Washington ( CNN ) -- The Republican Party will not provide a formal response to President Barack Obama 's speech on jobs , a senior GOP aide said Tuesday . `` This is not a State of the Union Address , '' said a senior GOP leadership aide , who spoke on condition of not being identified . `` The ( House ) speaker is opening Statuary Hall ( in the Capitol ) to media following the speech , giving every member of Congress the opportunity to provide a reaction to the president 's address , '' the aide said . Obama plans to unveil a major jobs initiative to a joint session of Congress Thursday . After the scheduling brouhaha over the president 's State of the Union-style speech was resolved last week , Republican aides in the House and Senate were noticeably mum about details of the official response , which typically all the major television networks carry about five minutes after the president 's speech in the House chamber ends . `` Republicans are , and have been , entirely focused on job creation , '' said Michael Steel , a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio , on Tuesday . `` Every member of Congress , and -- more importantly -- the American people , will provide a reaction to the president 's address . We trust in the good judgment of the American people , and the president 's proposals will rise or fall on their own merits . '' In the past GOP leaders have chosen rising political stars in their party including Gov . Bobby Jindal of Louisiana to respond to the president 's speech . In January Republicans tapped House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin to give the official GOP response to the president 's State of the Union speech . In September 2009 , when Obama delivered a major speech on health care to a joint session , Louisiana Republican Rep Charles Boustany , a heart surgeon , was picked to present the GOP health care plan . CNN 's Kate Bolduan contributed to this report .
No one will provide the usual network rebuttal . Instead , Republicans will fan out in Statuary Hall to respond . `` This is not a State of the Union Address , '' a senior GOP aide says .