Biden visits Capitol Hill amid banking collapse: Washington Photos of the Week

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last week tested the strength of the financial system and gave Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen‘s previously scheduled testimony to the Senate Finance Committee a greater sense of urgency.

Yellen on Thursday sought to assure the public that “our banking system remains sound” following the sudden demise of SVB and Signature Bank.

SVB COLLAPSE: JANET YELLEN UNDER FIRE FROM GOP OVER DANGERS FACING SMALL BANKS

In the fallout from the failure, progressive lawmakers blamed a rollback of the Dodd-Frank Act, which established banking rules to prevent another 2008 financial meltdown. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said the collapse was “a direct result of an absurd 2018 bank deregulation bill signed by Donald Trump.”

President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee announced they’d hand back political donations tied to SVB. Biden also called on Congress to pass legislation to claw back compensation from executives of failed banks and ban them from working in the industry.

Meanwhile, the prime minister of Ireland visited Washington, reviving a long-standing St. Patrick’s Day tradition that was sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s taoiseach, joined Biden for a White House celebration and a luncheon at the Capitol with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

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Here’s a look at scenes from Washington captured by Washington Examiner photographer Graeme Jennings during the week of March 13, 2023.

St. Patrick’s Day tradition brings Biden and McCarthy together