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State of the Union

CALL FOR UNITY President Biden speaks at the U.S. Capitol on March 1. SAUL LOEB—GETTY IMAGES/POOL

President Joe Biden gave his first State of the Union address on March 1. He spoke before Congress at the United States Capitol.

Biden said that Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, would “pay a price” for invading Ukraine. Biden highlighted the unified response in support of Ukraine by the U.S. and its allies. And he praised Ukrainians for defending their country. Putin “will never weaken the resolve of the free world,” Biden said.

Most of the speech focused on problems at home. Prices have been rising for American families as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the economy. Biden laid out plans to invest in manufacturing, so the U.S. would be less dependent on foreign goods. And he called for lower costs on things like healthcare and childcare.

The president said the country was “moving forward safely, back to more-normal routines.” But we must be ready for the next coronavirus variant, he said. He outlined plans to continue fighting COVID-19 with free tests and medication.

In spite of the challenges facing the country, Biden said he was more optimistic than ever. “The state of the union is strong—because you, the American people, are strong,” he said. “And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today.”

Stop & Think! HOW is the article organized? Why did the author cover Biden’s speech in this way? How might the structure have been different?