Evans, Four Others Sit Out Address

Four lawmakers and one member of President Bush’s Cabinet followed tradition Tuesday night by staying away from the Capitol, ensuring continuity of government in the event of a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union address.

Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) asked Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), the man he replaced last year as majority leader, and Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the assistant minority leader, to stay away.

Lott and Reid watched Bush’s speech together from an undisclosed location, said Susan Irby, Lott’s spokeswoman.

“I’m sorry I’ll miss the speech,” Reid said in a statement released by his office, “but I was asked to take on this responsibility for the country and I’m happy to do it.”

Reps. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and George Miller (D-Martinez), the top Democrat on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, were the designated absentees from the House.

Commerce Secretary Don Evans did not join his Cabinet colleagues in the House chamber. Traditionally, a Cabinet member does not attend the speech to ensure an orderly succession if catastrophe befalls the House during the address.

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Congress decided to designate Republican and Democratic members to stay away as well.