# The Pope's Visit to the US Capital **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 24, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popes-visit-to-the-us-capital/732412 "2015-09-24T17:29:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popes-visit-to-the-us-capital/732412/1 "2015-09-24T17:29:23Z")
Who decides who gets to give a speech to the joint members of Congress? Is there a congressional committee that nominates someone? Who has the final say? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popes-visit-to-the-us-capital/732412/2 "2015-09-24T17:37:52Z")
The House history is vague. One might infer the Congressional leadership makes the decision. > **[Joint Meetings, Joint Sessions, & Inaugurations | US House of...](https://history.house.gov/Institution/Joint-Sessions/Joint-Sessions/)** > > The two houses of Congress generally work separately, but on occasion the House of Representatives and the Senate gather together. Moments of great significance have taken place when the two houses hold such meetings. This chart lists those occasions... > **[Joint Meeting & Joint Session Addresses Before Congress by Foreign...](https://history.house.gov/Institution/Foreign-Leaders/Joint-Sessions/)** > > The purpose of a Joint Meeting has usually been for Congress to hear an address from an important figure—generally a visiting foreign leader. This practice became a standard part of foreign leaders’ state visits to the United States after 1945. In...