Hello im katty kay, and welcome to the bbc� s special coverage of president joe biden� s first address before a Joint Session of congress. In the hour or so ahead well hear mr biden make his case for a multi trillion Dollar Overhaul of the very fabric of the nation. According to early excerpts hes due to say that � america is on the move again. Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength. � the setting will the same as many such addresses, but the evening will be so different unique. Only 200 people will be in attendance, usually there are eight times that number. Masks are mandatory. Handshakes are forbidden. And for the first time in history, two women will be sitting behind the president as he speaks Vice President Kamala Harris, and House Speaker nancy pelosi. So thats the setting, what about the politics, and the policy. Well, mr biden� s plan to lay out what would be the biggest overhaul of the role of government in decades. His American Families plan would cost taxpayers 1. 8 trillion although the white house says it will eventually pay for itself by boosting tax receipts. Its split in two basic parts. More than half of it will go to financing new federal programmes, and the remaining 800 billion towards tax credits. The new provisions include subsidised nursery care, two free years of community college, Child Care Costs for working parents and the introduction of a National Paid leave programme equivalent to parental leave here in the uk. If you add this 1. 8 trillion plan to the 1. 9 trillion Coronavirus Relief bill which Congress Already passed and then tack on the 2. 3 trillion americanjobs plan thats a staggering 6 trillion that President Biden wants to spend. Republicans are asking how america can possiblyjustify spending this much. To get things started were joined from capitol hill by our washington correspondent, lebo diseko. Thank correspondent, lebo diseko. You so much forjoini| us. Thank you so much forjoining us. I want to talk about the politics and the policies and numbers are just a bit but i have watched countless states of the union and this is sort of the union and this is sort of a state of the Union Address. This is what is going to be unique. Ive never seen anything like this one, have i . Absolutely. As you saying there, lots of historic firsts. This will be the first time an american president makes a speech like this and by two women. Nancy pelosi and the Vice President Kamala Harris. Also very different because of the Coronavirus Response but also joe the Coronavirus Response but Alsojoe Biden will talk about the insurrection that place here just a few months ago. Many of the lawmakers that will be here tonight were here on that day also. So lots of things that are very different. What is, i guess, the same is that he will be talking about his achievements for the first hundred days, saying talking about things like the Coronavirus Vaccine response. The stimulus checks that were sent out to americans. And also throwing forward essentially setting forward his blueprint and agenda, what he wants to do for america. And as if so, very ambitious plans indeed. Usually there are times ambitious plans indeed. Usually there are times of ambitious plans indeed. Usually there are times of people ambitious plans indeed. Usually there are times of people in there are times of people in that hole, it is packed and Everyone Wants to be here, they want to glad hand with the president , queue up for hours not to do so. Its going to be a much reduced crowd. He was going to be there and was not going to be there and was not going to be going to be therewe are not entirely sure going to be therewe are not entirely sure but going to be therewe are not entirely sure but we going to be therewe are not entirely sure but we do going to be therewe are not| entirely sure but we do know that it is going to be just a couple of hundred compared to the 16 18,000. Couple of hundred compared to the 16 18,000. Sorry, 1800 that you normally get. They wont be able to shake hands, masks will be mandatory. A number of republicans wont be in attendance. Certainly, very, very different and coronavirus front and centre at a lot of what he would said. I wonder what he would said. I wonder what impact what he would said. I wonder what impact that what he would said. I wonder what impact that would what he would said. I wonder what impact that would have | what he would said. I wonder. What impact that would have on the speeches itself because usually it is interrupted by a lot of cheering from one sided are another. 0ccasionally interrupted by boos. That is a bit of a taboo because youre not meant to do that with the president is speaking. It extends the whole thing out and i wonder if the atmosphere is going to be different. Youre up going to be different. Youre up there on capitol hill and it is pretty empty out there. I wonder how that changes the address . , ~ address . Certainly, ithink the two things hanging over proceedings here are the coronavirus and the security issue. When you come into the building here, the security is very, very tired. There are armed military, National Guard he is very, very tired. There are armed military, National Guard here still. Checks as you are going into the building. The fences are still up. Just the other day we had another attack here were somebody drove into the barriers here. So i think that is something that is hanging over the proceedings. But also, as you said, the coronavirus. It is interesting, as youre asking the question, i was thinking about the last date of the union that donald trump held, much more rowdy than i would expect todays proceedings to be. I think that is partly because of the pandemic and perhaps because of joe bidens tone. I think that he has a much less rambunctious tone and perhaps that will elicit a different response. What we are expecting is the rebuttal from the republicans, she mentioned. Possibly also from progressives withinjoe bidens own party. And that illustrates what he is up against in terms of pushing it this through congress. It is notjust this through congress. It is not just the this through congress. It is notjust the republicans, it is members of his own party. More moderates within his own party. I think People Likejoe Mansion may cause some challenges for him but also the progressives also who think he is not doing enough fast enough. You also who think he is not doing enough fast enough. Enough fast enough. You are down there enough fast enough. You are down there on enough fast enough. You are down there on capitol enough fast enough. You are down there on capitol hill. Enough fast enough. You are down there on capitol hill onj down there on capitol hill on january six. Were looking at my pictures there and we are seeing Kamala Harris, the Vice President taking her seat alongside nancy pelosi, the speaker of the house. And she was just saying, this speaker of the house. And she wasjust saying, this is in and of itself an historic first for the United States. Two women is very important positions will sitting behind the president as he makes his address to base Joint Sessions of congress. You can see the members of the senate and congress coming into the Rotunda Chamber there. They will be taking their seats. A much diminished crowd compared to usual. Normally it is absolutely packed but now it is just a few select members of the senate and members of the house of representatives. The Supreme Courtjustice will be there. Normally it is the whole supreme court, or nine of them, normally all of the cabinet would be there, all of the top military officials would be there. This time its only going to be a couple of cabinet members. The Secretary Of State and the defence secretary, the chiefjustice and so the crowd is much, much smaller. That picture of Kamala Harris and nancy pelosi is quite something and we are saying it is quite something because it is historic and has never happened before. Talking about january six and as we watch these pictures, it is a remarkable thing, isnt it to see here we are, february, march, april, 3. 5 months later and we are having thisjoint 3. 5 months later and we are having this Joint Session of Congress Stop i think nancy pelosi is going to take the gavel to the session in a second and when she does that we will pause. When you think ofjanuary six 70 we will pause. When you think of january six 70 we we will pause. When you think ofjanuary six 70 we are we will pause. When you think of january six 70 we are with thisJoint Session. I of january six 70 we are with this Joint Session. I wonder how much the events of january six hangover today, this evenings speech. Many members will have been there on that day. They will have been cowering under their desks. Nancy pelosi herself was ushered off to a safe place and yet here they are listening to joe biden. Yet here they are listening to joe ionion yet here they are listening to joe biden. ,. ,. , ~ , joe biden. You are breaking up sliuhtl. Joe biden. You are breaking up slightly i joe biden. You are breaking up slightly i hope joe biden. You are breaking up slightly. I hope you joe biden. You are breaking up slightly. I hope you can joe biden. You are breaking up slightly. I hope you can still. Slightly. I hope you can still hear me but it is incredible. Certainly myself, every time i come back here, the feeling, the images, you are taken back to the events ofjust a couple of months ago. And just to think that nancy pelosi, the speakers lectern was carried out of the chamber. We saw rioters in her office. And to think that we have essentially come so far, the point, what the insurrection is wanted to do was to Stopjoe Biden becoming certified as the president. And here we are a few months later, many of those lawmakers who were there in what were very traumatic and difficult sets of events. Now they are back here in a totally different circumstance. Qm. Different circumstance. 0k, lebo there different circumstance. 0k, lebo there up different circumstance. 0k, lebo there up on different circumstance. 0k, lebo there up on capitol. Different circumstance. 0k, lebo there up on capitol hill for us. Thank you so much for joining us. As you mentioned, republicans are going to be wondering how mr biden plans to pay for his grand plans and will get more on that now. Im joined now by ron christie, republican political analyst and former adviser to president george w bush. Before we get to the plans. You like me, have watched many state of the unions and this is basically a state of the Union Address even though it has a different name. Wow, this one right from the beginning just looks and feels very different, doesnt it . It looks and feels very different, doesnt it . Doesnt it . It does, good evening doesnt it . It does, good evening to doesnt it . It does, good evening to you. Doesnt it . It does, good evening to you. This doesnt it . It does, good evening to you. This is i doesnt it . It does, good evening to you. This is a | evening to you. This is a remarkable opportunity for the president of the United States to come for the American People and outlined his agenda and his priorities moving forward. Here in america, amidst a pandemic. And i believe what were going to hear President Biden tried to hear President Biden tried to strike very bipartisan tone to strike very bipartisan tone to reach out to republicans on the one handed, to reach out to the one handed, to reach out to the democrats and try and go Big On The Other hand, and you are right, we have listened to so many of these over the years. But i think where we are at this point in history, this is one mr biden needs to hit out of the park to move his agenda forward. [30 out of the park to move his agenda forward. Out of the park to move his agenda forward. Do you think, ron, realistically, agenda forward. Do you think, ron, realistically, that what i ron, realistically, that what the president says tonight will get a big enough audience across america and a big enough audience in those parts of america where people arent already in favour of what he is doing, that he can change minds and bring people on board with this incredibly ambitious spending proposals, who are perhaps sceptical about at the moment . Does a specially do that . , ~. , a, that . You know, i actually believe this that . You know, i actually believe this is that . You know, i actually believe this is a that . You know, i actually believe this is a that . You know, i actually believe this is a does. That . You know, i actually believe this is a does a| believe this is a does a speech. This is a speech for House Members and fellow senators and congress more than it is of the American People. Why is that . Joe biden has been in washington, dc for nearly 50 years. Most people here like him, most people i worked with him, most people i worked with him, they like him and they want him to succeed. But yet republicans look at the Big Pricetag Associated with the Spending Package and say it is too much. Although, the democrats say it is not enough. If i were the person, if i were joe biden tonight, i would be speaking tojoe mansion, the very influential Democrat Senate from West Virginia who hold so much sway over what can actually pass the senate manchin, and make it into the president s desk. President s desk. That big spending president s desk. That big Spending Number president s desk. That big Spending Number and president s desk. That big| Spending Number and lets president s desk. That big Spending Number and lets make no mistake, Whatjoe Biden is trying to do is a radical overhaul of American Society. It hasnt been done since lbj in the 1960s. The other big overhaul of the American Society that comes to mind is fdr and the new deal. This is a major change Thatjoe Biden wants to enact in the way that the American Society works. It is a huge expansion of the social safety net. It is very much targeted at the american middle class and the american working class. And it comes, yes, with a very big pricetag. 6 trillion. I am not actually quite sure how many zeros that is on 6 trillion but even i know that is a lot of zeros. But donald trump. Shot the american deficit through the roof. George bush shop the american deficit through the roof, both republican president s. In a sense, havent they forfeited some of the ability to object to joe bidens Spending Plans . Sure. You no bidens Spending Plans . Sure. You go back bidens Spending Plans . Sure. You go back to bidens Spending Plans . Sure. You go back to the bidens Spending Plans . Sure. You go back to the beginning i bidens Spending Plans . Sure. | you go back to the beginning of the 20th century with Theodore Roosevelt and his square new deal and you look at his cousin, fdr, with his fair new deal, and you look at lbj as you have mentioned. Republicans have always said that they are the party of Fiscal Conservatism and a smaller size of government. And we have blown it through the roof, honestly. With george w bush, particularly with donald trump and we have spoken about this for many years whether or not trump is a conservative. But if i were a democrat sitting in the chamber tonight, i would say, go big, go big because the republicans dead and this is our chance, our opportunity awaiting we go big . 50 awaiting we go big . So interesting awaiting we go big . 50 interesting and awaiting we go big . So interesting and interesting to hear you say that because i know you have and i have had lots of conversations about deficits and depth and Fiscal Conservatism. Its interesting to hear your respect them as a republican telling what democrat should do because i think that is exactly what democrats are telling themselves. We have a very short window, there are mid term elections that could change our political fortunes in washington coming up in less than two years and we are going to go big and go big now. Not going to wait because that seems to be the message that is from the white house at least. Im joined now by amanda renteria, democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clintons president ial campaign, shes in california. Amanda, so good to have you on the programme. Thank you for joining us. Lets pick up on what we were talking about with ron and this notion of really changing American Society, expanding the social welfare net, a huge, big spending ticket for american middle class families, and i guess hanging Overjoe Biden as he speaks tonight, theres sort of the spectre the 2008 natural crash when barack 0bama came into office and actually did not go big, he went pretty small, in a bid to get bipartisan support for what he was doing, he reigned in the spending and spent about 800 billion. Joe biden is planning to spend 6 trillion. That is a massive increment on what barack 0bama did. How much is that hanging over Whatjoe Biden is doing today . Its interesting biden is doing today . Its interesting to biden is doing today . It� s interesting to really think about the fact Thatjoe Biden was there every step of the way when 0bama was trying to figure it out and it actually wasnt the map of it, it 0bama really wanted to put forward, when it came to healthcare, the answers to the great recession, and so it is clear that President Biden has actually taken that into account, not only in the first steps of the covid 19 relief but really as he is starting to think about now what, how does he make sure to give enough room for bipartisanship but not be held back from his vision and strategy for the American People. And strategy for the american neale, �. ,. , and strategy for the american eole. �. ,. ,. , and strategy for the american neole. ~. ,. ,. ,. , people. Amanda, ust for a second were people. Amanda, just for a second were going people. Amanda, just for a second were going to people. Amanda, just for a | second were going to jump people. Amanda, just for a second were going to jump and listen to nancy pelosi. The gentleman listen to nancy pelosi. The gentleman from listen to nancy pelosi. Tue gentleman from california, listen to nancy pelosi. Tte gentleman from california, mr mccarthy. The gentlewoman from wyoming, ms cheney. The gentleman from oklahoma, ms nicole, the gentleman from texas mr brady, and the gentleman from. Nancy pelosi, Ou Can Gentleman from. Nancy pelosi, you can hear gentleman from. Nancy pelosi, you can hear that gentleman from. Nancy pelosi, you can hear that she gentleman from. Nancy pelosi, you can hear that she is you can hear that she is reading a rollcall there, as we said earlier it is a very reduced crowd, only 200 people. Lets listen to Kamala Harris. As members of the committee on the part of the senate to escort the president of the United States into the house chamber. The senator from United States into the house chamber. The senatorfrom new york, mr schoermer. The senator from vermont, mr lahy. The senator from from vermont, mr lahy. The senatorfrom illinois, mr durban. The senator from michigan. Durban. The senatorfrom michigan. The senator from vermont, mr sanders. The senatorfor vermont, mr sanders. The senator for minnesota, ms claire bisha. The senatorfrom kentucky, mr mcconnell. Claire bisha. The senator from kentucky, mr mcconnell. Senator from south kentucky, mr mcconnell. Senator from south dakota. Kentucky, mr mcconnell. Senator from south dakota. Kamala from south dakota. Kamala harris there leading Dominic Reading the list of people who will be accompanying the president as he comes into the chamber. Amanda, just before we get into the politics, just to look at that image there of nancy pelosi and Kamala Harris, the speaker of the health and the speaker of the health and the Vice President , we have never seen this before, we have never seen this before, we have never had to make such powerful women at the top of american politics. Women at the top of american olitics. , � , women at the top of american olitics. � , , politics. Thats right, this is a moment politics. Thats right, this is a moment for politics. Thats right, this is a moment for women, politics. Thats right, this is i a moment for women, women politics. Thats right, this is a moment for women, women of colour, people of colour, to really look at this image about what it means and what your role can be in this country, so it really is a statement, particularly given everything that has happened over the last year, year and a half with the pandemic and really with the marchers all along our streets and to see this really does mean something for a lot of people who are tuning in today. We have had nancy pelosi sitting up there before but we have never had a woman and of course a woman of colour sitting up there in the Vice President s chair and if for nothing else that makes this historic, it is historic because of the setting but it would be anyway, because of those two women who are sitting there. Just back on what President Biden is trying to do here, i think its worth underlining to our viewers around the world, how Big A Shift This is. What a big deal it is especially for people who Thoughtjoe Biden was going to come into office and had heard donald trump call him sleepy joe. He was meant to be the moderate, almost seen as a Caretaker President , the person who was a let bull because he was mild electable. And yet here he is coming and with a very radical agenda. Very radical agenda. Never underestimate very radical agenda. Never. Underestimate competence. Very radical agenda. Never underestimate competence. And the truth is, he brought a very experienced team, a good cabinet who has been doing the work on the ground and when you start with that, you are able to really begin to put things in place and have a confidence in place and have a confidence in those strategies and in those plans, and that is what you saw. I think you also saw a big win on that covid relief package. They went in, they tried and then they actually delivered on their entire vision and because you are coming off of that major when, the way he actually strategised that, put it together, still got bipartisan support gave him a confidence that as he takes on each issue, he can do so with people knowing that he set out to do something and achieved it and actually in fact you are going to hear tonight that he exceeded the goals that he put out there on covid and other issues. So i think that is the point. Comes in with a whole heck of momentum and i dont see him slowing down because he knows this window closes very quickly for a new president. Tqm. This window closes very quickly for a new president. 0k, amanda sta with for a new president. 0k, amanda stay with us stay with us and we will come back to you later on during the course of this evening after we have heard that each. Heard that speech. Larry sabato is director, center for politics, university of virginia. I was done in charlottesville this weekend and ill it to get in touch with you, just where you are. So this speech, what other forjoe you are. So this speech, what Otherforjoe Biden . How other forjoe biden . How important Otherforjoe Biden . How important is it that he tries to bring on some republicans to this Big Spending Scheme of his . T this Big Spending Scheme of his . , � ~ this Big Spending Scheme of his . , � ~. , his . I dont think that is the oint of his . I dont think that is the point of the his . I dont think that is the point of the speech, his . I dont think that is the l point of the speech, because i think biden has already recognised that is very, very little chance that any republican will sign on. What he has actually got to do is to excite the Democratic Base about the programmes and to give a proposal or two that the key senator in the senate who is the king of the hell right now, senatorjoe mention, the moderate from West Virginia well liked because he is the key vote. Look, this can change on any given day. The senate can flip to the republicans of a single democratic senator for whatever reason leaves the senate, in a state controlled by a republican governor, where the republican governor gets to appoint a successor. The biden people know this. Thats why there is such urgency, because there is such urgency, because the democratic control of both houses of hanging by a thread and especially in the senate. So larry, joe biden is a man in a hurry and hes a man in a to do something that he and barack 0bama failed to do in 2008. 2008 as a financial crash, we came out of that financial crash, there was a ending plan but it did not improve the lives of the american middle class and the american working class. A lot of Wealthy Americans got a lot richer and a lot of corporations got a lot richer but we havent seen this reshuffle of the American Social class and social fabric that we saw, Thatjoe Biden wants to see. Can he pull it off, do you think, can he do this . I off, do you think, can he do this . , off, do you think, can he do this . ~ � , off, do you think, can he do this . ~ � , this . Ithink its possible, he needs like. This . Ithink its possible, he needs like. He this . Ithink its possible, he needs like. He needs this . Ithink its possible, he needs like. He needs the this . I think its possible, he needs like. He needs the senate to stay democratic and he needs senator mentioned to come to terms with his own party and i think he will, at least to a certain degree. You will see compromise. Mention is going to pull some of the Tax Proposals down towards what republicans would like so i think you are going to see some compromise but it can be pulled off, if it is done relatively quickly. You cant take a chance on letting this drag up to six, seven, eight months, and partly thats what happened in the 0bama administration. President 0bama, understandably for the time, wanted to try to get bipartisan support, but it was impossible. The republicans decided immediately that they wanted to make him a one term president and a strong him along, suggesting there would be a compromise and there never was. Biden wised up and he is benefiting from the bitter experience of president 0bama. Do you think he can keep, joe mention who was the senator from West Virginia, a very conservative state. Joe manchin. Do you think he can keep him on board . He manchin. Do you think he can keep him on board . Manchin. Do you think he can keep him on board . He can but he will have keep him on board . He can but he will have to keep him on board . He can but he will have to compromise. I he will have to compromise. There is no question about it. Manchin has to show his very republican state, has very pro trumps state that he alone has managed to moderate the proposals ofjoe biden. I dont Thinkjoe Biden will bother to defend specific proposals that are compromised because hes been around, hes been there since 1973 and one form or another, he knows how to make a deal and he will make a deal withjoe mention as long as the democrats are still in control of the senate, so time is of the essence. Of the senate, so time is of the essence. 0k, a man in a hur. The essence. 0k, a man in a hurry thank the essence. 0k, a man in a hurry. Thank you the essence. 0k, a man in a hurry. Thank you so the essence. 0k, a man in a hurry. Thank you so much i the essence. 0k, a man in a| hurry. Thank you so much for joining me this evening. I will look you up the next time a down at the university of virginia, it would be lovely to catch up. So there you have it. Bottom left of your screen, i dont know if you can see as the chiefjusticejohn roberts. The chiefjustice john roberts. He the chiefjusticejohn roberts. He was accompanied and having his photograph taken at the moment. There you go, you see him in the middle with the mask on because you have to wear masks, there are no handshakes orfor masks, there are no handshakes or for months masks, there are no handshakes orfor months even. I think even though albo bumps officially are allowed and normally you would have the whole of the supreme court, all nine members would be there along with all the members of the cabinet are normally of course you would have a designated survivor because the cabinet would be in attendance. 0ne cabinet would be in attendance. One person would be whisked off to a safe and secure location, thatis to a safe and secure location, that is not going to happen this time around and i think we can just see the pictures of jill biden, the first lady. That she is being accompanied into the gallery. Normally she would have guessed, they are only virtual but she is watching it along with doug imhoff. We will be back. Hello there. It took till the end of the month before they started to make an appearance, but april showers feature quite heavily in the forecast through the rest of this week and into the weekend. And dont expect things to warm up as we see april out and go into may. It is going to be on the chilly side. Area of low pressure with this weather front, which brought rain to end wednesday across southern counties. Continues to push away eastwards, opening the door to north to north Easterly Winds for all, all the way from the arctic. The blue colours indicating that cold air in place, and once again this morning, a fairly widespread frost away from the towns and city centres. That makes it every day in april so far, somewhere in the uk has seen a frost. Lovely bright start, though, for many. 1 2 early showers, wales and the southwest, but the bulk of the showers will be north east england, eastern scotland, northern ireland. Some of these could be heavy with hail and thunder. Just watch how they develop through the day become a bit more widespread, pushing a bit further southwards. Now, it is going to be a day where some of you stay completely dry. Southern counties, maybe along some eastern coasts, too, but all will be in that north to Northeasterly Airflow for all. Temperatures will be down on where we should be. Should be around 12 in aberdeen, just eight. Should be 15 in london, just 12, as we go through the second half of the day. Now, into the evening and through thursday night into friday, we will see clear skies return once again. A few showers to continue through the night, but another frosty night to see the last morning of the month. Just about anywhere again away from towns and city centres. Could have a bit of ice, too. Weve seen some overnight showers and, like thursday, showers will start to develop, becoming heavy with hail and thunder. More, though, compared with thursday across parts of wales, central and southern england, particularly southernmost counties, and it will still stay chilly even though the breeze is not desperately strong. And that breeze becomes even less of a feature as we go through friday night into saturday. Notice how the isobars aligned, opening out, fairly light winds across the uk, and that does mean as the showers develop through the day after a sunny in places, frosty start, where you do catch some, they will be slow moving. Most prone towards the south and southwest of the uk, Western Scotland and northern ireland. Temperatures still down on where we should be for the time of year. Fewer showers potentially on sunday, butjust watch what happens as we head into a bank holiday monday. Deep area of low pressure pushes its way towards us, could be bringing, after a bright start, some heavy rain and strong winds. Well keep you updated. Welcome to a bbc news special im katty kay. Were live on capitol hill, and just a few minutes from President Bidens first major address to a Joint Session of congress. Hes due to lay out an ambitious spending plan, worth trillions of dollars. American families are at the centre of the president s speanding plans increasing child tax credits. In plain english, that means thousands of dollars per child. Republican tim scott will deliver his partys response. Hell say the Covid Rollout and the economy were left in good shape by his predecessor