As war unfolds in Ukraine and the United States continues to navigate a way out of the COVID pandemic, US President Joe Biden has delivered his first State of the Union address.
Look back over our live blog to see how the day unfolded.
Live updates
By Lucy Sweeney
And so concludes the 2022 State of the Union — catch up on the key moments
It's approaching midnight in DC now, so this is where we leave our live coverage for now. Thanks for joining us!
You can rehash all the key moments from today thanks to our colleague Barbara Miller in Washington DC.
By Lucy Sweeney
By Joanna Robin
So, what did the American public think?
A 71 per cent majority of Americans who tuned to State of the Union had a positive reaction to it, according to polling by CNN.
Good marks are typical: 78 per cent of the audience reacted favourably to Joe Biden's joint address to Congress in 2021.
The cable network's White House reporter Kevin Liptak shared a rough breakdown of the topic areas covered by the President tonight.
Around 40 percent of Joe Biden's speech was focused on the economy, roughly double the amount of time spent on the crisis in Ukraine and his administraton's response.
Even so, the 12 minutes spent on foreign policy is significant in a speech that's usually squarely focused on a domestic audience.
Interestingly, the audience poll found the President's choice actually reflected respondents' priorities reasonably well.
By Lucy Sweeney
FLOTUS thanks a very special guest
Among the First Lady's guests for the State of the Union this evening was young Josh Davis.
Josh, who has type 1 diabetes, was there to watch the United States President pledge to lower the cost of basic medications such as insulin.
Not your average 13th birthday party.
By Lucy Sweeney
Biden framed the US as a power broker in the West's response to Russia
Our colleagues have been dissecting the State of the Union address on ABC's News Channel. North America bureau chief (and Jo's desk buddy!) Jade Macmillan has summed up how Joe Biden positioned himself in terms of the West's response to Russia:
He took personal credit for the way that Western nations really have united in their response against Russia, going further in many cases than many had expected in terms of the sanctions that they have imposed.
The president said that he had personally spent hours unifying European allies. That is one of the ways he sold himself at the last election, arguing that he would be the type of leader that could strengthen those alliances after damage caused under the Trump administration.
Those relationships were tested with the way that the US withdrew from Afghanistan. When it comes to Ukraine, the White House has gone out of its way to show that it has been spending countless hours, as Joe Biden said, with European allies trying to ensure that there was a coordinated response when it comes to these sanctions. The President said that as a result, the free world is now holding Russia accountable.
By Joanna Robin
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds delivers the Republicans' response
The night is not quite over yet! Kim Reynolds, the Republican governor of Iowa, has just delivered her party's response, rebuking the President's economic message.
Each year, the opposition party picks a rising star to poke holes in the State of the Union address.
Reynolds also opened with a supporting message for the people of Ukraine before launching into a pointed attack on the President's handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"Republicans may not have the White House but we are doing what we can to fill the leadership vacuum, and on the issues that are affecting Americans, Republicans are leading," she said.
She went on to blame the Biden's spending for the rising inflation and vowed to stand up for parents' rights — a phrase that has been thrown around a lot in recent culture wars — and Americans' freedom.
GOP leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted his support.
By Lucy Sweeney
Photos from the floor of Congress
You may have spotted some pops of colour in the crowd during that address. Democratic Rep from Arizona, Ann Kirkpatrick, says she and her colleagues went for brights to promote the diversity of caucus.
By Lucy Sweeney
'Go get 'em': Biden's last words of the State of the Union
I just went back to listen again, but yes it does seem as though the President's final words were "go get 'em/him". A few people have been speculating it's a specific reference to Vladimir Putin, but it sounded more like a general "'em" than "him" to me.
By Joanna Robin
Affordable child care and higher wages at the centre of Biden's economic vision
As promised, the President also laid out his plans to raise the standard of living for working Americans.
One option he flagged is to lower the cost of child care. Right now, families in major American cities may pay up to $14,000 a year per child.
"My plan would cut the cost of child care in half for most families and help parents including millions of women who left the workforce during the pandemic because they couldn't afford child care to be able to get back to work, generating economic growth," he said.
Biden said that no working family should have to spend more than 7 per cent of their income on child care.
Other parts of his plan included more affordable housing, no new taxes on those earning less than $400,000 a year, and a higher minimum-wage wage.
"I may be wrong, but my guess is that we took a secret ballot in this floor, that we'd all agree that the present tax system isn't fair," Biden said.
"We have to fix it. I'm not looking to punish anybody. But let's make corporations and wealthy Americans start paying their fair share."
He also noted the importance of unions for protecting workers' rights:
"When a majority of workers want to form a union, they shouldn't be able to be stopped. When we invest in our workers and we build an economy from the bottom up we can do something we haven't done in a long time — build a better America."
By Lucy Sweeney
Let's do a temperature check on the response
The President's finished speaking, so here come the hot takes. Mitch McConnell, the Republicans' leader in the Senate, says the President failed to provide enough optimism for families struggling in the face of rising inflation.
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was, predictably, warmer:
By Lucy Sweeney
Abortion rights and protections for LGBTQ+ folks
Well, that moved at breakneck speed. Here are a couple of other tidbits that we didn't get a chance to mention during the speech.
Last year, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that threatens to overturn abortion rights across the country. The rights of transgender children are also under threat in several states, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott last week instructing state agencies to investigate families that provide gender-affirming health care for their children.
The President implored the Congress to protect these rights during his address:
"Folks, advancing liberty and justice also requires protecting the rights of women. The constitutional right affirmed by Roe v Wade standing for half a century is under attack like never before.
"If we want to go forward, not backwards, we must protect access to healthcare. Preserve a woman's right to choose and continue to advance maternal healthcare for all Americans.
"For our LGBTQ+ Americans, let's finally get the Bipartisan Equality Act to my desk. The onslaught of state laws targeting transgender Americans and their families is simply wrong.
"I said last year, especially to our younger transgender Americans, I will always have your back as your president so you can be yourself and reach your God-given potential."
By Lucy Sweeney
Freedom, liberty, and a big finish
The President wraps up his speech with an impassioned message to the American people:
"Fellow Americans, tonight we have gathered in this sacred space. A citadel of democracy. In this capitol, generation after generation of Americans have debated great questions, great strife and have done great things.
"We have fought for freedom, expanded liberty, debated totalitarianism and tyranny. We are both the strongest, freest and most prosperous nation the world has ever known.
"Now is the hour of responsibility. Our test of resolve and conscious, of history itself. It is in this moment that our character for this generation is formed. Our purpose is found. Our future is forged.
"Well, I know this nation. We will protect freedom and liberty, expand fairness and opportunity, and we will save democracy.
"I am more optimistic about America today than I have been my whole life because I see the future that is within our grasp. Because I know there is simply nothing beyond our capacity.
"We are the only nation on Earth that has always turned every crisis we have faced into an opportunity. The only nation that can be defined by a single word, possibilities.
"So on this night, I have come to report on the state of the nation, the state of the union. And our report is this: the state of the union is strong because you, the American people, are strong.
"We are stronger today, we are stronger today than we were a year ago. And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today.
"This is our moment. To meet and overcome the challenge of our time and we will, as one people, one America, the United States of America. God bless you all, may God protect our troops. Thank you."
By Joanna Robin
Vowing to protect kids, Biden flags a clamp-down on tech giants
Among Jill Biden's special guests is the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.
"Children were also struggling before the pandemic with bullying, violence, trauma and the harms of social media," the president said.
"As Frances Haugen, who is with us tonight has shown, we must hold social media platforms accountable for the experiment they are conducting on our children for profit. Frances, thank you. Thank you for the courage you showed. It is time to strengthen privacy protections."
By Lucy Sweeney
A hat-tip to an outgoing Supreme Court justice, and welcome to a nominee
Last week Joe Biden announced his first nominee to serve on the US Supreme Court. He's honouring the outgoing justice, Justice Stephen Breyer, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the woman he wants to replace him.
"Tonight I would like to honour someone who dedicated his life to serve this country. Justice Breyer, an Army veteran, constitutional scholar and retiring justice of the United States Supreme Court.
"Thank you for your service, thank you, thank you, thank you. We all know no matter what your ideology, we all know one of the most serious constitutional responsibilities is nominating someone to serve on the United States Supreme Court.
"I have nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of our nation's top political minds who will continue the legacy of excellence.
"A former top litigator in private practice, a former federal public defender, from a family of public school educators and police officers."
If confirmed by the Senate, Judge Brown would become the first Black woman to serve on the US Supreme Court.
Justice Breyer is in the chamber!
By Joanna Robin
Biden calls on the Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act
The president urged senators to protect Americans' right to vote, invoking the legacy of civil rights activist John Lewis.
"The most fundamental right in America is to have a vote and have it counted and it is under assault," Biden said.
He also called for greater transparency in election campaign funding.
By Lucy Sweeney
Biden says defunding the police is not the solution
Pivoting to crime, Joe Biden says the idea of defunding the police won't solve systemic problems within the criminal justice system.
"I recently visited New York City police department days after the funerals of two offices. They were responding to a 911 call when a man shot and killed them with a stolen gun …
"I have worked with you on these issues for a long time. I know it works. Investigating crime prevention and community policing, cops who walk the beat who know the neighbourhood and the community restore trust and safety.
"Let's not abandon our streets or choose between safety and … justice. Let's come together with communities and restore trust and hold law enforcement accountable.
"We should all agree the answer is not to defund the police, it is to fund the police. Fund them with resources and training they need to protect their communities."
By Joanna Robin
Biden pledges to double clean energy production
The president hopes to cut energy costs for families by up to $500 a year by tackling climate change.
One option, he said, could be to provide tax credits for those who renovate homes and businesses to be energy efficient.
"Double America's clean energy production in solar, wind and so much more," he said.
"Lower the price of electric vehicles saving another $80 a month that you're not going to have to pay at the pump."
By Lucy Sweeney
Cracking down on COVID fraudsters and delivering more tests
Turning to COVID, the President has announced:
- A chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud to hunt down "criminals who stole billions of relief money meant for small business"
- The CDC expects most of the country will be able to go mask-free within the next couple of weeks
- Pfizer is working towards delivering 1 million antiviral pills to treat COVID-19 this month and more than double that next month
- More free COVID-19 rapid tests will be made available in the coming weeks
He said:
"I know some talk about living with COVID-19, but tonight I say we will never just accept living with COVID-19. We'll keep combating the virus as we do other diseases and because this virus mutates and spreads, we have to stay on guard.
"… I can't promise a new variant won't come but I can promise you we will do everything we have in our power to be ready if it does."
By Lucy Sweeney
Biden wants to cap the price of insulin
Pointing to a guest in the crowd, 13-year-old Josh Davis, the President implores the Congress to reduce costs on basic medications.
"We pay more for the same drug produced by the same company in America than any other country in the world.
"Just look an insulin. One in 10 Americans have diabetes. I met a handsome young man standing up there, a 13-year-old boy, Josh Davis. He and his dad both have type one diabetes. It means they need insulin every single day.
"Insulin costs about $US10 a vial to make. That's what it costs the pharmaceutical company. But drug companies charge families like Josh and his dad up to 30 times that amount …
"For Joshua, and 200,000 other young people with type one diabetes, let's cap the cost of insulin to $35 a month. So everyone can afford it and drug companies will do very, very well."
