State of the Union updates: Trump spars with Dems, touts economy and immigration

Speaker Mike Johnson will display George Washington's gavel during the State of the Union.

The U.S. Capitol Historical Society says it's the first time the gavel will be displayed during the president's speech to Congress. It will sit on the rostrum in honor the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.

Washington used the gavel in 1793 to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol building, according to the Historical Society. It's been maintained ever since by the Potomac Lodge No. 5, a Masonic Lodge in Washington, D.C.

"At the Capitol site, Washington stepped into a dug trench, laid a silver plate onto the ground, and set the cornerstone atop it," the Capitol Historical Society wrote in a news release. "He was accompanied by brethren who conducted a Masonic ritual with corn (a symbol of nourishment), wine (a symbol of refreshment), and oil (a symbol of joy). Witnesses then chanted and celebrated until night."

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said House Democrats intend to carry on the legacy of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Rep. Jonathan Jackson said former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and Santita Jackson will be Jeffries' guests.

It's not clear if any other members of the Jackson family would attend.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark told ABC News she will not attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night, making her the highest-ranking House Democrat to skip the event.

"And let me tell you why," Clark told ABC's Linsey Davis in an exclusive interview. "What we have seen from this president is a series of lies, of disrespect for the American people. He campaigned that he would lower costs on Day 1, he would keep people safe and secure. And he has done just the opposite."

"So, I'm going to spend my evening, while he is spewing his misinformation tonight, talking to my constituents about their state of the union and how this administration is impacting them," Clark said.

Dozens of Democrats, at least 45, are set to skip the State of the Union address. Many instead are opting to take part in a counter-program on the National Mall sponsored by the progressive group MoveOn.

Read the full story here.

The women of the House Democratic Women's Caucus and their guests, including a number of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse, are dressing in all white for the address this evening, modeling themselves after the early 20th-century women who pressed for the right to vote and other rights.

"Tonight, when Donald Trump looks out into the chamber, he will see a wall of white," said Democratic Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaii.

Some lawmakers are also wearing pins that express support for Epstein survivors and call for the release of case files on Epstein that do not redact information on his associates.

"We are standing here in solidarity so that we are not forgotten," said Sharlene Rochard, one of the survivors,