What to expect for President Biden’s first speech to Congress

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - It’s one of the biggest nights of the year in our nation’s capital -- when the president addresses Congress and the country.

President Joe Biden is set to give his first speech to a Joint Session of Congress Wednesday night. His speech comes just shy of his first 100 days in office. The White House says he’ll talk to about the administration’s progress and the challenges that still lie ahead.

“He’s deeply involved in the development of his speech,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

This speech is not being called a State of the Union, since President Biden is still in his first year.

“This is an opportunity — one of the most high profile opportunities even the president has each year to speak directly to the American people,” said Psaki.

Psaki says the president will detail the American Families Plan. That’s the next phase of the administration’s infrastructure reinvestment program -- a $1.8 trillion spending plan for child care, health care, and education.

Psaki says the president will also tackle police reform and the work being done to get the pandemic under control.

The setting will look much different from previous speeches because of COVID protocols. Not every member was invited. Only about 200 people will be inside the House chamber, and there will be no outside guests.

Multimedia Journalist Natalie Grim contributed to this report.

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