Can Nancy Pelosi delay Trump’s State of the Union address amid government shutdown?
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has asked President Donald Trump to postpone his State of the Union address, initially scheduled for 29 January, for as long as the partial government shutdown continues.
In a letter she sent to the president on Wednesday, Ms Pelosi suggested that Mr Trump reschedules his address, deliver it from the Oval Office, or perhaps send it over in written form to Capitol Hill, citing that the government shutdown compromises security arrangements for the event.
The government shutdown is reaching it’s 27th day, the longest federal closer in American history, impacting more than 800,000 federal employees, including some currently out of work, and others forced to work without pay.
In the letter, dated on January 16, Ms Pelosi said that the partial government shutdown brings up security concerns for the State of the Union address. Traditionally, the event gathers senior officials from all three branches of government to Capitol HIll for the presidential address.
Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th,” Ms Pelosi wrote.
The House Speaker argued that the State of the Union “is not a sacred date” to reporters, adding that “it’s not constitutionally required.”
What does the Constitution say about the president delivering the State of the Union address?
The Constitution is pretty straightforward—It states that the president can, “from time to time give to the Congress information on the State of the Union.” The founding document does not mention or require that the president to make a formal speech or a presidential address every year.
Has any president in the past delivered the State of the Union address in the former of a letter?
Yes. In fact, a lot of presidents throughout the 19th century issued their State of the Union address in the form of a letter. Indeed President Woodrow Wilson, in 1913, resurrected the practice of delivering a formal speech to Congress, one that was started by George Washington and followed by John Adams.
What is required for the president to deliver a formal address to Congress?
In order for the president to deliver a speech to Congress, they must receive an invitation, and a joint resolution must be passed by both the House and Senate. This process is typically considered a formality, but with nearly a month-long shutdown ongoing, it is being taken more seriously. Several weeks after Ms Pelosi invited Mr Trump to deliver his State of the Union address, Congress has yet to pass a resolution confirming the invitation.
Has a president ever delivered a State of the Union address during a government shutdown?
No. If Mr Trump, somehow, delivers his State of the Union address to Congress with all senior officials attending, he will be the first to do so. There were, however, other cases when the president delivered their formal presidential address during times of strain. For example, in 1998, former President Bill Clinton delivered his State of the Union address to the Republican-controlled Congress about one week after his affair with Monica Lewinsky was exposed. His following State of the Union address in 1999 occurred during the impeachment proceedings generated from the affair.
