Historic moments from State of the Union addresses
Each year the sitting president addresses Congress in an address known as the State of the Union, which has seen several historical moments over the years.
Members of Congress started unveiling their guests this week to President Joe Biden's Thursday State of the Union address, with many of their invitees relating to abortion and in vitro fertilization (IVF), border security and foreign policy in Israel.
As Congress grapples with critical issues, such as the southern border and illegal immigration, differing state laws regarding abortion and IVF, and the amount of additional aid to Israel and Ukraine as they face wars at home, prominent lawmakers have chosen to bring guests highlighting each point of disagreement.
Fox News Digital took a look at some of the guests expected to attend Biden's big speech.
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President Biden is delivering his State of the Union address on Thursday night. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Ex-Hamas hostages and families of those still held in Gaza
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced he would be hosting a former Israeli hostage held by Hamas, Mia Schem, as one of his guests. "Mia spent more than 50 days in captivity after being kidnapped on October 7th. I’m proud to stand with Mia and join her in demanding the release [of] all the hostages still held captive by Hamas. We must continue to fight to get them home," he said in a statement.
Relatives of those still in captivity are also slated to attend – Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., told Fox News Digital that he is bringing the fathers of two Americans being held in Gaza. His guests are Adi Alexander, father of Edan Alexander, and Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son is Sagui Dekel-Chen.
Mia Schem, a former hostage held by Hamas, will be a guest of Speaker Mike Johnson at the State of the Union. (Courtesy: Bring Them Home Now)
Republican Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are additionally bringing the family of current hostage Keith Siegel to the address. His sister Lucy and niece Hanna will be in attendance for Biden's remarks. Siegel, who is one of six American citizens being held by Hamas, is a native of North Carolina, the senators noted.
Tillis expressed "great relief" that Keith's wife Aviva Siegel was released after also being kidnapped by Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, but stressed, "We are still working to secure Keith’s freedom from Hamas captivity."
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, announced her guest would be Hagit Chen, whose son, 19-year-old Itay Chen is still being held hostage by Hamas. Esther "Etty" Israeli, Chen's aunt, will also be attending as the guest of Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Florida mother Nathaly Haratz Kaswan, an advocate for returning the remaining Israeli hostages to their homes and families, is additionally going to the address as the guest of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
Gold Star families of Kabul blast victims
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, invited Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, one of the 13 American service members killed in an ISIS-K terrorist attack at Abbey Gate during the Biden administration’s chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021.
McCaul, whose committee is actively investigating the withdrawal, said, "I hope Christy’s attendance sends a clear signal to President Biden and the American people that I will not rest until a complete and thorough investigation has occurred – and that people are held accountable for what happened."
Riley Gaines
Another guest of Johnson's set to attend the speech is Riley Gaines, Independent Women's Forum ambassador and a former college swim champion.
Gaines has become an activist for biological women and girls in sports ever since facing Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer from the University of Pennsylvania, in the NCAA championships.
Cuban opposition leader
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., the only Cuban-born member of Congress, is bringing the communist country's opposition leader Rosa Maria Paya to the State of the Union. Paya's father, the late activist Oswaldo Paya, was murdered by the ruling Cuban government.
"She is joining me to denounce the ongoing brutality of Cuba, demand freedom for all political prisoners, and hold the regime accountable for its crimes against humanity," Gimenez said.
IVF and pro-choice activists
Both Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., are bringing guests who support IVF, as the former's request for unanimous consent to vote on her IVF protection bill was objected to by a Republican senator last week.
Elizabeth Carr, the first baby conceived with the assistance of IVF in the U.S. in 1981, will accompany Kaine. Carr was born in Norfolk, Virginia, which Kaine represents. "In the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling, it’s more important than ever that we commit to protecting access to IVF services nationwide. We must work to safeguard IVF so the Elizabeth Carrs of the world can continue to be born," he said in a statement.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth invited a fertility doctor to the speech. (Getty Images)
Duckworth will bring Illinois reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Dr. Amanda Adeleye to the address, remarking in a statement, "It’s thanks to doctors and health professionals like Dr. Amanda Adeleye that millions of Americans – myself included – have been able to have kids and grow our families, but Republicans intent on exerting even more control over women’s bodies are putting access to these treatments at risk across the country."
Kate Farley, a New York woman who is pregnant with a child conceived with the help of IVF, will attend the speech as a guest of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
"It’s both heartbreaking and enraging that extreme Republicans have made people like Kate worry that this vital service will be curtailed," he said.
Remaining on message with his colleagues, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., revealed his guest to be infertility activist Roshni Kamta. He noted that after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Kamta was advised to freeze her eggs if she wanted to have children in the future. "As we witness alarming attacks on IVF and other assisted reproductive technology, particularly in the aftermath of the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling and the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, it’s crucial that we listen to people like Roshni," he said in a statement.
Pro-Life activists
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana chose to bring attention to the other side of the abortion and reproduction issue. Benjamin Clapper, the executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, a pro-life organization, will attend the State of the Union as Cassidy's guest.
"Ben has committed his life to speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves," Cassidy remarked in a statement. "Protecting an unborn child’s right to life is one of our most sacred obligations. I’m proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ben at the State of the Union steadfast in our commitment to the sanctity of life."
Parents of American journalist detained in Russia
Speaker Mike Johnson is also bringing as his guests the parents of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for nearly a year.
"By hosting Evan’s parents, Congress will shine a spotlight on the unjust detention of their son," Johnson said.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is shown in this undated photo. His parents were invited to the State of the Union. (The Wall Street Journal via AP)
Alexei Navalny's widow
Yulia Navalnaya was invited as a guest of President Biden but will not be attending the speech. She was invited to sit in the first lady's viewing box to watch the primetime address.
"I can confirm that she was indeed invited to the State of the Union. She is no longer able to attend," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters this week.
It comes less than a month after her husband died while in a Russian penal colony near the Arctic Circle.
NYPD officers attacked by migrants in Times Square
Two Republican members of New York's congressional delegation, Reps. Nicole Malliotakis and Anthony D'Esposito, are bringing a pair of NYPD officers – Lt. Ben Kurian and Officer Zunxu Tian – who were caught in a now-viral video being attacked by migrants in Times Square, the heart of New York City's tourism industry.
"The horrifying video of Lt. Kurian and his fellow officer being attacked by a mob in Times Square was hard to watch, but it shed a light on just how difficult our officers' jobs have become. I'm honored to have Lt. Kurian accompany me to the State of the Union to not only show support for New York City's finest, but to also bring attention to the need for the Biden Administration to end its dangerous border policies that have allowed millions of unvetted individuals to enter our country illegally," Malliotakis told Fox News Digital last week.
Laken Riley's parents
The parents of Laken Riley, the Georgia nursing student who was killed last month while jogging on the University of Georgia campus, were invited to the State of the Union by Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga. Her suspected killer came to the U.S. illegally, according to law enforcement.
Riley's parents turned the invitation down to "stay home as they grieve the loss of their daughter," according to Collins.
Instead, he is keeping his guest seat empty to honor Riley's memory "and all victims of illegal alien crime," he said.
Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Feb. 22. An illegal immigrant has been charged with her murder. (Laken Riley/Facebook)
Emily Austin
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., is bringing television personality and activist Emily Austin to the State of the Union. Austin, who works with families of Israeli hostages in Gaza, told Fox News Digital she would be wearing a yellow ribbon on her dress Thursday night to call attention to those still being held by Hamas since the terror group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
"I’d like for Biden to address how he plans on aiding in bringing the hostages home, and what should be even more concerning to him, the American-Israeli hostages," Austin told Fox News Digital. "I hope he reaffirms his solidarity with Israel, and shows some strength against terrorists despite many Americans being irrationally pro-Hamas. Many of these pro-Hamas Americans include members of Congress."
Activist Emily Austin with Ofir Engel, an 18-year-old Hamas hostage who has been freed, along with his parents, Sharon and Yoav Engel (Emily Austin)
Sheriffs addressing illegal immigration influx
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, revealed his guest to the event would be Texas Sheriff Danny Dominguez of Presidio County. Cruz's office billed the sheriff as serving on "the front lines of the largest illegal immigration crisis in our nation’s history."
"For 28 years, I have proudly served my county working day in and day out to keep them safe. In the last 3 years, the crisis at our southern border has gotten out of control," Dominguez said in a statement. "Crime has increased and our resources are limited. My fellow law enforcement officers are facing deadly risks every single day."
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Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., is also bringing Butte County, South Dakota Sheriff Fred Lamphere, a career law enforcement officer since 1989.
He told Fox News Digital he wants to see Biden address the myriad of issues caused by the current southern border crisis, which law enforcement across the country has been forced to deal with.
"I would like to see him address the impact the open border has on law enforcement at every level, federal, state, and local. We feel that these immigrants have no consequences to their behavior and no cooperation from our Federal partners to deal with the problems. We do not a mechanism to detain and transfer illegal immigrants to federal custody," Lamphere said.
Union members and leaders
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is bringing United Auto Workers Region 1 Director LaShawn English to the address, citing the UAW strike, which took place primarily in Michigan and other Rust Belt states last year.
"This past fall, Michigan autoworkers won record contracts that will lift up working people and middle-class families not only in Michigan but across our country," the senator said in a statement.
Striking United Auto Workers members picket outside the Stellantis Jeep plant, in Toledo, Ohio, on Sept. 19, 2023. (REUTERS/Rebecca Cook)
Schumer also revealed two of his guests to Biden's address are President of Teamsters Local 707 Kevin McCaffrey and Deborah Hartman, a retired United Food and Commercial Workers member. "Kevin, of course, is the Republican leader of the Suffolk County Legislature," the Majority Leader noted. "That didn't stop he and I from working to deal with the pensions that his members of his local – local 707 – might have lost."
Ukraine nonprofit advocate and soldier
As continued aid to Ukraine becomes less popular among Americans, and lawmakers are viewing such proposals with increased scrutiny, Schumer revealed one of his guests is 25-year old Ukrainian soldier Andrii Chevozorov. In floor remarks on Thursday Schumer said Chevozorov lost his leg in battle and was treated at Staten Island University Hospital in January for prosthetics as well as rehabilitation.
"He reminds us all about the stakes of the war in Ukraine, of the importance of passing the supplemental, and I will continue working as hard as I can to make sure we get it done," Schumer said.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said his guest will be Ukrainians of Colorado President Marina Dubrova.
The organization has worked during the war to help Ukrainian refugees in Colorado secure homes and jobs.
"The Ukrainian people have fought courageously for their sovereignty, their freedom, and their democracy. The Senate has done its job to support them, now the House must follow. I'm honored Marina will join me for the President's address to send a signal that our work is not done," said Benet.
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Mom who lost teen daughter to suicide
Sen. Marsha Blackburn R-Tenn., revealed her guest will be Gail Flatt, who lost her teen daughter Sarah to suicide after "an addiction to social media trapped her" and "her boyfriend forced her to send inappropriate photos," later sharing them with their school and on the internet.
"Far too many young people have fallen victim to social media’s dark and addictive rabbit holes, while Big Tech not only ignores the problem but takes great lengths to exploit users’ data at any cost," Blackburn said in a statement. The senator, along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal D-Conn., is a lead sponsor of the Kids Online Safety Act.
Editor's Note: Riley Gaines is an Outkick contributor and also the host of "Gaines for Girls."
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