Biden invited to give State of the Union address on March 7

President Joe Biden is set to give his annual State of the Union address to Congress on March 7, according to an invitation sent to the president by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Saturday.

The address will be Johnson’s first as speaker, who traditionally sits behind the president alongside the vice president during the speech. The union address is also scheduled amid a slate of key dates for the 2024 primaries, coming just two days after Super Tuesday, the day that the greatest number of states hold their primary elections at once.

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“In this moment of great challenge for our country, it is my solemn duty to extend this invitation for you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday, March 7, 2024, so that you may fulfill your obligation under the U.S. Constitution to report on the state of our union,” Johnson wrote in the invitation.

The speech will give Biden an opportunity to address the closely divided Congress on a number of issues and provide a glimpse into his vision for the country as he seeks reelection in November. In Biden’s last address, the president vowed to “finish the job” on several aspects of his agenda, including issues such as climate change, prescription drug costs, and taxes.

However, Biden must face many lawmakers who have openly criticized his job performance, including some House Democrats who have publicly decried the president’s approval to continue sending military assistance to Israel amid its war with Hamas.

The address is also scheduled to come just weeks after a pair of key deadlines for Congress to keep the government funded, a task that already was twice punted last year.

The first batch of appropriations bills are set to expire on Jan. 19, meaning Congress must pass its Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Energy and Water bills before then to keep the government open. The deadline for the remaining appropriations bills falls on Feb. 2.

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House Republicans and Senate Democrats have repeatedly butted heads over a total spending number even after one was negotiated between GOP leaders and Biden last summer. That agreement established a $1.59 trillion top line for government spending, which hard-line conservatives balked at and instead pushed for a $1.471 trillion level.

House conservatives later said they would accept a level at or below the $1.59 trillion budget agreement after warnings that Congress may need to agree on a yearlong continuing resolution if a spending agreement cannot be reached — something members of both parties have opposed.