President Joe Biden delivered his third State of the Union address at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday. Follow here for the live updates:
Rep. Nehls: ‘I Want Biden to Be The Nominee’
While some were expecting President Joe Biden to stumble and trip through his State of the Union address, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) was hoping for the opposite.
“He delivered a pretty good speech,” Mr. Nehls told The Epoch Times. “I’m glad he did. I didn’t want him to stumble too much. I didn’t want him to get distracted. I wanted him to try to speak as clear as possible. And I think he did a pretty good job of that.”
Why did Mr. Nehls, a Republican congressman, want the president to succeed on Thursday night?
“I hope he convinced the Democrats that he’s the nominee. I want him to be the nominee for the Democrats. I don’t want it to be anybody else,” he said.
“And that’s a blessing for me and for the Republican Party, because Donald Trump will beat him for a second time,” Mr. Nehls added.
By Joseph Lord, Jacob Burg
Rep. Ivey Says Republican Hecklers ‘Embarrassing for the Party’
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) commended President Joe Biden for his State of the Union address and highlighted the failed Border Bill when asked about the president’s comments regarding the crisis.
Mr. Ivey emphasized the need for “more Border Patrol agents, more judges to move these cases faster, [and] more resources to deal with the problem.”
“All of that’s in the Senate Bill,” he told The Epoch Times. “Let’s bring it to a vote. If we do, I think it’ll pass.”
The congressman also criticized the Republicans who heckled the president during his address, saying, “It’s a growing trend for House Republicans, and not all of them are like that.”
“But the ones that are—the underbelly of the House Republicans—I think really, really showed they’re behind tonight and I thought it was kind of embarrassing for the [Republican] party.”
By Joseph Lord, Jacob Burg
Rep. Babin Calls State of the Union ‘Rah Rah Campaign Speech’
After the end of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) confirmed with The Epoch Times that he walked out halfway through and went to the cloak room.
“I got up. Well, I had enough. I’d heard all I needed to hear of that speech,” he said.
“I came to hear the State of the Union. And I didn’t hear anything, but a rah rah campaign speech, blaming Republicans for things that he actually had caused, as I said—open borders. crime waves, overspending, inflation, [and] foreign policy debacles,” Mr. Babin added.
The Texas senator said that he would have loved to stand up and clap but that he “didn’t hear anything [he could] clap for.”
“And it’s hard to sit there and listen to an abject, obvious lie,” Mr. Babin said.
By Jacob Burg, Joseph Lord
Britt: Republicans ‘Strongly Support’ IVF Access
Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) used her response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address to push back on claims that Republicans don’t support in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“We are the party of hardworking parents and families, and we want to give you and your children the opportunities to thrive. And we want families to grow,” the senator said. “It’s why we strongly support continued nationwide access to in vitro fertilization. We want to help loving moms and dads bring precious life into this world.”
Ms. Britt’s comments followed the president’s suggestion earlier in the night that Republicans would stand in the way of a law establishing a national right to IVF access.
“To my friends across the aisle: Don’t keep this waiting any longer!” President Biden shouted. “Guarantee a right to IVF! Guarantee it nationwide!”
By Samantha Flom
Britt Shares Tragic Story of Sex-Trafficking Victim
While hammering President Joe Biden on his handling of the U.S.–Mexico border, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) shared the devastating story of a Texas woman who fell victim to the crisis.
The woman, Ms. Britt said, was sex-trafficked at the age of 12 by the Mexican drug cartels.
“She told me not just that she was raped every day, but how many times a day she was raped. The cartels put her on a mattress in a shoebox of a room and they sent men through that door over and over again for hours and hours on end. We wouldn’t be OK with this happening in a Third World country.”
That was just one example the senator gave to illustrate the harms of the situation at the border.
In another, she cited the recent murder of Augusta University student Laken Riley, allegedly at the hands of an illegal immigrant.
“In my neighboring state of Georgia, this beautiful 22-year-old nursing student went out on a jog one morning, but she never got the opportunity to return home. She was brutally murdered by one of the millions of illegal border-crossers President Biden chose to release into our homeland. … And tonight, President Biden finally said her name. But he refused to take responsibility for his own actions.”
Holding the president responsible for the deaths of Ms. Riley and other victims, the senator called on him to reverse his policies “and stop the suffering.”
By Samantha Flom
Britt: ‘American People Scraping By’ in Biden’s Economy
President Joe Biden’s policies have diminished the American people’s living standards, said Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) in the Republican Party’s State of the Union response.
Massive federal spending in recent years has “sent the cost of living through the roof,” resulting in 40-year-high inflation and the highest credit card debt in U.S. history.
“Hardworking families are struggling to make ends meet today,” she said, alluding to rocketing mortgage rates and childcare costs.
“They’re also struggling to how to plan for tomorrow. The American people are scraping by.”
By Andrew Moran
Britt Hits Biden on Crime
In her response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) slammed him on the issue of crime.
Despite what he tells you, our communities are not safer. For years, the left has coddled criminals, defunded the police,” she said. “All the while letting repeat offenders walk free. The result is tragic, but foreseeable.
“From our small towns to America’s most iconic city streets. Life is getting more and more dangerous.”
By Jackson Richman
Britt Says Biden ‘Invited’ Border Chaos
In her response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) said “the American Dream has turned into a nightmare,” in part because of the crisis at the southern border.
“President Biden inherited the most secure border of all time. But minutes after taking office, he suspended all deportations, he halted construction of the border wall, and he announced a plan to give amnesty to millions,” Ms. Britt said.
“We know that President Biden didn’t just create this border crisis; he invited it with 94 executive actions in his first 100 days.”
By Jacob Burg
GOP Senator on Biden’s SOTU Speech: ‘Performance of a Permanent Politician’
In the GOP response to President Biden’s State of the Union address, Sen. Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.) blasted his speech as the “performance of a permanent politician.”
Talking from the kitchen in her home in Montgomery, Alabama, she said, “The American Dream has turned into a nightmare.”
An example she gave is the crisis at the southern border.
By Jackson Richman
Biden Addresses Age Concerns, Offers ‘Vision of the Future’
President Joe Biden had a list of topics to tackle Thursday night, but for many his age and health were among the most important.
He said that when he was first elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of 29, people told him he was “too young.” The president joked that some in the Senate wouldn’t hold the elevator for him due to his age at the time.
“And I’ve been told I’m too old. Whether young or old I’ve always known what endures,” President Biden said. “The very idea of Americans that we’re all created equal, deserves to be treated equally throughout our lives. We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either.”
He translated this into a “vision” of the future he intends to realize if reelected to another four years in the White House.
“My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are. It’s how old our ideas [are]—hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas. But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas; it will only take us back.
“To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision of the future of what can and should be done. Tonight you heard mine,” President Biden said.
By Jacob Burg
Biden: ‘America Is Rising,’ Not China
Republicans and many others have claimed that China is on the rise and America is falling behind, but they are wrong, according to President Joe Biden.
Speaking in his State of the Union address, the president stated that everyone is wrong.
“They’ve got it backward. America is rising. We have the best economy in the world,” he said.
He stated the U.S. GDP is up, and the nation’s trade deficit with China is at a decade-low.
“We’re standing up against China’s unfair economic practices,” President Biden said, adding that his administration has revived partnerships and alliances in the Pacific and prevented China from using advanced U.S. technologies.
“Frankly, for all his tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do that,” he told the House chamber.
“We want competition with China, but not conflict.”
By Andrew Moran
Biden Announces Humanitarian Pier Project in Gaza
President Joe Biden announced a military operation that will expand a port on the Gazan coast with a new, temporary pier for aid amid the increasing humanitarian crisis there.
“Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier on the Mediterranean coast in Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters,” President Biden said.
“No U.S. boots will be on the ground. The temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.”
The announcement follows repeated refusals by Israel to allow for more aid trucks to enter Gaza via ground routes, which recently led to the United States initiating air drops to support the starving Palestinian population in Gaza.
Administration officials said on a press call prior to the speech that the pier would eventually be transferred to civil authorities and that ground operations overseeing the delivery of assistance would not be overseen by the military.
By Andrew Thornebrooke
Biden Says ‘No One Should Be Jailed’ for Using Marijuana
During discussions on his policies relating to crime, President Joe Biden said he wanted to expunge criminal records for those who are arrested for using or possessing marijuana.
The president said it’s important to expunge these crimes because “no one should be jailed for simply using or having it on the record.”
This follows President Biden’s previous marijuana policy announcements, including the decision in 2023 to have the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) recommend the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
If the DEA follows the guidance from the HHS, marijuana will no longer be in the category of drugs that are considered to have “no medical value,” which includes LSD and ecstasy.
Instead, marijuana would be among medications like testosterone and codeine if it gets moved to Schedule III.
Some have said these changes would fast-track federal legalization of marijuana, which is only legal in certain states and Washington.
By Jacob Burg
Biden on Israel-Hamas Conflict: ‘Gut-Wrenching’
Biden addressed a highly-anticipated matter: the latest conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
He blasted Hamas for, as he noted, conducting on Oct. 7 the greatest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. He pledged to not stop until all hostages are released by Hamas.
Family members of hostages were in the gallery watching the speech.
“Israel has a right to go after Hamas,” the president said. “Hamas could end this conflict today by releasing the hostages, laying down arms, and surrendering those responsible for Oct. 7.”
However, he continued, “Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population. But Israel also has a fundamental responsibility to protect innocent civilians in Gaza.
“This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined.”
The president noted that his administration is seeking a six-week ceasefire in order for hostages to be released and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.
By Jackson Richman
Biden: ‘We Must Beat the NRA Again’
President Joe Biden demanded a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and urged Congress to support universal background checks.
“None of this violates the Second Amendment or vilifies responsible gun owners,” he said during his State of the Union speech.
President Biden claimed that his predecessor refrained from tackling the gun issue. Instead, the president stated that he beat the National Rifle Association (NRA) by signing “the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years.”
“Now we must beat the NRA again!”
Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to warn the public that the incumbent “wants to take away everyone’s gun.”
“Remember that when you go to the voting booth, because if I’m not elected, your guns are gone, along with your freedom!”
By Andrew Moran
Biden Talks About Combatting Crime
President Joe Biden apparently sought to head off criticism on the crime rate from Republicans, conservatives, and others.
“Last year, the murder rate saw the sharpest decrease in history, and violent crime fell to one of the lowest levels in more than 50 years,” he said. “But we have more to do.
“Give communities the tools to crack down on gun crime, retail crime, and carjacking,” he said.
By Jackson Richman
Biden Touts War on Junk Fees
During his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden championed his war on junk fees.
He told the House chamber that he is eliminating hidden fees “at the end of your bills without your knowledge.”
The White House recently announced that it is slashing credit card late fees from $32 to $8.
“I’m saving American families $20 billion a year with all of the junk fees I’m eliminating,” President Biden said. “And I’m not stopping there.”
He also touted that his administration has presented a proposal to mandate “cable travel utilities and online ticket sellers tell you the total price upfront so there are no surprises.”
By Andrew Moran
Senate Border Deal Draws Groans from GOP
President Joe Biden’s mention of the failed Senate deal to tie border security funding to aid for Ukraine and other foreign nations drew loud boos and groans from Republican members of Congress.
“Oh, you don’t like that?” the president responded to the interruption. “The conservatives got together and said it was a good bill. I’ll be darned. That’s amazing.”
The bill in question would have authorized $20 billion in funding for border enforcement and more than triple that amount in aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Although the deal was negotiated by a bipartisan group of senators and garnered enough support to pass that chamber, it was pronounced “dead on arrival” by leadership in the House.
Republicans who objected to the deal specifically took issue with its prioritization of Ukraine’s borders over those of the United States. They also found fault with the border security provisions of the bill, which they found to be lacking in substance.
President Biden said he believed the bill would have passed if it was brought to the House floor.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) disagreed, shaking his head in the background.
By Samantha Flom
Biden Botches Murdered Georgia Student’s Name
Heckled by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), President Biden incorrectly said “Lincoln Riley” instead of Laken Riley, the University of Georgia nursing student who was murdered, allegedly by an illegal alien.
Ahead of the address, Ms. Greene posted a video on social media calling on President Biden to “Say her name.”
“Lincoln Riley? An innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal! That’s right? But how many of thousands of people being killed by illegals?!” said President Biden.
By Jackson Richman
Biden Urges Rich to ‘Pay Their Fair Share’
President Joe Biden urged wealthy Americans and corporations to “pay their fair share.”
In his State of the Union address, he proposed cutting the federal deficit by $3 trillion by “making big corporations and the very wealthy finally pay their fair share.”
He argued that creating a fair tax code rather than handing out $2 trillion in tax breaks is how the federal government will invest in defense, education, and health care.
President Biden also promised that nobody earning less than $400,000 will pay an extra penny in federal taxes.
“Nobody. Not one penny.”
He urged Congress to raise the corporate minimum tax rate to at least 21 percent and remove tax breaks for Big Pharma and Big Oil.
“End it now!”
The president reiterated his proposal to introduce a minimum 25 percent tax on billionaires to raise $500 billion in revenue over the next ten years.
By Andrew Moran
Biden Pitches Universal Pre-school, Calls for Raise for Public School Teachers
President Joe Biden said he wanted to provide universal pre-school access for all children during his State of the Union address.
“To remain the strongest economy in the world we need to have the best education system in the world,” he said.
In pushing for universal pre-school, President Biden said studies show children who go to preschool are 50 percent more likely to finish high school.
“I want to expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning to see that every child learns to read by third grade,” the president said.
He extended this to higher education as well.
“[By] connecting local businesses and high schools, students get a hands-on experience and a path to a good paying job, whether or not they go to college. I want to make sure that college is more affordable,” President Biden said.
He capped his discussion on education by also urging for a raise for all public school teachers.
By Jacob Burg
Trump Rebutts Biden’s Claims on the Pandemic
President Joe Biden criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“A raging virus that would take more than 1 million American lives and leave millions of loved ones behind,” he said. “A president, my predecessor, who failed the most basic duty. Any President owes the American people the duty to care.
“That is unforgivable.”
President Trump responded by saying, “The Pandemic no longer controls our lives. The Vaccines that saved us from COVID are now being used to help beat Cancer–Turning setback into comeback!” YOU’RE WELCOME, JOE, NINE-MONTH APPROVAL TIME VS. 12 YEARS THAT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU!
By T.J. Muscaro
Trump on Biden: ‘He Looks so Angry When He’s Talking’
Former President Donald Trump posted his comments on the tone of President Joe Biden’s address.
“He looks so angry when he’s talking, which is a trait of people who know they are ‘losing it.’ The anger and shouting is not helpful to bringing our Country back together!”
The former president also pointed out Biden’s verbal fumbling, saying, “He just screwed up his primary line of the evening, having to do with Roe v. Wade, while looking at the Highly Respected Justices of the Supreme Court, for whom it was intended!”
By T.J. Muscaro
Biden Vows to Block Obamacare Repeal
President Joe Biden vowed to block any attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which was enacted when he was vice president, calling it a “big [expletive] deal.”
He railed against Big Pharma, lamenting that the United States has the most expensive prescription drug prices globally.
“With a law I proposed and signed, and not one Republican voted for, we finally beat Big Pharma,” he said.
“Instead of paying $400 a month for insulin, seniors with diabetes only have to pay $35 a month,” he continued. “And now I want to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American who needs it.”
The GOP failed to repeal and replace Obamacare in 2017 under President Donald Trump.
By Jackson Richman
‘Middle Class Built the Country; the Unions Built the Middle Class’
President Joe Biden spent much of his time Thursday night highlighting “comeback stories” from various places in the country that were hit by economic hardships.
He mentioned an auto plant in Belvedere, Illinois, saying the plant was on its way to closing its doors and laying off thousands of workers prior to the start of his presidency.
“Wall Street didn’t build America,” President Biden said. “The middle class built the country, and the unions built the middle class.”
“It’s because of you America’s coming back. And it’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the State of our Union is strong and getting stronger!”
By Jacob Burg
Biden Incorrectly Says US Inflation is ‘Lowest in the World’
President Joe Biden touted his economic record, claiming that U.S. inflation is now “the lowest in the world.”
“Wages keep going up and inflation keeps coming down!” President Biden said in his State of the Union address.
“Inflation has dropped from 9 percent to 3 percent–the lowest in the world! And trending lower.”
The president has made this claim before, but it is incorrect, as several major economies have lower rates of inflation.
In the U.S., the annual inflation rate stands at 3.1 percent.
In Canada, the annual inflation rate is 2.9 percent. In the eurozone, the consumer price index is 2.6 percent. The Japanese inflation rate is 2.2 percent. China is experiencing deflation as the annual inflation rate is negative 0.8 percent.
By Andrew Moran
Trump Rebuts Biden’s Comments on NATO, Ukraine
Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to rebut President Joe Biden’s comments regarding NATO and the war in Ukraine.
“Now, my predecessor, a former Republican President, tells Putin, ‘Do whatever the hell you want,’” President Biden said of President Trump. “A former American President actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. It’s outrageous. It’s dangerous. It’s unacceptable.
“America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War II to prevent war and keep the peace.”
President Trump rebutted this claim, saying, “No, I said NATO has to pay its bills, and if it doesn’t pay its bills, we are not going to protect you. THE MONEY CAME POURING IN! Under other Presidents, NATO was BROKE.”
“Putin only invaded Ukraine because he has no respect for Biden,” the Republican said. “Would have never happened under the Trump Administration, and for four years it didn’t happen!”
By T.J. Muscaro
Biden Touts Economic Accomplishments
President Joe Biden used his State of the Union address to tout his economic agenda–from infrastructure investments to the CHIPS and Science Act.
”On my watch, federal projects like helping to build American roads, bridges, and highways will be made with American products built by American workers, creating good-paying American jobs,” he said.
“During the pandemic, a shortage of semiconductor chips drove up prices for everything from cell phones to automobiles.”.
President Biden touted semiconductor chips being able to be produced in the United States.
“Creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of them paying over $100,000 a year and don’t require a college degree,” he said.
Overall, he continued, “my policies have attracted $650 billion of private sector investments in clean energy and advanced manufacturing, creating tens of thousands of jobs here in America.”
Therefore, he said, “it’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the State of our Union is strong and getting stronger!
By Jackson Richman
Biden Says Trump Failed in ‘Duty to Care’
President Joe Biden came out swinging against former President Donald Trump in his March 7 State of the Union address.
He said President Trump “failed the most basic presidential duty that he owes to American people–the duty to care.”
“I think that’s unforgivable. I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in the nation’s history,” President Biden said.
An audience member yelled “liar!” in response to the criticism of President Trump.
President Biden added, “the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told.”
By Jacob Burg
Biden Promises to Restore Roe v Wade as Law of the Land
President Biden pledged to restore Roe v. Wade as law, were such a bill sent to his desk. There is no chance of that happening in this divided Congress, where the GOP controls the House.
He slammed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for bragging about Roe v. Wade being overturned thanks to the justices he appointed–Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
He thanked Vice President Kamala Harris for leading the way on abortion rights.
By Jackson Richman
President Says Some ‘Seek to Bury the Truth About Jan. 6’
President Joe Biden was met with both applause and jeers after mentioning the events of Jan. 6, 2021, during his State of the Union address.
“Many of you were here on that darkest of days. We all saw with our own eyes. The insurrectionists were not patriots. They came to stop the peaceful transfer of power to overturn the will of the people,” President Biden said.
He charged former President Donald Trump with trying to “bury the truth about Jan. 6.”
The president said that “political violence has absolutely no place in America—zero place.”
By Jacob Burg
Biden Takes Podium
After about 10 minutes working the floor, the president has taken the podium.
By Cathy He
‘The Squad’ Holds Their Applause for Biden
President Joe Biden entered the House Chamber at 9:17 p.m. to a chorus of cheers and applause, much of which came from Democratic lawmakers in the room.
However, some on the Democratic side were holding their applause for the president.
“The Squad,” which includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), did not clap for President Biden when he entered the House Chamber.
Not only was “The Squad” not clapping for President Biden, they all wore black clothing in protest of the president’s policy with Israel. The black is intended as a sign of solidarity with the people of Gaza.
When Democrats started chanting “four more years” before the start of the president’s speech, the lawmakers from “The Squad” remained silent.
By Jacob Burg
President Enters House Chamber
President Joe Biden entered the House chamber at 9:17 p.m.
Both sides of the chamber stood to applaud the entrance.
The first lady entered the chamber balcony earlier to similar warm cheers. The president’s cabinet followed, joining the lawmakers on the main floor.
By Ivan Pentchoukov
Secretary of Education Is Appointed Designated Survivor
President Joe Biden appeared in the Capitol to give the annual State of the Union Address on March 7, with all but one member of his cabinet.
The “designated survivor,” as he or she is known, has a traditional role in the night’s activities that goes back to the early years of the Cold War, with the intent to ensure the presidential line of succession in case of a catastrophe befalling the House of Representatives chamber while it hosts the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, and several others in line.
Tonight, the designated survivor is Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
The tradition began in the 1950s, according to the National Constitution Center, but the survivor’s name would not be known until President Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union address in 1981 when it was revealed that Education Secretary Terrel Bell was absent for that reason. The designee’s name is still kept secret until the speech begins.
In 2023, that cabinet member was former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. In 2022, it was Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The tradition was broken in 2021, as no cabinet members were present due to enduring COVID-19-justified restrictions.
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt was President Donald Trump’s designated survivor for his 2020 State of the Union address.
The tradition also served as the premise of a television show on ABC starring Kiefer Sutherland.
By T.J. Muscaro
5 Supreme Court Justices Attend State of the Union
Among the crowded room in the House Chamber on March 7, five Supreme Court Justices could be seen standing with lawmakers waiting for President Joe Biden to arrive.
The Supreme Court Justices present on March 7 were Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is also present.
By Jacob Burg
Here are Some Congressional Guests at SOTU
Members of Congress are able to bring one guest to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress.
Here’s a list of some of those guests:
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.): Gabriel Shipton, brother of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.): Adi Alexander, father of Edan Alexander, an American being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.): Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich, parents of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being detained in Russia on bogus charges of espionage
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.): Abby Pollin, aunt of Hersh Goldberg-Pollin, an American-Israeli taken hostage by Hamas
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.): Border Patrol agent Brandon Budlong, National Border Patrol Council Local 2724 president
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.): Andrea Weinstein, sister of American Gad Haggai and Judy Weinstein Haggai, who were taken hostage and killed by Hamas
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.): Elizabeth Carr, first baby born in the United States through IVF
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.): Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council
By Jackson Richman
Biden to Highlight Differences Between Himself, Trump
Excerpts from President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address show he will look to draw a contrast between himself and his Republican rival for the presidency, former President Donald Trump.
“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor,” reads one excerpt released by the White House.
“Now, some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.”
Although the passage does not mention President Trump by name, it alludes to a promise he has made to be the American people’s “retribution” if elected in November.
Another topic President Biden will seek to differentiate himself with is abortion.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, abortion advocates have seen nothing but success at the ballot box in states where the issue has been put up for a vote.
President Trump has often touted Roe’s reversal as one of his top accomplishments as president, given that he nominated three of the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn it. But President Biden, in his address, will align himself with those on the opposite side of the issue.
“Clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women in America. But they found out when reproductive freedom was on the ballot and won in 2022, 2023, and they will find out again in 2024,” another excerpt reads.
“If Americans send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you: I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.”
Additionally, the two presidents are known for having vastly different approaches to economic policy. President Biden will touch on those differences in his speech as well.
“I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history. And we have. It doesn’t make the news, but in thousands of cities and towns, the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told. So let’s tell that story here and now,” he will say.
“America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities, building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up—not the top down, investing in all of America—in all Americans—to make sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one behind.”
By Samantha Flom
What to Watch for as the Night Unfolds
President Joe Biden is expected to use his State of the Union address on Thursday to showcase the reasons he feels voters should grant him another four years in the White House.
Topics he intends to highlight as part of that appeal include abortion and reproductive issues, the economy, aid for foreign nations, gun control, and student loan forgiveness, among others.
President Biden and Democrat lawmakers have invited several guests to help drive his points home. Featured heavily on the list are women and abortion providers affected by restrictions on the procedure in their states, as well as those concerned about the availability of in vitro fertilization after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled last month that frozen embryos can be considered children.
And Republicans are making their own statement with the guests they chose to invite. Among them are a Border Patrol agent, two New York Police Department officers who were assaulted in Times Square by illegal immigrants in January, and the mother of a young woman killed by an MS-13 gang member who had entered the United States illegally.
Heckling could be another way Republicans express their thoughts. Although House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has called for decorum, for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), at least, that will depend on what the president says.
Asserting that President Biden broke decorum with his economic and border policies, she told reporters earlier in the day, “We’ll see what I think and feel at the time.”
But policy differences are not the only thing pundits will be paying close attention to on Thursday night.
President Biden’s health has been a growing concern for voters across the board as he continues to stumble over his words and his feet on the national stage. His refusal to take a cognitive assessment has only added fuel to the speculation.
As he delivers his remarks, the world will be watching to see how the 81-year-old president fares.
By Samantha Flom
GOP Lawmakers Share What They Expect From Biden’s State of Union
In anticipation of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on March 7, several Republican lawmakers shed light on key areas of focus by sharing their expectations and concerns.
Lawmakers told reporters for The Epoch Times and sister media group NTD News that they were concerned about the president attempting to misrepresent what his administration has done for the country and how the crisis at the border should be fixed. Several lawmakers also pointed to the speech as a possible indication of the president’s failing health.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said he had debated whether to attend but felt an obligation to his constituents to do so. He emphasized the importance of scrutinizing politicians’ records and raised concerns about President Biden’s mental acuity, going so far as to suggest potential elder abuse.
“You can’t take politicians at their word. They gotta take the record,” Mr. Norman said. “What we will hear is more into rhetoric, casting blame, from the open borders to the wars in the Middle East to the crime in the streets to the higher gas prices [and] egg prices … What he should tell the American people is we’re going to protect the borders.
“He should tell the American people just as the fence is going up around the Capitol to protect Congress and him during the speech. The same fence wall should be up on our borders to stop the needless deaths.”
What to Know About Tonight’s Speech
President Joe Biden will deliver his third State of the Union address before Congress—and millions of viewers watching at home—at the U.S. Capitol tonight.
The event always carries the promise of political theater. But in a pivotal election year when the president is facing low approval ratings and intensifying scrutiny over his age, tensions will only be that much higher.
The speech is set for 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live across all major networks. Viewers can also tune in online to NTD’s special coverage starting at 8 p.m.
As the president delivers his remarks, there will be two prominent figures standing behind him. Vice President Kamala Harris, as the next person in the presidential line of succession, will be behind him to his right. On his left will be House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who is third in line for the presidency.
The address will be Mr. Johnson’s first since taking the gavel in October.
Throughout the event, former President Donald Trump—President Biden’s top rival for the presidency—will share his real-time responses via his Truth Social platform.
President Biden’s first two State of the Union speeches in 2022 and 2023—and his 2021 “Address to a Joint Session of Congress”—all ran just over an hour in length. It’s not yet known how long his 2024 address will be, though given his track record, it will likely wrap up sometime after 10 p.m.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) will then deliver the GOP’s English-language rebuttal while Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) will deliver the party’s Spanish-language response.
By Samantha Flom
Here’s Who the Biden White House Invited and Who Will Attend the 2024 SOTU Address
First Lady Jill Biden is set to host 20 guests at the annual State of the Union Address on Thursday night, each of whom is meant to personify themes central to President Joe Biden’s address.
“Each of these individuals were invited by the White House because they personify issues or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech, or they embody the Biden-Harris Administration’s policies at work for the American people,” the White House said on Thursday.
The second gentleman, Mr. Douglas Emhoff, will also join the first lady in the viewing box.
From The Epoch Times
