Politics

Boehner Formally Invites Obama To Give State Of The Union

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Speaker of the House John Boehner formally invited President Barack Obama to deliver the yearly State of the Union address next month.

The Ohio Republican says the joint session of Congress will be held on Jan. 20 at 9:00 p.m.

“The new year will bring a new American Congress, and with it, the opportunity to continue our work to build a stronger economy and secure a better future for our country,” Boehner wrote in the letter. “In that spirit, it is my honor to invite you to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 so that you may fulfill your duty under the Constitution to report on the state of the union and recommend measures for our consideration. Your report will inform our efforts to address the people’s priorities.”

The Constitution says of the president, “He 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.”

After Obama made his executive actions on immigration this year, it was mentioned in some conservative circles that perhaps Republicans, to show their displeasure, should not invite Obama to give the State of the Union speech, but Boehner shot down that idea when asked about it earlier this month.

“Listen, the more the president talks about his ideas, the more unpopular he becomes,” Boehner said. “Why would I want to deprive him of that opportunity?”

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