State of the Union 2023: Biden touts infrastructure, American resolve despite attacks on democracy

President Joe Biden only briefly addressed China during his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, but his words fell flat contrasted with actions he has taken against the country, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said after the speech.

Despite escalating tensions between China and Taiwan in the Pacific and the recent shooting down of the spy balloon that hovered over the United States, Hawley, R-Mo., described Biden’s actions towards China as "very weak."

"Actions speak louder than words. And President Biden's actions have been very weak toward China," Hawley told Fox News during an interview Tuesday evening.

He also said Biden’s words during the State of the Union were "totally inadequate" given the current geopolitical tensions.

"I thought it was totally inadequate," Hawley continued. "I mean, he said almost nothing, no specific talk or acknowledgment of the balloon espionage incident, no plan to counter it and no acknowledgment that he's been incredibly weak on China."

Hawley also mentioned the controversial spy balloon — which China claims was a civilian object that was measuring mostly metrological data — which was shot down off the coast of South Carolina last week.

"I mean, how was it that China was allowed to fly this tool of espionage across the continental United States, including the state of Missouri, and that his administration did nothing about it?" the senator asked.

Hawley added: "They would have kept the whole thing a secret if the Billings paper had ruined it by publishing photos. So, I mean, this is a guy who's in total denial, by the way. They still haven't level with the American people or senators, for that matter. We don't know anything more than anybody else knows because they won't level with the American people."

Rep. George Santos, R-NY, waits for President Joe Biden's State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Rep. George Santos and Sen. Mitt Romney engaged in a tense exchange in the moments leading up to President Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening.

The exchange started when Romney, R-Utah, was walking down the center aisle on the way to his seat and made eye contact with the controversial Santos, R-New York, who had a prized seat along the aisle.

"You don’t belong here," Romney appears to say, in full view of C-SPAN cameras. The State of the Union is widely televised, and multiple angles caught the exchange.

"You ought to be embarrassed," a stern Romney continued, prompting a brief exchange of words between the two lawmakers.

Santos is facing a House Ethics Committee investigation for allegedly lying about his work experience and fabricating accolades throughout his campaign.

The New Yorker appeared to defend himself in the exchange.

Romney appears to call Santos an "a—" before turning away from the lawmaker, who appeared to fire back: "You’re a bigger one."

President Biden exits after delivering the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A hot mic after the State of the Union Tuesday evening caught President Biden telling Sen. Bob Menendez that he has to talk to him "about Cuba."

Menendez, D-N.J., is a Cuban lawmaker and serves as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, an influential committee for initiating legislative proposals in the chamber. 

"Bob, I gotta talk to you about Cuba," Biden said to the senator. 

The moment was caught on C-SPAN cameras as Biden spoke with Menendez and Rep. Adam Schiff, who House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blocked from joining the House Intelligence Committee. 

Menendez is heard replying, "Okay."

The lawmaker seemed confused by the president’s comment.

"I’m serious," added Biden. 

Menendez, the son of two Cuban migrants, has spent much of his time working in the House of Representatives and later the U.S. Senate on immigration and national security issues.

Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., delivers the Working Families Party response to President Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday. (Working Families Party/YouTube/Screenshot)

The Working Families Party's (WFP) response to President Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday subtly criticized moderate Democrats who opposed the trillion-dollar Build Back Better package.

Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., who was selected to give the WFP's progressive response to Biden, applauded House Democrats for passing the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package in November 2021, but criticized "corporate Democrats" for blocking the bill in the Senate. The legislation ultimately stalled last year after receiving significant pushback from Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., last year.

"When Democrats controlled the House, we passed President Biden’s full Build Back Better plan," Ramirez remarked. "That included funding to make child care and eldercare and community college more affordable. House Democrats voted to extend the child tax credit, putting $300/month in the pockets of working parents."

"Every Republican was opposed. And just enough corporate Democrats joined them to block that bill," she added.

While Biden aggressively pushed the Build Back Better plan early in his presidency as a top priority, Manchin and Sinema refused to support the legislation over concerns related to its massive price tag and potential impact on already-high inflation.

In addition to her comments criticizing efforts to oppose Build Back Better last year, Ramirez repeatedly slammed Republicans over their economic agenda in her speech Tuesday evening.

"What I want to say to President Biden and all my fellow Democrats in Congress is that we have two jobs," Ramirez said. "We must stand up to the extremism of the MAGA Republicans. We have to show working people what Democrats will deliver for working families if they put us in control."

"If Republicans in the majority are as interested in working class families as they claim, they’ll stand with us," she continued. "But if they don’t, Americans will see who is on their side, and Republicans will pay the price at the ballot box."

President Biden appeared to go off script during his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, saying that the U.S. would need oil and natural gas for many years to come.

"We are still going to need oil and gas for a while," Biden said during his speech.

Biden's comments were quickly met with a mixed reaction as some Republicans appeared to cheer the remarks. 

The president then told an anecdote in which an oil executive asked him why his company should invest in fossil fuel projects in light of the negative business atmosphere for oil and gas projects. Biden said he responded that oil and gas would be needed for years to come.

"They said, 'well, we're afraid you're going to shut down all the oil wells and all the oil refineries. So, why should we invest in them?' I said, 'we're going to need oil for at least another decade and beyond,'" Biden added.

Republican lawmakers in the chamber were then heard loudly laughing at the remark, likely because most estimates suggest oil and gas will be required for several more decades before they can be phased out and replaced by green alternatives.

Biden's comments on oil and gas, though, were notably not included in the official copy of his speech shared by the White House. The only mention of oil in the official transcript was a comment about Big Oil reporting record profits last year.

"Last year, they made $200 billion in the midst of a global energy crisis," he said. "It’s outrageous."

The Biden administration has repeatedly taken aim at oil and gas production as part of its climate agenda.

Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, tweeted that President Joe Biden is "not well" as he delivered his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

Lee shared his take on Biden's speech as the president delivered his joint address to Congress.

"He’s not well," the Utah senator tweeted.

At one point of the speech, Lee was seen shaking his head in disbelief at the president.

President Biden opened his State of the Union address with a gaffe, incorrectly calling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the "minority leader."

"And congratulations, Chuck Schumer, another you know, another term as Senate minority leader," said Biden.

The current Senate Minority Leader is Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Biden was booed by audience members after claiming the GOP wants to cut Medicare and Social Security. 

Newly-elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered the GOP rebuttal to President Biden's second State of the Union address Tuesday, calling for a "new generation of Republican leadership" and describing the choice between Democrats and Republicans as a choice "between normal or crazy."

"Being a mom to three young children taught me not to believe every story I hear. So forgive me for not believing much of anything I heard tonight from President Biden. From out-of-control inflation and violent crime to the dangerous border crisis and threat from China, Biden and the Democrats have failed you," Sanders said.

"It’s time for a change. Tonight, let us reaffirm our commitment to a timeless American idea: that government exists not to rule the people, but to serve the people. Democrats want to rule us with more government control, but that is not who we are," she added.

Sanders noted that she and Biden didn't have a lot in common because she is "for freedom" and he's "for government control," and went on to note the four decades difference in their ages.

Read more here: Sarah Sanders delivers GOP rebuttal, says Americans have a choice 'between normal or crazy'

President Joe Biden walks with U.S. Border Patrol agents along a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. (Andrew Harnik)

President Biden called for Congress to act on securing the southern border during his Tuesday State of the Union address, one year after calling for the same thing.

"American border problems won't be fixed until Congress acts. If we don't pass my comprehensive immigration reform, at least pass my plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the border," Biden told Congress.

He didn't mention the record number of migrant encounters at the southern border since he took office, and his comments echoed what he called for in his 2022 State of the Union.

"Folks, if we are to advance liberty and justice, we need to secure our border and fix the immigration system," Biden said last year.

Republicans have repeatedly criticized Biden's handling of the border crisis, including for dismantling former President Donald Trump's policies and for halting construction of a border wall.

Some have also sponsored a bill to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., gives a thumbs down during President Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., screamed "liar" after President Biden claimed during his State of the Union address Tuesday that some Republicans aimed to cut Medicare and Social Security programs.

"Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset every five years," Biden remarked. "That means if Congress doesn’t vote to keep them, those programs will go away."

Biden continued: "I won’t let that happen. Social Security and Medicare are a lifeline for millions of seniors."

President Biden reference the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by the U.S. Air Force last week, about an hour into his second State of the Union address.

"But make no mistake about it: as we made clear last week, if China’s threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did," said Biden.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Tuesday that Republicans "may" introduce legislation that would condemn the Biden administration's handling of the Chinese spy balloon, which was carrying sensors and surveillance equipment.

President Biden once again called on Congress to ban "assault weapons" in his State of the Union speech Tuesday.

"Ban assault weapons now. Ban them now once and for all," Biden told Congress after introducing a guest that he said wrestled an active shooter to the ground at a business he worked at.

"I led the fight to do that in 1994. For ten years that ban was law, mass shootings went down. After we let it expire in a Republican administration mass shooting tripled. Let's finish the job and ban these assault weapons," he added, referencing the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban that expired in 2004.

Biden did not elaborate on what type of firearm fell under the classification of an "assault weapon."

He most recently renewed his push for such a ban in December, while speaking at the 10th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence.

Vice President Kamala Harris talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., before President Joe Biden arrives to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Vice President Kamala Harris were spotted chatting and laughing in a friendly exchange before President Biden gave the second State of the Union address of his presidency Tuesday evening.

Biden began his speech by touting the progress made under his administration in his speech, specifically with regard to the economy.

Four Supreme Court justices opted against attending President Biden's State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday evening.

Biden greeted five of the high court's nine justices — John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson — shortly before he began his speech, according to video footage of the event. The four justices absent were Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito, Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch.

The president spent a brief moment, in particular, with Jackson, the newest Supreme Court Justice and the first Black woman to hold a seat on the court. Jackson is the only justice Biden selected for the Supreme Court.

First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff shared a kiss ahead of President Biden's second State of the Union address Tuesday evening at the national Capitol.

The moment immediately went viral on Twitter.

President Joe Biden

President Biden opened his State of the Union address with a gaffe, incorrectly calling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer the "minority leader."

"And congratulations, Chuck Schumer, another you know, another term as Senate minority leader," said Biden.

"You know, I think, you know, this time you have a slightly bigger majority, Mr. Leader. You know, majority leader, but that much bigger," he clarified after.

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh tours Levitt Pavilion Steelstacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on June 2, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The member of President Biden's cabinet missing from tonight's State of the Union (SOTU) address is Labor Secretary Marty Walsh.

The designated survivor is a traditional role given to a member of the president's cabinet during every SOTU address, who is not in the Capitol for the speech, and would take over the government should an attack on the U.S. takes place and incapacitates those attending the address.

Walsh is the former mayor of Boston, serving in the role from 2014 to 2021. He previously served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

It was reported earlier Tuesday that Walsh will likely leave his job as labor secretary to head up the NHL Players’ Association, Fox News confirmed.

A source close to Walsh said the deal is not final, and talks are still in the contract stage. Biden did not push for Walsh’s departure and Walsh did not seek out the job, but he’s a “huge hockey fan” and excited.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., turned heads with her wardrobe choice for President Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday.

The former Democrat appeared in a bright yellow dress against a sea of largely blue and grey suits, drawing attention from viewers who took to Twitter to give their opinions.

"Kyrsten Sinema got confused and thought this was the Grammys," wrote one user, while another claimed she was "seeking attention."

Another described the dress as "highlighter yellow," and a number of others made the comparison to cartoon characters Big Bird and Tweety Bird, who are both yellow.

Sinema has often received criticism for her eccentric style, most recently for wearing a large sheep-like sweater while appearing at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, angering liberals.

President Biden has arrived at the Capitol ahead of his second State of the Union address after making the short journey from the White House down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Traveling with him are First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, incoming White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, and a number of other assistants and advisors.

The address is expected to begin at approximately 9:00 p.m. ET.

House Republicans echoed calls for the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday ahead of President Biden's State of the Union address. 

Lawmakers spoke to Fox News Digital on a possible Mayorkas impeachment ahead of Biden's speech, during which they said he must pledge to work with his administration to secure the border and protect Americans.

"Unfortunately Secretary Mayorkas has shown a complete disregard for the laws that are in place right now," said Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who says he supports the resolution to remove Mayorkas from office.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, a cosponsor of the bill to impeach the secretary, says her district sees the effects of the open border in upstate New York. Tenney sent a letter to the Biden administration demanding transparency on their handling of the border.   

"My perspective right now is we're going to do some significant oversight. And when we're done, if the information that we gather shows that he's worthy of being impeached, we'll pass that off to [House Judiciary Chairman] Jim Jordan," said Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green. 

Read more here: House Republicans call for impeachment of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas ahead of State of the Union

The annual speech to Congress by the President was never officially known as “State of the Union” until 1947. The term is derived from Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution. It reads that the President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” 

It says nothing about an annual presentation. It also does not dictate that the “Information” be provided in person. Presidents initially gave their presentations in person. But it was deemed to be too close to a “speech from the crown.” So “State of the Union” was a written document until President Woodrow Wilson resuscitated a speech in 1913.  

There have been 98 in-person State of the Union speeches since Wilson in 1913.  President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first address on radio in 1923. President Harry Truman’s 1947 address was the first to appear on TV. President Lyndon Johnson moved the speech to prime-time in 1965.

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., blasted President Biden’s response to the Chinese spy flight, saying he doesn’t believe the president’s response was swift enough.

Emmer spoke with Fox News Digital on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the president’s State of the Union address, where he laughed out loud at the question regarding Biden’s speed of response to the spy balloon that traveled over the continental U.S.

"Ha!" Emmer said in response to a question on whether Biden's response was quick enough to satisfy Congress. "Absolutely not."

Read more here: Majority Whip Emmer blasts Biden’s response to the Chinese spy flight as 'ludicrous' ahead of State of Union

President Biden is expected to tout the progress made under his administration in his State of the Union address, specifically with regard to the economy and COVID.

"The story of America is a story of progress and resilience…We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it. That is what we are doing again," Biden is expected to say, according to prepared remarks.

"Two years ago our economy was reeling. As I stand here tonight, we have created a record 12 million new jobs – more jobs created in two years than any president has ever created in four years. Two years ago, COVID had shut down our businesses, closed our schools, and robbed us of so much," Biden is set to say. "Today, COVID no longer controls our lives."

Biden is also expected to reference the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

"And two years ago, our democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War," Biden will say. "Today, though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken."

Biden is set to lay out his economic plan, which he will say is "about investing in places and people that have been forgotten."

"Jobs are coming back, pride is coming back because of the choices we made in the last two years," Biden is expected to say. "This is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America and make a real difference in your lives."

Biden is expected to call on his "Republican friends," calling for bipartisanship in the new Congress.

"The people sent us a clear message," he will say. "Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere."

Biden is set to double down on his "vision for the country," which he says is "to restore the soul of the nation, to rebuild the backbone of America: the middle class, to unite the country. We’ve been sent here to finish the job!"

Read more here: State of the Union: Biden to reflect on COVID, Jan. 6, call democracy 'bruised' but 'unbroken'

President Biden is expected to use his State of the Union address Tuesday night to lay out a "starkly different" plan for the economy than what House Republicans have proposed, and will reject specific GOP positions on taxes and social spending, Fox News has learned.

The president’s plan to show this contrast comes as the White House is also pushing Biden’s "Unity Agenda," and after his pledge to work in a bipartisan manner with GOP lawmakers.

Fox News exclusively obtained a memo from White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the State of the Union, which lays out how Biden plans to address the differences in his agenda versus plans rolled out by House Republicans.

"Tonight President Biden will demonstrate how to build on the historic progress he has achieved ensuring our economy works from the bottom-up and the middle out – not the top down," Bates wrote. "To finish the job he started in the first two years of his first term, the President will show the country a blueprint for how to sustain the manufacturing and jobs boom his agenda is fueling, keep fighting inflation and cutting costs, protect Medicare and Social Security, and continue bringing down the deficit by having the wealthy and big corporations pay more of their fair share."

Read more here: State of the Union: Biden to lay out ‘starkly different’ plan on taxes, spending compared to House GOP

Marjorie Taylor Greene with balloon.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., brought a helium balloon to the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in an effort to troll President Biden over his response to the recent Chinese spy flight ahead of his State of the Union address.

Greene said it was "just an innocent white balloon" in a video she posted to her Twitter account Tuesday afternoon which also showed her walking around the Capitol holding the balloon. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Greene said she brought the balloon to work because the Chinese spy flight crisis was the "number one thing" Biden needs to address during his speech later.

"The number one thing he needs to address is hovering above me," she told Fox News Digital.  "The American people are still extremely upset and terrified that the president of the United States allowed China to fly a spy balloon across our country. As a matter of fact, they knew about it on January 28th. The president knew about it. The Pentagon knew about it."

Read more here: Marjorie Taylor Greene trolls Biden's State of the Union with white balloon

Newly elected Republican Representative from New York George Santos attends the US House of Representatives voting for new speaker at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 4, 2023.

A former volunteer firefighter who served during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks will attend the State of the Union address as the guest of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.

According to a press release from Santos' office, Michael Weinstock was a one of the many firefighters working at Ground Zero when the two World Trade Center towers fell. He survived by seeking shelter in a nearby building.

Weinstock later served as Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn's Special Victim's Bureau and ran as a Democrat in the House District that Santos currently represents.

He has been an advocate for 9/11 first responders facing healthcare needs.

Santos has faced criticism relating to the 9/11 attacks after claiming his mother was in the World Trade Center when they occurred. Records, however, showed she was in Brazil at the time.

House Republicans Reps. Ashley Hinson and Young Kim brought two Afghanistan veterans to the State of the Union, and tell Fox News Digital the Biden administration still needs to provide answers on the deadly withdrawal, but there is opportunity for bipartisanship.

Hinson's guest is retired U.S. Army Sergeant Trent Dirks and his K-9 companion Tracer. Dirks served in Afghanistan and has suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The former sergeant is focused on helping other veterans receive the mental health care they need and first met Hinson through an organization called "Retrieving Freedom" that pairs veterans with K-9s to help them overcome PTSD.

Kim's guest, former U.S. Marine Captain Andrew Darlington, deployed twice to Afghanistan and worked closely with the congresswoman's office to help rescue U.S. allies following the chaotic withdrawal from the country.

Read more here: GOP lawmakers bring Afghanistan vets to State of the Union, say ‘answers’ still needed on 2021 withdrawal

Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, right, speaks during a rally on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, outside of the NCAA Convention in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Former Kentucky women's swimming star Riley Gaines will be attending the State of the Union as a personal guest of Rep. Lisa McClain.

Gaines is a 12-time All-American champion and a 5-time SEC champion.

She is a spokeswoman for the Independent Women's Forum and a regular advocate of keeping transgendered athletes out of women's sports.

"I couldn't be more excited to attend the State of the Union address alongside Representative McClain," Gaines said in a news release.

She continued, "Not only is she an amazing leader and congresswoman, she has been an integral part in protecting women's sports on the basis of sex. She truly knows the value of female-only spaces and how sports empowers young girls. She will relentlessly fight the Left’s subversive war on women. Thank you, Representative McClain."

Read more from Fox News Digital's Ryan Gaydos by clicking here.

President Biden during a State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Jim LoScalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

President Biden is heading into the State of the Union on Tuesday plagued by negative approval ratings.

According to the Real Clear Politics polling average, Biden currently boasts a 44% approval rating among Americans, compared to 52% disapproval.

FiveThirtyEight offered similar findings, putting Biden at a 43% approval rating compared to 52% disapproval.

According to both sources, Biden has not had an approval rating in the green since August 2021.

Biden hit his lowest approval rating in July 2022 with a staggering 57% disapproval. This public dissatisfaction came amid record gas prices and wild spikes of inflation.

Read more from Fox News Digital's Brandon Gillespie here.

CNN media analyst Bill Carter said that the president could use an interview that won't be "too challenging" for him. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

President Biden is expected to call for unity and cooperation between Republicans and Democrats at the State of the Union on Tuesday despite continued friction with the GOP.

White House officials told the press in a call on Tuesday that Biden will be announcing new policies in his "Unity Agenda" that was first unveiled at last year's speech.

The Unity Agenda focuses on key issues the Biden administration believes can be addressed across party lines — the opioid epidemic, mental health, cancer research, and medical services for veterans.

Read more from Fox News Digital's Aaron Kliegman here.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters after a weekly luncheon with Senate Democrats on February 01, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed the GOP agenda while also stating Democrats are "unified" ahead of President Biden's 2023 State of the Union address.

"We are unified here in the Senate as Democrats, House Democrats are pretty unified, too. But it’s a stark, stark contrast to compare what’s going on with House Republicans," Schumer said Tuesday.

Schumer referenced Republicans' days-long feud over who should be Speaker of the House back in January, despite taking the chamber, saying "it shows lack of unity." Schumer proceeded to call the situation "very worrisome and troublesome" before stating Republicans "can't govern."

"So Republicans are are stuck. They can’t govern. They can’t agree on anything. Instead, they’re focused on political theater. They don’t do anything. They’re not trying to do anything real. And we hope they won’t continue to do this on something as important as the surveillance balloon," Schumer said.

The Senate Majority Leader also touched upon various bipartisan bills passed, before saying he is "really, really excited about the of the upcoming two years."

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks during a House Republican press conference ahead of President Biden's State of the Union address. (Fox News Digital)

House Republicans held a press conference ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union address, contrasting the majority's agenda to Biden's "failed far-left Democrat policies." 

The president "must answer for his failed leadership" said House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik  of New York in her opening remarks, highlighting the GOP agenda during the first weeks of the 118th Congress.

"In just the first few weeks, we have re-opened the people's house, defended America's energy security, protected the sanctity of life, deferred to Joe Biden's IRS army, put an end to Joe Biden's COVID-19 power grab and established select committees to address the Chinese Communist Party's malign influence and the weaponization of the federal government," Stefanik continued.

The lower chamber Republicans convened ahead of the president’s Tuesday’s address to Congress, vowing to hold the President accountability with their new House majority. 

They predicted "dizzying spin" from Biden this evening, bashing his record on the economy, the border crisis, and his handling of the Chinese spy balloon that floated across the continental United States this past week.

Read more from Fox News' Sophia Slacik and Houston Keene here.

Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up President Trump's final State of the Union speech in 2020, a stunt House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he will not repeat tonight. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he has no plans to tear up President Biden’s State of the Union speech, a stunt former Speaker Nancy Pelosi pulled at the end of Trump’s final State of the Union speech in 2020.

McCarthy will sit with Vice President Kamala Harris behind Biden during the State of the Union address tonight, and he tweeted Tuesday that "a lot of people have been asking" if he would repeat Pelosi’s move from three years ago. But McCarthy said it won’t happen.

"I don’t believe in the theatrics of tearing up speeches," McCarthy said in a video accompanying his tweet. "I respect the other side, I can disagree on policy. But I want to make sure this country is stronger, economically sound, energy independent, secure and accountable."

In 2020, Pelosi stunned millions of viewers by standing up at the end of Trump’s remarks and ripping up his remarks. Pelosi and other Democrats were mad that Trump said the U.S. must fight socialism and various left-wing policies.

Read more from Fox News' Peter Kasperowicz here.

Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks at the America First Policy Institute Agenda Summit in Washington, DC, on July 26, 2022. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP)

Newly-elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) will deliver the Republican response to President Biden's State of the Union address shortly after he concludes his remarks Tuesday evening.

The governor's team previewed the themes of Sanders' speech to Fox News Digital.

Sanders, the youngest governor in the nation, will discuss how it's time for a new generation of leadership in America. It will be pointed commentary directed at Biden, who is the oldest-serving president in United States history.

She will say that Biden is unwilling to defend our border, defend our skies, and defend our people. The bottom line of her address is that he is unfit to serve as commander-in-chief.  

Sanders will highlight how the GOP is fighting in state capitals and in Washington D.C. to hold Biden accountable and supports safe communities, jobs, and freedom from the woke mob.

The governor will frame the differences between Republicans and Democrats as freedom vs. government control.

It's not a choice between right or left, she will say. The choice is between normal or crazy — which, interestingly, is more or less how House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., presented the divide between Republicans and Democrats in remarks last month. Of course, in Jeffries' mind, Democrats are on "team normal" while Republicans represent "team extreme."

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 26: U.S. first Lady Jill Biden speaks at a reception celebrating Lunar New Year in the East Room of the White House on January 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. During the reception, the first lady and President Joe Biden acknowledged the recent shootings in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in California and stressed their hopes to pass legislation reforming gun control. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The White House on Tuesday morning released a list guests who will join First Lady Jill Biden in her viewing box for President Biden's upcoming State of the Union Address.

Those invited were selected because they "personify issues or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech, or they embody the Biden-Harris Administration's policies at work for the American people," the White House said.

They include:

Maurice and Kandice Barron of New York City, whose three-year-old daughter, Ava, survived a rare form of pediatric cancer.

Lynette Bonar of Tuba City, Arizona, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation who has worked to treat cancer patients.

Bono, the lead singer of U2.

Deanna Branch of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an environmental activist.

Kristin Christensen and Avarie Kollmar of Seattle Washington, veterans activists.

Ruth Cohen of Rockville, Maryland, a Holocaust survivor.

Mitzi Colin Lopez of West Chester, Pennsylvania, a DREAMer and recipient of President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order in 2015.

Maurice “Dion” Dykes of Knoxville, Tennessee, an apprentice teacher.

Kate Foley of Arlington Heights, Illinois, a 10th grade computer-integrated manufacturing student.

Darlene Gaffney of North Charleston, South Carolina, a cancer survivor.

Doug Griffin, of Newton New Hampshire, an anti-addiction activist.

Saria Gwin-Maye of Cincinnati, Ohio, a union ironworker.

Jacki Liszack of Fort Myers, Florida, the President and CEO of the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce and an elected Fire Commissioner for the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District.

Harry Miller of Upper-Arlington, Ohio, a mental health advocate.

Gina and Heidi Nortonsmith of Northampton, Massachusetts, plaintiffs in Goodridge vs. MA Dept. of Public Health , a court case that led Massachusetts to become first in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

Paul Pelosi of San Francisco, California, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband.

Paul Sarzoza of Phoenix, Arizona, a small business owner.

Brandon Tsay of San Marino, California, the 26-year-old hero who disarmed the gunman responsible for killing 11 people and injuring 10 others at the Monterey Park Lunar New Year celebrations.

RowVaughn and Rodney Wells of Memphis, Tennessee, the mother and stepfather of Tyre Nichols,  a 29-year old unarmed Black man who died after he was severely beaten by multiple police officers during an alleged traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee.

Amanda and Josh Zurawski of Austin, Texas, a couple who were unable to receive treatment for an emergency miscarriage because doctors feared they would violate Texas' anti-abortion law.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 08: Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier host FOX News Channel’s "Democracy 2022: Election Night" at Fox News Channel Studios on November 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

Fox News chief political anchor and Special Report's Bret Baier will lead tonight's coverage of President Biden's State of the Union address alongside The Story anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum on the FOX News Channel (FNC).

Coverage will begin Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on FOX Business Network (FBN).

White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich and Congressional correspondent Aishah Hasnie will be reporting live from the White House and the Capitol, respectively. FNC's coverage will feature in-depth and expert analysis from co-anchor of America’s Newsroom and co-host of The Five Dana Perino, senior political analyst Brit Hume, co-host of The Five Harold Ford Jr. and host of FBN's Kudlow, Larry Kudlow.

FOX News Sunday’s Shannon Bream will anchor separate live coverage on FOX Network, beginning at 9 p.m. ET with contributions from FNC’s senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram.

FOX News Audio will also provide extensive multiplatform coverage of Biden's address, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on FOX News Radio (FNR), which will cover the speech live with Jared Halpern and Jessica Rosenthal.

Meanwhile, FOX News Digital will continue to offer nonstop coverage of the 2023 State of the Union address with this live blog. Viewers will be able to livestream the address and the Republican response on FOXNews.com for free.

Stay tuned!

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 06: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to reporters on the South Lawn after returning to the White House on Marine One on February 06, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Biden spent part of his weekend in Camp David. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Inflation and the war in Ukraine are top issues Americans told Fox News they would like to hear President Biden address during the State of the Union on Tuesday night.

"I would like you to explain to the American people why eggs are $6 a dozen," said one man in Nashville. "It isn't because of the bird flu, it's because of other issues that your administration has not addressed."

Biden will deliver the State of the Union with an approval rating of 45%, according to a Fox News poll published Wednesday. The commander-in-chief started his third year in office with fewer than half approving of how he's handling inflation, border security, the economy and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"I would like to hear him talk a lot about Ukraine, since I think it is so important to us," said one man in Washington, D.C. 

"I would also like to hear his thoughts about how he can work, at all, with the Republican House," the Washingtonian continued. "'Cause, I think they are a really incredibly challenging group that seems to be anti-everything he is, for not the best of reasons."

Read more from Fox News' Hannah Ray Lambert, Matt Leach, Megan Myers, Gabrielle Reyes, and Teny Sahakian here.

The president’s address comes just days after an Air Force F-22 fighter jet shot down a Chinese spy balloon. (Win McNamee / Getty Images / File)

President Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address Tuesday night, in which he is expected to explain his strategy to "reassert America's leadership around the world," according to a White House official who spoke to Fox News. The president's address comes as his administration grapples with the fallout from the Chinese surveillance balloon that transited across the continental United States for nearly a week.

Since last year's address, his administration has been faced with a growing migrant surge at the southern border, gasoline prices hit an all-time record, inflation reached a 40-year-high, continuing supply chain issues led to a nationwide shortage of baby formula, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine has escalated with no end in sight.

The president’s 2023 address also comes as he is under special counsel investigation for his improper retention of classified records from his time as vice president under the Obama administration, and it is just weeks after the FBI searched his homes for additional documents with classification markings.

During his address Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET, a White House official said the president plans to "outline the progress made on maintaining international alliances to defend Ukraine, compete with China and assert American leadership in the world."

But when asked whether the president would focus specifically on the threat China poses to U.S. national security and on the Chinese spy balloon, the official said Biden’s remarks "of course" will "always take into account what’s happening in the world and how we meet the moment we’re in."

Read more from Fox News' Brooke Singman here.