Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter today to President Trump regarding the State of the Union address. Throughout the shutdown, now 33 days in, Democrats have repeatedly voted to re-open government so that federal workers can pay their bills, government services will be available to the American people, and the nation’s economy will not be damaged further.

In the letter, the Speaker wrote “I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened.”

“Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened,” Speaker Pelosi continued.

Below is the text of the letter to the President:

* * *

January 23, 2019

The President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

When I extended an invitation on January 3rd for you to deliver the State of the Union address, it was on the mutually agreed upon date, January 29th. At that time, there was no thought that the government would still be shut down.

In my further correspondence of January 16th, I said we should work together to find a mutually agreeable date when government has re-opened and I hope that we can still do that.

I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened.

Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened.

Sincerely,

NANCY PELOSI

Speaker of the House