lives that have been lost. but these fire has to be on both sides, hamas as well as israel. >> [indiscernible] >> thank you. >> later house speaker mike johnson hosted president biden and the irish prime minister at the annual friends of ireland lunch on capitol hill. ike alzheimer's or gop ones. and we talked about how is it as both regulators and payers --

this lunch is a special event what is unique about it, what is important, is we look past political differences for this moment in time and remember the importance of peacemaking and celebrate the friendship between our two countries, the u.s. and ireland. today we welcome continued efforts to remote and preserve the good friday agreements and promises of a bright future for all of the friends of ireland. l differences for this moment in time and remember the importance of peacemaking and celebrate the important friendship between our two countrieslp the united states ad ireland and today we all welcome continued efforts to promote and preserve the good friday agreement and the promise of a bright future for all the friends of ireland and certainly at this time um in many ways our hearts are heavy, in spite of the fun fellowship, because stability is threatened in europe, the middle east, and our allies and friends such as

israel and taiwan fight for the right to exist. and i know everyone in this room is committed to the same thing. we know we must stand for national sovereignty and work for international peace and this is a time to encourage a productive dialogue can be to respect and even when we may disagree on matters of politics and policy which is inevitable, we should all appreciated traditions like this, an occasion for thoughtful discourse where we can move beyond what yates cold polite but meaningless words, restoring trust among the people and faith in our institutions and all of us know we need that desperately right now. so today i am happy we are able to showcase the irish spirit of charity,that flows through yourn and my children and all the children and all the friends of ireland. so i had the distinct pleasure commander-in-chief, someone who is known everywhere as america's most famous irishman, president

joe biden. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ]m[applause] pres. biden: thank y'all very much. thank you. [applause] mr. speaker, thank you very much. i was telling the speaker at dinner, was a good friend of mine a former senator from oregon, senator smith, came to me when i was vice president said, you know, i checked it out and you are able to accept this gift. i said, what is the gift?eid tht compilation of family records held by the mormon church. we want to check your genealogy for you. they ended up showing up five months later with six volumes. one of themed out that one

side of the family, the one that came from the county -- they started off in new orleans, and warned them, they could've stayed. wait a minute? [indiscernible] -- in trouble. folks, look,toaker, folks i want you to know that -- once wrote, everything patrick's day, every st. patrick'scn day, every irishman goes out to find another irishman to make a speech to. so -- [laughter] -- so thank you for allowing me to find look, you know, i'm glad all of you because no matter how much we debate, no matter how much we disagree, we have always been able to come together as friends of ireland. and you know, the friendship goes back centuries, but t perin important milestone, nearly 100 years of diplomatic relations,

nearly 100 years of ireland and the united states. so mr. speaker, thank you for hosting us today. it is a tradition i have always enjoyed. thank you for joining us again. i would also like to extend 100,000 welcomes to all the leaders who are involved in the ireland and hern ireland agreements that they now put together. and i think, i just wonder whether my mother would have ever thought that would've happened, but it has happened, and it is great emigrate to come together once again. to all irish, americans, democrats, republican members, am glad to be united on this issue. we begin the next century of a real partnership that is increasing now. and finally, to all who wish they were irish, i'm glad you are here too. [laughter] my grandfather used to say that being irish is enough. anyway, i won't go into that.

[laughter] but i stand here as a proud descendant of the finnegan's in the -- the finnegan's were from one county, and finnegan's from another county, and this pride is part of my soul and i and surelland have irish ancestors l the same way. in fact, many of you know my colleagues used to kid me when a certain capitol hill because i was always quoting irish poets are they thought i did that because i was irish. i don't do it for that reason because they are the best poets in the world. that is why i ot. [laughter] it is true. angina, i -- and it is true, and today there is one poem in particular that comes to mind written by my great grandfather, edward francis -- only the second catholic elected as a state senator in the state of pennsylvania and 1906.

-- in 1996. he wrote a book of 100 poems as what he referred to as his ireland. when he called, the work. here is what it said, no barriers to thicker strong to stay the onward march each day, a goal they seek, a goal they find, hardship for them his but we'll play. and i think together, ireland marching forward towards ays better world, towards a better life, and one of greater liberty, greater dignity, greater equity, opportunity, and possibilities for everybody, possibilities. i was with xi jinping a couple of years ago and he asked me could i define america, and this was recorded by him as well, i said in ? possibilities. thank about it. what defines us as americans? we think anything is possible

and we do it together. while together ireland and america have always moved onward for a better future, one of greater liberty, greater dignity, greater equality, opportunity, possibility, and even when those barriers seem so thick and strong, even when we face sorrows, setbacks and divisions in darkness, together we have always persevered, ireland and the united states. we have always held out hope and horizons we have not yet seen. you know, i often say the irish were the only people in the world who are nostalgic about tomorrow. think about it. [laughter] that is an original quote, unfortunately. but that is who we are. i often say that because wherever there is a yearning for freem, where ever there is a call for progress, people around the world, they can always count on ireland in the un s side, not

for help, but to help, help them on their march forward. we see this in our support of ukraine, and the people, in the face of prudence brutal onslaught ro ukraine -- putin's brutal onslaught across ukraine. we had a meeting earlier today and i told joe's grateful for ireland's unwavering aid to the people of the rain and also gaza. i am committed to continue doing our part and am confident the vast majority come excuse me for saying this, the vast majority of members of congress are willing to do their part, and continue to urge every member in this room to stand up to he is a thug. [applause] thug. [applause] and, urge you to send me the national security bill that

includes funding for ukraine in israel, and humanitarian assistance to gaza that they badly badly need. it's insight clear message that america stands for freedom and bow down to no one, to no one in the world. you know, said in belfast last year where we've marked the 25th anniversary of the belfast good friday agreement, i am alprogren ireland. we all know, we all know that i assume all of us feel the same way, that includes northern ireland's newesyou guys here? [applause] stand up. [applause] thank you. [applause] as a friend of mine from

delaware said, who would have thunk it. thank you for reminding us with the possibility's are as we work across the aisle and rise above long-standing disagreements. let me close with this, i think we stand at an inflection point, not only in american history, but world history where the decions we make now will determine what the next 3, 4, 5, 6 decades will look like and i believe history is watching, history is watching. today, let us result of march forward with each other, and to all those who seek a better future. like our ancestors, remember, no barrier is too thick or too strong for ireland and the united states to get through. there is nothing, nothing our nations cannot do together when we work together, and i mean that from the bottom of my heart. i am confident there is not a thing we can' itogether, and i e

thing, remember, this is the united states of america. there is nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we work together, so my prayer today as we continue our work together. thank you all for having me. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [applause] ■:j7■&mike: thank you for your remarks, mr. president. our next guest, leading a country, the youngest to hold his office, he started out, you may not know this as an intern in these very halls two decades ago, and while this is my first

time meeting him in person, he is no stranger to this lunch either. he for quite some time and has done a few of these. will you please join me in welcoming our guest of honor from the republic of ireland. [applause] pm varadkarvote: thank you. mr. speaker, mr. president, members of congress, first minister, deputy first minister, esteemed friends and colleagues, it is an honor and a privilege to be back among friends here in i am thankful to the speaker for continuing the tradition of holding this lunch today. we are very appreciative.

i believe ireland is the only country in the world that can get away with turning our national holiday into an international we or in some places a whole month. we are unique in having a national holiday where the head of government and all the senior nisters leave the country to celebrate it around the world with our diaspora and our friends, and our allies. st. patrick's day is more than our national holiday, it is an international moment. it is when we get to share our■ story with the world, a story of faith in the future matter what the obstacles, hope and our ability to work together for the and that charity towards those experiencing suffering. as the president acknowledged, sinceyear, the institutions of e good friday agreement have returned and it is hugely significant we are joined here today by the first minister.

the two are from different political traditions who are showing what can be achieved working together, holding jointly a co-equal offices of nn ireland. it is so good to have you here today. [applause] and it is really good to see colleagues here as well. um, members, ministers of the northern ireland assembly, including the speaker, mr. -- also to see members of the house of commons and other members too as well, so very much seeing the three strands of the agreement and all represented here today, which makes this a special moment. and i want to be have fun all of us to think that united states

both sides of the aisle and indeed beyond politics for what you have done to help ireland and northernplace wheref coming tom's, brighter than the -- times, brighter than their grandparents. so thank you for year old and giving us back our future. we will forever remember the steadfast work of so many members of congress, democand rs successive administrations over the years who have made it possible. throughout the entirety of the ac friends of arlen caucus have been our president friends, and on behalf of the -- ireland caucus have been our present friends, and on behalf of -- thank you for your leadership and support, something he so much. mr. speaker, someday soon, we would like to welcome you to ireland, so consider this an official invitation. we would love to show you

around. bless you we had the pleasure of showing president biden around the country, although he knows it so well i don't think he needed a tour guide, but a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with relatives or friends, and make new ones. mr. speaker, today, as we run into st. patrick's day, i am thinking of the prayer of saint/ patrick would you alluded to earlier as we face the most complicated and difficult circumstances in the world, problems that have no easy answers, which demand that we do our best to repel the forces of darkness, to defend our, values and to shield our citizens. i'm thinking of st. patrick's prayer today for strength and protection against every cruel and merciless power. when i reflect on the war being ge ukraine, the light of democracy through international law and the. itself are under attack from a relentless adversary who would extinguish them.

ukraine must not fall, and together we need to stand by ukraine for as long as it takes. [applause] i am also thinking of st. patrick's prayer to date when he prayed for the wisdom tode i ree catastrophe unfolding in the middle east, the savage attacks of october 7 in israel, and the terrible violence and loss of human life in gaza which has followed and continues, and we very much want that to end. these are global challenges that demand our courage, empathy, and action, and we pray for the wisdom of saint patr. mr. speaker, over 100 years ago, ireland and the u.s. established diplomatic welcoming the newest member of the international

community, and since then, it is a relationship that has grown on kinship, so thank you so much for helping us those hundred years to take our place among the nations of the world. we look forward to working with america for the next 100 years, a second century of friendship and alliance. happy st. patrick's day. thank you very much. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [applause] mike: thank you so much, and thank you again, mr. president. i am proud to welcome our entertainment for today. born in dublin and raised in new york city, gregory harrington is one of ireland's most well-known violinist with a wide range from jazz to crossover. he has released six critically

acclaimed albums and has even opened the st. patrick's y parade on nbc in new york, and that is a big deal. last year when he gave a performance to a sold-out carnegie hall, celebrating the 20th anniversary, becoming the first irish violinist to ever give a full solo debut at that venue. gregory is joined by juilliard alumnus, sebastian, stephen -- and we have the pleasure of welcoming several dancers because you can't have an irish gig without a dancer, right? joe, kendall, and elise have toured across the globe with numerous irish danceounder and r of the district irish dance academy based here in the nation capital. please join me in welco■

speaker, thank you so much for that introduction. mr. president, mr. speaker, ambassador, distinguished guests. >> mr.aker, thank you so much for that introduction. mr. president, mr. speaker, ambassador, distinguisd guests, in march 2013 i had the invitation trm for the irish-american hall of fame. the honor, that they was the

then vice president biden, and me being me i did not just want to play, i wanted to do something unique for him, so i did my research and i found out that his great-great-grafai thia blind irish fiddler. so i found an■6s" incredible irh composer who was also blind from -- and i did a piece by him but i reimagined and i rearranged. and after the performance, the vice president came over and he was so, so gracious in congratulating me, and we talked about loss and about yates, and about how difficult it is to be on stage and to present. and just as he was departing he leaned in and gave me a wry smile and said, greg, if talente president. [laughter] so apparently, mr. president,

you have this in abundance. [laughter] so what we would do today is sweet will get to some -- is ge, but first we want to celebrate irish culture, and how contemporary irish culture is, and we have one of the icons, one of the greatest musical exports out of ireland, my inner narcissist says that is me, but i digress, a piece from a 1989 album called rattle and come where the band -- hum where the band explored collaborations with others. this is the classic song, all i want is you come from the little-known band u2.

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♪ [applause] >> thank you. mr.■$ . >> today walk c-span's 2024 campaign t. of c-span campaign coverage to deliver a one-stop shot at what the campaigners are saying. watch c-span's 2024 campaign

trail, today at 7:30 p.m. eastern on c-span. online an c-span.org or download as a podcast on c-span now, our free mobile app or wherever you get your podcast. c-span, your unfiltered view of politics. >> my report explains my best effort as to why i declined too accuse if the president biden. i anticipated the ways in which the president's defense lawyers might poke holes in the case, if there were a trial. there has been a lot of attention paid to language in the report about the president's memory, so let me say a few words about that. my task was to determine whether the president retained or disclosed national defense

information willfully. that means knowingly and with the intent to do something the law forbids. i could not make that determination without assessing the president'state of mind. for that reason, i had to consider the president's memory and overall mental state and how a jury likely would perceive his mental state in a criminal trial. these are the types of issues that prosecutors analyze every day and because these were important to my ultimate decision, i had to include discussion include a discussion of them. >> earli this week, former special council testified about his investigatn into president biden's handling of classified documents wh he served as vice president during obama administration. he respondedo concerns about his de randamipics of the president's memory and the decision toeot seek criminal charges. you can watch the entire