US Speaker Declines Congress Request For President Ruto To Address Sitting Congress
President William Ruto will not address a joint session of Congress in his upcoming State visit to the United States.
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Michael Johnson ruffled feathers after he announced the cancellation of President William Ruto’s scheduled address to the legislative house.
Ruto, who is set to embark on an official visit to the USA later this month, had been slated to address a joint session of the Congress where he would get a platform to state his ideals and Kenya’s commitment to its ties with the US.
According to Raj Shah. Johnson’s deputy chief of staff, the Speaker, could not agree to their request due to scheduling restraints.
According to Shah, a joint session consumes a lot of energy on Capitol Hill. The chamber closes for hours, a security headache and the House leadership loses a large chunk of the day’s floor time.
However, US congressman Richard Neal of Massachusetts blasted the Speaker in a statement dated Friday, May 10, arguing that the speaker did not recognize the importance of Ruto’s visit to the US.
He wondered why the speaker was barring Ruto a chance to address the Congress despite other world leaders being granted the opportunity during their state visits.
