What exactly is the State of the Union Address?
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What does the State of the Union Address talk about?
The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to the U.S. Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current condition of the nation. The message typically includes reports on the nation's budget, economy, news, agenda, achievements and the president's priorities and legislative proposals.
How do you cite a State of the Union Address?
In order to cite the transcript, locate the following pieces of information:
- The author’s name
- Title of the article or individual page
- Title of the website
- Name of the publisher
- Date that the resource was published
- Date the resource was retrieved
- The URL or direct link to the resource
What time does the State of the Union address start?
Trump’s State of the Union Address: What Time It Is and How to Watch It. President’s address to Congress starts at 9 p.m. Eastern time. Follow our streaming video and live analysis.
When was the State of the Union address given?
President Franklin D. Roosevelt giving his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 7, 1943. The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to the U.S. Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current condition of the nation. ...
What does the President say in his State of the Union address?
In the State of the Union address, the President traditionally outlines the administration's accomplishments over the previous year, as well as the agenda for the coming year, often in upbeat and optimistic terms. It has become customary to use the phrase "The State of the Union is strong," sometimes with slight variations, since President Ronald Reagan introduced it in his 1983 address. It has been repeated by every president in nearly every year since, with the exception of George H. W. Bush. Gerald Ford 's 1975 address had been the first to use the phrasing "The State of the Union is...", though Ford completed the sentence with "not good."
What time does the Deputy Sergeant at Arms address the speaker?
By approximately 8:30 p.m. on the night of the address, the members of the House have gathered in their seats for the joint session. Then, the Deputy Sergeant at Arms addresses the speaker and loudly announces the vice president and members of the Senate, who enter and take the seats assigned for them.
How many guests can a member of Congress have at the State of the Union address?
Every member of Congress can bring one guest to the State of the Union address. The president may invite up to 24 guests with the First Lady in her box. The speaker of the House may invite up to 24 guests in the speaker's box. Seating for Congress on the main floor is by a first-in, first-served basis with no reservations. The Cabinet, Supreme Court justices, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and the military leaders constituting the Joint Chiefs of Staff have reserved seating.
Why do cabinet members not attend the speech?
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.
Where is the State of the Union held?
Since Franklin Roosevelt, the State of the Union is given typically each January before a joint session of the United States Congress and is held in the House of Representatives chamber of the United States Capitol.
Who said "The State of the Union is not good"?
It has been repeated by every president in nearly every year since, with the exception of George H. W. Bush. Gerald Ford 's 1975 address had been the first to use the phrasing "The State of the Union is...", though Ford completed the sentence with "not good.".
When was the State of the Union addressed?
From 1790 to 1946 it was called the "Annual Message," and then from 1942 to 1946 it became known informally called the "state of the Union.". And since 1947, it's been officially known as the State of the Union Address.
Who was the first president to give a live broadcast of the State of the Union address?
1965: Lyndon Johnson is the first president to make the televised address in the evening. 2002: The State of the Union comes into the 21st century with the first live webcast, by George W. Bush. 2004: George W. Bush is also the first president to deliver a high-definition television broadcast State of the Union address.
Which president delivered the most in-person addresses?
George Washington's 1790 address was not only the first, it was also the shortest, at 1,089 words. Franklin Roosevelt delivered the most in-person addresses -- 10.
Who was the first person to address Congress in person?
Washington addressed Congress in person, traveling to New York to make the speech. Thomas Jefferson changed the tradition, though. In 1801, he opted instead to send a written report to Congress at the beginning of its session.
State of the Union Address Purpose
Overall, the purpose of the SOTU address is for the president to officially meet with Congress and outline the nation's goals, priorities, and foreign and domestic issues. The president may also make recommendations based on the perceived current needs of the country.
Where Does the State of the Union Take Place?
The SOTU takes place during official working joint sessions of Congress, not to be confused with the more informal joint meetings. State of the Union addresses are not given during the first year of a new president's term, but a new president may make a speech to a Congressional joint meeting.
History of the State of the Union Address
The State of the Union Address was simply called the "Annual Message" from 1790-1946. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to use the term "State of the Union," popularizing it by 1942. Then, the State of the Union address became the official title, replacing the old "Annual Message" name by 1947.
When was the State of the Union speech?
Since January 8, 1790, when George Washington personally delivered the first annual message to Congress, presidents have "from time to time," been doing just that in what has become known as the State of the Union Address. The speech was shared with the public only through newspapers until 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge's annual message was ...
When did Trump give his second State of the Union address?
President Trump finally delivered his second State of the Union address on February 5th in the House Chamber. In his 90-minute speech, the president sounded a tone of bipartisan unity, calling on Congress to “reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution — and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good.” Without mentioning the record 35-day government shutdown that had delayed the address, he told lawmakers he was “ready to work with you to achieve historic breakthroughs for all Americans” and by working to “govern not as two parties but as one nation.”
When did Pelosi give the State of the Union address?
On Monday, January 28, with the shutdown at least temporarily ended, Speaker Pelosi invited President Trump to give his State of the Union address on February 5 in the House Chamber.
What security measures are required for the State of the Union?
Extreme Security Required. As the largest annual political event in Washington, D.C., the State of the Union Address requires extraordinary security measures, as the president, vice president, Cabinet members, Congress, Supreme Court, military leaders and diplomatic corps are all together at the same time. Declared a “National Special Security ...
Why is the State of the Union important?
In modern times, the State of the Union Address serves as both a conversation between the president and Congress and, thanks to television, an opportunity for the president to promote his party's political agenda for the future. From time to time, the address has actually contained historically important information.
Who asked Trump to delay the State of the Union address?
The question of when, where, and how the 2019 State of the Union Address would be delivered became a hot political mess on January 16, when during the longest federal government shutdown in history, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) asked President Trump to either delay his 2019 address or deliver it to Congress in writing. In doing so, Speaker Pelosi cited security concerns caused by the shutdown.
When did Pelosi say he would delay the State of the Union?
In a late night tweet on January 23, President Trump conceded to Speaker Pelosi, stating that he would delay his State of the Union Address until after the government shutdown had ended. “As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed.
Overview
The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current condition of the nation. The State of the Union Address generally includes reports on the nation's budget, economy, news, agenda, achievements and the president's priorities and legislative proposals.
Formality
The practice arises from a duty of the president under the State of the Union Clause of the U.S. Constitution:
He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.— Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution
History
George Washington delivered the first regular annual message before a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1790, in New York City, then the provisional U.S. capital. In 1801, Thomas Jefferson discontinued the practice of delivering the address in person, regarding it as too monarchical (similar to the Speech from the Throne). Instead, the address was written and then sent to Congress …
Delivery of the speech
Because the address is made to a joint session of Congress, the House and Senate must each pass a resolution setting a date and time for the joint session. Then, a formal invitation is made by the speaker of the House to the president typically several weeks before the appointed date.
Every member of Congress can bring one guest to the State of the Union addre…
Opposition response
Since 1966, the speech has been followed on television by a response or rebuttal by a member of the major political party opposing the president's party. The response is typically broadcast from a studio with no audience. In 1970, the Democratic Party put together a TV program with their speech to reply to President Nixon, as well as a televised response to Nixon's written speech in 1973. The same was done by Democrats for President Reagan's speeches in 1982 and 1985. Th…
Significance
Although much of the pomp and ceremony behind the State of the Union address is governed by tradition rather than law, in modern times, the event is seen as one of the most important in the US political calendar. It is one of the few instances when all three branches of the US government are assembled under one roof: members of both houses of Congress constituting the legislature, the president's Cabinet constituting the executive, and the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of t…
Local versions
Certain U.S. states have a similar annual address given by the governor. For most of them, it is called the State of the State address. In Iowa, it is called the Condition of the State Address; in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the speech is called the State of the Commonwealth address. The mayor of the District of Columbia gives a State of the District address. American Samoa has a State of the Territory address given by the governor. Puerto Rico has …
Historic speeches
• President James Monroe first stated the Monroe Doctrine during his seventh annual State of the Union Address to Congress on December 2, 1823. It became a defining moment in the foreign policy of the United States and one of its longest-standing tenets, and would be invoked by many U.S. statesmen and several U.S. presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan.