Both officials are up for re-election this year.įrom the moment he began his address, Biden tried to mark how far the country had come on Covid by noting that the pandemic prevented a proper gathering last year. But the true distinction between then and now was what Biden wasn’t doing - wearing a mask as he walked through the crowd.Īfter a protracted period of careful masking and social distancing, Biden, 79, gave America its first glimpse of what the administration hopes is the next phase of the pandemic. That phase, as Biden highlighted in his speech, includes keeping schools and businesses open. Greg Abbott called on licensed professionals and Texas residents to report parents of transgender minors to the state if their children may be receiving gender-affirming care. Jayapal expressed her gratitude for Biden’s mention of the transgender community and called for the end of the filibuster to pass the legislation.īiden’s remarks also come on the day of the primary elections in Texas - a state whose attorney general declared last week that transition care for minors is child abuse under state law.
Newman pointed to the discrimination transgender Americans face on a daily basis as reason to pass the Equality Act. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Marie Newman, D-Ill., both took to Twitter to respond to Biden’s speech, in which he said he would continue to support and advocate for the transgender community during his time as president. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., the first Ukrainian-born member of Congress, was selected to help escort Biden into the room and sat directly behind the top two House GOP leaders, Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise.Īfter Biden called for passage of the Equality Act, condemning state laws targeting transgender Americans, members of Congress with transgender children affirmed their support and advocated for the federal legislation. As she entered the House chamber, first lady Jill Biden warmly embraced Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, who later got a standing ovation from lawmakers.Īnd Rep. Ukrainian flags were hung along Pennsylvania Avenue as Biden’s motorcade made the short drive from the White House to Capitol Hill. Symbols of America’s support for Ukraine were everywhere. It didn’t last long, but there was a fleeting moment of bipartisan unity in the Capitol as Biden used his State of the Union address to excoriate Russian President Vladimir Putin and rally the nation in support for war-torn Ukraine.Īwash in blue and gold scarves, dresses, ribbons and ties - a nod to the colors of Ukraine’s national flag - Democrats and Republicans lawmakers pressed pause on their usual partisan warfare and briefly came together to show solidarity with a European ally facing unfathomable death and destruction at the hands of Putin.
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