President Biden flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Kevin McCarthy during the State of the Union. Photo by House Creative Services photographers.
President Biden addressed a joint session of Congress on February 7, 2023. Photo by House Creative Service photographers.
President Biden discussed a variety of topics, including the economy, health care, job creation, and more. Photo by House Creative Service photographers.
President Joe Biden spoke before a joint session of Congress
President Joe Biden delivered the State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 9:00 p.m.
Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), presided over the House chamber as Supreme Court Justices, Cabinet officials, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other government officials joined members of the House and Senate for the address.
In his opening remarks, President Biden congratulated the 118th Congress, including the outgoing Speaker, Nancy Pelosi; the House’s new Speaker; the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries; and the longest-serving leaders of the Senate. President Biden’s speech focused on the importance of unity: "the story of America is the story of progress and resilience. Of always moving forward and never, ever giving up."
The President also discussed the progress made in job creation and the importance of shoring up the economy, European aid, American manufacturing and national infrastructure projects, reducing health care costs, climate change, immigration, public safety and police reform, remediating the tax system, and more.
“I stand here tonight having served as long as about any one of you have ever served here. But I’ve never been more optimistic about our future, about the future of America. We just have to remember who we are,” concluded President Biden. “We’re the United States of America, and there’s nothing, nothing, beyond our capacity if we do it together.”
This is President Biden’s third official time addressing a joint session of Congress. However, it is only his second State of the Union address. Typically, there is no State of the Union address by a new president in their first year in office.
Learn more about the State of the Union Address at the House Historian's website and by following @USHouseHistory on Twitter.