State of the Union Address

Article II, Section 3 of the United States Constitution requires that the president give information to Congress on the state of the union. The founders, however, did not specify when, how often, or in what manner the information should be delivered. Furthermore, presidents can also recommend policies they believe “necessary and expedient.” The State of the Union Address (SUA) highlights much of what the president believes Congress should do in the upcoming legislative session. Over the years, the SUA has been known by various names, including the “annual message” until 1934 when it was called the Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union. Finally, in the 1940s, it became known as the State of the Union Address. George Washington established the precedent of delivering an oral address at the beginning of a congressional session, and John Adams continued this practice. Thomas Jefferson, however, did not follow suit and presented written messages to Congress during his tenure. The SUA was submitted in writing and read by clerks until Woodrow Wilson reinstituted the oral delivery in 1913, forever changing the nature of presidential communication with Congress. This made the occasion of the SUA a visible and monumental event for the president. It was not until Franklin D. Roosevelt, however, that the practice of delivering an oral SUA would be firmly established and would evolve into a significant aspect of presidential rhetorical and legislative leadership.

The SUA is meant to be a persuasive speech in which presidents simultaneously communicate their policy agenda to both the Congress and the public. When presidents give the SUA they have an opportunity to further their policy agenda while at the same time fulfilling their constitutional duty. Because of the vagueness of the reporting and recommending provisions in the Constitution, as the institution of the presidency changed so did the SUA. Presidents began to [Page 762]assert their leadership of Congress, specifically with the presidencies of Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. In addition, increased powers were granted to the president with the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 and the creation of the Executive Office of the President in 1939, providing the president with more staff, policy advice, and information. These changes allowed presidents to expand their role in the legislative process, and they could take the lead in making policy recommendations.

U.S. President Bill Clinton addresses a joint session of Congress during his final State of the Union Address on January 2, 2000, in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Source: AFP/Getty Images.

Presidents who gain the public's support may have an easier time getting Congress to enact their agenda. Despite the fact that the founders were afraid of this type of demagoguery, public appeals are an integral part of the modern presidency. With the SUA, presidents address both the public and Congress in an attempt to set the policy agenda and exercise legislative leadership. The inclusion of the public began early through technological advancements including the expansion of newspaper circulation, the development of radio, and ultimately the creation of television. Recognizing the importance of public support, Lyndon B. Johnson was the first to specifically address the public in his salutation; he also moved the address to the evening in 1965, in order to capture the largest possible audience.

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