The officer messaged with a Jan. 6 insurrectionist over Facebook and instructed him to remove videos that showed him inside the Capitol on Jan. 6.

WAMU/DCist / Jordan Pascale

For the first time since the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, lawmakers will meet in a joint session Wednesday night for President Biden’s first address before Congress.

Designated as a National Special Security Event, a slew of law enforcement agencies are taking steps to the secure the Capitol ahead of Biden’s speech, which is slated to begin at 9 p.m. (Following the Capitol insurrection, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has considered requesting that every joint congressional session be treated as a National Special Security Event.)

According to the director of D.C.’s homeland security agency, Chris Rodriguez, the Metropolitan Police Department’s operations command center and the city’s emergency operations center will be activated Wednesday night. National Guard members, deployed to the city following the January insurrection, will also remain near the Capitol, and Secret Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Capitol Police will also be coordinating security.

Starting at 5 p.m., U.S. Capitol Police will restrict the Capitol Grounds to individuals with congressional identification, or those with credentials for Biden’s address. (Concrete barricades were reported to be going up as early as 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning).

At 7 p.m., the following roads surrounding the complex will close to traffic. The restrictions will lift at the end of the event:

  • Pennsylvania Ave., NW, from Third Street, NW, to First Street, NW
  • Constitution Ave., NW, from Louisiana Ave., NW, to Second Street, NE
  • First Street, NW, from Louisiana Ave., NW, to Washington Ave., SE
  • New Jersey Ave., NW, from Louisiana Ave., NW, to Constitution Ave., NW
  • D Street, NE, from Second Street, NE, to Louisiana Ave., NE
  • Delaware Ave., NE, from Columbus Circle, NE, to Constitution Ave., NE
  • First Street, NE, from Columbus Circle, NE, to C Street, SW
  • C Street, NE, from Second Street, NE, to Delaware Ave., NE
  • Maryland Ave., NE, from Constitution Ave., NE, to First Street, NE
  • Second Street, NE, from Constitution Ave., NE, to East Capitol Street, NE
  • East Capitol Street from Second Street, NE, to First Street, NE
  • Independence Ave. from Second Street, SE, to Washington Ave., SW
  • C Street, SW, from Washington Ave., SW, to First Street, SE
  • Delaware Ave., SW, from Washington Ave., SW, to C Street, SW
  • South Capitol Street from D Street, SE, to Independence Ave., SE
  • New Jersey Ave., SE, from D Street, SE, to Independence Ave., SE
  • Maryland Ave., SW, from Third Street, SW, to First Street, SW