Obama's 'designated survivor': Anthony Foxx

David Jackson | USA TODAY

This year's designated survivor for the State of the Union speech: Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The Cabinet member who is picked to be the "designated survivor" has a grim task: Stay away from the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday night, and be prepared to help run the government if a catastrophic event wipes out the government leaders attending the State of the Union speech.

Last year, President Obama tapped Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to stay away from the speech.

Previous designations have included former Energy secretary Steven Chu, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, former Interior secretary Ken Salazar, former Housing and Urban Development secretary Shaun Donovan and Attorney General Eric Holder.

Members of Congress are also asked not to attend the State of the Union ceremony in case they need to assume power in an emergency.

Last year, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., then President pro tem and third in line for the presidency, watched the speech from an undisclosed location.