- Biden's first State of the Union address starts at 9 p.m. ET.
President Joe Biden fulfills a constitutional request when he delivers a State of the Union address – his first – to Congress on Tuesday.
The president will likely speak about several initiatives stalled in the Senate, such as his $1.75 trillion Build Back Better infrastructure bill and voting rights legislation. He will certainly address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion into Ukraine.
Once President Joe Biden leaves the podium after giving his first State of the Union Tuesday, at least two political leaders will deliver separate responses to the address: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds for the Republican Party and Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Here's what else you need to know, along with some history on the speech.
Live updates:Russia's 40-mile convoy appears to have bogged down en route to Kyiv; shells pound Ukrainian city of Kharkiv
What time is the State of the Union address?
Biden will start speaking at 9 p.m. ET.
Talking points:From Ukraine to historic Supreme Court nominee: 5 things to watch for in Biden's State of the Union address
Where can I watch the SOTU?
It will be carried by all major TV news networks (CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS) and cable news networks including Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, MSNBC and C-SPAN.
NPR will also carry the address.
The speech will also be live-streamed by the White House and many organizations, including USA TODAY. Readers can follow live updates on the speech from USA TODAY.
– Chelsey Cox
Biden to deliver speech as Russian convoy inches toward Kyiv
Biden's State of the Union speech comes on day six of Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the international crisis is expected to be a focal point of his speech.
A 40-mile convoy of Russian tanks and vehicles appeared to stall about 15 miles outside of Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv. Troops appeared to run out of gas and food, but it's also possible the Russians are pausing to regroup and reassess their attack, a senior U.S. Defense Department official told reporters earlier Tuesday.
Ukrainians are bracing for continued attacks after at least 11 people were killed and 35 others wounded in an apparent rocket strike in Kharkiv. Earlier, Russian strikes hit Kyiv's main broadcasting tower and the nearby Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial site, where Nazis killed thousands of Jews during World War II. Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed the attack.
Ahead of his remarks, Biden spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for more than 30 minutes. The president said he discussed continued U.S. support, including security assistance and humanitarian aid, and vowed to hold Russia accountable.
For more updates on the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, follow USA TODAY's live coverage here.
-- Courtney Subramanian
More:Satellite images show huge Russian convoys in Ukraine
Why is this Biden’s first State of the Union?
The concept of an annual update from the president to members of Congress has existed as long as the presidency. President George Washington delivered the first of what was then called the “Annual Message” in 1790.
That is rooted in the constitutional requirement to provide an update “from time to time.” The speech was not formally named the State of the Union until 1947, according to the Congressional Research Service.
But recent tradition has been for presidents to not deliver a formal State of the Union in the year they were inaugurated but instead to simply speak before a joint session of Congress.
President Joe Biden did that in 2021, as the six presidents before him had done in their inauguration years. That means Biden’s 2022 address will be his first formal State of the Union.
– Rick Rouan
What will Biden talk about?
Biden’s remarks to a joint session of Congress will give him a chance to trumpet his administration’s accomplishments during his first year in office and lay out policy goals for the coming year.
A prominent Democratic strategist urged Biden to use the opportunity to offer Americans hope for better days.
“What Americans want to hear is genuine understanding of what we have been through together and a clear path forward – less about Mr. Biden’s accomplishments than about the heroic, unsung sacrifices so many have made to see their families and communities through,” David Axelrod, who helped shape many of President Barack Obama’s addresses to Congress, wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times.
What else is bound to come up? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will cast a long shadow over Biden’s State of the Union address. Biden will seek to reassure the country that it's entering a new phase in the fight against COVID-19. And the president wants Americans to know that he feels their pain when it comes to rising prices.
Read more here on expectations for the address.
– Michael Collins
Biden to address Russian invasion of Ukraine
Biden will address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during his address, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks released by the White House.
“Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson – when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos. They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising,” he is expected to say.
“That’s why the NATO Alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War 2. The United States is a member along with 29 other nations.
“It matters. American diplomacy matters.
“Putin’s war was premeditated and unprovoked. He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home.
“Putin was wrong. We were ready,” he will say.
More:Russia has been accused of using 'vacuum bombs' in Ukraine. What are those?
Biden to talk about inflation and the US economy
Biden will also address inflation — an issue that is a top concern for the American people -- according to prepared remarks released by the White House.
“We have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation,” he is expected to say.
“Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs where you can earn a good living in America. And, instead of relying on foreign supply chains – let’s make it in America.
“Economists call it “increasing the productive capacity of our economy.” I call it building a better America,” he will say.
“My plan to fight inflation will lower your costs and lower the deficit,” he is expected to say.
-- Rebecca Morin
Biden speech focus: The U.S. and Europe must be united against Russia
Previewing his State of the Union speech to a group of journalists, President Joe Biden said he will stress the importance of unity between the United States and Europe in confronting Russian President Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine.
In a lunch with television anchors and others, Biden said he would re-emphasize "my determination to see to it that the EU, NATO, all of our allies are on the same exact page in terms of sanctions against Russia and how we deal with the invasion – and it is an invasion – of Ukraine."
This from a tweet by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who also reported that Biden declared global unity "the one thing that gives us power to impose severe consequences on Putin for what he’s done."
Presidents host these kinds of lunches with television anchors before every State of the Union address. The sessions are off the record, but White Houses often put a few comments on the record.
In this case, Biden wanted to make clear his message on Ukraine.
-- David Jackson
