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(Credit: AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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53 mins ago
This is the story behind the response in Spanish to the State of the Union address
By than Cohen, Melissa Holzberg DePalo
In this file photo, then-New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson speaks at a campaign fundraiser for Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Monday, April 28, 2008, in Seattle.
(Credit: Ted S. Warren/AP)
The tradition of responding in Spanish to the State of the Union address, delivered each year by the US president, dates back to 2004, when then-New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson rebutted George W. Bush on impact that the president's policies had on the Hispanic community and immigration in the United States.
Since then, a response in Spanish to the speech has become almost a tradition.
The years 2009, 2021 and 2022 are the only times since 2004 that did not have this element.
Republican Party leaders announced that Rep. Juan Ciscomani will deliver the response in Spanish to this year's speech.
It will be the first response in Spanish since 2020.
Past Responses:
Florida Republican Rep. Mario DĂaz-Balart gave the first Republican response in Spanish to a State of the Union address in 2010.
In 2013, Republican Senator Marco Rubio became the first official to give the answer in both English and Spanish.
He pre-recorded the Spanish version before his live response in English.
Robert Yoon, Adam Levy and Liz Stark, all from CNN, contributed to this article.
58 mins ago
Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona will deliver the GOP's Spanish-language response to the State of the Union address
By Melanie Zanona
Representative Juan Ciscomani speaks at a Congressional Hispanic Conference press conference on February 1.
(Credit: Michael Brochstein/Sipa)
Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona District 6 will deliver the Republican Party's Spanish-language response to the State of the Union address, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced last week in a press release.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders was tapped to give the Republicans' English-language response.
In 2022, Ciscomani was the first Latino Republican elected to Congress from Arizona.
He was born in Mexico and immigrated to the US with his family as a child, and previously worked at the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was a senior adviser to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.
"My message will be simple and direct: The American dream is a dream worth fighting for. The people of my district in Arizona and Americans across the country want accountability, responsibility and responsiveness restored. in our nation's capital," said Ciscomani in the statement announcing that he would deliver the response in Spanish.
McCarthy called Ciscomani "inspirational".
As he noted in the statement, he looks forward to "hearing his response where I know he will share with viewers the Republicans' commitment to America to empower the American people and hold the Biden government accountable."
7 mins ago
What will Biden talk about in his State of the Union address?
These are some topics
By Kevin Liptak
President Joe Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
These are the issues that are expected to address in his speech, according to a source with information about the speech:
The issue of democracy:
Biden will mention the importance of a strong democracy and how it must be constantly defended.
He will say that the country must stick together to make sure that American democracy stays strong.
A phrase you will repeat:
The president will use the phrase "finish the job" several times.
Bipartisanship will be a theme:
It will remind people (more than once) that you were elected to represent all of America, not the red or blue states.
When he talks about bipartisanship, he will point out that Washington doesn't need to have conflict for the sake of conflict or power struggles for power struggles' sake.
How you'll present economic problems:
When you mention deficit reduction, you'll tie it to plans that would make the richest Americans and businesses pay more, which is the multi-billion dollar tax.
He will argue that the country can continue to invest without cutting Social Security and Medicare.
Middle class connection:
The whole discourse has a populist tone, going back to working for the middle class.
The White House wants people, by the end of the speech, to believe that Biden understands their problems, cares about what matters to them, and is actively working to improve their lives.
A Campaign Theme Returns: He
will return to the campaign theme of "restore the soul of the nation" to advocate for police reform, an assault weapons ban and the protection of abortion rights.
2 hours ago
What is the State of the Union and why is it important to the United States?
The State of the Union address is an annual tradition in which the President of the United States presents a diagnosis of the country's situation and his vision for the future to the plenary of Congress.
The event, which is held by constitutional mandate, has had many changes throughout history.
Edwin Giraldo tells how this evolution has occurred.
This is the story of the State of the Union 3:27
2 hours ago
Biden posts a photo before the State of the Union address: "Getting ready"
By Betsy Klein
President Joe Biden's State of the Union address featured a folder and candy.
The president posted a photo on Twitter Monday of a folder containing what appeared to be a draft of the speech, along with a plate of cookies and mugs stamped with the Camp David seal.
"Getting ready," Biden tweeted alongside the photo.
CNN reported that Biden was going to spend part of his weekend working on preparations for the speech, along with presidential historian Jon Meacham.
Getting ready.
pic.twitter.com/UhERyDuxTO
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 6, 2023
3 hours ago
Capitol Police tighten security ahead of State of the Union address
By Whitney Wild
A worker helps install security fences around the US Capitol on February 5 in Washington.
(Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The US Capitol Police increased security measures for the State of the Union address, including an additional non-scalable fence around the Capitol grounds, according to two sources familiar with the plans.
Capitol Police intelligence officials warned in an email, which was distributed to members of the agency, that the threat level remains high ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Although there are no credible, specific threats to the event, the Capitol Police bulletin notes that "recent incidents against politicians and security agencies in the past month indicate that there is a heightened threat to government officials."
Opinions have been divided on security since last month when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed the magnetometers leading to the House floor.
The metal detectors, installed after the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, were a sore spot for Republicans who felt they were a mostly meaningless security measure.
The problem came up again last week.
On Wednesday, more than a dozen Democrats wrote to House and Senate leaders in an attempt to raise alarms about security.
"We write with urgent concern for the safety of the president, other dignitaries and guests at the upcoming State of the Union address," the Democrats said in the letter. Citing the removal of magnetometers and threats to lawmakers, they wrote that "The security of the Chamber complex is precarious today."
A law enforcement source said lawmakers will not undergo any additional screening before entering the House chamber for Biden's speech.
Another source noted that the magnetometers outside the House chamber were removed for the last two presidential addresses: the Joint Session in 2021 and the State of the Union in 2022.
The State of the Union is considered a "National Special Security Event," a designation that puts the US Secret Service in charge of much of the planning and unlocks significant resources for security plans.
The Capitol Police control most of the security infrastructure on the Capitol grounds in cooperation with the Secret Service and other agencies.
Capitol Police declined to describe specific security plans.
"For security reasons, we are unable to provide the public with details about potential security measures or any potential resources that may be used to protect members of Congress," a spokesperson for the department told CNN.
3 hours ago
These are Jill Biden's guests at the State of the Union address
Paul Pelosi;
Tire Nichols' parents;
U2 star Bono;
Monterey Park shooting hero Brandon Tsay;
Ukraine's ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova and a Holocaust survivor are among first lady Jill Biden's guests at her State of the Union address.
President Joe Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address at the Capitol this Tuesday night.
He is expected to address key issues of his tenure and offer a preview of a re-election message for the 2024 presidential race. The guest list for the first lady's box offers a blueprint for what to expect.
The first lady's 26 guests represent key government priorities and achievements such as infrastructure, mental health, climate and healthcare.
They also represent issues the administration has faced this closing year: support for Ukraine in the face of Russian invasion, anti-Semitism, opioid overdose epidemic, support for same-sex marriage, increased political polarization, mass shootings , a renewed national conversation on justice in policing and women's reproductive health.
“Each of these individuals were invited by the White House because they embody issues or themes that the president will address in his speech, or embody the policies of the Biden-Harris Administration at work for the American people,” the office of the former said. lady in a statement.
US support for Ukraine
Jill Biden has invited Markarova for the second year in a row "in recognition of America's sustained support for Ukraine," the White House said.
Markarova received a standing ovation when she sat in the first lady's box during last year's state of the union address, just days after Russia launched its war against Ukraine.
The president is likely to highlight ongoing US assistance to Ukraine, including billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid.
Infrastructure
There are multiple guests who have been affected by the bipartisan infrastructure law approved in 2021 that has begun to be implemented in recent months.
Saria Gwin-Maye is a member of the Ironworkers Local 44 union in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is among those who have been employed as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure bill the administration is working to implement with states and localities across the country.
Gwin-Maye is working on the Brent Spence Bridge, which has long been a chronic symbol of America's crumbling infrastructure.
Biden traveled to the bridge along with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to highlight bipartisanship as the infrastructure bill is set to invest more than $2 billion in the nation's bridges.
Deanna Branch, a Milwaukee mother who has worked to raise awareness about toxic lead pipes after her son suffered lead poisoning from unsafe levels in drinking water and in the home, is also invited.
See the complete list here.
3 hours ago
What to expect from Biden's State of the Union address?
This Tuesday, President Joe Biden will present his State of the Union address for the second time.
Biden will address the plenary session of Congress to outline his priorities for 2023. This time, Biden will take his message to a divided Congress, with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
What is expected?
What to expect from Biden's State of the Union address?
3:30
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