Customarily , one cabinet member ( the designated survivor ) does not attend the speech , in order to provide continuity in the line of succession in the event that a catastrophe disables the President , the Vice President , and other succeeding officers gathered in the House chamber . Additionally , since the September 11 attacks in 2001 , a few members of Congress have been asked to relocate to undisclosed locations for the duration of the speech to form a rump Congress in the event of a disaster . Since 2003 , each chamber of Congress has formally named a separate designated survivor
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
State of the Union