What to expect in Biden's State of the Union speech, according to his chief of staff

President Joe Biden's pitch to 2024 voters will get an even bigger spotlight on Thursday night, when he delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress.

The address comes right on the heels of Super Tuesday, the results of which all but guarantee a rematch between Biden and former president Donald Trump in November. And it's an opportunity for Biden to highlight his administration's accomplishments so far, building off of last year's refrain: "let's finish the job."

White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep on Wednesday that Biden's speech will also highlight his agenda for a potential second term.

"Lowering costs, continuing to make people's lives better by investing in childcare, eldercare, paid family and medical leave, continued progress on student debt," Zients said, listing a few. "But I think importantly, the president is also going to call for restoring Roe v. Wade and giving women freedom over their healthcare. And he'll talk about protecting, not taking away, freedoms in other areas, as well as voting rights."

But Zients also acknowledged that restoring Roe is one of many objectives that the president can't accomplish without Congress.

In a period marked by congressional instability, infighting and partisanship, Republican lawmakers have blocked foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel as well as a would-be landmark border security bill — in part because of Trump's vocal opposition (which Biden has suggested is an effort to boost his own reelection odds).

Zients acknowledged "it's going to be difficult" for Congress to move forward on major issues, and said Biden will use his address to urge lawmakers to act with urgency.

National polls underscore