President Donald Trump will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, but several Illinois lawmakers will not be attending.
That list includes Rep. Sean Casten, who represents the state’s sixth Congressional district and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who represents the ninth district.
Other Illinois officials, including Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, will be in attendance at the Capitol on Tuesday night.
Here is a rundown of which members of Congress will be in the chamber for the highly anticipated address.
Not Attending:
Rep. Sean Casten
Casten will not attend the address, according to a statement issued Tuesday.
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“To attend tonight’s Joint Session of Congress might be mistakenly assumed to imply I have respect for Donald Trump, Speaker Johnson, or the rest of Trump’s enablers,” he said in a statement. “To attend and be disruptive might be mistakenly assumed to imply I do not respect the office of the Presidency or the Congress of the United States. As such, I have chosen not to attend at all.”
Rep. Mike Quigley
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Quigley will also not attend, arguing that Trump has "undermined democracy" with his actions, citing the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and several actions Trump has taken since returning to the Oval Office.
“This president has set flame to every democratic norm and principle of our government," he said in a statement. "I plan to spend this time working on behalf of my constituents and focusing on making government work better to address the pressing problems facing Chicagoans including increasing prices for groceries, housing, and health care; public safety; and climate change.”
Rep. Jan Schakowsky
Schakowsky will also not attend, arguing that the president is “making the world less safe” by siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Not only will tonight’s speech be a MAGA love fest, it will also be a series of lies to the American people,” she said. “President Donald Trump promised to lower the high cost of living in the United States, and his words and actions have instead caused even higher prices, job loss, and economic decline. The chaos, confusion, and fear Trump has unleashed during his first month in office has not improved the quality of life of the American people.”
Attending:
Sen. Tammy Duckworth
Duckworth’s guest will be Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, executive director of the Illinois Head Start Association.
Duckworth will hold a press call with Morrison-Frichtl before the address to address the Trump administration’s funding freezes, which have impacted Head Start programs in Illinois.
Sen. Dick Durbin
Durbin will be accompanied by Dr. Elizabeth Sokol from Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital at the president’s address.
Rep. Mike Bost
Bost, representing the 12th district, will attend the address with guests Judy and Paul Repking, according to his office.
Judy Repking is a board member of the Effingham Area Right to Life organization, and chairs the Bishop's Pro-Life Committee, and has been recognized before Congress for her work for both organizations, according to Bost.
Rep. Nikki Budzinski
Budzinski will be accompanied by Lisa Quandt, a special education teacher from Belleville.
“As a dedicated special education teacher, Lisa is a true hero in our community, working tirelessly to help Belleville students learn and grow. I hope that her attendance reminds the President of the real people who are suffering because of his actions,” Budzinski said in a statement.
Rep. Bill Foster
Representing Illinois’ 11th district, Foster will be accompanied by Joe Jackson, the executive director of Hesed House.
“Joe’s organization, Hesed House, is an invaluable resource for those experiencing homelessness in Aurora and the surrounding communities,” Foster said. “Joe’s leadership in addressing and preventing homelessness is crucial, especially as the Trump Administration and Elon Musk attempt to unlawfully withhold funding from community organizations and slash federal programs that Illinoisans rely on.
Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García
García will be accompanied by Eric Rodriguez, a union steward in the Service Employees International Union’s Healthcare Illinois chapter. He works at Hines VA hospital.
"Eric represents the very best of our community—someone who has served his country, continues to serve his fellow veterans and fights every day to protect the dignity of working people,” García said in a statement. “His presence at the Joint Address is a powerful statement: we will not sit back while veterans and workers are treated as political pawns."
Rep. Jonathan Jackson
Jackson, who represents the 1st district, will welcome Dr. Sonja Feist-Price to the Capitol, according to his Twitter feed.
Feist-Price is a “champion of diversity, equity and inclusion,” according to Jackson, and Jackson says her invitation is a statement of “standing up for academic freedom and equal opportunity for all.”
Rep. Robin Kelly
Kelly, who represents Illinois’ second district, will be joined by Dr. Lisa Green, the CEO of Family Christian Health Center, which receives federal funding to help improve maternal health outcomes for Black women.
“Doctors like Lisa see the powerful impact of accessible and affordable healthcare every day – and they know the deadly consequences when patients cannot receive treatment,” Kelly said in a statement. “Trump would see our country’s health suffer while giving more money to his billionaire friends like Elon Musk. Lisa and I will not stand for it.”
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi
Krishnamoorthi, representing Illinois’ eighth district, will bring Steve Powell, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 881 as his guest to Trump’s address.
“For forty years, Steve Powell has been a tireless advocate for Illinois’ working families, and I am proud to have him as my guest for tomorrow’s joint session of Congress,” Krishnamoorthi said in a press release. “Donald Trump owes Steve and every other hardworking American an explanation as to why he is cutting taxes for billionaires and corporations while hanging working families out to dry.”
Rep. Darin LaHood
LaHood, who represents Illinois’ 16th district, has confirmed he will attend the address, and says he expects Trump to discuss delivering “on key promises to secure our borders, invest in high-paying American jobs, and protecting U.S. national security,” according to a statement.
LaHood did not announce his guest for the address.
Rep. Mary Miller
Miller will also attend the speech, and according to NBC News had saved a seat near the aisle to shake the president's hand as he walks into the House chamber.
Rep. Delia Ramirez
Ramirez told NBC Chicago Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern that she will attend the address, and will wear pink along with numerous other Democratic lawmakers to call attention to issues pertaining to women's rights.
Rep. Brad Schneider
Schneider, who represents Illinois’ 10th district, will be joined by Adam Mulvey, a 20-year Army veteran who was fired from Lovell Federal Health Care Center due to efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency.
“It is disgraceful that Elon Musk and a group of unelected, unvetted DOGE Bros are treating veterans like Adam with arrogant disrespect and utter disregard,” Schneider said in a statement.
Rep. Eric Sorensen
Sorensen will be accompanied by James Diaz, a veteran who served overseas during the first Gulf War and was laid off in 2025 from his role as a fuel compliance officer at the IRS’ field office in Galesburg.
“James’ story is one that needs to be heard. He dedicated his life to serving our country, first in uniform and then in public service,” Sorensen said in a statement. “It is unacceptable that those who sacrificed so much are being treated this way. I’m bringing James to the State of the Union to highlight the real impact of these dangerous and harmful budget cuts on hardworking Americans and veterans who deserve our respect and support.”
Rep. Lauren Underwood
Underwood said she understood why some colleagues wouldn't attend the address, but emphasized that she will be at the Capitol.
“I’m a member of Democratic leadership here in the House, and so I will be at the speech tonight,” she told Ahern. “The speaker of the House invited President Trump into our house, and it’s our responsibility to show up. I’m not going to yell and scream and holler. That’s not my style, and there’s an opportunity to listen, and he will know we’re not feeling it.”
