Biden to miss Netanyahu speech to US Congress

AP , Friday 6 Feb 2015

Biden
Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the Caribbean Energy Security Summit at the State Department in Washington, Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 (Photo: AP)

Vice President Joe Biden will miss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint meeting of Congress.

Biden's office says he will be travelling abroad.

Netanyahu's speech has infuriated the White House, which has had a tense relationship with the prime minister. Congressional Republican leaders coordinated the speech with the Israelis but did not consult with the Obama administration. The White House says that's a breach of diplomatic protocol.

It's unclear where Biden will be travelling. His office says the trip was in the works before Netanyahu's March 3 speech was announced.

As president of the Senate, the vice president typically attends joint meetings of Congress. The White House has said Biden missed one previous session in 2011 before of foreign travel.

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