President Joe Biden will wear a mask as he walks up to the dais to deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress.
Biden will then take off his face covering for his presidential report to lawmakers and the public, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“The president will preserve a few traditions, including the walk down the center aisle that we have seen presidents do for many years,” she told reporters on Tuesday. “He will, of course, be wearing a mask for that. He’ll remove the mask when he delivers his speech.”
CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS TO LIMIT IMPACT OF BIDEN’S FIRST JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
Prior to his remarks Wednesday night, Biden will meet with professional congressional staff who were present during the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill, Psaki said.
Psaki repeated that Biden’s address, known as a State of the Union in noninauguration years, would “look and feel different from past years.”
Only about 200 people will be present in the House of Representatives for the event, which typically attracts a crowd of 1,600. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer assigned his allotment of tickets via a lottery.
First lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be in the House chamber on Wednesday, Psaki said. However, there will not be the traditional special guest box. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts will represent his bench, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley will represent the military, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will represent the Cabinet.
There will be no “designated survivor” given that most of the Cabinet will not be in attendance, Psaki said.
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Biden will use the address to unveil his American Families Plan.
The proposal will reportedly pitch upward of $1.5 trillion in social welfare programs, such as free prekindergarten and community college, 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, and an extension of the expanded child tax benefit rolled out through the American Rescue Plan.
