President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union address on Tuesday in front of a joint session of Congress.
While the speech is traditionally a mix of what has been done by the administration and what is on tap for the next year, sources familiar with the speech say Biden will focus part of it on the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops.
It will be Biden’s first State of the Union speech, but not his first speech before a joint session of Congress. Biden spoke before a joint session last April to talk about his first 100 days in office.
The House of Representatives will be lifting its mask mandate for the House floor before the President’s address, Dr. Brian Monahan, Congress’ attending physician, said Sunday.
Monahan warned, however, that “people with symptoms (of COVID-19), a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a properly fitted, high-quality filtration mask.”
The dropping of the mask requirement on the House floor comes days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said masks were no longer necessary in most areas.
While masks will not be required, members of Congress will not be allowed to invite a guest to the speech over concerns about overcrowding in the chamber.
President Biden will deliver the speech beginning at 9 p.m. EST. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will give the official Republican response after Biden speaks.
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