WASHINGTON (NYTIMES) - The White House released on Monday the list of people President Donald Trump and his wife Melania invited to attend the State of the Union address, scheduled for Tuesday night (10am Wednesday Singapore time).
An eclectic cohort will join the First Lady: emergency medical workers, service members and faces of Trump's tax and immigration overhaul narratives.
Here is a preview of who you'll see:
1. Official and Unofficial Emergency Responders:
a. David Dahlberg, a fire prevention technician, who saved 62 children and staff members from a blaze-encircled summer camp in July during the wildfires in Southern California.
b. Ashlee Leppert, an aviation electronics technician in the Coast Guard, who rescued dozens from hurricane ruins. According to the White House, Leppert operated a helicopter basket that hoisted to safety a woman who was clutching four children at once.
c. Jon Bridgers, the founder of the "Cajun Navy", a non-profit rescue team that served in Texas during Hurricane Harvey. In 2016, Bridgers founded the organisation in response to flooding in Louisiana and continues to collect donations for areas still devastated.
d. Officer Ryan Holets, of the Albuquerque Police Department, who, according to the White House, was twice shot at during his time as an officer. He and his wife adopted a child from parents who were addicted to opioids.
2. Service Members, and one of Their supporters
a. Cpl. Matthew Bradford, now retired, who lost his sight and both legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device in 2007 during a deployment to Iraq. After extensive treatment, Bradford became the first blind double-amputee to re-enlist in the Marine Corps.
b. Sgt. Justin Peck, who saved a fellow service member after an improvised explosive device detonated in November in Raqqa, Syria. Peck was on a mission to clear the devices from territory once held by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group when a member of his team was gravely wounded. Peck went to his team member, despite the potential danger of each step, and provided lifesaving medical care on the scene.
c. Preston Sharp, a young boy who has organised the placement of more than 40,000 American flags and red carnations on soldiers' graves through a campaign he calls the Flag and Flower Challenge. Preston's efforts began in 2015 after a visit to the grave of his grandfather, a veteran, when he noticed other veterans' graves that were undecorated.
3. Economic Success Stories in Ohio
a. Steve Staub Sandy Keplinger, who are the leaders of a Dayton, Ohio, contract manufacturing company focused on metal fabrication. They founded Staub Manufacturing Solutions two decades ago. Over the past year, the company acquired a new building and saw a 60 per cent increase in employees - from 23 to 37. Crediting the passage of the tax law, the company gave large Christmas bonuses to all employees.
b. Corey Adams, a welder at Staub Manufacturing, who, according to the White House, bought his first home last year with his wife. They will put savings from the recent tax overhaul towards their daughters' future education.
4. A Spotlight on Gang Violence and Border Security
a. Four parents whose daughters, authorities say, were most likely killed by members of the MS-13 gang: strong Elizabeth Alvarado and strong Robert Mickens, who lost Nisa Mickens, 15; and strong Evelyn Rodriguez and strong Freddy Cuevas, who lost Kayla Cuevas, 16. The teenagers were killed in 2016 on Long Island, New York.
b. Celestino "CJ" Martinez, a supervisory special agent in Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations unit, who functions as a gang hunter. According to the White House, Martinez's investigations have led to more than 100 arrests of MS-13 gang members.
The nature of these invitations is consistent with some of the choices for Trump's first address to Congress last year.
The State of the Union address will be broadcast live at 9pm Eastern time (10am Singapore time.)
