WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The main attraction at any is the president鈥檚 speech. But that doesn鈥檛 mean lawmakers and guests can鈥檛 send their own message 鈥� and they did that Thursday night with their fashion choices as President Joe Biden addressed Congress.
Democratic women wore white for reproductive rights
White suits have become a recurring fashion statement for women on the Democratic side of the aisle, honoring the color choice of the suffragists fighting for the passage of the 19th amendment more than a century ago.
鈥淔or tonight鈥檚 State of the Union address, we鈥檙e in white and wearing 鈥楩ighting for Reproductive Freedom鈥� pins,鈥� said a social media post from the Democratic Women鈥檚 Caucus.
The sartorial choice comes amid election year rollbacks in women鈥檚 health care after the Supreme Court鈥檚 2022 and its constitutional right to abortion. Access to abortion and was a key component of Biden鈥檚 speech.
鈥淥ur message is clear: we won鈥檛 stop fighting until all women can access the health care they need to control their own lives and futures,鈥� the Democratic Women鈥檚 Caucus said.
The impact of the Israel-Hamas war was on display
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle wore pins and stickers in honor of the hostages still being held captive in Gaza.
Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, walked around the chamber with a white badge that had the number 鈥�153鈥� written on it, referencing the number of days since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas-led militants, who stormed through southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping roughly 250 people, including women and children.
One Republican at the speech, Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa, was seen wearing a pin that said 鈥淏ring them Home.鈥�
On the other side, a number of progressive women, members of the 鈥渟quad,鈥� came to the chamber donning a Palestinian keffiyeh, the black and white checkered scarves that have come to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians 鈥� and Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Cori Bush of Missouri, held signs that read 鈥淟asting Ceasefire Now.鈥�
Republicans wear border security politics on their lapels
Many Republicans sported bright red 鈥淪top the Biden Border Crisis鈥� buttons. Others wore buttons in support of , the nursing student in Georgia who was killed while jogging last month and whose death has become a focal point for Republican criticism of border policies.
One Republican, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia, co-opted the language used by activists after the police killing of George Floyd to send her message. She wore a T-shirt that read, 鈥淪ay her name.鈥�
Support for Ukraine with blue and yellow
Continuing aid for Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself against Russia鈥檚 two-year-old invasion was one of the first appeals made by Biden in his speech. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr, D-N.J., showed his support wearing a blue and yellow cloth around his shoulders.
A surprise attendee at the speech
Former Republican Rep. George Santos, attended the speech despite having been in December. He was wearing a Laken Riley badge and a shirt with a glittery collar.
Santos, who is facing federal charges of to his 2022 campaign, posted on X after the State of the Union that he will challenging Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, who represents a district on New York鈥檚 Long Island that is different from the one Santos represented before he was expelled. LaLota was a leader of the effort to expel Santos.
___ Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Lisa Mascaro and Chris Megerian contributed to this piece.
The Associated Press
