Latest news from Biden’s State of the Union address

Paul Pelosi; Tire Nichols’ parents; U2 star Bono; Monterey Park shooting hero Brandon Tsay; Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova and a Holocaust survivor are among first lady Jill Biden’s guests at her State of the Union address.

President Joe Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address at the Capitol this Tuesday night. He is expected to address key issues of his tenure and offer a preview of a re-election message for the 2024 presidential race. The guest list for the first lady’s box offers a blueprint for what to expect.

The first lady’s 26 guests represent key government priorities and achievements such as infrastructure, mental health, climate and healthcare. They also represent issues the administration has faced this closing year: support for Ukraine in the face of Russian invasion, anti-Semitism, opioid overdose epidemic, support for same-sex marriage, increased political polarization, mass shootings , a renewed national conversation on justice in policing and women’s reproductive health.

“Each of these individuals were invited by the White House because they embody issues or themes that the president will address in his speech, or embody the policies of the Biden-Harris Administration at work for the American people,” the office of the former said. lady in a statement.

US support for Ukraine

Jill Biden has invited Markarova for the second year in a row “in recognition of America’s sustained support for Ukraine,” the White House said. Markarova received a standing ovation when she sat in the first lady’s box during last year’s state of the union address, just days after Russia launched its war against Ukraine. The president is likely to highlight ongoing US assistance to Ukraine, including billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid.

Infrastructure

There are multiple guests who have been affected by the bipartisan infrastructure law approved in 2021 that has begun to be implemented in recent months.

Saria Gwin-Maye is a member of the Ironworkers Local 44 union in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is among those who have been employed as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure bill the administration is working to implement with states and localities across the country. Gwin-Maye is working on the Brent Spence Bridge, which has long been a chronic symbol of America’s crumbling infrastructure. Biden traveled to the bridge along with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to highlight bipartisanship as the infrastructure bill is set to invest more than $2 billion in the nation’s bridges.

Deanna Branch, a Milwaukee mother who has worked to raise awareness about toxic lead pipes after her son suffered lead poisoning from unsafe levels in drinking water and in the home, is also invited.

See the complete list here.