Republicans Nod to Gun Deaths With State of Union Guests
- First lady's box had empty seat for victims of firearms
- Obama urged nation to take more action to stem gun death toll
President Obama's Legacy: Final State of the Union
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Two Republicans joined President Barack Obama in paying tribute to victims of gun violence during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, a sign of the issue’s growing resonance in U.S. politics.
In First Lady Michelle Obama’s guest box for the speech, a chair was left vacant to represent victims of gun violence, which claims more than 30,000 lives annually in the U.S. Two Florida Republicans, Representatives John Mica and Carlos Curbelo, invited people affected by gun violence to attend the address, in which Obama repeated calls for Congress to decrease the toll.