Inside House chamber ahead of Biden's SOTU address
Members began steadily streaming into the House chamber on Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris around 8:30 p.m. ET, including some former lawmakers who are also using floor privileges.
The realities of a divided government are on full display -- little conversation between Democrats and Republicans across the aisle on the House floor.
The vice president has been making small talk with House Speaker McCarthy -- overheard on the mics saying it's a "packed house."
Former Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., was seen joking to Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.-- infamous for shouting "you lie!" at former President Barack Obama during a joint address of Congress -- to "sit down, sit down Joe."
Former Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is at the speech as one of the only former Trump officials spotted thus far.
Newly independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema made her way in, standing next to GOP Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and was then speaking with Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
For some, the most coveted seats appear to be along the aisle. That's where embattled Rep. George Santos chose to sit, in position to shake the president's hand as he enters and exits the chamber. Santos still has time to switch seats.
Some of the president's fiercest critics are also along the aisle: Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was carrying around a white balloon through the halls of Congress for much of the day to mock the administration's handling of the suspected Chinese spy balloon -- but decided to not bring it into the chamber.
Speaker McCarthy's guest, Enes Freedom, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Cabinet secretaries Pete Buttigieg and Jennifer Granholm and pollster Frank Luntz have also filed into the room.
-ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders and John Parkinson
