The historical photo of two women behind the president's back, as the immediate successors in the United States' command line, a senator who blinked briefly, and an unusually empty room were some of the most striking moments of Joe Biden's first speech to both. Chambers of Congress, less than 24 hours after his first 100 days in office.
In a speech of just over an hour, Biden gave accounts to the country about the work of his Administration in these first three months in office, in which it has had to respond to complex crises such as the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, racial injustice, the recovery of the economy and the migratory tension on the southern border.
We collect 5 moments that made this presidential speech an unprecedented moment:
1- The historical image of two women in the line of presidential succession
“Thank you, Madam Speaker (of the House of Representatives) and Madam Vice President,” Biden began his speech. “No president had ever said those words from this podium.
And it was about time ”.
Indeed, one of the milestones of the president's speech before both houses of Congress was to see two women sitting behind him for the first time in the history of the country: the first female to reach the vice presidency of the United States, Kamala Harris;
and the leader of the Lower House, Nancy Pelosi.
For the first time in American history, two women - the Vice President, Kamala Harris and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi - occupy the podium behind the president as the two officials in the immediate line of succession.
AP
It is also the first time that two women are the immediate officials in the presidential chain of succession.
"It's very exciting. And it is wonderful to make history.
It was about time ”, Pelosi celebrated hours before the speech during an interview with the television network MSNBC.
Harris, who is also the first black person and the first person of South Asian descent to hold the position, sat to the right of the president.
Pelosi, who became the first woman to hold her current position in 2007, moved to the left.
2- An almost empty room
In previous speeches by other presidents, each member of Congress could bring a guest.
In total, there are 535 legislators, adding both houses.
For years, it has been customary for the room to host up to 1,600 people.
But not this time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and threats of attack on Congress.
Only 200 legislators attended, so that the immense room of the House of Representatives was almost empty.
A few lawmakers attended Biden's speech in the House of Representatives, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All attendees had to wear a mask and sit apart, except for President Biden, who entered the room with his face covering on, but removed it during the speech of just over an hour.
3- A new call to Congress for immigration reform
Biden once again insisted that Congress approve the immigration reform he sent him or that they agree and build and pass a bipartisan reform of their own.
Or, if necessary, have the protections sought for different immigrant groups approved separately.
"
For more than 30 years, politicians have been talking about immigration reform and they have done nothing about it. It is time to fix it,
" he said.
"On the first day of my presidency, I kept my commitment and sent a comprehensive immigration bill to Congress. If you think we need a secure border, pass it. If you believe in a path to citizenship (for 11 million undocumented immigrants), pass it. ".
Biden stressed that "Congress needs to pass a law this year to finally ensure the protection of Dreamers, the young people whose only home is the United States."
An analysis by Noticias Telemundo on the campaign promises fulfilled during the first three months of the government showed that strengthening DACA is one of the pending commitments, as well as the end of the prolonged detention of immigrant children and others.
4- Some took a short nap
At least one lawmaker in the room where Biden was accountable to Congress and the nation did not appear to be highly motivated by the speech.
Near the end of the speech, when the president was discussing his Administration's plans for immigration reform, the cameras captured Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz, as he appeared to fall asleep.
"If you really want to solve the problem, I sent you the bill. Take a good look at it," Biden says as
the camera focuses on Cruz, whose eyes shut heavily for a brief moment before snapping open.
Some Twitter users quickly captured the moment:
"When you dream of Cancun," tweeted Aaron Rupar, a reporter for the Vox news platform, referring to Cruz's trip to Mexico in February as Texas was hit by a harsh winter storm that left millions without electricity or running water.
5- A black senator denies racism in the United States
As is customary, an official from the opposite party, in this case the Republican Party, responded to the president's address.
This time it was Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, who took the floor almost immediately after Biden's speech.
Scott, the only black Republican senator and one of the potential presidential contenders for 2024
, asserted that "America is not a racist country," in response to the president's call for a police reform that will help eradicate institutional racism in all the country.
"We have seen that knee of injustice on the neck of black Americans": Joe Biden
April 29, 202 108: 16
Scott responded that “today children are taught that their skin color defines them again.
"Wherever you look, there is the oppressor," he said.
The senator also accused Biden and other Congressional Democrats of talking about racism too often during non-race political disputes.
"Race is not a political weapon to solve all problems," he ruled just a week after a jury in Minneapolis found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of all counts in the murder of Geroge Floyd.