WASHINGTON — At 9 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday, President Joe Biden will appear before a joint session of Congress to deliver his second State of the Union address.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., formally invited Biden to deliver the speech. The first lady, Supreme Court justices, almost all senators and representatives, most of the Cabinet, the vice president and her spouse, and numerous reporters usually attend the address.
Lawmakers and party leaders also invite members of the public to attend as their guest.
Here are some of the most interesting guests scheduled to attend:
Brandon Tsay
San Marino, California, resident Brandon Tsay received national recognition last month after preventing deaths by disarming the gunman who killed 11 and injured nine at a Monterey Park dance studio before going to another ballroom in Alhambra. Tsay will sit with second gentleman Douglas Emhoff and first lady Jill Biden in the viewing box.
RowVaughn and Rodney Wells
The Memphis couple became national figures after Memphis police brutally beat their son, Tyre Nichols. The 29-year-old Black man died days after the bludgeoning. The five officers, who were fired by the Police Department, face murder charges and could serve up to 60 years in prison if convicted. Vice President Kamala Harris attended Nichols’ funeral last week in Memphis and commended the couple for their bravery, strength, courage and grace in the face of their grief. Nichols’ mother and stepfather will sit with the second gentleman and first lady in the viewing box.
Paul Pelosi
Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has been a fixture in California political life for decades. He reemerged late last year after surviving an assault at their Pacific Heights home. The alleged assailant is said to be a believer in QAnon, a political movement that subscribes to an unfounded antisemitic conspiracy theory that alleges that former President Donald Trump is fighting a secret war against Satan-worshipping Democratic elites who run a child sex ring. Pelosi will sit with the second gentleman and first lady in the viewing box.
Enes Freedom
The former athlete made national headlines in recent years for criticizing the NBA’s ties with the Chinese Communist Party. He is attending the address as a guest of McCarthy. “Here’s a man who stood up for freedom, lost his right to continue to play basketball, but he continues to fight,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday.
Alexis Muro
Former Long Beach Mayor and U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., invited Muro, an undocumented college student hoping to work in health care, as his guest. In a statement, he said she a “is a great example of how important it is to support immigrant communities and create pathways to citizenship.”
He added: “Hardworking students in our country deserve the same shot at the American Dream that was given to me.”
