Wisconsinite among Dr. Jill Biden's guests for State of the Union address
Each year, members of Congress and the first lady use invite guests to the State of the Union who they want to honor, thank or use highlight particular issues.
President Biden is delivering his State of the Union address on Tuesday, and he's expected to reflect on the accomplishments of his administration's last two years and lay out his agenda for the coming year as he gears up for another presidential bid.
The White House announced Tuesday who will be joining first lady Dr. Jill Biden in her viewing box, and the guest list serves as a road map to the initiatives rolled out by Mr. Biden so far and his priorities for the coming months.
Among those guests is a Wisconsinite, Deanna Branch. Branch is credited with sharing her family's experiences with lead exposure during Vice President Kamala Harris's visit to Milwaukee in 2022. Branch also visited the White House earlier this year.
The White House press secretary reports:
"Branch is working to build a lead safe environment for her community after her son Aidan battled lead poisoning as a result of unsafe levels of lead in their drinking water and home. She and her two sons had to move out of the house that they loved because it was no longer a safe environment to raise a family. Through historic levels of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan, and using additional tools across federal, state, and local governments, the Biden-Harris Administration is working to replace all lead service lines in America in the next decade."
Here are some of the other notable people expected to attend Tuesday night as guests of members of Congress or the first lady:
Tyre Nichols' family
The Congressional Black Caucus first invited Tyre Nichols' family to the president's address, and the White House announced his mother RowVaughn Wells and stepfather Rodney Wells will sit in the first lady's box.
Vice President Kamala Harris attended the funeral for the 29-year-old man who died after his violent arrest by Memphis police. Mr. Biden has spoken with Nichols' family, and called the video of the attack on him "outrageous."
Ukraine's ambassador to the United States
Like last year, when Mr. Biden addressed Congress days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova will join the first lady as her guest for the State of the Union "in recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine," the White House said.
Bono
Bono, the lead singer of U2, was invited by the first lady as recognition for his activism fighting HIV/AIDS an extreme poverty. The White House highlighted Bono's work with PEPFAR, which was announced by former President George W. Bush in his State of the Union speech two decades ago, and the ONE Campaign.
The "Good Samaritan" who called 911 for Rep. Greg Steube
GOP Rep. Greg Steube, 44, is still recovering from a 25-foot fall from a ladder at his Florida home. But he's inviting Darrell Woodie, an Amazon delivery driver who dialed 911 for him, to the State of the Union as his special guest.
Steube sustained serious injuries and was placed in intensive care after the incident, but has since been able to return home to continue his recovery.
The man who disarmed the Monterey Park gunman
Brandon Tsay, the man who disarmed the suspect who allegedly killed 11 people in Monterey Park, California, shooting last month, will be the guest of the first lady. Tsay disarmed the man at a second location after the shooting, and the White House praised him for preventing the gunman from carrying out another attack.
Volunteer firefighter who responded to 9/11 terror attacks
Embattled Rep. George Santos, a New York Republican, announced his guest for the State of the Union will be Michael Weinstock, a volunteer firefighter and EMT who responded to Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001. In the days after the attack, he also helped clear rubble and search for survivors, working alongside firefighters on the "bucket brigade."
In 2021, Weinstock was diagnosed with neuropathy, a condition with no known cure. He is encouraging the World Trade Center Health Program to add neuropathy as a covered condition.
Holocaust survivor Ruth Cohen
Cohen is a guest of second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, who has spoken out forcefully against antisemitism and embarked on a six-day trip overseas last month to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president.
His guest, Cohen, was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp after she and her family were forced from their home. She was liberated in 1945 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1948.
Paul Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi's husband
Sitting in the first lady's viewing box will be Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Paul Pelosi, 82, was attacked in late October at their San Francisco home and suffered a fractured skull and injuries to his arms and hands.
Video of the attack was made public last month showing the assault by the alleged attacker, David DePape. Police said DePape intended to kidnap Nancy Pelosi and told officers he wanted to "break her kneecaps." According to court filings, DePape asked "where's Nancy?" when he confronted Paul Pelosi.
