Biden Bits: “I’ll Say This For Irish Pubs”…

April 13, 2023 12:10 pm EDT Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) 1
Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

President Biden’s public schedule for Thursday 04/13/2023:

2:00 AM Press BriefingPress Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean and NSC Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat
3:00 AMOut-of-Town Pool Call Time
Out-of-Town Pool
4:15 AMThe President meets with President Michael Higgins of Ireland and participates in a tree planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell
Out-of-Town Pool
6:00 AMThe President meets with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of Ireland
Out-of-Town Pool Spray
6:40 AMThe President attends a youth Gaelic sports demonstration
Out-of-Town Pool
8:45 AMThe President addresses the Houses of the Oireachtas
Out-of-Town Pool
12:00 PMThe President attends a Banquet Dinner
Out-of-Town Pool

The Press gaggle YouTube is 1 hour and 8 minutes long. The press gaggle starts at the 38 minute and 21 second mark. Their full remarks can be found here.

President Biden’s address to the Houses of the Oireachtas (the parliament of the Republic of Ireland).


President Biden Attends a Banquet Dinner.


The Domestic Tweets

From Wednesday…

I shared his full statement on the CPI report for March in Wednesday’s Biden Bits; it’s short I’m gonna share it again:

Today’s report shows continued progress in our fight against inflation with the 12-month inflation rate at the lowest level since May 2021. This progress follows last week’s news that our job market remains historically strong.  Inflation has now fallen by 45% from its summer peak. Gas prices are down more than $1.40 from the summer, and grocery prices fell in the month of March for the first time since September 2020.  In recent months, we have also seen price declines for items like used cars, smart phones, and other electronics. While inflation is still too high, this progress means more breathing room for hard-working Americans – with wages now higher than they were 9 months ago, after accounting for inflation.

My administration is continuing to fight to lower costs for families. That includes historic action to lower prescription drug costs for seniors, capping insulin at $35, and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices. My Investing in America agenda is bringing good jobs to communities throughout the country, and building a stronger and more dynamic economy for the long haul. We should build on that progress with policies to grow our economy, lower costs, create jobs, and reduce the deficit. And we must reject reckless proposals from Congressional Republicans to take our economy hostage in order to cut taxes for the wealthy and large corporations, and bring back failed trickle down policies that would ship jobs overseas and gut programs that are lowering costs for seniors, middle-class families, and hard-working Americans.

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.

The White House posted the following fact-sheet; Biden-⁠Harris Administration Proposes New Standards to Protect Public Health that Will Save Consumers Money, and Increase Energy Security (04/12/2023).

President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Has Accelerated American Zero Emission Vehicles Production and Positioned the U.S. to Lead the Clean Vehicles Future

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new proposed vehicle pollution standards to make all vehicles, including gas-powered cars and heavy-duty trucks, cleaner and more efficient. The proposed standards would protect public health by cutting nearly 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions – twice the annual U.S. emissions today.  They would also save consumers on average $12,000 over the lifetime of a vehicle. And they would strengthen American energy security by reducing reliance on 20 billion barrels of imported oil.

Cars and truck manufacturers have made clear that the future of transportation is electric. The market is moving. Since President Biden took office, the private sector – including the American auto industry – has invested more than $120 billion in the American-made electric vehicle and battery supply chain. The United States can seize this moment to secure American leadership in the global race to a clean transportation future, or let competitors like China out-compete us for the jobs and investments building that future.

As a car enthusiast and self-proclaimed car guy, President Biden is seizing the moment. His Investing in America agenda is expanding domestic manufacturing and accelerating adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and fuel cell electric vehicles. This is bringing good-paying jobs back home and putting the United States on a bold path to out-compete China in securing the jobs and investments of the future.

The pollution standards proposed today by the Biden-Harris Administration will:

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.

Spur Adoption of Pollution-Reducing Technology for Nearly All Road Vehicles

The Environmental Protection Agency today is proposing two new rules to improve public health and combat climate change that will also lower costs for families and create good-paying jobs. The first rule would target emissions of greenhouse gases and smog- and soot-forming pollutants from passenger cars, vans, and light trucks. The second rule would update vehicle emissions standards for greenhouse gas emissions from buses, freight trucks, and other heavy-duty vehicles. This rule builds on the final standards that EPA released in December 2022 for criteria pollutant emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.

The proposed updates would:

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.
  • Protect Public Health. Through 2055, EPA projects that the proposed standards would avoid nearly 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions — equivalent to more than twice the annual U.S. CO2 emissions in 2022.
  • Lower Consumer Costs. By leveraging accelerated adoption of technologies that reduce fuel and maintenance costs alongside pollution, the proposed standards would save the average consumer $12,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle. The proposals would also result in approximately $12 billion in reduced reliance on oil imports. Rapid innovation in the automotive sector has driven down the cost of emissions-reducing technology and put us closer to a clean transportation sector.
  • Accelerate the Clean Vehicle Transition in Technology-Neutral Way. The EPA’s approach is technology-neutral, meaning that better-designed gas vehicles, hybrids, fuel cell vehicles, and other innovations could all be used to meet stricter standards. But with EV technology getting better and cheaper every day, and consumer demand rising rapidly, many manufacturers would likely rely on fully electric vehicles for compliance. EPA estimates that by 2032, if finalized, the proposed rules could result in electrification of 67% of new sedans, crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks; 50% of new vocational vehicles (such as buses and garbage trucks); 35% of new short-haul freight tractors; and 25% of new long-haul freight tractors.

Reinforce President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to Continue Building a Clean Transportation Future Made in America

These standards build on the generational investments secured by the Biden-Harris Administration that will ensure our nation’s transportation systems are clean, affordable, equitable, and Made in America. In the first year of his Administration, President Biden set a goal that at least 50 percent of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles. A year later, President Biden joined countries around the world in targeting that 100 percent of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold in 2040 be zero-emission vehicles, with an interim 30 percent sales target for these vehicles in 2030.

The United States is making strong progress towards these goals. Under President Biden’s watch, the number of available electric models have doubled while the number of electric car sales have tripled. There are over 130,000 public chargers now available across the country – with all 50 states now implementing a historic federal investment to build a new national charging network. The iconic yellow school bus is going green and the U.S. Postal Service is shifting to fully electric. The private sector has committed more than $120 billion into the American-made electric vehicle and battery supply chain in the last two years alone. U.S. capacity to source the critical materials and inputs for this supply chain is also rapidly expanding. Through partnerships with unions and industry, the Administration is lifting up the workers who represent America’s competitive edge – and is ready to take on and tap into the massive economic opportunity embedded in this shift.

This extraordinary progress is propelled in large part by public and private investments made under President Biden’s leadership, including:

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.
  • Nearly $25 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support clean transportation, including by building a national network of EV chargers and alternative-fuel stations; ensuring domestic manufacturers have the materials they need to make EV batteries; and funding clean transit and clean school buses, with priority for underserved communities.
  • $6 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act to directly support the clean-vehicle transition, including by extending loans to manufacture clean vehicles and their components in the United States; retooling domestic production lines for clean vehicles; and funding for Tribal, state, and local governments deploy clean heavy-duty vehicles, especially in nonattainment areas.
  • More than $120 billion of private investments in EVs and batteries in the United States since President Biden has taken office.

President Biden has also acted to ensure a seamless clean-vehicle transition that benefits all Americans, including by:

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.
  • Securing tax credits that make new and previously owned clean vehicles more affordable to working families.
  • Setting national standards to make charging EVs convenient and reliable for all Americans – no matter what car you drive or which state you charge in.
  • Encouraging companies, nonprofits, and others to expand community EV charging, increase consumer understanding about different types of clean transportation, and help consumers access clean-transportation benefits.
  • Releasing a Rural EV toolkit to help ensure all Americans, regardless of where they live, can benefit from the lower operating costs, reduced maintenance needs, and improved performance that EVs provide.
  • Launching pathbreaking partnerships, like the Department of Energy’s agreement with AFL-CIO to launch a national workforce development strategy for lithium-battery manufacturing, including pilot programs to train battery manufacturing workers and bolster the domestic battery supply chain.
  • Through the White House Talent Pipeline Challenge, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has certified 20,000 electricians through Registered Apprenticeships like the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP).

Providing a clear pathway for a continued rise in EV sales and protecting future generations from the impacts of climate change is a win-win for all Americans. 

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.

The EPA posted the following news release; Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Strongest-Ever Pollution Standards for Cars and Trucks to Accelerate Transition to a Clean-Transportation Future (04/12/2023).

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new proposed federal vehicle emissions standards that will accelerate the ongoing transition to a clean vehicles future and tackle the climate crisis. The proposed standards would improve air quality for communities across the nation, especially communities that have borne the burden of polluted air. Together, these proposals would avoid nearly 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to more than twice the total U.S. CO2 emissions in 2022, while saving thousands of dollars over the lives of the vehicles meeting these new standards and reduce America’s reliance on approximately 20 billion barrels of oil imports.

“By proposing the most ambitious pollution standards ever for cars and trucks, we are delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s promise to protect people and the planet, securing critical reductions in dangerous air and climate pollution and ensuring significant economic benefits like lower fuel and maintenance costs for families,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These ambitious standards are readily achievable thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which is already driving historic progress to build more American-made electric cars and secure America’s global competitiveness.”

Since President Biden took office, the number of EV sales has tripled while the number of available models has doubled. There are over 130,000 public chargers across the country – a 40% increase over 2020. The private sector has also committed more than $120 billion in domestic EV and battery investments since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. The new standards proposed today reflect the advancements and investments in clean vehicle manufacturing, which have been accelerated by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and complement the ongoing transition in the market towards cleaner vehicles.

The new proposed emissions standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles for model year (MY) 2027 and beyond would significantly reduce climate and other harmful air pollution, unlocking significant benefits for public health, especially in communities that have borne the greatest burden of poor air quality. At the same time, the proposed standards would lower maintenance costs and deliver significant fuel savings for drivers and truck operators.

EPA.gov/News Releases. 04/12/2023.
  • Through 2055, EPA projects that the proposed standards would avoid nearly 10 billion tons of CO2 emissions (equivalent to more than twice the total U.S. CO2 emissions in 2022).  The proposed standards would reduce other harmful air pollution and lead to fewer premature deaths and serious health effects such as hospital admissions due to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
  • By accelerating adoption of technologies that reduce fuel and maintenance costs alongside pollution, the proposed standards would save the average consumer $12,000 over the lifetime of a light-duty vehicle, as compared to a vehicle that was not subject to the new standards.
  • Together, the proposals would reduce oil imports by approximately 20 billion barrels.
  • Overall, EPA estimates that the benefits of the proposed standards would exceed costs by at least $1 trillion.

Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicle Proposed Standards

The first set of proposed standards announced today, the “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium Duty Vehicles,” builds on EPA’s existing emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for MYs 2023 through 2026. The proposal retains the proven regulatory design of previous EPA standards for light-duty vehicles, but leverages advances in clean car technology to further reduce both climate pollution and smog- and soot-forming emissions.

Between 2027 and 2055, the total projected net benefits of the light- and medium-duty proposal range from $850 billion to $1.6 trillion. The proposal is expected to avoid 7.3 billion tons of CO2 emissions through 2055, equivalent to eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions from the entire current U.S. transportation sector for four years and would also deliver significant health benefits by reducing fine particulate matter that can cause premature death, heart attacks, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, aggravated asthma, and decreased lung function. EPA analysis shows that severe health impacts related to particulate matter exposure will also be reduced – including lung disorders (including cancer), heart disease, and premature mortality.

EPA’s proposal considers a broad suite of available emission control technologies, and the standards are designed to allow manufacturers to meet the performance-based standards however works best for their vehicle fleets. EPA projects that for the industry as a whole, the standards are expected to drive widespread use of filters to reduce gasoline particulate matter emissions and spur greater deployment of CO2-reducing technologies for gasoline-powered vehicles.

The proposed standards are also projected to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. Depending on the compliance pathways manufacturers select to meet the standards, EPA projects that EVs could account for 67% of new light-duty vehicle sales and 46% of new medium-duty vehicle sales in MY 2032. The proposed MY 2032 light-duty standards are projected to result in a 56% reduction in projected fleet average greenhouse gas emissions target levels compared to the existing MY 2026 standards. The proposed MY 2032 medium-duty vehicle standards would result in a 44% reduction compared to MY 2026 standards.

EPA.gov/News Releases. 04/12/2023.

Heavy-duty Truck Proposed Standards

The second set of proposed standards announced today, the “Greenhouse Gas Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3,” would apply to heavy-duty vocational vehicles (such as delivery trucks, refuse haulers or dump trucks, public utility trucks, transit, shuttle, school buses) and trucks typically used to haul freight. These standards would complement the criteria pollutant standards for MY 2027 and beyond heavy-duty vehicles that EPA finalized in December 2022 and represent the third phase of EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan.

These “Phase 3” greenhouse gas standards maintain the flexible structure that EPA previously designed through a robust stakeholder engagement process to reflect the diverse nature of the heavy-duty industry. Like the light- and medium-duty proposal, the heavy-duty proposal uses performance-based standards that enable manufacturers to achieve compliance efficiently based on the composition of their fleets.   

The projected net benefits of the heavy-duty proposal range from $180 billion to $320 billion. The proposal is projected to avoid 1.8 billion tons of CO2 through 2055, equivalent to eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions from the entire current U.S. transportation sector for an entire year, and deliver additional health benefits by reducing other pollutants from these vehicles. The standards would result in improved air quality nationwide, and those who live near major roadways and are disproportionately exposed to vehicle pollution and heavy-duty activity, which often includes low-income populations and communities of color, would benefit most directly.

EPA.gov/News Releases. 04/12/2023.

Investing in America’s Clean Transportation Future

The proposed standards align with commitments made by automakers and U.S. states as they plan to accelerate clean vehicle technologies in the light- and medium-duty fleets in the next 10 to 15 years. Car and truck companies are moving to include electric vehicles as an integral and growing part of current and future product lines, leading to an increasing diversity of clean vehicles for consumers.

These developments are bolstered by President Biden’s investments in America, which provide unprecedented resources to support the development and market for clean vehicle technologies and associated infrastructure and represent significant investment in expanding the manufacture, sale, and use of zero-emission vehicles. As these technologies advance, battery costs continue to decline and consumer interest in electric vehicles continues to grow. President Biden’s legislative accomplishments are also supporting critical generation of clean electricity and production of clean hydrogen needed to decarbonize transportation. EPA considered this rapid innovation in its assessment that tighter emissions standards are feasible.

EPA’s proposals are informed by robust and inclusive stakeholder engagement with industry, labor, advocates, and community leaders. EPA’s proposals will be published in the Federal Register and available for public review and comment, and the agency will continue to engage with the public and all interested stakeholders as part of the regulatory development process.

EPA.gov/News Releases. 04/12/2023.

EPA Shared Links:

Proposed Rule: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3

Proposed Rule: Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles

More information on environmental justice and transportation.

From Thursday…

The video clip is 1 minute and 18 seconds long.

President Biden: When President Obama and I created the DACA program, we knew it would transform lives. And it has. Bringing stability and possibility to hundreds of thousands of young people known as Dreamers–brought to America as children. This country is the only home they’ve ever known. They’re are friends. They’re our co-workers. They study. They work hard. They start businesses. Many have served in our military and many were our essential workers in the front line of the pandemic. They’re American in every way–except on paper. It’s past time for Congress to give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. And while we work toward that goal, alongside Dreamers, advocates, members of Congress–we need to give Dreamers the opportunities and support they deserve. So today, my Administration is announcing our plan to expand health coverage for DACA recipients by allowing them to enroll in a plan through the Affordable Care Act or through Medicaid. Health care should be a right, not a privilege. My Administration has worked hard to expand health care. And today, more Americans have health insurance than ever. Today’s announcement is about giving DACA recipients the same opportunity. And we’ll continue to do what we can to protect Dreamers and push Congress to give them and their families a pathway to citizenship and ultimately, peace of mind they all deserve.

The White House fact-sheet; President Biden Announces Plan to Expand Health Coverage to DACA Recipients (04/13/2023).

In 2012, President Obama and then Vice President Biden announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow young people to live and work in the only country they know as home.  Over the last decade, DACA has brought stability, possibility, and progress to more than 800,000 Dreamers. 

President Biden believes that DACA recipients strengthen our economy and enrich our workplaces, our schools and communities, and our country as a whole. That’s why on his first day in office, he called on Congress to give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship and he has repeated that call every State of the Union address since. While Congress has failed to act, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken significant measures to protect Dreamers. This includes, issuing regulations by the Department of Homeland Security to “preserve and fortify” DACA and fighting political opponents in court as they attempt to strip them of the only home they have ever known.

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to providing Dreamers the opportunities and support they need succeed. Today President Biden is announcing  a plan to expand health coverage for DACA recipients. The Department of Health and Human Services will shortly propose a rule amending the definition of “lawful presence,” for purposes of Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage, to include DACA recipients. We recognize that every day counts, and we expect to get this done by the end of the month. If finalized, the rule will make DACA recipients eligible for these programs for the first time.  Under the proposed rule, DACA recipients will be able to apply for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they may qualify for financial assistance based on income, and through their state Medicaid agency.  Like all other enrollees, eligibility information will be verified electronically when individuals apply for coverage.

President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care should be a right, not a privilege. Together, they promised to protect and strengthen the ACA and Medicaid, lowering costs and expanding coverage so that every American has the peace of mind that health insurance brings.  The President’s announcement gives DACA recipients that same opportunity, as the Administration continues to urge Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship to Dreamers, providing them the ultimate peace of mind they need and deserve.  

While we wait for Congress to act, and although there are some restrictions on the availability of benefits for DACA recipients, DACA recipients should take note of the numerous Federal programs, opportunities, and resources that have been and continue to be available to them:

White House.gov. 04/13/2023.

Experiential Learning, National Service, and Employment Opportunities:

  • AmeriCorps VISTA Program. DACA recipients are eligible to serve in the AmeriCorps VISTA program, which provides participants with an opportunity to assist local organizations in alleviating poverty. Participants serve in a full-time position for one year and earn related benefits such as a living allowance, professional development and training, and a cash stipend.[1] Find a VISTA service opportunity here.

  • American Job Centers. DACA recipients with work authorization can access many programs within American Job Centers, which help job seekers obtain employment and training to further their careers. American Job Centers provide counseling, skill and ability assessments, and advice on in-demand jobs and potential training opportunities. Locate an American Job Center here.

  • Job Corps. DACA recipients with work authorization may qualify for Job Corps, a no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, which helps individuals ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives by empowering them to secure good jobs and become independent. Job Corps students have access to room and board while they learn skills in specific training areas. Learn more about Job Corps here.

  • YouthBuild. DACA recipients with work authorization may qualify for YouthBuild, a pre-apprenticeship program for certain individuals ages 16-24. At YouthBuild’s 275 locations across the country, participants learn vocational skills in construction and other in-demand industries—including health care, information technology, and hospitality—while also earning their high school or equivalent degree, preparing them for opportunities such as college, Registered Apprenticeships, and employment. Information on YouthBuild is here.

  • National Farmworker Jobs Program. DACA recipients with work authorization who are engaged in agricultural work may benefit from the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), which offers services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and certain family members within the network of American Job Centers. Career Services and Training grants can help farmworkers gain skills, advance in agricultural jobs, or find employment in new industries. Housing grants assist farmworkers in finding safe and sanitary permanent or temporary housing. Access NFJP resources here.

  • ARP Good Jobs Challenge. The Economic Development Administration’s American Rescue Plan: Good Jobs Challenge within the U.S. Department of Commerce is an investment in high-quality, locally led workforce systems to expand career opportunities and good-paying jobs for American workers, including DACA recipients, to achieve economic mobility and security. Awards under the Good Jobs Challenge have been granted to diverse worker-centered training partnerships and systems across the country spanning 31 states and Puerto Rico. The program also focuses on removing systemic barriers to employment through support services such as childcare, transportation, and paid on-the-job training opportunities. Access Good Job Challenge resources here.

  • Dept. of Education Resources. The Department of Education has a Resource Guide for schools, colleges, and teachers to support the to support the educational and career success of DACA recipients in secondary and postsecondary education, as well as comprehensive educational resources for DACA students available here.

Assistance with Renting or Purchasing a Home:

  • FHA Financing. DACA recipients are eligible to apply for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured financing for FHA Title II Single Family forward mortgage programs. FHA programs insure private loans made by FHA-approved lenders and FHA-backed loans can help reduce down payments for a home or condominium.

  • Housing, Rental, and Credit Counseling Services. DACA recipients can receive free or low-cost advice on buying a home, renting, preventing default, avoiding mortgage default and foreclosure, transitioning from homelessness, budgeting or through HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. Locate a HUD-approved housing counseling agency here or by calling 800-569-4287. Services are available in many languages, including Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese.

Tax Credits, Financial Education and Consumer Protection:

  • CFPB Resources. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) provides detailed, targeted consumer tools, financial education resources in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog,  Vietnamese, and plain language publications to assist all individuals, including DACA recipients, in making informed financial decisions. CFPB can help answer hundreds of financial questions including questions on loans, credit, bank accounts, debt collection, and more.
  • Consumer Complaints. Consumers, regardless of immigration status, may submit a complaint through CFPB about financial products and services offered by companies, including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, debt collection and settlement, money transfers, virtual currency and more. Most companies respond within 15 days. Complaints can be submitted online or by phone and interpreting services are available by phone in 180 languages.

  • CFPB Immigrant Initiative. CFPB recently-launched an engagement and policy initiative aimed at using the Bureau’s tools and authorities to support immigrant families in accessing opportunities to build wealth and contribute to their communities. If you or your family have an experience to share about financial barriers faced by immigrants, please share your story.

  • FTC Consumer Alerts. All individuals can monitor current and past consumer scams through the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Alerts system. Sign up here to receive alerts about the latest scams FTC has identified.

Health and Well-Being:

  • HRSA Health Centers. DACA recipients can access health care through Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Health Centers, which provide affordable, accessible, quality primary health care to patients regardless of ability to pay, insurance status, or immigration status. HRSA Health Centers are located in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Basin. Locate a Health Center here.

  • Public Health Programs. DACA recipients can also access public health programs that provide certain immunizations or treatment of communicable diseases.

  • Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Support. MotherToBaby, a program funded by HRSA, provides expert, confidential, and no-cost information about the impact of medications, drugs, or other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. DACA recipients and their families can access these services, which are provided in English and Spanish, through the organization’s website, by calling 866-626-6847, or texting 855-999-3525.

  • Maternal Mental Health Support. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-943-5746) provides free, confidential, 24/7 emotional support, resources, and counseling referrals to pregnant and postpartum individuals facing mental health challenges, and their loved ones. Support is available over the phone and text in English and Spanish. Interpreter services are available in 60 additional languages and a relay service is available for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

  • Special Health Needs. Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) are located in all 50 States and U.S. territories and provide support, information, resources, and training for families of children and youth with special health care needs, including on specific health issues, family-centered care, and shared decision making (SDM). Find an F2F center in your area here.

  • Nutrition Assistance. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding individuals, as well as infants and children under 5, with food, nutrition and breastfeeding education, and referrals to health and social services. Eligibility is determined by categorical, residential, income, and nutrition risk requirements. Learn how to apply for WIC here or by calling a state, toll-free number found here.

Military Veterans and Active-Duty Servicemember Resources:

  • Veterans Benefits.  The Department of Veterans Affairs provides benefits and other assistance to all eligible Veterans regardless of their immigration status. More information for Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors is available here or can be accessed by calling 1-800-MyVA411 (1800-698-2411) which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  • Free Legal Assistance. All active-duty military personnel and their dependents, as well as certain Reserve and National Guard Soldiers and retirees, are eligible for free legal assistance, including immigration and naturalization legal services. More information on Air Force Legal Assistance is available here, Army Legal Assistance here, Navy and Marine Legal Services here, and Coast Guard Legal Services here.

His Ireland Tweets

From Monday…

The YouTube is 16 minutes and 35 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

From Thursday…

The YouTube is 2 hours and 21 seconds long. It starts at the 22 minute and 5 second mark.

It’s broken into segments of events.

President Biden’s motorcade arrives at the 1 hour and 7 minute mark.

At the 1 hour and 16 minute mark President Biden signs the guest book and offers short remarks:

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  My grandfather used to have a saying that was — for a long time, I thought it was his and not Yeats.  But it was Yeats’s saying.  And he said that, “Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.”
 
PRESIDENT HIGGINS:  (Inaudible.)  As they would say in Irish — (speaks Irish.)
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I can’t — I can’t come close to saying that.  (Laughs.)
 
MRS. HIGGINS:  (Inaudible.)
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, thank you.  Thank you, thank you.  It’s wonderful to be back.
 
Q    Mr. President, what are your quintessentially Irish characteristics.
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  (Laughs.)  I — I’m not going to presume.  I’ll let others make that judgment.
 
Q    Do you have an update on the leak investigation?
 
(President Biden, President Higgins, and Mrs. Higgins pose for photo.) 
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
 
We’re going to go plant a tree. 
 
Q    Mr. President, what did you write in the book?
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  What I wrote in the book was, “As the Irish saying goes, ‘Your feet will bring you where your heart is.’”  And then I say, “It’s a — it’s an honor to return” — and I talk about returning again to the home of my ancestors — “to celebrate the — the things that bind Ireland and the United States and recommit ourselves to peace, equity, and” — I think the most Irish of words used in my family was “dignity” — “and dignity.” 
 
PRESIDENT HIGGINS:  Dignity.  (Inaudible.)
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  At any rate, thank you all very much.
 
And I’m not going home.  I’m staying here because isn’t this an incredible place?  All you American reporters, looks just like the White House, right? 
 
PRESIDENT HIGGINS:  (Speaks in Irish.)
 
Mr. President.
 
PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, man.  Thank you.
 
All right.  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
 
Going that way?  Thank you, folks.

White House.gov. 04/13/2023.

At the 2 hour and 13 minute mark President Biden shovels dirt onto the newly planted tree and then rings the peace bell. He offered brief remarks to the press after the ceremony:

Q    Mr. President, how are you feeling?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I’m feeling great, and I learned a lot hanging out with the President.  (Laughter.)  

Q    Mr. President, what’s it like to be home?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  It feels great.  You know, I know it sounds silly, but there’s so many Irish Americans, like my relatives, who got here and got to America in 1844, ’45, and ’46 who’ve never been back here.  And they talk about it.

The interesting thing — and I know many of you have the same experience with your ancestry wherever the country of origin was.  But you hear all these stories about, you know, what it was like back in Ireland, and they heard from their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents. 

And the thing — on my first trip over here, when I went to the Boyne, and I looked down and I — my Grandfather Finnegan used to say — his grandfather, Owen Finnegan, in Scranton, used to say, “Scranton, Pennsylvania is just like the Boyne Valley.”  And I thought, “How could that be?”  Well, you stand there and you look. 

In Scranton, there’s a river that runs through it called the Lackawanna River and a mountain on either side and the valley.  And where we lived, if you look down and see — you could see how, 100 years earlier, it would be — it would look like the Boyne.  And there’s all those things.

Anyway, it’s just so great to always have an excuse to come back. 

Q    Mr. President, could you give an update on that leak investigation — the leaked documents from DOD?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I can’t right now.  There’s a full-blown investigation going on, as you know, with the intelligence community and the Justice Department.  And they’re getting close.  We don’t — I don’t have an answer for you.

Q    How concerned are you about this leak? 

Q    Mr. President, just to press you on that —

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I’m not —

Q    — are British secrets safe in American hands, Mr. President?

Q    Yeah, are you concerned about the leak?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, I — I’m not concerned about the leak because — I’m concerned that it happened, but there’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence right now. 

Q    Mr. President, I’m a reporter from Belfast.  And you’re ringing the Peace Bell, which was put forward in 2008 by Mary McAleese to mark the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.  So that’s the significance of the Peace Bell.  Twenty-five years on from the Good Friday Agreement, what are your hopes for the next 25 years for the people of Ireland — both jurisdictions?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Gets even closer; that the — I hope that the — that the government begins to function as it used to in terms of functioning as a representative body in the north.  I think that’s necessary.  And — but that’s for you all to decide, not for me to decide.

But I think that I’m very — I’m very proud of my colleague, George Mitchell.  I think he did a fine job.  As he said, “Three hundred [sic] days of failure and one day of success.”  And we got to build on that one day continually.

Thanks.

Q    Mr. President, can I have a selfie?  (Laughs.)  No, it’s “no” to a selfie.  A selfie, Mr. President, very quickly?  Just over here. 

Thank you.  I’m Henry McKean from Newstalk Radio Ireland.  Lovely to meet you. 

(The President takes a photograph.) 

Q    Mr. President, why do Irish shoemakers make great presidents?

THE PRESIDENT:  Isn’t that amazing?  Isn’t that amazing?  My great-great-grandfather left from the same port five weeks later after Barack’s great-grand- — great-great-grandfather.  And the idea that they both would seek a new life and think that their great-great-grandsons would end up being President of the United States is remarkable.  It’s just like — but that the Irish of it.

Thanks.

White House.gov. 04/13/2023.

The White House posted the following meeting readout:

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland in Dublin. The presidents affirmed the deep and enduring ties that link the United States and Ireland, culturally, politically, and economically.  They reflected on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, underscoring their steadfast support for preserving and expanding its peace dividend.  Following the meeting, President Biden participated in a tree planting ceremony, and he rang the Peace Bell, which was installed in 2008 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Agreement.

White House.gov. 04/13/2023.

Remarks by President Biden Marking the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (04/12/2023).

The video clip is 47 seconds long.

Twenty-five years ago this week, the landmark Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was signed.  And it wasn’t easy.  I was a United States senator at the time.  And I worked very closely with my good friend George Mitchell, who will be here, I believe, within a couple days. 

[snip]

It’s good to see Belfast, a city that’s alive with commerce, art — and, I’d argue, inspiration.  The dividends of peace are all around us.

[snip]

So today, I come to Belfast to pledge to all the people of Northern Ireland: The United States of America will continue to be your partner in building the future the young people of our world deserve.

[snip]

So, let’s celebrate 25 extraordinary years by recommitting to renewal, repair; by making this exceptional peace the birthright of every child in Northern Ireland for all the days to come.  That’s what we should be doing.  God willing, you’ll be able to do it.

White House.gov. 04/12/2023.

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About Tiff 2558 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.

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