Senate starts debate on bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to vote; NCTC Dir. resigns over opposition to war with Iran; Irish PM visits DC on St. Patrick's Day

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Welcome to Washington Today on C-SPAN radio for Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

The Senate begins what is expected to be a long full week of debate on a bill requiring

proof of US citizenship to register to vote. Senate Democrats send to the White House their

latest offer to reopen the Homeland Security Department. The National Counterterrorism

Center director, Joe Kent, resigns over the war against Iran, telling President Donald Trump

in a letter that Iran did not pose an immediate threat and that he was tricked into supporting the

war by Israel. US Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan testifies before a House subcommittee

about a budget increase request in part to handle an increase in threats of violence against

members of Congress. Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, says that personal criticism

of federal judges is dangerous and, quote, it's got to stop. President Trump recently called

a federal judge who ruled against the administration wacky, nasty, crooked, and totally out of control.

Postmaster General David Steiner tells a House subcommittee the Postal Service will run out of

cash in one year without Congress loosening its operating regulations. And Ireland's Prime Minister,

the T-Shock, Michael Martin visits Washington DC on this same Patrick's Day,

meeting President Trump in the White House Oval Office and attending a Congressional Friends

of Ireland Caucus Luncheon in the US Capitol Building. The Senate today began work on a bill that

requires proof of US citizenship to register vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot, which Republican

sponsors have named the Save Act that stands for Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act,

then been expanded to the Save America Act, associated press writing that federal law already

requires that voters in national elections be US citizens, but the legislation would lay out strict

new requirements for voters to prove their status. The vote to start the debate was 51-48.

It was party line, except Republican Lisa Mkowski of Alaska voted no. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

has voiced opposition, but voted yes on this procedural matter. And Republican Tom Tulis

of North Carolina missed the vote, but he has been a vocal opponent. On the Senate floor, some early

debate from Senator Jim Banks, Republican from Indiana. It's hard to see that there are even

two sides to this issue. Unless, of course, you believe that it really is okay for illegal

immigrants to vote in our elections. But how is that even a debate? The Constitution is very

clear that only citizens of the United States of America are eligible to vote in our elections.

So that debate is already settled. Indiana already has voter ID laws.

Hoosiers have to show an ID when they show up to vote on election day, and they have to prove

that they are who they say they are when they register to vote in the first place. But it's not

fair to Hoosiers when other states don't require voter ID. It's not fair to law abiding Americans

throughout the country because when we allow non-citizens to vote in our federal elections,

we dilute the power of the American voter. And that should never be allowed to happen in the

United States of America. American elections are for Americans, period. Even with voter ID laws,

there are still illegals who show up and try to vote. In fact, our Secretary of State in Indiana,

Diego Morales, just audited our voter roles in our state to find every non-citizen that voted

in our elections to clean up the process. And he actually found some in the Secretary of State

in our Attorney General Todd Rakita are prosecuting those voters who voted illegally.

So it's obvious that even in a state of Indiana where we take election integrity very seriously,

that we need to do more to protect our elections. And the Save America Act, Mr. President,

goes a long way to doing that. It's also obvious that we need to

pass the Save America Act for very practical reasons to have voter ID nationwide in federal elections.

Senator Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana on the Senate floor. The Hill writing that Senator

Mike Lee, a Republican of Utah, leading proponent of the bill, has argued that a prolonged

floor debate on the measure could build political support for the bill similar.

Count Senators mustered support for the 1964 Civil Rights Act during a two-month Senate

floor debate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican from South Dakota,

has declined to force Democrats to wage a talking filibuster, which would require continuous

floor debate to block legislation. But he instead will keep the measure on the floor

through the weekend and into next week to highlight Democratic opposition to its voting reforms.

Thune said the Senate this week will instead pursue a hybrid approach where Republicans

Democrats will plenty of time to debate the bill, but Republicans will try to maintain control

of the floor and block votes on Democratic amendments that was from the Hill.

Opposing the bill today, Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota at a news conference.

Trump said it himself, if Republicans pass this bill, the Save America Act, it'll guarantee the

midterms. That's not my quote. That's what he said. What does it do as Senator Schumer just

explain? It kicks American citizens off of state voter rolls. Their dad is going to be turned over

to the Department of Homeland Security, the same agency that brought us ice,

and then driven through some error written Elon Musk doge algorithm to target voters that are

kicked off the rolls, and then they're supposed to give that information back to the state.

What else does it do? It creates complicated and costly bureaucratic hurdles for Americans to

either register to vote or to re-register if they're like those 69 million women who happened to

decide to change their name when they got married. Millions of American citizens don't have the

specific documents proving what they're asking them to prove. American citizens, half of all Americans,

146 million, don't have a passport. Passports cost at least 150 bucks. Birth certificates can

cost $30 or more and take hours of in-person time to obtain. And in a state like mine, which a bunch

of people living in rural Minnesota, in many rural places, it takes an average of 4.5 hours round trip

to prove citizenship in person. And when it comes to one of those amendments to ban vote by mail,

48 million people voted by mail in 2024. So why don't they face the voters? What are they afraid of?

Maybe they should change their policies or change their candidates. But they should not be messing

around with America's right to vote. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota at a news

conference. As the Senate took its first vote today to begin debate on this bill, the debate

expected to last all week through the weekend, possibly into next week. President Donald Trump

writing on Truth Social today, the Save America Act is one of the most important and consequential

pieces of legislation in the history of Congress and America itself. No more rigged elections,

voter ID, proof of citizenship, no rigged mail in voting, and in parentheses, we are the only

country in the world that allows this. No men and women, sports, no transgender mutilation of our

children, 90% to 99% issues all, only sick, demented or deranged people in the House of Senate could

vote against the Save America Act. If they do, each one of these points separately will be used

against the user in his or her political campaign for office of guaranteed loss. Get your senators,

Republican or Democrat to vote yes on the Save America Act. I will never, ever endorse anyone

who votes against Save America. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President Donald

Jay Trump that posts today, on Truth Social. And you can follow the Senate Live Gabbled to Gabbled

on C-SPAN 2 television and the free C-SPAN Now mobile app. Political writing that Senate

Democrats sent over their latest proposal for immigration enforcement changes at the Department

of Homeland Security as a shutdown of the vast department drags into its second month. The offer

confirmed by a White House official and two other people with knowledge of the matter is the

latest of several. The two parties have traded since the funding laps began February 14th.

Little progress has been made since towards an agreement that would fund agencies including TSA,

FEMA, ICE and the Coast Guard Democrats have vowed to block funding until the administration

agrees to immigration enforcement changes in the wake of federal agents killing two U.S. citizens

in Minneapolis. Republicans meanwhile rejected Democrats efforts to lock off immigration

enforcement agencies and fund the rest of DHS. That was from Politico. The Senate Majority Leader

John Thune, Republican from South Dakota, criticized the Democrats in a floor statement on this issue.

This president today is day 32 of Democrat shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

On Thursday, Democrats once again blocked the Senate from proceeding to a DHS funding bill.

A bill I should note that already includes a number of reforms to immigration enforcement,

more money for body cameras, de-escalation training, and additional oversight of immigration

enforcement activities. And getting on this bill would not have precluded additional reforms from

being added. But for the fourth time now, Democrats stopped the Senate from proceeding to consideration

of this legislation. Mr. President, for weeks, Democrats have spoken about the urgent need

for reforms to immigration enforcement. But it's been Democrats who have been the biggest obstacle

to getting those reforms enacted. The Trump administration took a number of steps on its own.

I might add to reform immigration enforcement. And on top of that, the White House made

two substantial and serious offers to Democrats to legislate reforms, the most recent of which

was sent more than two weeks ago. The Democrats couldn't even be bothered to respond to the White

House's latest offer until late last night. 18 days, Mr. President. 18 days for Democrats to even

bother replying. And that offer, Democrats' third was basically the same as their first two offers.

They'll compromise and still filled with a number of non-starters that would make it more dangerous

for law enforcement officers to do their jobs. Meanwhile, on the Senate floor, the best Democrats

have been able to offer is funding some DHS agencies and leaving others unfunded.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican from South Dakota,

on the Senate floor today. Later, the Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,

Democrat from New York, was asked how negotiations over reopening the Homeland Security Department were

going. Senate Democrats have sent a counter proposal to the White House on DHS funding.

Should we read this as a sign with the two sides are making some progress on getting that agency

we did send those over to the White House last night. And we're trying to move a little bit,

but they've got to get serious. They're not getting serious. The key issues of warrants,

when you bust in someone's house, the key issue of identity of police and no masks,

they haven't budged on those. They've got to get serious.

When it comes specifically to trying to pass some kind of DHS bill, though, at this point,

given the TSA lines, given the difficulty that people are having in the airport,

given them this phx, why not just sit in a room together? Why haven't there been any

impersonations? We've been talking to each other. The two sides have been talking to each other day

and day out. And as I said, one of the key issues that we have been having a discussion about

are the warrants and the masking. The issue is not the means of communication. The means is the

substance of the reality that they won't budge yet on those two issues. We're hoping they will.

And as for the TSA lines, very simple. They blocked a bill that we put forward that said,

fund the TSA, no, ends if so or buts. So you had asked the Republicans about that.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat from New York at a news conference,

Homeland Security Department putting out a press release today that has the headline,

Spring Break under siege, Democrats, reckless DHS shut down his forcing TSA officers

to work without pay and holding American travelers hostage. This is Seesman Radio's Washington

today. Story from Reuters, a top security official in US President Donald Trump's administration

resigned over the war in Iran on Tuesday, saying the country had posed no imminent threat to the

United States. Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Center, is the first senior

official in Trump's administration to resign over the conflict now in its third week. Kent wrote

in a letter posted to Truth Social, I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.

Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation and it is clear that we started this war due to

pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby. That reporting from Reuters, President Trump was

asked about it today. Your Director of National Counterterrorism, Joe Kent, he just resigned today.

He said he can't support your conflict with Iran. What's your reaction to that? And did you

Well, I read his statement. I always thought it was a nice guy, but I always thought he was week on

security, very week on security. I didn't know him well, but I thought it seemed like a pretty nice

guy. But when I read a statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out because he said

that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat every country realized what a threat Iran was. The

question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it. And many people, many of the

greatest military scholars are saying for years that President should have taken out Iran because

they wanted a nuclear weapon. They were, if we didn't do the attack or if I'll go a step further,

if I didn't terminate the Iran nuclear deal, given to us one of the worst deals ever made by

Barack Hussein Obama. Remember when they said Boeing 757s over there loaded with cash? Hundreds of

millions of dollars. You would have been very happy. This was a wonderful, they said hundreds of

million people forget that. Does anybody remember? Right? You remember hundreds of millions of

dollars in a Boeing 757. I think that two of them loaded. They took the seats out and they put cash

and it was so much that there wasn't a bank in Virginia, Maryland, or DC that had any money left.

They stripped them of all their money, put it into place, sent it to Iran, almost as ransom.

That's not going to happen with Trump. And nobody ever did anything about it. Nobody ever said

anything about it. Can you imagine if I did that? So they've been a threat for a long time,

but they've really been a threat. If I didn't terminate Obama's horrible deal that he made,

the Iran nuclear deal, you would have had a nuclear war four years ago. You would have had

you would have had nuclear holocaust, and you would have had it again if we didn't bomb the site.

So when somebody is working with us that says they didn't think Iran was a threat,

we don't want those people because, and there are some people, I guess I would say that,

but they're not smart people or they're not savvy people. President Donald Trump in the White House

of the office holding a news conference, sitting beside the visiting prime minister of Ireland,

more from the letter that Joe Kent, now former national counterterrorism center director,

sent to President Trump posting it online. Early in this administration, high ranking Israeli

officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that

wholly undermined your America first platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war

with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent

threat to the United States and that you should strike now. There was a clear path to us with victory.

This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war

that caused our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake

again. Part of the letter that the now former director of the NCTC, Joe Kent sent to President Trump

posting it online. On Capitol Hill, the House Democratic Caucus chair, Peter Aguilar of California,

was asked about this. I wanted to ask you get your reaction to Joe Kent saying that he was

stepping up in this position today and also fall up to that. Do you guys see this split in

Republicans coalition as any indication you could get Republicans to support Democrats or join

Democrats on issues like war power. No, I don't have a reaction. When extremists like Joe

Kent say, I'm out of here. This administration isn't doing what they said they were going to do.

I think it's incredibly telling. Look, the important thing, this isn't about, you know, who

could we reach out to and where Republicans support a Democrat? No, this is about the president's

words and people have believed him. Many people in the public who are, you know, purple voters,

they vote red, they vote blue, you know, they believe the president. When he said he would lower

the cost on day one, they believe the president when he said he would cut your utility bill in half

within a year. They believed him when he said he didn't want to make investments in foreign wars

or to get America in more conflicts. They believed him. This is someone who just can't be believed

and that's what House Democrats will continue to say through this year and through this

administration. This is somebody who does not believe you should have health care. He does not

believe you play a role in our communities and that you should be honored and lifted up

and we should be looking out for you. He wants to look out for his, you know, big business friends.

He wants to look out for his family. He wants to make sure that they are well taken care of.

He wants to ensure that all of his friends can do all of the insider trading that they that they

want and can benefit themselves. But you, the American public, do not fit into that system and

that's the most egregious part of it. And I think that's the story that we'll tell through November.

House Democratic Caucus chair Pete Aguilar of California at a news conference today.

An Axios article writing about the resignation of the NTCT director Joe Kent that he served in

Army Special Forces and as a CIA paramilitary officer before twice running unsuccessfully

for Congress as a Trump-aligned Republican. The Democrats opposed his appointment citing his

ties to far-right figures, his embrace of conspiracy theories about January 6th and alleged attempt

to influence the event as well at Intelligence Report. That was from Axios. Back to the White House

Oval Office, President Trump again criticized NATO members, particularly great Britain and its

Prime Minister Kier Starmer, saying that most NATO members have informed the US that they do not

want to get involved in the Strait of Hormuz coalition that Trump administration is trying to

put together in the war with Iran. Visiting Irish Prime Minister the T-Shock Michael Martin weighed in

on this issue and particularly Kier Starmer. Kier Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish

British relationship. I just want to put that on the record. But I do believe that he's a very

earnest, sewn person who I think you have a capacity to get on with and you've got on with him

before. And you've got on with other European leaders as well. And I think you have that capacity

again and I think everyone accepts. I mean you cannot have a role to stay with a nuclear weapon

or the capacity for nuclear weapons. Iran was the sponsor of terrorism. We sanctioned Iran

on all European countries day. It's a terror and the IRGC in particular. It's a terrorist organization

that sponsored the mass, that sponsored his balar, the Houthis, the created men and most

maligned force in the Middle East. The Irish position has always been ultimately, can we resolve

this, can we get peace? And obviously there was preconditions before you get to that situation.

We had our own conflict which went on for 30 years and we learned a lot from that in terms of how

to try to bring about peace. And I think I listened to you in terms of your correct. I mean our

hearts go to the Iranian people who have been repressed and suppressed for so many years,

culminating in that savage border of thousands and thousands of Iranians some months gone.

Did you want that? No, I was in a position to do anything about that. And I think,

and likewise with Ukraine, I mean, the Russians did invade Ukraine, have tax civilian infrastructure

and so on like that. And for the people of Ukraine who just want peace and an opportunity to live,

I think there is, I think we have to continue to work to see, can we bring peace

different regime to Iran where Iranians can live in peace again and the people in the Middle East

can live in peace and you're doing your bit there in terms of working gazes and so on like that.

That's what we want. That's what we want is a peaceful resolution of conflict. That's what we

come from is a small nation. We've been peacekeepers all our lives and we're the longest serving

nation in terms of provision and peacekeeping forces in the world as it turns out. But we

think ultimately our conflicts come to an end and I think we have to try and work towards that end

and I'm sure European leaders and the U.S. administration will engage and hopefully we can

get a landing zone. The Irish Prime Minister, the T-Shakum Michael Martin in the White House

of the Office, with President Donald Trump today. Now, Jazeera, writing that President

Emmanuel Cron said France will never take part in operations to unblock the street of Hormuz during

the U.S. Israel war on Iran, while Poland's Prime Minister Tusk said his country would not send

troops to participate in the war. CNBC, writing that U.S. diesel prices have surged 34 percent to

five dollars and four cents per gallon since the U.S. attacked Iran. Diesel is essential to the

U.S. economy. The fuel is used in trucks, trains and barges that transport goods to market.

Gas prices, meanwhile, have surged 27 percent to three dollars and 79 cents on average since the war

started. That was from CNBC. Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council,

told CNBC an interview today at the economic impacts of the war with Iran will be short-lived.

We are basically getting briefed on every nuance of the war every day and then thinking through

the economic implications. We have an enormous amount of success so far in the sense that we've

destroyed the military of Iran. We've coordinated 135 countries in the U.N. including

no veto for China and Russia to isolate Iran and we've coordinated other strategic reserve

release of 35 countries which could go up if it needs to. The bottom line is that the timeline

that President Trump has stated over and over is that it's a four to six week war and that we're

ahead of schedule and so already you're seeing tankers are starting to dribble through the

straits and I think it's a sign of how little Iran has left it so I think we're very optimistic

that this is going to be over in the short run and then there'll be price repercussions

when it is over for a few weeks as the ships make it to the refineries and so on but we've

really got a plan for every corner of the disruption from fertilizer to getting fuel to the west coast

and so on and you know we're highly confident that we've got this thing under control

and the Netherlands soon. Let's let's talk that through when you say in soon you think a matter of

weeks not months. Correct correct that's right. Kevin Hassett director of the White House National

Economic Council today on CNBC and on Wall Street the Dow up 46 NASDAQ 105 SMP-16. Another CNBC

article Nissan Motor plans to join fellow Japanese automakers Toyota Motor and Honda Motor

in exporting US-produced vehicles to Japan following changes to the country's vehicle import rules

reached through a trade deal last year. With the Trump administration the company on Tuesday said

it will import the mid-size Nissan Marano built in Smirna, Tennessee to Japan beginning early

next year. It marks the first American-made Nissan sold in Japan since the 1990s according to a

Nissan spokeswoman porting from CNBC. President Donald Trump begins a Reuters article on Tuesday

said he was postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping

as the war with Iran upends US foreign policy and delays an effort to ease tensions between the

world's two biggest economies. Trump had been set to travel to Beijing from March 31st to April

2nd for the first trip there in his 14-month old second term. The trip will now take place in about

five or six weeks. Trump said reporting from Reuters here's President Trump in the White House

Are there any repercussions for NATO and are you still going to China?

Well, yeah, on China it's a little different story. We're resetting the meeting and it looks

like it'll take place in about five weeks. We're working with China. They were fine with it.

We're going to say, I look forward to seeing President Xi. He looks forward to seeing me I think

but I do look forward to seeing. We have a good relationship with China. China actually is

has become economically for us very good very good as you know it's a much different than it was

in the past and we have a very good working relationship with China so we're making it in about

five or six weeks. President Trump in the White House of all office some news on Cuba

AP writing that large parts of Cuba were without power on Tuesday after its third blackout in four

months underscored the island's deepening energy and economic crisis and rising political tensions

with US President Donald Trump. Cuba's aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years leading

to daily outages and an increase in significant blackouts. The government blames its woes on US

energy blockade after Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil

to Cuba. Trump was asked during a meeting Tuesday in the Oval Office with the Prime Minister of Ireland

about the US seeking regime change in Cuba but deferred to a Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

That was reporting from AP. Here's what it sounded like in the Oval Office.

Well Cuba right now is very bad shape. They're talking to Marco and we'll be doing something with

Cuba very soon. Really focused on this but we're dealing with Cuba. Marco do you want to say

a couple of words about it? Yeah I mean Cuba has an economy that doesn't work in a political

and governmental system they can't fix it so they have to change dramatically what they

announced yesterday is not dramatic enough it's not going to fix it so they've got some big

decisions to make over there. Secretary Rubio do you support and I know this is up in Congress

but do you support easing the Cuban trade embargo if you get more cooperation from them?

Well I'm not going to discuss what we would talk about or not to fight it to say that the embargo

has tied the political change on the island. The embargo has codified and but the bottom line is

their economy doesn't work it's a non-functional economy it's an economy that has survived

it's for 40 that revolution it's not even a revolution that thing they have has survived on

subsidies from the Soviet Union and now from Venezuela they don't get subsidies anymore so they're

in a lot of trouble and the people in charge are they don't know how to fix it so they have to get

new people in charge that's what I have the relationship we have with Venezuela has been

I think you can almost say incredible President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio

in the White House all the office that was during the news conference with the visiting Irish

Prime Minister. President Trump said in the news conference on Monday that he will have the

honor of taking over Cuba. This came up today at a House Armed Services Committee hearing

with Congresswoman Sarah Elfert, Democrat from Maryland questioning one of the witnesses,

Joseph Umira, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for America's Security Affairs.

Yesterday afternoon the president told reporters I do believe I'll have the honor of taking Cuba

when he was asked what he meant by this. He said taking Cuba in some form whether I free it,

take it I think I can do anything I want with it if you want to know the truth they're very

weakened nation right now. General Donovan's prepared statements do not mention Cuba nor does

the National Defense Strategy identify Cuba as a threat. Can anybody identify for me or explain

or define what take it could mean and then further what eminent threat the government of Cuba is

placing on Americans right now. As I mentioned before, Congressman, the Cuba has been involved in

pretty much every threat that the United States has faced from the Western Hemisphere, whether it's

intelligence, whether it's aligning with criminal groups, whether it's working with external

state actors. The Cuban government has been intricately involved in a lot of these threats

and fundamentally we're involved inside Venezuela and dropping up from the Cuban government to

the American people right now. Through networks working with adversaries of the United States.

So as you probably know the prolonged blockade has caused as of yesterday Cuba to its power grid to

go down. Can you please help me understand are we preparing to go and invade Cuba?

So the shortages that are happening in Cuba on both electricity and power have to do with the

fact that Venezuela was subsidizing all shipments to Cuba at pretty much a fraction of the cost

in exchange for security personnel that was identified when we conducted operation absolutely

resolved. Are we preparing to invade Cuba? I'm not familiar with any plans on Cuba. What I'm

saying is fundamentally Cuba has provided a significant threat to the United States' hemispheric

security for decades and close to a half a century. Joseph Umira, Deputy Assistant Defense

Secretary for America's Security Affairs, questioned by Congresswoman Sarah Elfert,

Democrat for Maryland at today's Armed Services Committee hearing. New York Times writing,

as US and Cuban officials negotiate over the future of a communist ruled and economically

besieged Caribbean Island. The Trump administration is seeking to push President Miguel Diaz can

out from power according to four people familiar with the talks. The move would topple a key

figurehead while keeping in place the repressive communist government that has ruled Cuba for more

than 65 years. The Americans have signaled to Cuban negotiators that the president must go,

but are leaving the next steps to the Cubans the people said reporting from the New York Times.

Washington today continues in a moment. America leads the world in medicine development.

It matters. We get new medicines first nearly three years faster. Five million Americans go to work

because we make medicines here at home and not relying on other countries keeps us safe,

but China is racing to overtake us. Will we let them or will we choose to stay ahead?

When America leads, America cures. Let's tell Washington to keep us in the lead.

Learn how at americacures.com. Pay for it by Farma.

Welcome back to Washington today, available as a podcast on the free seaspanel mobile app and

wherever you find your podcasts. On this St. Patrick's Day, the Irish T-Shock, the Prime Minister,

Michael Martin visited Washington meeting President Donald Trump in the White House Oval Office

to wearing green ties, a crystal bowl with sham rocks, a traditional symbol of Ireland

between them. Then they went to Capitol Hill for the annual Congressional Friends of Ireland luncheon.

Musical performance led by the producer of a new Irish musical where Eagles fly that tells the

story of the Irish who left the homeland to journey to America. The Friends of Ireland is a bipartisan

Congressional caucus founded in 1981 and the House Speaker Mike Johnson, public and

Louisiana provided welcoming remarks. If you're familiar with this event, you know that speakers

traditionally share their stories of their Irish roots and their long lost relatives from the homeland.

I unfortunately am not Irish. My folks come from my mother's side from Sicily, so Mike Johnson is

so boring. You wouldn't know that, but my maternal grandfather was Noonsio Messina. I could have

been somebody, could have been Vinnie Messina. But anyway, this is my third year hosting and I've

exhausted all my stories, but I do want to say I do have Irish credibility because I married a

beautiful Irish woman, Kelly is my wife over here, Kelly Reesan. Her maiden name is Larry,

L-A-R-Y, and it used to be originally was O Larry, so Kelly O Larry, that's pretty Irish, right?

I think I qualify. I'm certainly a great admirer of the Irish spirit, and of course the

indelible mark that Irish men and women have left on our country. There's an old saying that the

Irish, like the presence of God himself, are everywhere, and that certainly holds true here in

Congress, as well as most of the history of our extraordinary nation. Irish influence in

America dates back to the earliest days of our great country. In fact, some of the most fiery

patriots, the ones who inspired our founders to declare their independence were the Irish.

And when the father of our country, George Washington, needed an army, it was the Irish,

who made up roughly one-third of the fighting force. Their determined spirit, their love of liberty

were so well known that a top British official is said to have lamented, we have lost America

through the Irish, and that's bragging rights. House Speaker Mike Johnson,

Republican from Louisiana at today's Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus Luncheon, also there,

President Donald Trump. Over the centuries, 130 members of the House and Senate have been

born in Ireland and been elected to work in these great halls. Think of it, that's a lot. Our

national anthem itself was signed by the site of the star-spangled banner waving over the

fort named for the Son of Ireland, Fort Henry, Fort McHenry, when Americans ventured west on the

Oregon Trail. They were guarded by troop stations at Fort Riley, named for the Irish American warrior

who President Grant called the finest specimen of physical manhood I've ever looked upon. We

didn't know that about President Grant. I think we just learned something. But I could say that

about your sons, okay? Kelly, I could say that about your sons. It was a boxing champion,

like champions. Who would think from this one? It's got to be from God.

Well, I didn't know about your Italian roots either. I thought he was a super wasp,

you know, to me. No, to me, Mike was always a wasp. Now I learned that this is serious Italian

stuff, right? Well, that'll that'll be good for you, I think. You know, your image, his image has

changed the hell of a lot very quick. He's great. Even today when Americans visit Gettysburg,

they find a Celtic cross honoring the soldiers of the famed Irish Brigade and defended our union

and its pivotal hour. Most pivotal hour they were there and it said that more than 50% of all

congressional medals of honor are awarded. Think of that 50% went to people who had parents one or

the other Irish American. That's a lot. We're going to have to look. That's because we have so

many Irish politicians. That's how that works. But we can't let that. We got to make some changes

in that. That's too many. Don't you think, Kelly? I think. But from 1776 to today, our country

has stood strong and free in no small part due to the spirit of the warriors. You really are warriors

are incredible. And the fighting Irish, you know, Notre Dame, the fighting Irish is a reason for it.

I don't know how many Irish people are playing on the team though. How many Irish people do we

have on the team? I'm not sure we have so many. Well, you got him. You have Kelly. Kelly's a warrior

let me tell you. As the T-Shark has said and President's reminds us today, the United States and

Ireland continue to build upon the age old bond together. We are strengthening the ties of culture.

We have a tremendous deficit, by the way. I want to tell you right now. I looked at the numbers.

You guys are much better business people than our past politicians. We have to talk about that

deficit. Are we allowed to talk about that today? It's a substantial deficit. Okay, tomorrow. Okay,

we'll send tomorrow. President Donald Trump at the Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill

or St. Patrick's Day with the visiting Irish Prime Minister, the T-Shark Michael Martin,

who also made some remarks. As all of us in this room know, courage comes in many forms.

Mr. Speaker, today I am reminded of Margaret Haurey, a woman born into deep poverty in County

Leetrum in 1813, who found a better future in your own state of Louisiana. Through hard work

and determination, Margaret overcame tragedy to set up a number of businesses, first a small dairy

and then a bakery which grew to employ 40 people. She was renowned for her business acumen,

her deep faith and her charity. The orphanages she had to build across New Orleans remain as her

legacy. Margaret's grace and determination, her hard work, entrepreneurship and innovation,

and her dedication to giving back to her community embodies the best of what it is to be Irish

here in the United States and at home in Ireland. Margaret Haurey was an entrepreneur to her bones,

which she would marvel at the economic relationship that exists today between Ireland and the United

States. Every day across this great United States, more than 200,000 Americans go to work each morning

in nearly 800 Irish owned companies, operating in every sector, in every state, and Ireland is the

fifth largest foreign investor in the US, from little acorns mighty ox grow. Mr. President,

Mr. Speaker, on my journey to Washington this year, I stopped by Philadelphia, the birthplace

of the American Revolution and the home of your remarkable declaration of independence.

Viewing the exhibition at the Museum of the American Revolution, I was struck by how those

who signed the declaration knew that the profound and serious step they were taking would change

not just this part of the world, but the course of human history. The Irish Prime Minister, the

T-Shock, Miguel Martin, at today's Congressional Friends of Ireland, luncheon on Capitol Hill with

President Donald Trump and members of Congress, a tradition that goes back to 1981. Over 30 million

Americans, about 1 in 10, claim Irish ancestry. That's about 5 to 6 times more than the population of

Ireland itself. This is Washington today. From the Washington Examiner, US Capitol Police Chief Michael

Sullivan on Tuesday argued sweeping threats against lawmakers justify his department's historic

budget request during House Appropriations Committee hearing Sullivan testified before the

legislative branch's subcommittee on his budget proposal for fiscal 2027 funding. If approved,

the latest budget would mark the first time it has gone over $1 billion. Request includes 734

million for salaries and benefits, 273 million for general expenses, and 15.7 million in

multi-year funding to support security enhancements according to officials. In his testimony,

the Police Chief warned that in 2026, the department is on pace to exceed around 15,000 threats

made against Congress in 2025, which he said marked a 58 percent increase from the prior year,

reporting from the Washington Examiner, and here's part of the hearing. Congressman Riley Moore,

Republican of West Virginia, asking Chief Michael Sullivan about how the most serious threats

are handled. I doubt there's a member on this bias that hasn't had some type of threat since they've

been in office. Sometimes those have, unfortunately, actual, actually equaled action.

Steve Scalise, or Gabby Giffords, when I was here working as a staff member, we've seen it

time and time again, and it's very unfortunate. I would want to point out our chairman here in the

last appropriations bill really led an effort to be able to help increase security for our members

and did an excellent job on that. So cognizant that this is a public setting and you might not

be able to give too many specifics, but what can you tell me about the standard operating

procedure for when a member receives a death threat? I've had a few of these. I've had somebody

show up at my house. One individual was presumably armed outside of my house when I wasn't there.

My family was there. I have folks showing up at my church now, which is interesting. How does

your team work to determine credibility at what stage do you begin working with other federal

state and local partners? Do you request a wellness check from local police to ensure

the individual is still where they reside? We had one guy that was in Maine or something like that

and was trying to come down to West Virginia, probably not advisable. Come down to my state.

I'm just curious, what does that look like? At what stage do you begin working with federal

state and local? Do you do wellness check? What's the process? Certainly. Thank you for that

question. One of the key parts of our protective intelligence operations center that I spoke about

in my opening comments was that single point of contact for intake. When you have over 15,000

threats and concerning statements to get them all in one place to be able to triage them.

So when we have those most serious threats, we can bring resources to bear immediately.

We can get those to a threat agent who can then potentially coordinate if it's out of state

with other agencies. We also, as we look at threats, it's important for us to look at them

holistically. Each one is different. We have to look if somebody has the means and motive to

carry out said threat. And then we have to be able to monitor that person going on. We will work

with our state and federal officials. We talked about the MOUs that are out there being able to

have those to be able to go out and do wellness checks if that's what is recommended.

That's not a standard operating procedure. We work with our department psychologists to take a

picture of what this looks like. The idea is safety. Safety sometimes involves prosecution,

but we want to de-escalate and create a safe environment and working with all of the professionals

at the U.S. Capitol Police and other federal partners and state locals. That's what we strive to do

in each of these situations. Yeah, and what does the coordination look like with, say,

the FBI? If somebody's going to go out and prosecute these folks, is that who you refer some of

these cases to, to go forward and do something about this? We will certainly work with the FBI,

depending on what the threat is. We will send threat agents out across the country to work with

state and other federal officials to get prosecutions. We also have, and we want to expand,

and we are planning to expand our salsa program. We have U.S. attorneys that are embedded in

offices, and we want to embed them throughout the country, and then there can work regionally

to be able to help prosecute those cases. We found that to be very helpful for us to be able to

get legal process out there and get it served to make sure that we can get that usually that

electronic footprint or whatever, you know, the threat involves. And so we can get that information

for successive prosecutions. U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan testifying before House

legislative branch appropriations, subcommittee question by Congressman Riley Moore,

Republican from West Virginia, the focus of the hearing, the department's budget.

The Hill writing that Congressman Jasmine Crockett, Democrat from Texas on Tuesday, said a member

of her security team was killed by law enforcement in Dallas. Authorities say the security official,

known as Mike King, was actually Diemann Robinson, the 39-year-old, wanted on multiple felony

warrants on charges that range from impersonating a police officer to stolen license plates,

according to local news reports. Crockett wrote on X, the fact that an individual was able to

somehow circumvent the vetting processes for something as sensitive as security for members of

Congress highlights the loopholes and shortcomings in many of our systems that was from the Hill.

Chief Justice John Roberts begins an NBC news story on Tuesday said that personal criticism of

judges is dangerous and urge prominent figures to dial down the rhetoric just days after President

Donald Trump launched his most recent broadside against the Supreme Court. Roberts, the head of

the Federal Judiciary, said in public remarks at Rice University in Houston, the critiques of the

substance of Supreme Court rulings are part of the job, but that some more pointed comments have

gone too far. He did not mention Trump specifically, again reporting from NBC News. President Trump

wrote last Sunday on true social about the 63 Supreme Court ruling against this global tariffs.

Our country was unnecessarily ransacked by the United States Supreme Court, which has become

little more than a weaponized and unjust political organization. He also called the court inept

and said the judges are hurting our country. Chief Justice Roberts was interviewed today by

federal judge Lee Rosenthal. In your 2024 year-end report on the judiciary, you wrote that criticism

comes with the territory for judges and justices and that it can be healthy.

You've talked about the criticisms that your predecessors encountered. How do you handle criticism

of your court or your opinions today? Well, it does come with the territory.

Often, when any of us issue opinion, there's often a dissent. Usually not, but I mean,

people that are the most opinions that are more opinions than anything else are unanimous.

And that's pretty to get used to the criticism right away.

And it can very much be healthy. We don't believe that we're flawless in any way.

And it's important that our decisions are subjected to scrutiny and they are.

The problem sometimes is that the criticism can move from a focus on

legal analysis to personalities. And you see, from all over, I mean, not just any one political

perspective on it, that it's more directed in a personal way. And that, frankly, can be actually

quite dangerous. Judges around the country work very hard to get it right. And if they don't,

their opinions are subject to criticism. But personally directed hostility is dangerous.

And it's got to stop. It's very much part of our lives these days. And on behalf of trial

judges everywhere, I want to personally thank you because while we know that you may not always

agree with us, we always know that you have our backs. And that means a great deal.

So thank you. And I hope it continues.

Interview with Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts,

by federal judge Lee Rosenthal at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston,

Texas. New York Times writing the Supreme Court on Monday declined to

immediately allow the Trump administration to end deportation protections for hundreds of

thousands of Haitian and Syrian migrants living in the United States and instead agreed to hear

oral arguments in the matter in late April. From associate to press, the Kennedy Center's

Board of Directors voted on Monday to shut down operations for two years following this summer's

July 4th celebrations. The widely expected decision comes in the wake of numerous

resignations and cancellations during President Donald Trump's second term, although Trump

himself has cited the need for repairs as a reason for the closure. He told reporters at the White

House before the board met Monday, we're going to ensure it remains the finest performing arts

facility of its kind anywhere in the world. The Kennedy Center said the vote was unanimous,

though Congresswoman Joyce Beatty didn't cast a vote. The Ohio Democrat is an ex officio member

of the board and sued to preclude the Trump administration from excluding her from Monday's meeting.

Over the weekend, a federal judge ruled that she was entitled to participate in the meeting,

but didn't require the board allow her to vote. That was from associated press. Congresswoman

Beatty on Monday night spoke with CNN about what happened when the board met and that was in close

session. They went through the protocol that they would take a vote and then due to the weather,

there would be limited dialogue about the vote. At that time, I did ask for a point of order

to make sure that they were on record before we had the call for the vote that I would have

something to say. And they were very gracious and said they were aware and I would have time

to address the board, which I clearly did in stating my opposition to the closing and gave them

a series of things. The only reason we got this packet of information was because I found

lawsuit in federal court and judge Cooper then sent a order out that not only did I have to get

the materials, but all of the board members would need to receive it. And late on Sunday night,

we received a document that I had at the board meeting and I referenced that the only reason we

received it was because of my legal team, which also gives me hope. The judge was very clear

on a lot of things. In May, the board did decide that ex officios would not have a vote and we're

still dealing with that. So there will be more to come legally about a decision on whether in future

meetings I can vote or not. But I was able to express that I'm not against any renovations making

it safe, but I'm against any and everything that is unlawful. They did not bring it before the

United States Congress just asked when Donald Trump put his name across the Kennedy Center.

He did not get approval from the Congress to do that. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty,

Democrat from Ohio on CNN Monday night, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat from Rhode Island,

another ex officio member of the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts,

did not attend the board meeting at the White House on Monday. He said in a statement,

I will not serve as a prop at today's board meeting. National Public Radio is reporting that

if it continues, business as usual, the U.S. Postal Service is on track to run out of cash for

paying its workers and vendors in about a year and may have to stop deliveries. Postmaster general

David Steiner told lawmakers this week, the warning is the latest development in longstanding

money troubles at USPS, a unique federal government agency that relies on stamps and service fees,

not tax dollars, deliver mail and packages six days a week to every address in the country.

That was from NPR. Here's part of the Hearing House Oversight Subcommittee, Postmaster general,

David Steiner. At our current rate, we'll be out of cash in less than 12 months.

So in about a year from now, the Postal Service would be unable to deliver the mail

if we continue the status quo. So how did we get here and how do we solve the problem?

We got here because of the drastic reduction in the use of the mail. From historic peak volume

of 213 billion pieces per year to today at 109 billion pieces per year, we've lost over 104

billion pieces per year in our system. For perspective, if all of that lost volume was paid at the

current price of a stamp, which is 78 cents, that's about 81 billion dollars of lost revenue.

No company could weather that much revenue loss. So it's not hard to see how we got here.

I like to say that we got thrown overboard and into the water, but instead of tossing us a

life jacket, we were thrown an anchor. So what does that anchor look like and why is it weighing us

down? First, we pay an unfair share of CSRS benefits, which costs us about $3 billion a year.

Second, we can't borrow more than $15 billion. The $15 billion limit was established decades ago.

If you applied inflation or based it on revenue, that limit should be $30 to $40 billion.

Third, we can only invest our retirement in Treasury notes. If we were able to invest conservatively,

we would have an additional $800 billion in retirement benefits.

Fourth, we're mandated by law to deliver to every address. More than 170 million of them,

six days a week. This leads to 71% of our delivery routes being financially under water.

If we're expected to deliver six days a week to every location, someone needs to pay for that.

Fifth, we're not allowed to manage our own workers' compensation claims. That costs us anywhere

from $400 million to $800 million per year. Next, we're regulated like a monopoly,

but we no longer exist as one. In fact, we're regulated worse than a monopoly, because even a

monopoly is allowed to make money. The U.S. Postmaster General David Stein or testifying,

before a House Oversight subcommittee, he said the immediate fix needed is that Congress should

allow the Postal Service to borrow more money beyond the cap. The Postal Service ended fiscal

year 2025 with a net loss of $9 billion, and the last time it recorded an annual profit with fiscal

year 2006. Thanks for listening to Washington Today. Sign up for Seaspan's evening newslet

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