On Tuesday, February 7th at 6:00 PM, President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union Address. He told the U.S. Congress of the current condition of the nation. Topics like capping prices of insulin to $35, women’s rights, inflation, the wages of teachers in the education system, and so much more were brought up during his speech. It spanned for about an hour and a half, not counting the rounds of continuous applause that came to be during the event. 

President Biden’s speech began by recognizing the leaders of the government. The Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, was present and recognized for being chosen as the House of Representatives’ new leader. The new leader of the House Democrats, Hakeem Jeffries, was also congratulated along with others like Nancy Pelosi, the previous Speaker of the House. 

Throughout the speech, President Biden spoke of how unique America truly is.

“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience,” President Biden explains. “Of always moving forward. Of never giving up.” 

He tells of how the United States of America has gone through many crises, but always came back better than before. This led to speaking about how the economy was not in the best spot because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Two years ago, COVID had shut down our businesses, closed our schools, and robbed us of so much,” he tells. “Today, COVID no longer controls our lives.”

Among the multitude of subjects that President Biden mentioned was police brutality. The parents of Tyre Nichols were present in the audience and were spoken of during the speech. The president told of how reform was needed within the law enforcement system. Training and the standard they are held to must be high. He pulled on the idea of togetherness and explained how badly the system needed to be changed to ensure the safety of all families in the U.S. regardless of status. 

“I was surprised to hear him talk about police brutality,” Paulane Tulop, senior, says. 

Police brutality is something that not many bring up. To hear the president speak of a topic that is so relevant yet not mentioned enough shocked the many watching the State of the Union broadcast. 

Throughout the speech, though, President Biden emphasized how important it is to work together in the government regardless of whichever party any member was a part of. Bipartisan projects, acts, and laws, were constantly mentioned as well. 

Simply put, President Biden’s State of the Union Address put issues on a stage that are often overlooked otherwise.