And a number of top Democrats — including Vice President Joe Biden, whose job description includes the title President of the Senate — won’t be attending.
Netanyahu is expected to use the speech to sharply criticize the White House’s efforts to negotiate a deal on Iran’s nuclear program and to urge Congress to pass new sanctions on the nation, a position that puts him sharply at odds with the president. On Tuesday, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Netanyahu’s decision to speak was “destructive to the fabric of the relationship” between Israel and the U.S.
Related: Tensions rise between Obama, Netanyahu
Related: White House gets confrontational before Netanyahu visit
The expected substance of the speech, coupled with the fact that the White House was not alerted to the invite ahead of time, has Democrats crying foul.
Twenty-five Democratic House members and four Democratic senators have said in recent weeks they’re not going to the speech, many in protest to a move that they say is an affront to the president.
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Rep. Charles Rangel (N.Y.)
Rep. Cedric Richmond (La.)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.)
Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss.)
Rep. John Yarmuth (Ky.)
