WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address will be delivered to a limited audience in the U.S. Capitol under similar pandemic-related restrictions as last year, according to an official familiar with the arrangements.
Only about 200 people, fully masked, were allowed inside the House chamber when Biden delivered his first speech to a joint session of Congress in April 2021. In addition to audience-size restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, security concerns in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection played a role in limiting attendance.
The exact number of lawmakers and others who will be permitted to attend in-person this year — on March 1 — is still being discussed in planning for the event. Confirmation of limits for the State of the Union came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday announced that the public health emergency status at the Capitol would remain in effect until March 30.
