State of the Union 2022: What to know ahead of Biden's speech

Where and when is Biden delivering the 2022 State of the Union?

President Joe Biden is scheduled to appear before a joint session of the 117th Congress in the chamber of the House of Representatives to deliver the 2022 State of the Union address at 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday.

How can I watch this year’s SOTU?

All major networks and cable news channels will broadcast the speech live. The White House will stream it live on its website, as will news networks through Facebook. POLITICO will carry a live feed on its site.

How long is the speech?

Going back to Lyndon B. Johnson, the average length of presidents’ State of the Union remarks is roughly 50 minutes. Biden’s immediate predecessor, Donald Trump, delivered three State of the Union addresses, all surpassing one hour in length. Trump’s 2019 speech lasted 1 hour and 22 minutes, the third-longest State of the Union address ever.

Bill Clinton holds the record for the longest State of the Union speech, lasting 1 hour and 29 minutes, according to the American Presidency Project.

Didn’t I just watch Biden deliver a speech?

Yes, you did.

Biden delivered three live speeches last week — two to announce sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine and one to announce the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

And speaking of length, Biden’s prime-time news conference on Jan. 19 lasted a record 1 hour and 51 minutes — surpassing the longest news conferences by Trump (1 hour and 26 minutes) and former President Barack Obama (1 hour and 27 minutes).

How are Biden and Congress getting along at the moment?

Biden’s first two tranches of sanctions on Russia have earned him limited support from Republicans, with many denouncing his action as “too little, too late.” The president’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine situation is only the latest chapter in a turbulent first year in office.

The White House frequently emphasizes that Biden passed legislation with more economic impact than any first-year president in history, largely stemming from Covid relief and a bipartisan infrastructure package. But factions among Senate Democrats were on full display as the president tried to pass his signature Build Back Better social infrastructure bill, which was stymied by opposition from Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). So, too, was voting rights legislation, which Biden said was essential to “preserve the flame of democracy.” That push hit another wall with Manchin and Sinema, who refused to nuke filibuster rules to pass the bill.

Attempts to resurrect domestic policy like BBB and voting rights — which Democrats in Congress vow are still alive — have taken a backseat, at least in the public eye, to addressing the ongoing situation in Ukraine.

What topics will Biden cover?

Speaking on MSNBC on Monday morning, White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed that the president would address Ukraine and Russia in his speech. A source familiar with the text confirmed that Biden’s address had been revised to emphasize the invasion of Ukraine “as a major crisis facing the West,” The Washington Post reports.

Biden is also expected to discuss the economy at home, where inflation has reached a 40-year high and markets try to recover from the pandemic. In a statement on Monday, the White House announced that the president would lay out in his address his plan to lower costs for American families by making more things in the U.S., promoting fair competition, strengthening supply chains and eliminating barriers to well-paying jobs. Later in the day, Psaki reiterated that Biden “absolutely” would address inflation in his speech and call on Congress to act accordingly.

The pandemic, too, will be addressed, as the CDC relaxed its mask guidelines last week and as local governments nationwide drop virus-related restrictions.

Biden’s selection of Jackson to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court may also be discussed, a much-awaited decision that was announced late last week.

Who are first lady Jill Biden and the president inviting to the speech?

Guests seated with the first lady will include Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova; second gentleman Douglas Emhoff; and the president’s sister, Valerie Biden Owens. Other guests were selected because “they represent policies or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech,” the White House announced.

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who criticized tech corporations for putting profits before the safety of their users, will attend, as will Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel.

The White House has not announced any guests beyond the first lady’s invitees, but The Washington Post reports that six of the nine Supreme Court justices will attend, as will about 20 Cabinet officials.

Who’s delivering the Republican response?

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will deliver a live speech from Des Moines in response to Biden’s remarks.

The opposition party’s response is usually reserved for a rising star in the party, and Tuesday’s speech will serve as Reynolds’ highest-profile opportunity yet. She took office in 2017 and emerged recently as a staunch opponent to the White House’s coronavirus-related guidelines, resisting and repealing mask mandates in her state. Her name has been floated as a potential 2024 running mate with Trump.

Will there be other formal responses?

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), a member of the liberal Squad, will deliver a response of her own on behalf of the progressive group Working Families Party. She is expected to hammer moderate Democrats who blocked Biden’s social infrastructure package.

How is Covid affecting this year’s speech?

In addition to being a topic of discussion, the pandemic will have an effect on the event’s logistics — albeit much less so than last year.

In 2021, the audience for Biden’s first joint address to Congress was capped at 200 (instead of the usual 1,600). This year, all members of the House and Senate are invited to attend in person, though no additional guests will be permitted as a Covid safety precaution. Protests are expected, though, and a temporary fence has been installed around the Capitol’s perimeter “out of an abundance of caution,” Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said.

Masks are now optional throughout the Capitol campus, a guideline that will apply to Tuesday’s address.

What is Biden’s approval rating going into the speech?

Biden’s overall job approval rating is 41 percent, while 56 percent disapprove, according to a recent Morning Consult/POLITICO poll. On his handling of the Ukraine-Russia situation, 40 percent approve while 45 percent disapprove.