Legislation proposed by Senator Joni Ernst could potentially prevent President Biden from delivering his State of the Union address to Congress.
The proposed Send Us Budget Materials & International Tactics In Time (SUBMIT) Act stipulates that the president must first submit a budget request and national security strategy before being invited to give the annual address.
Senator Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, stated, Well, actions speak louder than words, folks, and Bidens budget is late once again. If the President is going to be allowed the opportunity to address Congress and the entire nation, he should actually have a plan in place. This statement was obtained by The Post.
The SUBMIT Act, however, is unlikely to gain traction in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Ernst's proposal is based on two federal laws that require the president to submit both plans on the first Monday of February.
President Biden, aged 81, is scheduled to deliver his third State of the Union address on March 7. The Constitution mandates the president to periodically provide Congress with information on the State of the Union and recommend measures deemed necessary and expedient. There is no constitutional requirement for the speech to be delivered in person, a tradition upheld since President Woodrow Wilson's tenure.
In response to Ernst's proposal, a White House official stated, President Biden accepted Speaker Johnsons invitation to address a Joint Session of Congress on March 7, 2024, to report on the state of our union.
Ernst further criticized the current administration, stating, At a time when Americans are facing skyrocketing inflation and the world is on fire, we deserve more than just empty rhetoric. After all, President Biden himself has said, Dont show me what you value, show me your budget. He can consider this a one-month warning the clock is ticking!
Ernst's proposal specifically references the Budget Act of 1974, which requires presidents to submit spending requests on the first Monday of February. She also cited the National Security Act of 1947, arguing that it mandates the president to present his national security strategy concurrently with the budget request.
As of now, Congress has not fully funded federal operations for the rest of this fiscal year, which concludes on September 30. Lawmakers have until March 1 to pass the first tranche of four appropriations bills and until March 8 to pass the remaining eight.
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