President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address to a Republican-controlled House was pitched as an opportunity for the commander in chief to build consensus around his so-called "Unity Agenda" before a likely 2024 reelection campaign.
But tensions between Biden and the Republicans were evident during his prime-time speech, which last year reached at least 27 million people, as he was routinely interrupted with almost as many jeers as cheers.
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Biden's State of the Union address sets the stage for his 2024 reelection bid, which is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, and the tone of his relationship with House Republicans for the next two years.
As prospective Republican presidential candidates posture for their respective primary and GOP House lawmakers start to conduct congressional oversight of his administration, Biden underscored progress and possibility, repeating why he first sought the presidency and urging the body to "finish the job."
Biden spoke particularly to blue-collar workers and people who believe they "have been left behind or treated like they’re invisible," many of whom he has bemoaned, as recently as last week at the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting, now support Republicans.
"I've been criticized for saying this, but I'm not changing my view: We're going to make sure that the supply chain for America begins in America," Biden said of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act.
Biden's updated Unity Agenda, proposed at a Capitol surrounded once again by security fencing after the Jan. 6 attack, retains its original four pillars. Those pillars include ending cancer "as we know it," delivering on "the sacred obligation" to veterans, tackling the mental health crisis, and countering the opioid and overdose epidemic. But while he appeared to appeal for bipartisanship, Biden portrayed Republicans as irresponsible and reiterated the importance of protecting democracy after the 2020 election, a reference to former President Donald Trump.
"I sincerely thank my Republican friends who voted for the law," Biden said of the bipartisan infrastructure package. "And to my Republican friends who voted against it but still ask to fund projects in their districts, don’t worry. ... We’ll fund your projects. And I’ll see you at the ground-breaking."
"Some members here are threatening to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. That's OK. That's fair," he added of the partisan climate and healthcare measure. "Make no mistake, if you try to do anything to raise the cost of prescription drugs, I will veto it."
But Republicans were as combative, with new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy regularly mouthing "no" to discourage his members from engaging.
More aspirational policies, based on the divided Congress, included a "billionaire minimum tax" and a quadrupled stock buyback levy, in addition to "Made in America" manufacturing regulations, an insulin price cap for all residents of the United States, "junk fee" prevention legislation, the expansion of Medicaid in the 11 Republican holdout states, and an extension of the more generous pandemic-era child tax credit.
Biden also emphasized police reform, gun control, and political civility by inviting Tyre Nichols's parents RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, Monterey Park Lunar New Year shooting hero Brandon Tsay, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul to watch his address from first lady Jill Biden's box.
"Ban assault weapons now! Ban them now!" Biden said, declining to call for police funding like he did last year.
But Biden's priority issues with House Republicans include raising the debt ceiling before the country defaults on its $31.4 trillion loans if the Treasury Department's borrowing authority is not increased before June, as well as his continued funding of Ukraine's war against Russia. Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova returned as another of the first lady's special guests.
"Other Republicans say if we don’t cut Social Security and Medicare, they’ll let America default on its debt for the first time in our history," Biden said, prompting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to respond, "You lie! You lie! Liar!"
The foreign policy section of Biden's address referenced China after the U.S. military shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina last week after the high-altitude surveillance object traveled across the country. Republicans have denounced Biden's handling of the incident, scrutinizing him for not downing the balloon sooner. Greene (R-GA) had earlier quipped about bringing a white balloon to the speech in protest.
"Make no mistake. As we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will protect our country," Biden said.
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Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR), who will provide the Republican rebuttal, is anticipated to condemn Biden for being "more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day."
"In the radical left’s America, Washington taxes you and lights your hard-earned money on fire, but you get crushed with high gas prices, empty grocery shelves, and our children are taught to hate one another on account of their race, but not to love one another or our great country," she will say, according to excerpts.