WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� All members of Congress are being invited to attend President Joe Biden's upcoming State of the Union address, crowding the House chamber for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic as the White House tries to nudge COVID-19 toward the nation鈥檚 rear-view mirror.
It's a further step toward normalcy, yet the big annual speech a week from next Tuesday could still turn into a new and disruptive display of national tensions and frustration over .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office released the guidelines Thursday from the Sergeant at Arms' office in consultation with the Office of the Physician.
Violations of the guidelines for social distancing and mask wearing during the event 鈥渨ill result in the attendee's removal," the memo said. Everyone will be required to be virus-tested ahead of time 鈥�- rules that have been flouted by some lawmakers who have spurned pandemic guidelines.
Some Biden allies are fretting that the Capitol scene could add fuel to the fire, or that anti-mask conservative Republicans could use the speech for some stunt or protest.
No guests will be allowed.
Biden鈥檚 address to Congress will play out against what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a 鈥渕alaise鈥� over the persistence of COVID and growing after two years of restrictions. Even Democratic-run state and local governments are lifting restrictions .
However, the State of the Union setting 鈥� Capitol Hill 鈥� remains one of the most significantly disrupted workplaces in the country, something of a ground zero for culture wars over the lingering pandemic restrictions and security concerns from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Pelosi indicated last week that lawmakers are aiming for 鈥渇uller participation鈥� than last year, when attendance was limited. She said, 鈥淚 think the people are ready to pivot in a way that shows to the American people we largely have been vaccinated here.鈥�
Seating for Biden鈥檚 first address to a joint session of Congress last April was capped at about 200 鈥� about 20% of usual capacity for a presidential presentation.
Though the Capitol and other federal properties set their own rules, the District of Columbia鈥檚 indoor mask requirement for most indoor gatherings and businesses is to be lifted on the same day as Biden鈥檚 address, The White House says it will be going by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
All year, the White House has taken extraordinary precautions to keep Biden from getting the virus, including requiring high-quality masks in his vicinity and limiting his travel and participation in large events.
In addition to members of Congress, the State of the Union audience traditionally includes Cabinet members, Supreme Court justices and military leaders. It鈥檚 not yet clear if they will be invited.
A speech to a full House chamber would be by far the densest audience of Biden鈥檚 presidency to date.
The debate over rules on wearing masks and getting vaccinated has become a major front in the nation鈥檚 culture wars, breaking down along regional and political lines. Scenes of mask-less celebrities enjoying the Super Bowl 鈥� when schoolchildren in some jurisdictions are required to wear masks even when outside at recess 鈥� have drawn criticism for unfairness.
Federal officials are racing to finalize new, more flexible national guidance on mask-wearing and other policies before Biden steps up to the rostrum in the House chamber at 9:01 p.m.
鈥淲e want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing, when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again, should things worsen,鈥� Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said Wednesday.
She indicated the revised guidelines, to be coordinated with a broad administration plan for the 鈥渘ext phase鈥� of the virus response, should come around the end of this month.
Administration officials expect that new strategy and message to figure prominently in Biden鈥檚 speech as pandemic fatigue becomes more pronounced.
The White House sees his speech 鈥� in concert with the expected loosening of virus limits 鈥� as an opportunity to help stem an erosion of public confidence in his leadership. According to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll last month, just 45% of Americans said they approved of Biden鈥檚 handling of COVID-19, down from 57% in December and 66% in July.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week criticized the Democrats鈥� approach, saying they only recently changed their tune because of shifting public opinion.
鈥淭he only science that鈥檚 changed in the last two weeks is the political science,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he only data that鈥檚 changed in the last two weeks is Democrats鈥� polling data.鈥�
Zeke Miller And Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press
