Politics

Pres. Biden Will Give First Congressional Address To Sparse Crowd

Only about 200 members of Congress will be allowed in the chamber due to the pandemic and everyone else will have to watch it virtually.

Pres. Biden Will Give First Congressional Address To Sparse Crowd
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
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Just like every other major event over the last year, the president's address to Congress will look much different than years prior because of the pandemic.

Donald Trump's State of the Union address last February is typical of what we see from these events: a packed house, high-fiving, people sometimes getting in line super early just to get an aisle seat so they can be seen on camera when the president walks in.

Barack Obama's State of the Union in 2010 also had a massive crowd. 

This year though, the event is invitation-only. About 200 members of Congress will be in the chamber. That's about one-fifth of what it normally holds.

The White House also has a limited number of guests that will be allowed in. Everybody else is going to have to watch virtually.