(Photo: Wall Street Journal)

From Wall Street Journal:

Biden to Name Joe Kennedy III as Special Envoy to Northern Ireland

Mr. Kennedy, 42 years old, served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021 before losing the Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary in 2020. A member of the Kennedy political dynasty, he is the son of former House member Joe Kennedy II and the grandson of former Sen. Robert Kennedy.

The role was previously known as the U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland. It has been vacant since Mick Mulvaney, who served in the Trump White House, resigned from the post in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

A U.S. official said that Mr. Kennedy’s portfolio would focus specifically on economic issues, rather than some of the politics gripping the region.

“He will be very much focused on advancing U.S. economic engagement and people to people ties,” the official said.

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III is the managing director at Citizens Energy, a diversified renewable energy non-profit that helps low income families meet their basic needs. He is also the founder of Groundwork Project, a political advocacy organization dedicated to supporting local community organizing efforts in regions of the country historically under-resourced and disenfranchised. Kennedy served as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts 4th congressional district from 2013–2021, where he focused on civil rights and economic justice.

He looks forward to his first Festival appearance at the 2023 RMWF.