House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La) has no plans to attend President Biden’s first joint address to Congress on Wednesday, The Hill reports.
Scalise said he will instead give his ticket to another GOP lawmaker since seating will be limited at the event and he wants to give some freshman Republicans the opportunity to attend a presidential address.
“There are not many of us that are going to be able to go, because they’re limiting it pretty dramatically,” Scalise said. “There are a lot of people that haven’t been before that want to go.”Â
Due to COVID restrictions only about 200 people are expected to be in the House chamber during the address, and lawmakers in attendance won’t be allowed to bring guests.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will represent the Supreme Court, while Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be in attendance on behalf of the collective body’s military leaders, according to the Hill. First lady Jill Biden will also not bring guests to the event.
