WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden will address a joint session of Congress for the first time on April 28.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday extended the invitation to Biden, “to share your vision for addressing the challenges and opportunities of this historic moment.” The White House said Biden accepted the invitation.
The speech will arrive just before Biden’s 100-day tenure and provide him with an opportunity to update the American public on his progress toward fulfilling his promises. It will also give him the opportunity to defend the $ 2.3 trillion infrastructure package he presented earlier this month, which the House intends to approve on July 4th.
Traditionally, all members of Congress and guests meet in a joint session in the House, the larger of the two houses. However, the direction will be different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
During the pandemic, restrictions on social distancing have been established that require House legislators to conduct minimum votes and other business in smaller groups, rather than convening hundreds in the House at once. Masks are needed and public visitor galleries, usually filled for this event, have been closed for most of the pandemic.
Details on preparing the Capitol for the event were not immediately available.
Presidents do not deliver a speech on the state of the Union in Congress until the second year of office.