Pelosi opens Biden State of the Union speech to full House

WASHINGTON (AP) — All members of Congress are being invited to attend President Joe Biden's upcoming State of the Union address, crowding the House chamber for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic as the White House tries to nudge COVID-19 toward the nation’s rear-view mirror.

It's a further step toward normalcy, yet the big annual speech a week from next Tuesday could still turn into a new and disruptive display of national tensions and frustration over trying to move past the pandemic.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office released the guidelines Thursday from the Sergeant at Arms' office in consultation with the Office of the Physician.

Violations of the guidelines for social distancing and mask wearing during the event “will result in the attendee's removal," the memo said. Everyone will be required to be virus-tested ahead of time —- rules that have been flouted by some lawmakers who have spurned pandemic guidelines.

Some Biden allies are fretting that the Capitol scene could add fuel to the fire, or that anti-mask conservative Republicans could use the speech for some stunt or protest.

No guests will be allowed.

Biden’s address to Congress will play out against what Vice President Kamala Harris has called a “malaise” over the persistence of COVID and growing public impatience to get back to normal after two years of restrictions. Even Democratic-run state and local governments are lifting restrictions as cases, hospitalizations and deaths decline.

However, the State of the Union setting — Capitol Hill — remains one of the most significantly disrupted workplaces in the country, something of a ground zero for culture wars over the lingering pandemic restrictions and security concerns from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Pelosi indicated last week that...