WASHINGTON, D.C. — HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES invited Canarsie resident Vonetta Rougier to attend tonight’s 2026 State of the Union address.
Rougier, a full-time bus operator and caregiver supporting three children and her 71-year-old mother, will attend as Jeffries’ guest. In a statement, Jeffries said Rougier represents Brooklyn families facing rising housing, food and health care costs.
Jeffries also invited members of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s family, calling the civil rights leader a “trailblazer extraordinaire” and pledging to continue his work defending voting rights and democracy.
Marina Lacerda, identified as a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, will also attend as a guest of Jeffries and the Democratic Women’s Caucus.
The annual address is expected to draw heightened political scrutiny amid ongoing national debates over federal spending and civil rights protections.
