Biden to address House Dems at party retreat

President Joe Biden is set to address House Democrats next Thursday at the caucus’ annual issues conference, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The White House Friday evening also announced Vice President Kamala Harris’ expected appearance at the party conference for a Wednesday moderated conversation to “discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing fight for fundamental freedoms.”

It’s Biden’s third time as president speaking at the annual party retreat, where lawmakers gather to devise strategy and messaging. Democrats are convening for closed-door sessions at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.

Democrats are expected to rally behind Biden at this year’s conference, which will also come days after the South Carolina Democratic primary. Liberals are hoping Biden will reignite energy among the party base for his re-election bid. One member of the caucus, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), opted to challenge Biden in a long-shot bid for the presidency, though he hasn’t attracted any support from sitting lawmakers.

At last year’s conference in Baltimore, Biden gave an early preview of his 2024 campaign message, pledging to be an effective partner with lawmakers as they touted their past legislative accomplishments like the infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act.