United States Congress

The 1834 State of the Union Address was delivered by the 7th president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, to the 23rd United States Congress on December 1, 1834. Jackson highlighted the continued prosperity and peaceful conditions in the nation, praising the harvests and the flourishing commerce. He urged Congress to ensure that "virtue and enterprise" remained central to the country's development. On foreign affairs, Jackson discussed ongoing diplomatic relations with European nations, including Great Britain, regarding the unresolved North East boundary dispute. He also reported delays in France fulfilling its financial obligations under the 1831 treaty, and expressed disappointment over the French Chamber of Deputies' refusal to appropriate funds for indemnities owed to American citizens. Jackson recommended Congress authorize "reprisals upon French property" if France continued its delay. Domestically, Jackson reiterated his opposition to the Second Bank of the United States, criticizing its actions as a "scourge of the people." He condemned the bank for using its funds to influence elections and for the illegal withholding of dividends owed to the federal government. Jackson called for Congress to fully sever ties with the bank, recommending that laws connecting the government to the bank be repealed and the public stock be sold. The President also addressed the state of Native American affairs, particularly the ongoing Indian Removal efforts. He reported progress in negotiating the relocation of the Creek and Seminole tribes but expressed disappointment that the Cherokee had not yet agreed to move west of the Mississippi River. Jackson emphasized that emigration was necessary to preserve the remaining tribes.

The 1927 State of the Union Address was given on Tuesday, December 6, 1927. It was given by Calvin Coolidge, the 30th United States President, to the 70th United States Congress. He said, "For many years the Federal Government has been building a system of dikes along the Mississippi River for protection against high water. During the past season the lower States were overcome by a most disastrous flood. Many thousands of square miles were inundated a great many lives were lost, much livestock was drowned, and a very heavy destruction of property was inflicted upon the inhabitants." He talks about controlling and preventing floods.

Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, addressed a joint session of the United States Congress on Wednesday, February 18, 1981. It was his first public address before a joint session. Similar to a State of the Union Address, it was delivered before the 97th United States Congress in the Chamber of the United States House of Representatives in the United States Capitol. Presiding over this joint session was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Tip O'Neill, accompanied by George H. W. Bush, the vice president in his capacity as the president of the Senate. The speech was referred to as the "Speech on the Program for Economic Recovery." During his speech, President Reagan outlined his plan for economic recovery, calling for large cuts to taxes and federal spending. Some observers described it at the time as the most comprehensive economic proposal since President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his New Deal program in March 1933. When President Reagan handed House Speaker Tip O’Neill the printed copy, O’Neill reportedly said, "Mr. President, good luck." Secretary of Education Terrel Bell was the designated survivor and did not attend the address in order to maintain a continuity of government. No response to this address was given by the Democratic Party.

The 1829 State of the Union Address was delivered by the 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, on December 8, 1829, to the 21st United States Congress. This was Jackson's first address to Congress after his election, and it set the tone for his presidency, emphasizing limited government, states’ rights, and the removal of Native Americans from their lands. In his address, Jackson expressed satisfaction with the nation's peace and prosperity, noting that the country was “at peace with all mankind” and that domestic affairs were progressing well. He acknowledged, however, unresolved disputes with foreign powers, particularly Great Britain, France, and Spain. Jackson assured Congress that his administration would work to settle these differences amicably, while maintaining a firm stance on protecting American rights. A significant part of the address was dedicated to internal improvements and the national debt. Jackson called for a cautious approach to government spending, warning against the dangers of corruption and advocating for reducing the national debt. “It is time to check the tendency to lavish expenditure and make our government as simple and economical as possible,” Jackson urged. Jackson also called for a constitutional amendment to reform the presidential election process. He suggested eliminating the role of electoral colleges and the House of Representatives in selecting the president, advocating for a direct popular vote to ensure that the will of the people would always prevail in presidential elections. The address is also notable for Jackson's call to remove Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southern states. Jackson argued that their removal to territories west of the Mississippi River was necessary to protect their survival and to avoid conflict with state governments. He stated, "Humanity and national honor demand that every effort should be made to avert so great a calamity," referring to the potential extinction of Native tribes. Jackson's first State of the Union address marked the beginning of the major policies of his administration, including limited federal intervention, states' rights, and Native American removal, setting the stage for his presidency.

The 1910 State of the Union Address was written on December 7, 1910, by William Taft, the 27th president of the United States. It was the second address by Taft.

The 1853 State of the Union Address was delivered by the 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, to the 33rd United States Congress on December 5, 1853. This address marked Pierce's first annual message to Congress, emphasizing themes of national prosperity, international relations, and the importance of federal restraint in domestic policy. Pierce opened by celebrating the peace and prosperity the United States was experiencing, calling it "a time of remarkable progress" and "unusual blessings." He emphasized the importance of national integrity and suggested that the nation's success was sustained by the favor of Providence. A major focus of Pierce's address was foreign relations. He discussed a variety of diplomatic challenges, including disputes with Great Britain regarding fishing rights in the North Atlantic. Pierce announced that negotiations had been opened to establish more favorable agreements for American fishermen. Pierce also highlighted issues in Central America and his hope that disputes over British influence in the region could be resolved amicably. Additionally, he referenced tensions over the seizure of Hungarian-born Martin Koszta by Austrian authorities, expressing that Koszta was entitled to U.S. protection, an assertion that had drawn Austria's protests. "The acts of our officers, under the circumstances of the case, were justifiable," Pierce asserted. Regarding domestic issues, Pierce focused on federalism, stressing that federal powers should be limited to those clearly outlined in the Constitution and advocating a restrained role for the federal government. He argued that internal improvements, including road construction, should be carefully considered, particularly regarding state and federal jurisdiction. Reflecting the expansionist spirit of the time, Pierce mentioned the significance of recent territory acquisitions, predicting that the population might reach 100 million within decades. He urged Congress to prioritize infrastructure that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, especially advocating for the construction of a transcontinental railroad. Pierce closed by reflecting on the passing of Vice President William R. King earlier in the year. King had taken the oath of office in Cuba due to illness but passed away in April 1853 shortly after returning to Alabama. Pierce acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed his commitment to promoting "the honor and advancement of my country."

The 1830 State of the Union Address was given by the seventh United States president, Andrew Jackson on Tuesday, December 6, 1830, to both houses of the United States Congress. He said, "What good man would prefer a toe covered with forests and ranged by a few thousand savages to our extensive Republic, studded with cities, towns, and prosperous farms, embellished with all the improvements which art can devise or industry execute, occupied by more than 12,000,000 happy people, and filled with all the blessings of liberty, civilization, and religion?" He speaks of the Indian Removal Act, "With a full understanding of the subject, the Choctaw and the Chickasaw tribes have with great unanimity determined to avail themselves of the liberal offers presented by the act of Congress, and have agreed to remove beyond the Mississippi River."

The 1990 State of the Union Address was given by the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush, on January 31, 1990, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 101st United States Congress. It was Bush's first State of the Union Address and his second speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Tom Foley, accompanied by Dan Quayle, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate. The speech lasted 35 minutes and 43 seconds. and contained 3777 words.The Democratic Party response was delivered by House Speaker Tom Foley (WA).Edward J. Derwinski, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, served as the designated survivor.

The 1950 State of the Union Address was given by Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, on Wednesday, January 4, 1950. He spoke to the 81st United States Congress, to the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. It was a joint session, and the 160th address given. He said, "Our aim for a peaceful, democratic world of free peoples will be achieved in the long run, not by force of arms, but by an appeal to the minds and hearts of men." He also said, Our Social Security System should be developed into the main reliance of our people for basic protection against the economic hazards of old-age, unemployment, and illness.

The National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol is composed of statues donated by individual states to honor persons notable in their history. Limited to two statues per state, the collection was originally set up in the old Hall of the House of Representatives, which was then renamed National Statuary Hall. The expanding collection has since been spread throughout the Capitol and its Visitor's Center. With the addition of New Mexico's second statue in 2005, the collection is now complete with 100 statues contributed by 50 states, plus two from the District of Columbia, and one for all the states, a statue of Rosa Parks. Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Ohio have each replaced one of their first two statues after Congress authorized replacements in 2000. In 2022, Kansas became the first state to replace both of its statues; it will soon be joined by Arkansas and Nebraska.

The 1965 State of the Union Address was given by Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, on Monday, January 4, 1965, to the 89th United States Congress in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. It was Johnson's second State of the Union Address. Presiding over this joint session was House speaker John W. McCormack, accompanied by President pro tempore Carl Hayden, in his capacity as the acting president of the Senate since the office of Vice President was vacant. (This was because Vice President-elect Hubert Humphrey was not sworn in until January 20, 1965.) To date, Carl Hayden is the last president pro tempore to preside at a State of the Union Address. In this speech, Johnson stated that the state of the union was dependent on the state of the world and discussed various issues of foreign policy including the Vietnam War. Johnson further discussed the aims of his Great Society initiative and set forth several proposals to advance it, stating We worked for two centuries to climb this peak of prosperity. But we are only at the beginning of the road to the Great Society. Ahead now is a summit where freedom from the wants of the body can help fulfill the needs of the spirit. We built this Nation to serve its people. We want to grow and build and create, but we want progress to be the servant and not the master of man. We do not intend to live in the midst of abundance, isolated from neighbors and nature, confined by blighted cities and bleak suburbs, stunted by a poverty of learning and an emptiness of leisure. The Great Society asks not how much, but how good; not only how to create wealth but how to use it; not only how fast we are going, but where we are headed. This was the first State of the Union Address to be broadcast on television in a prime-time slot in the evening. The New York Times noted that this decision likely doubled or tripled the size of the audience. It also enabled major television networks to promote the event and have commentators on hand to discuss it. The first State of the Union Address to be delivered in the evening for a radio broadcast was Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1936 State of the Union Address, and the first State of the Union Address to be broadcast on television was Harry S. Truman's 1947 State of the Union Address, but this address was the first to be broadcast both on television and in the evening.

The 1984 State of the Union Address was given by the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, on January 25, 1984, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 98th United States Congress. It was Reagan's third State of the Union Address and his fourth speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Tip O'Neill, accompanied by George H. W. Bush, the vice president. The speech lasted 43 minutes and 2 seconds and contained 4931 words. The address was broadcast live on radio and television. The Democratic Party response was delivered by Senator Joe Biden (DE), Sen. David Boren (OK), Senator Carl M. Levin (MI), Senator Max S. Baucus (MT), Senator Robert Byrd (WV), Senator Claiborne Pell (RI), Senator Walter Huddleston (KY), Rep. Dante B. Fascell (FL), Rep. Tom Harkin (IA), Rep. William Gray (PA), House Speaker Thomas O’Neill (MA), and Rep. Barbara Boxer (CA).Samuel Pierce, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, served as the designated survivor.