Biden's Austin trip is back on
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President Biden pauses while speaking during a summit this month in Washington. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Joe Biden will head to Austin on Monday to deliver an address at the LBJ Presidential Library.
Why it matters: The trip, which was postponed earlier this month after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, will fall just a week after Biden announced that he will no longer seek re-election.
- The keynote to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act will be among Biden's first public remarks since his decision to step aside, making the trip a matter of intense national interest.
- And while there's very little precedent for a president deciding not to run for re-election this abruptly, it was Johnson who withdrew from the 1968 race as opposition to the Vietnam War consumed his presidency.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit Houston on Thursday to speak at the American Federation of Teachers, one of her first stops on the campaign trail after Biden and other top party leaders endorsed her.
Driving the news: In addition to his keynote speech in Austin, Biden is expected to receive the Liberty and Justice Award from the LBJ Presidential Library and the LBJ Foundation.
- The time of his speech has not yet been announced.
- The event is closed to the public but will be livestreamed for free on YouTube.
- It's the first time in almost five years that Air Force One will touch down in Austin.
Zoom in: Austin officials have warned that the president's visit will cause traffic delays and potential street closures from morning till evening between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the presidential library, on the UT campus.
Flashback: Then-President Barack Obama and former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter attended the Civil Rights Summit at the LBJ Presidential Library to commemorate the Civil Rights Act's 50th anniversary.