House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Friday formally invited President Joe Biden to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress next month.
“It is my solemn duty to invite you to speak to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, so that you may fulfill your duty under the Constitution to report on the State of the Union,” the California Republican wrote. Letter to Biden.
The annual address to Congress is an opportunity for the president to highlight accomplishments and top priorities. This year, it comes amid tensions on Capitol Hill, as the Republican Party regains control of the House and vows to launch an investigation into the Biden administration.
However, White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday that Biden had received McCarthy’s “kind invitation” and had accepted it.
McCarthy used the letter as an opportunity to hold on to his party’s new majority.
“A new year brings a new Congress, and with it the responsibility to work toward a strong economy, a secure nation, a future built on freedom, and accountable government,” McCarthy wrote in the letter. to biden. “The American people sent us to Washington to provide a new direction for the country, find common ground and debate their priorities.”