Joe Biden’s First Address to Congress, here’s what to expect

Joe Biden will deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress later this week, in what will be his first “State of the Union” as United States (US) President on the eve of his 100th day in office.

The address, which is typically delivered by the president in February, a month after they are inaugurated, has been pushed back to April this year due to complications with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The annual speech involves the normally separate US Senate and House of Representatives getting together in one room to hear a speech from the US President. It’s broadcast nationwide and is a chance for the president to lay out their agenda for the year ahead.

Biden’s will be the 98th in-person address to Congress from a US president.

Only about 200 people will be inside the House chamber on Wednesday when President Joe Biden delivers his first address to a joint session of Congress. Rather than a chamber packed with lawmakers and guests, attendance even by House members and senators is to be severely limited due to pandemic protocols and security precautions.
The exact number of attendees is not yet decided, but there will be little more than 200 people in the chamber for Biden’s speech, according to two House officials with knowledge of the plans. Lawmakers won’t be allowed to invite guests.

Biden made it clear that he would not deliver a major speech to Congress on his policy goals until a coronavirus relief package was passed, which was finally achieved in March. Once the relief package was passed and vaccinations in the US ramped up, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited Biden to speak to Congress.

During the address, the president updates Americans on the current condition of the nation, discussing the economy, policies, and proposals for the next year.

Biden’s address will be shown live on The Independent, with a dedicated page for the event. All major US networks, including CNN, Fox News, and ABC News, will provide a stream of the address. The address will also be broadcast online, via the official White House YouTube page, and on all of the network’s channels on the video-sharing platform.