The speech was delivered on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in the United States Capitol. As always, the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, Vice President Tim Pawlenty (as Senate President) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sat behind the president. Among the topics that McCain covered in his speech were proposals for job creation, federal deficit reduction, change of structure of government in Washington, D.C. and foreign policy. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado delivered the Democratic response following the speech.