As President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union speech next month, it will be impossible for him to tout success in one area of his presidency.
Back on the road to the White House in 2020, an overconfident Biden derided then-President Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and vowed he would do things differently if elected.
“I’m not going to shut down the country. I’m not going to shut down the economy. I’m going to shut down the virus,” he declared at the time.
But as he stands to address Congress on March 1, Biden will face the dilemma of either declaring the battle won against COVID-19 or admitting the reality amid a chamber full of masked and restricted members.
CONFIRMED @Newsy: Per a memo sent to Congressional offices, ALL Members of Congress will be permitted to attend the State of the Union on March 1.
NOTE:
-PCR Testing required for all SOTU attendees (Members + Press included)
-KN95 or N95 masks REQUIRED
-No guest tickets— Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) February 17, 2022
While every member if Congress will be allowed to attend the March 1 State of the Union, a far cry from last year’s event which was limited to a 20% capacity, lawmakers cannot invite guests and will have to be masked “at all times,” regardless of the vaccination status, according to a memo from the House sergeant-at-arms issued Thursday.
Attendees “[m]ust continuously wear an issued, FDA-authorized, KN95 or N95 mask that completely covers the nose and mouth,” House Sergeant-at-Arms William Walker said in the memo.
In a new memo, the House Sergeant at Arms says all members of Congress will be invited to attend the State of the Union in person.
He writes there will be coronavirus “safety measures” in place, including mandatory N95 mask wearing and a negative Covid-19 test.
— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) February 17, 2022
They must also “adhere to social distancing guidelines regarding seating separation distances,” and each lawmaker will have to take an RT-PCR test which must be negative in order for them to be allowed into the chamber. Those tests will be administered in the Capitol Visitor Center.
“Individuals will receive notification of their test result to the cell phone or portable device number they identify at the time of test center registration. Individuals will show this notification or email message in the process of obtaining their ticket for entry to the event,” the memo read.
The irony of a fully masked Congress at the SOTU after Biden’s many promises to be the nation’s COVID-19 hero was not lost on Twitter users who reacted online.
The Super Bowl just had an entirely packed stadium with no masks. https://t.co/JbS5qAMmMm
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) February 17, 2022
“I will shut down the virus…in the House of Representatives…for a little over an hour during my State of The Union address.” https://t.co/s4Fljub8Lj
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) February 17, 2022
Not a good look if he intends to say that his great policies have beaten COVID. https://t.co/HvO6haTkfr
— Brian Kallio (@bfkallio) February 17, 2022
Again no one has been worse on their own vaccine message than Joe Biden.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) February 17, 2022
The theatre continues…….
— Sean (@HillbillyBodhi) February 17, 2022
LOL people watching will change to an NHL/NBA/college basketball game and the crowds there will be mostly unmasked. Buncha clowns
— Robert O’Brien (@RobertOBrien26) February 17, 2022
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