On Tuesday evening, President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress and a nationwide audience. In his speech, the President focused on his administration’s recent legislative accomplishments and future goals. He praised the recent bipartisan efforts to pass legislation such as the Violence Against Women Act and the Respect for Marriage Act, and called for Congress to revisit the Equality Act to ensure the safety and dignity of LGBTQ Americans.
The President also addressed public health, highlighting the successful efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and calling for a similar effort in the fight against cancer. He also spoke about the economy, emphasizing the recent job growth and low unemployment rates. Additionally, the President touched on reproductive rights, vowing to veto a national abortion ban if one were to be passed by Congress.
Despite some objections from Republican lawmakers, the President remained optimistic about the possibility of continued bipartisanship. “To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress,” he said. The President also demonstrated his support for the LGBTQ community by inviting the plaintiffs in the Massachusetts case that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage to join the First Lady in her box and honoring House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who brought the President of the Human Rights Campaign as his guest.