In a bold move, former House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) has urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to halt President Joe Biden‘s annual State of the Union address. Perry’s call is a response to the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
What Happened: Perry suggested during a Fox Business appearance on Monday that the GOP should use their control of the House to deny Biden the opportunity to address Congress, as per a report by The Hill. He argued that this would be a way to hold Biden accountable for the border crisis, which has seen a significant influx of migrants.
“We need to use every single point of leverage,” Perry said.
“There's no reason that we need to invite him to get more propaganda and actually blame the American people for the crisis he's caused.”
A retired National Guard general, Perry has previously doubts about Biden’s mental capacity to lead the country. He has also criticized the president’s advisors for potentially making decisions on his behalf.
This move by Perry is not the first time the State of the Union address has been embroiled in political controversy. In 2019, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) delayed then-President Donald Trump‘s address due to a partial government shutdown. Trump eventually delivered his speech weeks later, but Pelosi did not introduce him, breaking from tradition.
Other Republicans have also suggested canceling Biden’s address. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has called for the event to be called off if Biden doesn't present a full spending plan to Congress.
Why It Matters: The call to cancel Biden’s address comes amid ongoing issues at the southern border. Despite Biden’s initial promise to shut down the border, his border strategy has faced resistance from his own party’s progressives and the Hispanic Caucus. This resistance, along with alleged sabotage by Trump, has led to a deadlock in addressing the border crisis.
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