Vice President Kamala Harris has decided not to attend the speech to a joint meeting of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She will instead be present at a prior commitment in Indiana, the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Grand Boule in Indianapolis. This move is considered uncommon since the Vice President usually co-presides over such meetings along with the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned that the absence of the Vice President at the speech may be unprecedented. However, there have been instances in the past where the President Pro Tempore has presided over such meetings. For example, during Netanyahu’s last speech to Congress in 2015, then-Vice President Biden did not co-preside, and it was Senator Orrin Hatch who took on that role.
In 2011, when Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard addressed a joint meeting of Congress, it was again the President Pro Tempore who presided instead of the Vice President. The current President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Sen. Patty Murray, will also not be co-presiding over the upcoming joint meeting.
The decision of top Democrats to boycott Netanyahu’s speech is in protest of the Israeli leader’s actions in the Gaza Strip. This has led to an increased security presence on Capitol Hill, with fences surrounding the area similar to those put up after the Capitol riots. The recent protests by pro-Palestinian groups have added to the tense atmosphere in the Capitol.
One interesting historical precedent is the involvement of late Sen. David Pryor as the last non-Vice President or Senate President Pro Tempore to preside over a joint meeting of Congress. This occurred during South Korean President Roh Tae-woo’s speech to Congress in 1989.
The controversy surrounding Kamala Harris’ absence at Netanyahu’s speech highlights the complexity of diplomatic relations and political decisions in the United States. The protests and security measures on Capitol Hill serve as a reminder of the importance of peaceful dialogue and respectful discourse in addressing international conflicts.