President Bush’s State of the Union speech next year has been shifted from Jan. 22 to Jan. 28, according to leadership aides in the House and the Senate.

The change came at the request of the White House, according to aides in both chambers. A White House spokeswoman said the president would be traveling in the Middle East on the original date for the address.

Congress is tentatively set to convene for the second session of the 110th Congress on Jan. 15, according to schedules the Democratic leadership released Dec. 3. It will be off Jan. 21 for Martin Luther King Day, but is scheduled to return Jan. 22.