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Follow Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address as president with live updates from the New York Post.

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Pelosi sparks new SOTU meme during Biden u2018burn pitsu2019 moment

By Callie Patteson

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew massive attention on social media during President Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening for her oddly giddy reaction to Biden’s remarks about “burn pits” in the Middle East.

During his address, the president outlined four items in a “Unity Agenda for the Nation” which included support US veterans. 

“My administration is providing assistance with job training and housing, and now helping lower-income veterans get VA care debt-free,” Biden said. 

“Our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan faced many dangers. One was stationed at bases and breathing in toxic smoke from ‘burn pits,” the president continued, to applause. “Many of you have been there.”

As the president delivered his remark, Pelosi was seen standing up behind him, grinning and rubbing her knuckles together as if pulling back an ill-timed clap. 

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AOC says Biden’s State of the Union ‘left a little bit to be desired’

By Steven Nelson

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that President Biden’s State of the Union speech Tuesday “left a little bit to be desired” because it didn’t go far enough to push progressive policies on student loan debt, immigration and energy policy.

The socialist “Squad” leader picked apart her own party’s commander in chief shortly after his speech ended — eclipsing the more widely anticipated but ultimately less-critical “rebuttal” to Biden from leftist ally Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).

“The piece on immigration was really just glossed over and we have over 10 — you know, anywhere between 10 to 13 million immigrants in this country that feel desperate for a path to citizenship,” Ocasio-Cortez said on MSNBC.

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers GOP rebuttal to Biden's SOTU

By Callie Patteson

Iowa's Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds hit at President Biden Tuesday evening following his State of the Union address, accusing him of failing to make America respected and united.

"Even before taking the oath of office, the president told us that he wanted to 'make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home'. He's failed on both fronts," Reynolds said in the Republican response to Biden's speech.

She pointed to the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, historic inflation, the ongoing border crisis and recent Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"Weakness on the world stage has a cost. and the president's approach to foreign policy has consistently been too little too late," she said. "It's time for America to once again project confidence. It's time to be decisive. It's time to lead. But we can't project strength aboard if we're weak at home."  

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Biden's speech has wrapped

By Zach Haberman

The president's speech has ended. He spoke for one hour and two minutes and ended after declaring: "This is our moment to meet and overcome the challenges of our time."

Biden pushes bipartisanship with 'Unity Agenda for the Nation'

By Callie Patteson

In a push for bipartisanship in Congress and across the country, Biden offered a "Unity Agenda for the Nation" during his State of the Union address, announcing "four big things we can do together.

The items included:

  1. Beat the Opioid epidemic
  2. Take on mental health -- particularly among children
  3. Support US veterans
  4. "End Cancer as we know it"

Biden honors retiring Supreme Court Justice Breyer

By Mark Lungariello

Biden thanked retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, calling him a “Constitutional scholar” with a legacy of excellence and noting his service as an Army veteran.

After some applause for Breyer, who reluctantly stood for a second, he also mentioned his nominee to replace the justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, whom he called one of the country’s “top legal minds.”

“A former top litigator in private practice. A former federal public defender. And from a family of public school educators and police officers,” Biden said.

GOP, Dems give Biden standing ovation over funding the police

By Callie Patteson

Biden received massive support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle Tuesday as he called on them to "fund" the police.

"We should all agree: The answer is not to Defund the police," Biden said.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was quickly heard shouting "That's right!" in response to the comment.

Biden continued: "The answer is to FUND the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities."

As he finished his remark, Republican and Democratic members of Congress all stood, applauding the president.

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Greene reacts to Biden's talk about COVID vaccines

By Steven Nelson
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) listens to U.S. President Joe Biden deliver the State of the Union address
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) listens to U.S. President Joe Biden deliver the State of the Union address. Getty Images

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was seen making faces during Biden’s talk about COVID-19 vaccinations, including mention of the effort to approve vaccinations for children under 5.

Greene, a Georgia Republican whose Twitter account was suspended over posting pandemic misinformation, was also heard speaking aloud when Biden referenced "working hard.”

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Biden announces 'four common sense steps' to further combat COVID-19

By Callie Patteson

Biden rejected the idea of "living with COVID-19" on Tuesday, saying the US will "continue to combat the virus as we do other diseases."

To move forward, he announced four "common sense steps as we move forward safely."

  • Stay protected with vaccines and treatments
  • Prepare for new variants
  • End the shutdowns of schools and businesses
  • Continue vaccinating the world

Biden says families shouldn't pay more than 7% for childcare

By Mark Lungariello

President Biden said during his State of the Union on Tuesday that middle-class and working families shouldn’t pay more than 7 percent of their incomes for child care.

Biden called to cut the cost in half for most families, includes home and long-term care and pre-K for children aged 3-4.

“And under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in new taxes. Nobody,” Biden said.

The comments were made as he touted a plan to reform the tax structure so the wealthy pay more.

Members of Congress chant 'USA, USA, USA' during SOTU address

By Callie Patteson

During President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday, the president proposed a plan to fight inflation, sparking "USA" cheers from attendees.

"One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer.  I have a better plan to fight inflation," Biden said. "Lower your costs, not your wages. " 

"Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs where you can earn a good living in America. And instead of relying on foreign supply chains, let’s make it in America," he said to cheers and appaulse.

Democratic members of Congress quickly began to chant "USA, USA, USA" as they applauded the president's remarks.

Manchin stone-faced when Biden calls for Build Back Better agenda

By Steven Nelson

"Let's get this done," Biden says about his Build Back Better agenda items, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who controls the fate of the bill, was stone-faced and did not applaud.

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