Biden gears up for crucial SOTU address
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President Biden will give what could be the most consequential speech of his decades-long political career when he takes the stage Thursday evening for the State of the Union (SOTU) address. This will be Biden’s final address before his anticipated November rematch with former President Trump. Biden, whose recent approval ratings have been dismal, has a thorny set of issues to address, which include: -
Immigration
- Reproductive health care
- Defense
- The economy
Compounding the policy issues, Biden, 81, is the oldest-ever sitting president and has repeatedly faced questions about both his physical and mental fitness for the role. A doctor last month declared Biden “fit for duty” following the president’s annual physical.
The Hill’s Alex Gangitano and Brett Samuels have five things to watch for during the address.
📺 How to watch: The address begins at 9 p.m. Watch here. (Link will be active starting at 8:30 p.m. ET) and follow along with our Live Blog here.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) will deliver the Republican rebuttal — a major national debut for first-term Britt, 43, who is seen seen as a rising star in the GOP. More on the senator from Al Weaver and Caroline Vakil.
Trump will be conducting a “play-by-play” with posts and videos throughout the evening on his social media app TruthSocial. Related coverage: |
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Welcome to Evening Report! I’m Liz Crisp, catching you up from the afternoon and what’s coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. |
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Republicans advance 2025 budget blueprint
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After an hourslong hearing that lasted most of Thursday, the GOP-led House Budget Committee has advanced a non-binding budget resolution outlining ambitious efforts to cut federal spending.
The proposals include stricter work requirements for social programs and establishing a commission to review funding for entitlements.
Republicans hope it will serve as a blueprint for spending in the coming fiscal year, after Congress has repeatedly relied on stopgap funding measures to keep the government afloat.
It comes just hours ahead of President Biden‘s State of the Union address, which was intentional.
“Today, President Biden will try to convince Americans that the State of the Union is good and that our lives are better,” Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) said at the start of the hearing. “For the sake of our country, I wish it were so, but unfortunately, it couldn’t be further from the truth.” (The Hill) |
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Haley knocked for not endorsing Trump
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Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who suspended her GOP presidential campaign this week, notably didn’t endorse former President Trump after pulling out of the race. With Trump as the last Republican candidate standing, GOP leaders who have stalled on an endorsement quickly lined up to back the former president following Haley’s exit.
So what do people think about Haley abstaining? Depends on whom you ask. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who spent months hammering Trump’s record, quickly endorsed the former president when he ditched his own bid for the nomination in January.
“I signed the pledge and you signed the pledge saying that you’re gonna not take your ball and go home,” DeSantis said during a Newsmax interview Thursday. “I honored the pledge, and [Haley’s] gonna have to make a decision about whether she wants to or not.”
Other Trump allies say they are unbothered.
Former White House chief of staff and conservative commentator Steve Bannon said Trump does not need an endorsement from her.
“Screw Nikki Haley. We don’t need your endorsement,” Bannon said on his “War Room” show this week.
Related coverage:
Biden campaign tries to court Haley supporters, says Trump is driving them away
Trump has choice to make when it comes to Haley voters |
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Join The Hill’s State of the Union Watch Party
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Samsung DC, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003 |
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President Biden’s State of the Union address will reach the largest audience of the year for him to outline his administration’s policy achievements and priorities. Join The Hill, in partnership with Samsung Electronics America, for a State of the Union watch party with pre-speech analysis, bingo, food, and drinks.
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TikTok urges users to lobby Congress as lawmakers fret over app
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TikTok is urging its users to oppose legislation that could ultimately lead to a nation-wide ban of the popular video-sharing app, blasting a message to users that warns Congress is “planning a total ban of TikTok” and they need to contact lawmakers to stop it, according to a notification seen by The Hill.
Lawmakers for months have argued over how to address the app, which has raised concerns about national security. Bipartisan legislation released this week would force TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest or face a nationwide ban. The app is already banned on federal devices, and some states and college campuses have sought to limit access.
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Fed chair: Some banks will fail amid commercial real estate losses
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he expects to see some banks fail as the commercial real estate sector has plummeted amid a massive shift to remote work following the coronavirus pandemic.
The banks that are in trouble with falling office space and retail assets are not the big banks, which were designated as “systemically important” in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, he noted. Instead, smaller and medium-sized banks are more vulnerable. |
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“A continuing resolution circus under a big top dome,” writes Don Wolfensberger, a 28-year staff veteran of Congress, culminating as chief-of-staff of the House Rules Committee. “Foreign media is banned from Gaza. Biden should press Israel for access,” writes Robert Mahoney, journalist, author and expert on press freedom. |
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131 days until the Republican National Convention.
166 days until the Democratic National Convention. 243 days until the 2024 general election. |
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9 p.m. ET: President Biden‘s State of the Union address. Watch live. |
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