc(50% - 20px); padding: 0px; width: 595px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></p><br /></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-26153094906296463712021-03-18T17:23:00.060-04:002021-03-18T17:32:43.844-04:00 U.S. Senate Resolution 117 Expresses Support of the Good Friday Agreement, and Peace on the Island of Ireland <pre style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7mAN6gznQ0/YFPEuHZQbyI/AAAAAAAABEg/gzs8ZWee9YwhU5lHLaGvPVcOcg_4u9d7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/U.S.%2BSenate%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7mAN6gznQ0/YFPEuHZQbyI/AAAAAAAABEg/gzs8ZWee9YwhU5lHLaGvPVcOcg_4u9d7ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h400/U.S.%2BSenate%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i></span></pre><pre style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Courtesy of Congressional Record Online, <a href="https://www.gpo.gov/">Government Publishing Office</a> </i> </span></pre><pre><pre><br /></pre><pre><pre style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>SENATE RESOLUTION 117--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION </span>OF THE </span></b></pre><pre style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT, OR THE BELFAST AGREEMENT, AND SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENTS</span></b></pre><pre style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION TO SUPPORT PEACE ON THE </span>ISLAND OF IRELAND.</span></b></pre><pre><br /></pre>Introduced by Senator Robert Menendez, (and co-sponsored by Ms. Collins, Mr. Murphy,
Mr. Leahy, Mr. Markey, Mr. Coons, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Casey,
Mr. Booker, Mr. Kaine, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Reed)submitted the following<br />resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations on March 16, 2021:</pre><pre><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><pre style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> S. Res. 117</b></span></pre></pre></pre><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b>, on April 10, 1998, the Government of Ireland and </span><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the Government of the United Kingdom signed the Good Friday </span><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Agreement, also known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> the goals of the Good Friday Agreement were to </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> bring a new era of devolved government and democracy to </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Northern Ireland, end violence, and ensure peace for the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> people of the island of Ireland;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> the successful negotiation of the Good Friday </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Agreement stands as a historic and groundbreaking success </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that has proven critical to the decades of relative peace </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that have followed;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> the return to power sharing in 2020 after the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> collapse of power-sharing institutions in 2017 creates new </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> opportunities for strengthening peace and reconciliation in </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Northern Ireland;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> the agreement between the United Kingdom and the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> European Union on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the European Union, and the protocol to that agreement on </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Northern Ireland preserving an open border on the island of </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ireland (in this preamble referred to as the ``Northern </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ireland Protocol''), are intended to protect the peace forged </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> under the Good Friday Agreement;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b>, despite the historic progress of the Good Friday </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Agreement and subsequent agreements, including the Stormont </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, important issues </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> remain unresolved in Northern Ireland, including the passage </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of a Bill of Rights, securing justice for all victims of </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> violence, including state-sponsored violence, and reducing </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> sectarian divisions and promoting reconciliation;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> section 6 of the Good Friday Agreement (``Rights, </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity'') recognizes ``the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> relation to linguistic diversity'' as part of ``the cultural </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> wealth of the island of Ireland'' and declares the Government </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of the United Kingdom will seek ways to encourage the use of </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and education in the Irish language and provide opportunities </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for Irish language arts;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> the reintroduction of barriers, checkpoints, or </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> personnel on the island of Ireland, also known as a ``hard </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> border'', including through the invocation of Article 16 of </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the Northern Ireland Protocol, would threaten the successes </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of the Good Friday Agreement;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> the United States Congress played a prominent role </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in support of negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement and </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> has taken a leading role in promoting peace on the island of </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ireland more broadly; and</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Whereas</b> Congress greatly values the close relationships the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> United States shares with both the United Kingdom and Ireland </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and stands steadfastly committed to supporting the peaceful </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> resolution of any and all political challenges in Northern </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ireland: Now, therefore, be it</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Resolved</b>, That the Senate--</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (1) urges the United Kingdom and the European Union to </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> support peace on the island of Ireland and the principles, </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> objectives, and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement, </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> also known as the ``Belfast Agreement'';</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (2) expresses support for the full implementation of the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements, including </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the Stormont House Agreement agreed to in December 2014, as </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> well as the protocol on Northern Ireland to the agreement on </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (in this resolution referred to as the ``Northern Ireland </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Protocol'');</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (3) congratulates all parties in Northern Ireland for the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> return in January 2020 to a power-sharing agreement;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (4) urges all parties in Northern Ireland to work </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> collectively to ensure the implementation of all commitments </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements so </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement can </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> operate successfully and sustainably and that ongoing </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> political challenges can be overcome;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (5) calls for continuing attention and action to resolve </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the injustices of past violence, including state-sponsored </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> violence;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (6) supports the passage of a Bill of Rights for Northern </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ireland and the right of all the people on the island of </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Ireland to self-determine their future as provided for in the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Good Friday Agreement;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (7) encourages renewed attention to educational and </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> cultural efforts that will ensure the rich language, </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> literature, and arts of </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">[[Page S1574]]</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Northern Ireland endure and are not diminished;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (8) expresses support for the Northern Ireland Protocol and </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> its full implementation, which ensures through international </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> agreement that no ``hard border'' will be reintroduced on the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> island of Ireland; and</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (9) will insist that any new or amended trade agreements </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and other bilateral agreements between the Government of the </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> United States and the Government of the United Kingdom take </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> into account, as relevant, conditions requiring that </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">obligations </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> under the Good Friday Agreement be met.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><pre><pre></pre></pre><pre><pre></pre></pre></blockquote><pre><div style="text-align: center;">###</div></pre></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-11482373972501545622021-03-01T14:46:00.001-05:002021-03-04T14:49:22.971-05:00The White House Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, March 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CMtpDChnP-M/YEE5hByuZbI/AAAAAAAABDc/LEFcGBnDKH0lQ7ZldadALuPzV4Heqj0_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/The%2BWhite%2BHouse_IA_proclamation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CMtpDChnP-M/YEE5hByuZbI/AAAAAAAABDc/LEFcGBnDKH0lQ7ZldadALuPzV4Heqj0_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/The%2BWhite%2BHouse_IA_proclamation.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:=""><time class="posted-on entry-date published updated" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0064bc; font-family: Decimal-Medium_Web, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.52px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px 6px; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">MARCH 01, 2021</time><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span class="separator" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0064bc; font-family: Decimal-Medium_Web, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.52px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px 6px 0px 0px; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">•</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span class="tax-links cat-links" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0064bc; font-family: Decimal-Medium_Web, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.52px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px 6px; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/" rel="category tag" style="background: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; border-left-color: transparent; border-right-color: transparent; border-top-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0064bc; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS</a></span></p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">Since before the founding of our Nation, Irish immigrants have arrived on our shores with an unyielding spirit of determination that has helped define America’s soul and shape our success across generations. Driven by the same dreams that still beckon people the world over to America today, so many crossed the Atlantic with nothing but the hope in their hearts and their faith in the possibility of a better life.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">That’s what brought the Blewitts from County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth to the United States. For years, they brought Ireland into their homes in America. Working hard. Raising families. Remembering always where they came from. By 1909, my grandparents Ambrose Finnegan and Geraldine Blewitt met and married in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and passed on to my mother, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, a pride and a passion that runs through the bloodstream of all Irish-Americans.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">The story of the Irish the world over is one of people who have weathered their fair share of hard times, but have always come out strong on the other side. From often humble beginnings, Irish Americans became the farmers, servants, miners, factory workers, and laborers who fed our Nation, kept our homes, and built our industry and infrastructure. They became the soldiers who won American independence, died to preserve our Union, and fought in every battle since to defend America and its values. </p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">Irish Americans became the firefighters and police officers who have protected us. They are the activists who organized unions to give voice and strength to America’s workers. They are the educators who taught generations of American students and the public servants who have answered the call to service in the halls of the Congress, the Supreme Court, and the White House.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">We owe a debt of gratitude to the Irish-American inventors and entrepreneurs who helped define America as the land of opportunity. Irish-American writers pollinated America’s literary landscape with their love of language and storytelling, while Irish lyricism has brought poetry, art, music, and dance to nourish our hearts and souls.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">As I said when I visited Dublin in 2016, our nations have always shared a deep spark — linked in memory and imagination, joined by our histories and our futures. Everything between us runs deep: literature, poetry, sadness, joy, and, most of all, resilience. Through every trial and tempest, we never stop dreaming.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">The fabric of modern America is woven through with the green of the Emerald Isle. This month, we celebrate the sacrifices and contributions that generations of Irish Americans have made to build a better America, and we renew the bonds of friendship that will forever tie Ireland and the United States.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2021 as Irish-American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" width:="">IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.</p><p -="" 0px="" 16px="" 20px="" 25px="" 28.16px="" 595px="" a2458="" auto="" border-box="" box-sizing:="" calc="" class="has-text-align-right" clear="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" margin:="" max-width:="" mercuryssm-book-pro_web="" padding:="" right="" serif="" style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" text-align:="" width:=""> JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.</p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-39216178228571041982021-02-05T15:09:00.001-05:002021-03-04T15:13:45.958-05:00Irish American Petition to Appoint a Special Envoy to Northern Ireland <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UMUvGbxKZ3I/YEE_Wan8IRI/AAAAAAAABD0/E84h7G6wrZogbwRDBn03TWtLmyzZWaKtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s940/US%2BSPecial%2BEnvoy%2Bpetition.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UMUvGbxKZ3I/YEE_Wan8IRI/AAAAAAAABD0/E84h7G6wrZogbwRDBn03TWtLmyzZWaKtQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h335/US%2BSPecial%2BEnvoy%2Bpetition.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <span style="color: #363135; font-family: "Change Calibre", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">As America opens a new chapter with the election of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we appeal to the administration for the appointment of a 'U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland' at the earliest possible opportunity. </span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: "Change Calibre", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;">This petition is backed by the Irish Echo and by the AOH in America. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: "Change Calibre", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;">You can read <a href="https://belfastmedia.com/president-biden-should-move-swiftly-to-appoint-peace-economic-envoy" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">an op-ed by Máirtín Ó Muilleoir</a>, publisher of the <a href="http://www.irishecho.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">Irish Echo</a> and <a href="http://www.belfastmedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">belfastmedia.com</a> and <a href="https://www.irishecho.com/2021/01/hibernians-seeking-rapid-action-on-ambassador-envoy/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">see more about the letter to the President from AOH President Daniel J. O'Connell here. </a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: "Change Calibre", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;">Any reversal of the economic progress in the North of Ireland – today home to American blue-chip companies like Citi, Allstate, Liberty Mutual and Spirit Aerosystems which underpin the peace with jobs – will only play into the hands of the still-active loyalist paramilitary groups and their dissident republican counterparts. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: "Change Calibre", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;">Once again we look to an American President to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the peacemakers and bridge-builders who wish to ensure that the North’s march towards peace and prosperity continues despite the twin challenges of Covid and political division. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: "Change Calibre", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;">The swift appointment of a U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland by President Biden would be welcomed by all people of goodwill who are working to ensure the smooth operation of the Irish Protocol post-Brexit and will enable the implementation of outstanding commitments in the Good Friday Agreement. An engaged and energetic Envoy could identify opportunities arising from this new dispensation where the North of Ireland is within the EU Single Market and the EU Customs Union, yet enjoys unfettered access to British markets. </p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-83242392507035926372021-01-20T15:15:00.004-05:002021-03-04T15:26:27.021-05:00Inaugural Address by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., January 20, 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xUtuQOtsQX8/YEFAXoxvroI/AAAAAAAABD8/n28GuhkjSNgMHzh4czy5tl-POwv287JFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/Joe%2BBiden_Inauguration%2Bspeech.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xUtuQOtsQX8/YEFAXoxvroI/AAAAAAAABD8/n28GuhkjSNgMHzh4czy5tl-POwv287JFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/Joe%2BBiden_Inauguration%2Bspeech.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Joseph R. Biden Jr. was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021.</p><p>Read the entire <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/01/20/inaugural-address-by-president-joseph-r-biden-jr/">inauguration speech</a> here.</p><p>Here is the video below.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o2c_RrjCnXE" width="560"></iframe></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-30182451810751128702021-01-18T15:02:00.001-05:002021-03-04T15:08:39.474-05:00Joe Biden: America's Next President<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GcLqKEPCdc0/YEE-G4cLM-I/AAAAAAAABDs/vKR7zphh9BsJqPgHAW1YQiwIUzvzNmK1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Joe%2BBiden%2Bat%2BPodium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GcLqKEPCdc0/YEE-G4cLM-I/AAAAAAAABDs/vKR7zphh9BsJqPgHAW1YQiwIUzvzNmK1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Joe%2BBiden%2Bat%2BPodium.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><p><i style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></i></p>(This story originally appeared in <a href="https://share.america.gov/joe-biden-america-next-president/">Share America</a>, January 15, 2021, and is written by Lenore T. Adkins.)</i><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Joseph R. Biden Jr., a former vice president and a longtime Capitol Hill lawmaker known for reaching across the political aisle to get things done, takes office on January 20 as the 46th president of the United States.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Biden served eight years as former President Barack Obama’s vice president and defeated incumbent President Donald J. Trump.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">On his path to victory, Biden secured 306 electoral votes — it takes <a data-wpel-link="internal" href="https://share.america.gov/understanding-americas-electoral-college-infographic/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #80a3bc; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Understanding America’s Electoral College [infographic] | ShareAmerica">270 electoral votes to win the presidency</a> — and amassed 81 million votes, more than any other presidential candidate in American history.</p><div class="td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-content_inline td_uid_30_60413cc526d3e_rand td_block_template_1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></div><p><span class="td-post-date td-post-date-no-dot" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; display: inline-block; float: left; font-family: "Open Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 4px; position: relative; top: 2px;"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2021-01-15T00:06:11+00:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></time></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“Well, I must admit it surprised me,” Biden said during his November 7 victory speech. “Tonight, we’ve seen all over this nation, all cities in all parts of the country, indeed across the world, an outpouring of joy, of hope, renewed faith in tomorrow, bring a better day. And I am humbled by the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me.”</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and raised in Delaware, Biden enters the White House with decades of experience on Capitol Hill. He spent 36 years representing Delaware as a senator and played an important role in shaping U.S. foreign policy. As chairman or ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for 12 years, Biden was at the forefront of issues and legislation involving terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post-Cold War Europe, the Middle East and Southwest Asia.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">As vice president, Biden represented the United States abroad, traveling nearly 2 million kilometers to more than 50 countries.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">At the White House, he convened sessions of Obama’s Cabinet, led interagency efforts and worked with Congress to raise living standards of middle-class Americans, reduce gun violence and address <a data-wpel-link="internal" href="https://share.america.gov/topics/gender-based-violence/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #80a3bc; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Gender-based violence | ShareAmerica">violence against women</a>, among other issues.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">At 78, Biden will become the oldest president to hold the office. Trump was 70 when he was inaugurated. (Former President Ronald Reagan was 77 years old at the time he left office.)</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Biden plans to focus during the early part of his administration on uniting the country and addressing pressing problems such as <a data-wpel-link="internal" href="https://share.america.gov/topics/coronavirus/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #80a3bc; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Coronavirus | ShareAmerica">the COVID-19 pandemic</a>, good-paying jobs, racial injustice and climate change.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">“Let us be the nation that we know we can,” Biden said in his victory speech. “A nation united, a nation strengthened. A nation healed. The United States of America, ladies and gentlemen, there’s never, never been anything we’ve tried we’ve not been able to do.”</p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-92139373093165872022020-12-07T14:53:00.001-05:002021-03-04T15:01:20.135-05:00Joe Biden's Agenda for the Catholic Community<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWSpHTiPXBQ/YEE8QYAA9rI/AAAAAAAABDk/jvvSEHdsy-gvbgeSnBfx4t09rBtrXOS5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s944/Catholics%2Bfor%2Bbiden.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="944" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWSpHTiPXBQ/YEE8QYAA9rI/AAAAAAAABDk/jvvSEHdsy-gvbgeSnBfx4t09rBtrXOS5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Catholics%2Bfor%2Bbiden.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a2458; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’m a practicing Catholic. I believe faith is a gift. And the first obligation we all have is, ‘Love your God,’ the second one is, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ … ‘Treat people with dignity.’ Everyone’s entitled to dignity, that’s a basic tenet in my household.” </span><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a2458; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">– Vice President Joe Biden </span></span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f2f4f8; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a2458; font-size: calc(14px + 4 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26.9685px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vice President Joe Biden believes that in America, no matter where you start in life, everyone should be able to live up to their God-given potential. He knows that we need to rebuild the middle class, and this time make sure everybody comes along—regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. </span></span></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li class="bfp__copy coal-ind__policy-list-item" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: calc(14px + 4 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 27.8385px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 25px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Build an economy where everyone comes along and we protect the “least of these”</span></li><li class="bfp__copy coal-ind__policy-list-item" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: calc(14px + 4 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 27.8385px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 25px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Respect the dignity of work and give workers back the power to earn what they’re worth</span></li><li class="bfp__copy coal-ind__policy-list-item" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: calc(14px + 4 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 27.8385px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 25px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ensure that affordable, quality health care is a right for all Americans</span></li><li class="bfp__copy coal-ind__policy-list-item" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: calc(14px + 4 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 27.8385px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 25px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pursue a humane immigration policy that keeps families together, strengthens our economy, and secures our border</span></li></ol><p>Read more about the Biden/Harris policies at <a href="https://joebiden.com/build-back-better/">Build Back Better</a>. </p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-30569974136840651872020-11-07T13:06:00.001-05:002020-11-07T18:05:44.092-05:00A Presidency for All Americans<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZETPVqyOhg/X4h6aqNUJbI/AAAAAAAAA2M/GpIWNg1o8x0C_Bw6DlS0gvSe7kceQzi7wCPcBGAYYCw/s382/VP-Joe-Biden-Official-Portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="347" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZETPVqyOhg/X4h6aqNUJbI/AAAAAAAAA2M/GpIWNg1o8x0C_Bw6DlS0gvSe7kceQzi7wCPcBGAYYCw/s320/VP-Joe-Biden-Official-Portrait.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h2 class="win__letter-header" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #113e88; font-family: MercuryMediumItalic, serif; font-size: calc(30px + 12 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 30px; vertical-align: baseline;">My fellow Americans —</h2><div class="bfp__copy win__letter-content" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #113e88; font-family: DecimalBook, sans-serif; font-size: calc(14px + 4 * ((100vw - 375px) / 1065)); font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 27.8385px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0px 30px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0px 30px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0px 30px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0px 30px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s time for America to unite. And to heal.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0px 30px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.</span></p></div><div class="win__signatures-wrap" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #113e88; display: flex; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; justify-content: flex-start; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 45px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="win__signature-item" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 40px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 192.5px;"><img class="win__signatures-img lazyloaded" data-src="https://joebiden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/signature-JB.png" src="https://joebiden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/signature-JB.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 6px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 192.5px;" /></div></div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-47657835962405707572020-10-30T00:24:00.005-04:002020-10-30T00:24:58.730-04:00Candidate John F. Kennedy Campaigned in Pennsylvania on October 29, 1960<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFamJnXBqdk/X5uRNcCeY9I/AAAAAAAABAk/9jZR1EU7zwIqGWBFP8fN5v-j4fGmCSbVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s315/JFK_1960%2Bcampaign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="195" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFamJnXBqdk/X5uRNcCeY9I/AAAAAAAABAk/9jZR1EU7zwIqGWBFP8fN5v-j4fGmCSbVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w248-h400/JFK_1960%2Bcampaign.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><p></p>US Senator John F. Kennedy, campaigning against Vice President Richard M. Nixon for the American presidency, spent the final week before the election in Pennsylvania.<div><br /></div><div>“Kennedy hit hard on unemployment, the problem of economically depressed areas, and the plight of the Iron Curtain countries. He spent a day in northeastern Pennsylvania, traveling through steel and coal mining towns, which suffered from "chronic ills and unemployment," reported the Belvidere Daily Republican in Illinois.</div><div><br /></div><div>"By the time he reached Scranton Friday night Kennedy had a bruised, swollen and slightly scratched right hand that attested as he said, that coal miners “really know how to shake hands.”</div><div><br /></div><div>PA Governor David L. Lawrence traveled with Kennedy on the trip. Earlier in the month, Kennedy's father, Joseph P. Kennedy, campaigned for his son in Bloomburg. </div><div><br /></div><div>Learn more about President Kennedy's 1960 campaign by visiting the <a href="http://JFKlibrary.org">JFKlibrary.org</a> in Boston.</div><div><br /></div><div>To follow the Biden Harris campaign in 2020, visit J<a href="http://oeBiden.com">oeBiden.com</a>. </div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-62396901032947927842020-10-29T19:18:00.002-04:002020-10-29T19:18:20.106-04:00Joe Biden and the Soul of America<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-woNmZ7TNWxM/X5tNT000rHI/AAAAAAAABAQ/8prrCG7wUuw6MbgTRH67sidplDTf-kaigCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Joe%2BBiden_MQuinlin_IrishEcho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1987" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-woNmZ7TNWxM/X5tNT000rHI/AAAAAAAABAQ/8prrCG7wUuw6MbgTRH67sidplDTf-kaigCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Joe%2BBiden_MQuinlin_IrishEcho.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Read Irish Echo article by Michael Quinlin entitled, <a href="https://www.irishecho.com/2020/10/joe-biden-and-the-soul-of-america/" target="_blank">Joe Biden and the Soul of America</a>. </div><br /><p></p>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1702290263841855015.post-83151030310203999472020-10-27T12:18:00.016-04:002020-10-27T12:22:02.556-04:00Irish Musicians release new campaign song: Cast A Vote For Biden
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z3Xa1r5hb-c" width="480"></iframe> <div><br /></div><div>Some great Irish traditional musicians got together this month to release a new campaign song for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. </div><div><br /></div><div>The group includes tin whistle play Joanie Madden, piano accordionist Mirella Murray, guitarist Mary Coogan, all members of the group Cherish the Ladies, and vocalist Bruce Foley. <br /><br /></div><div>For more information about the campaign visit <a href="https://joebiden.com/">https://joebiden.com/</a>.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Follow Irish Americans for Biden Harris on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IrishAmericansforBidenHarris" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/IBidenharris" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. </div>Irish-Americans for BidenHarrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05136072782841206359noreply@blogger.com0