President Joe Biden’s address to Congress will make U.S. history, and it is because of two women.
The president will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST. In the House Chamber, he will be standing at the podium in front of two women — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Vice President Kamala Harris.
This “will be a first for the nation: the No. 1 and No. 2 people in the line of presidential succession are both women,” as Axios reports.
Biden’s speech will also look different than past presidential speeches, as the country is still amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the pandemic, there will be a small crowd of 200 people, with no guests — compared to the 1,600 officials who typically attend. It will be a masked, socially distanced speech.
Pelosi said, “It will be its own character, it will be its own wonderful character. We went from 1,600 people to 200 people. That is a different dynamic, but it has its own worth.”
The first lady will hold a virtual reception at 4 p.m. EST with the guests for this year’s presidential address. She will then attend her husband’s address, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will also attend.
Biden will mark his 100 days in office on Friday.