Biden set to give first formal address to Congress just before he marks 100 days in office
Joey GarrisonWASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is set to deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, April 28, just before he marks his 100th day in office.
Biden accepted an invitation Tuesday night from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to address a joint session on that date, the White House confirmed.
The speech will allow Biden to claim progress during his first 100 days, a benchmark historically for the presidency. A time for Biden's speech has not been announced.
In a brief letter to the president, Pelosi asked Biden to "share your vision for addressing the challenges and opportunities of this historic moment.”
Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide
Typically, all senators and House members of both parties, as well as Supreme Court justices, pack the House chamber for State of the Union and joint session presidential speeches, which fulfill a constitutional requirement. But fewer attendees are expected this year because of coronavirus precautions.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the White House is working with Pelosi's office on logistics and security measures and the speaker will decide who is invited and how many people can attend.
Psaki said the president has been eager to address a joint session of Congress since he entered office. She said Biden will use the speech to highlight his efforts to build back the economy, fight the COVID-19 pandemic and address global challenges.
Biden's debut presidential speech to Congress will fall significantly later on the calendar than previous presidents, including Donald Trump and Barack Obama, who both addressed Congress for the first time in February.
More:Feds on guard for domestic extremists targeting Biden's address to Congress
Biden's presidential term began with heightened security at the Capitol following the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and coincided with the Senate's impeachment trial of Trump. Democrats in Congress spent the next several weeks working to pass Biden's COVID-19 relief bill.
Since its passage, Biden has put forward a $2.25 trillion jobs and infrastructure proposal called the American Jobs Plan that Congress is expected to take up in the coming weeks.
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.