Nomia Iqbal
BBC News, Capitol Hill

Every president always wants to get the same message across in their address: the union is great under me.

But trying to convince Americans of that is Biden’s biggest challenge.

The president won’t get a bigger television audience than this and he wants to use the chance to remind Americans the economy is stronger, jobs are up, and inflation is coming down.

But perception matters just as much as reality and while, on average, American households are in a better position than before the pandemic, for many people economic anxiety still exists.

Just 43% - according to a recent poll, external - approve of the job he’s doing.

But Democrats avoiding an expected heavy defeat in the midterms may give Biden a reason for optimism. He’ll likely announce in the coming weeks that he wants to run for a second term.

But the other challenge is his age. If he wins again and completes a full term, he’ll be 86 years old by the time he finishes.

So Joe Biden will want to use his speech to remove any doubts and show he still has the energy to be the commander in chief.

Natalie Sherman
Business reporter, New York

When Joe Biden talks about the US economy, he’s often focused on one figure in particular: the 12 million jobs created since he entered the White House in January 2021.

That’s a legitimately huge number - more than double the jobs added in the first two years of Donald Trump's presidency.

It helped lower the country’s jobless rate last month to 3.4% - the lowest level since 1969.

But how much of that is a credit to Biden and how much of it is an accident of timing, since he entered office when the economy was surging back from the pandemic?

The rebound certainly started under Trump. But the Biden White House argues that its aggressive recovery efforts – including a major spending bill in March 2021 that was opposed by Republicans, unlike the earlier rounds of stimulus, helped ensure the reopening remained strong.

Many economists do credit bigger government spending with helping America’s economy bounce back earlier than those in many other countries.

But it also helped spark the most severe inflation in decades, which has left many households feeling worse off than they were two years ago.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Washington DC

A total of 535 US lawmakers - 100 Senators and 435 representatives - are invited to the State of the Union (SOTU), which is also attended by cabinet members, high-level US military commanders and Supreme Court justices.

Among those who will be in attendance on Tuesday will be RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, the mother and stepfather of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old man whose death several days after being beaten by members of the Memphis police force renewed calls for police reforms.

The two are attending at the invitation of Nevada Democratic representative Steven Horsford, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Also in attendance will be 26-year-old Brandon Tsay, who disarmed a gunman who had already carried out a deadly shooting in Monterey Park, California, that left 11 people dead in January.

Other notable names in attendance will be Irish singer-songwriter and activist Bono and Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who was recently attacked in his home.

Both are on the White House's guest list for the First Lady's viewing box.

Read more about this year’s SOTU guest list here.

Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent

Eight years ago, Donald Trump shocked the US political establishment in part with an appeal to portions of the electorate – particularly white working class voters – who felt alienated from the US economy and society.

With a potential rematch with the former president looming on the horizon, Joe Biden’s speech is signal that, at least rhetorically, he will not concede those voters.

In text excerpts released ahead of his State of the Union address, Biden will tout the economic progress the US has made in the two years since he took office. He will caution, however, that too many “invisible” Americans have been left behind.

He will call his economic plan a “blue-collar blueprint” to rebuild the nation. It’s a catchy phrase, but it belies the challenge facing the president – convincing a public that polls indicate does not believe Biden’s legislative accomplishments are making a difference in their lives.

Biden, like Trump, may have identified a sector of the American population that is still feeling pain. Tonight’s speech is an attempt by the current president to convince those people that his politics are part of the solution.

Image source, Getty Images

On one side of the upper balcony is the First Lady’s box. Offering panoramic views of the chamber, the president is able to invite 24 people to attend his address and sit here.

Historically, this has been an opportunity for the president to invite special guests.

In 2022, the State of the Union fell just after the Ukraine war broke out - and Biden used it as an opportunity to bring the ambassador to Ukraine, who recieved a standing ovation.

Read about who is on the guest list this year.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Two years ago, when Biden gave his first address to Congress as president, the US made a visible step forward for women in politics.

It marked the first time that two women were seated behind a president at his yearly address to Congress.

The two people who sit behind the president during the SOTU are the vice-president and the speaker of the House of Representatives.

For the past two years, that has been Vice-President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

But after Republicans regained control of the House at the midterm elections, they have a chosen a new speaker - California congressman Kevin McCarthy.

Image source, Getty Images

The State of the Union Address is the president’s annual message to Congress, generally given once a year in January or February.

The origins of the event are rooted in the Constitution, which states: The president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."

From 1790 to 1946, it was formally known as the annual message. During the State of the Union address, the president typically discusses key issues facing the US, makes a plea for new laws and policies, and also highlights some of what he considers major achievements.

Including President Biden’s address, there have been a total of 98 in-person State of the Union addresses. Some presidents have delivered their messages in writing.

At 33,667 words, the longest ever address was President Jimmy Carter in 1981, given in written format. The shortest ever, at 1,089 words, was President George Washington in 1790.

Oh, and by the way: We're going to use shorthand to describe the State of the Union - which you'll see referred to as SOTU - largely to save our fingers and bring you updates even quicker.

Image source, Getty Images

Thanks for joining us as we kick off our coverage of US President Joe Biden's State of the Union address to Congress - one of the most momentous occasions of the political calendar in Washington DC.

The Democrat will tout his accomplishments in office starting at 21:00 EST (02:00 GMT on Wednesday). It will be his second State of the Union speech.

Seated behind Biden as he speaks will be Vice-President Kamala Harris and Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy claimed the gavel last month after his party retook the House in November. The Republicans are using their control of the chamber to challenge Biden's agenda and investigate his administration.

High profile guests of First Lady Jill Biden include Brandon Tsay, who disarmed a mass gunman in California, and the Irish singer and activist Bono.

The highly choreographed event is bound to feature several surprises along the way, as these speeches always do.

Stay with us for updates throughout the night - you'll be able to stream Biden's speech live at the top of the page.