State of the Union facts for kids
The State of the Union Address (often called SOTU) is a yearly speech. The president of the United States gives this speech to a special meeting of both parts of the United States Congress (the House and the Senate). This usually happens early in the year. In the speech, the president talks about how the country is doing. They share updates on the nation's money, the economy, and important news. The president also talks about their plans, what they've achieved, and what new laws they want to pass.
This speech follows a rule in the U.S. Constitution. It says the president must tell Congress how the "State of the Union" (the country) is. They also need to suggest any ideas they think are helpful. For a long time, presidents just sent a written report. But in 1913, Woodrow Wilson, who was the 28th president, started giving the speech in person. He did this to get more support for his plans. Now, the speech is shown live on TV and radio across the United States.
The speech usually happens in January or February. The leader of the House of Representatives, called the Speaker, invites the president to speak in the House chamber. Since 1981, new presidents often give a speech to Congress in their first year. However, they don't call this first speech an official "State of the Union."
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What is the State of the Union Address?
The State of the Union Address comes from a duty of the president. The U.S. Constitution says:
He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.
This means the president needs to tell Congress how the country is doing. They also need to suggest new ideas or laws. Even though the Constitution doesn't say it has to be a speech, presidents have given it as a speech every year since the 1930s. It usually happens in late January or early February.
Before 1913, most presidents just sent a written report. But since Woodrow Wilson, almost every president has given the report as a speech. The only exception was Herbert Hoover.
Since Franklin Roosevelt, the speech is usually given in January. It takes place before a special meeting of both the House and Senate. This meeting is held in the House of Representatives chamber at the United States Capitol. When a new president starts their term, their first speech to Congress is not officially called a "State of the Union."
What started as a message just for Congress has become a message for all Americans. Since radio and TV became popular, the speech is shown live everywhere. It usually starts at 9 p.m. Eastern Time to reach the most people.
A Look Back: History of the Speech
George Washington gave the first yearly message to Congress on January 8, 1790. This happened in New York City, which was the capital back then. In 1801, Thomas Jefferson stopped giving the speech in person. He thought it was too much like a king's speech. Instead, he sent a written report for a clerk to read.
This continued until 1913, when Woodrow Wilson brought back the in-person speech. Since then, it has been given in person almost every year. Sometimes, presidents have given both a written report and a speech. The last president to only send a written message was Jimmy Carter in 1981.
For many years, the speech was just called "the President's Annual Message to Congress." The name "State of the Union" was first used by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934. It became the official name in 1947.
Before 1934, the yearly message was given in December. But a change to the Constitution in 1933 moved the start of Congress to early January. Because of this, the speech has been given early in the year since 1934.
Warren Harding's speech in 1922 was the first to be broadcast on radio. Calvin Coolidge's 1923 speech was the first to be heard across the whole country on radio. Harry S. Truman's 1947 speech was the first to be shown on television. In 1968, TV networks for the first time didn't set a time limit for the speech. Bill Clinton's 1997 speech was the first to be available live on the internet.
Ronald Reagan's 1986 speech was the first to be postponed. He was supposed to give it on January 28, 1986. But it was delayed for a week because of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster that morning. Reagan spoke to the nation about the disaster from his office instead.
In 2019, Donald Trump's speech was also delayed. This happened after a disagreement with the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. They later agreed to hold the speech on February 5.
How the Speech Happens
Since the speech is given to both parts of Congress, the House and Senate must agree on a date and time. Then, the Speaker of the House formally invites the president. This usually happens a few weeks before the speech.
Who Attends?
Every member of Congress can bring one guest. The president can invite up to 24 guests to sit with the First Lady. The Speaker of the House can also invite up to 24 guests. Members of Congress sit wherever they find a spot.
Important people like the president's Cabinet, Supreme Court justices, and military leaders have special reserved seats.
Entering the House Chamber
Around 8:30 p.m., members of the House gather in their seats. Then, the Deputy Sergeant at Arms announces the Vice President and members of the Senate. They enter and take their seats.
The Speaker and Vice President choose members from the House and Senate to walk with the president. The Deputy Sergeant at Arms then announces other important guests. These include foreign ambassadors, Supreme Court justices, and the Cabinet. Each group enters and takes their seats.
Just after 9:00 p.m., the president arrives at the chamber door. The House Sergeant at Arms stands inside the doors. When the president is ready, the Sergeant at Arms loudly announces: "Mister [or Madam] Speaker, the president of the United States!"
Everyone applauds and cheers as the president walks to the front. They stop to shake hands and greet members of Congress. The president then gives copies of the speech to the Speaker and Vice President.
After the applause calms down, the Speaker introduces the president. They usually say: "Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States." More applause follows, and then the president begins the speech.
Important Safety Measures
One Cabinet member, called the "designated survivor," does not attend the speech. This is a safety measure. If something terrible happened to everyone in the chamber, this person would become president. This ensures the government can continue to run. Since 2001, a few members of Congress also go to secret locations. This is to make sure there would still be enough members to form a Congress if needed.
Both the Speaker and the Vice President sit behind the president during the speech. They are at the Speaker's desk. The president gives the speech from a podium at the front of the House Chamber.
For the 2011 speech, some lawmakers tried a new seating plan. They wanted Republicans and Democrats to sit together instead of on opposite sides. This was a response to a shooting that injured a Congress member. While this idea gained some support, seating has mostly gone back to the traditional way.
What's in the Speech?
The speeches usually share updates on the country and the government. Since 1983, presidents often say, "The State of the Union is strong." Ronald Reagan started this tradition. Every president since then has used this phrase, except for George H. W. Bush.
Since Reagan's 1982 speech, presidents also honor special guests. These are often everyday Americans who have done something heroic or inspiring. They are invited to sit with the First Lady. These guests are sometimes called "Lenny Skutniks," after the first person honored this way.
State of the Union speeches usually last a bit over an hour. This is partly because of all the applause. The applause is often political. Members of the president's party applaud more. Supreme Court members and military leaders usually don't applaud. They want to show they are not taking sides in politics.
Why the Speech is Important
The State of the Union Address is a very important event in U.S. politics. It's one of the few times when all three parts of the U.S. government are together:
- The legislature (lawmakers from the House and Senate)
- The executive (the president and their Cabinet)
- The judiciary (the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court)
Also, military leaders and foreign ambassadors are there. The speech is also a chance to celebrate the achievements of regular Americans.
Similar Speeches in Other Places
Many U.S. states have a similar yearly speech given by their governor. Most call it the "State of the State address." Some cities and counties also have a "State of the City Address" given by their mayor. Even some university presidents give a "State of the University" address.
Other countries and groups have adopted this idea too. The European Union has a "State of the European Union" speech. In Spain, the Prime Minister gives a "Debate on the State of the Nation" speech.
Famous State of the Union Moments
- In 1823, President James Monroe first shared the Monroe Doctrine. This was a big idea for U.S. foreign policy. It said that European countries should not try to control countries in North and South America.
- On January 6, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt talked about the Four Freedoms. He said people everywhere should have: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want (meaning enough food and resources), and freedom from fear.
- In 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson announced his "War on Poverty." This led to new laws to help people struggling with poverty in the United States.
- In 1975, Gerald Ford was very honest. He said, "the state of the Union is not good." He talked about people being out of work and the country relying on others for energy.
- On January 29, 2002, President George W. Bush spoke about countries that threatened the U.S. He called North Korea, Iran, and Iraq an "axis of evil." He also talked about the goals for the War on Terror.
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