{ "id": "R40132", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R40132", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 448353, "date": "2016-01-04", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T17:36:51.793018", "title": "The President\u2019s State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications", "summary": "The State of the Union address is a communication between the President and Congress in which the chief executive reports on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year. Formerly known as the \u201cAnnual Message,\u201d the State of the Union address originates in the Constitution. As part of the system of checks and balances, Article II, Section 3, clause 1 mandates that the President \u201cshall 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.\u201d In recent decades, the President has expanded his State of the Union audience, addressing the speech to both the nation and Members of Congress.\nOver time, the State of the Union address has evolved considerably. The format and delivery of the speech have changed, and its length has fluctuated widely. Technology has also influenced the delivery of the address, with the advent of radio, television, and the Internet playing significant roles in the transformation.\nAlthough each President uses the State of the Union address to outline his Administration\u2019s policy agenda, most incorporate similar rhetorical sequences and ceremonial traditions. Bipartisanship, attention to both the past and the future, and optimism are recurring themes in State of the Union addresses.\nThe legislative success rate of policy proposals mentioned in State of the Union addresses varies widely. Addresses given after a President\u2019s election or reelection tend to produce higher rates of legislative success. Presidents can also use the State of the Union address to increase media attention for a particular issue.\nImmediately following the State of the Union address, the political party not occupying the White House provides an opposition response. The response, usually much shorter than the State of the Union, outlines the opposition party\u2019s policy agenda and serves as an official rejoinder to the proposals outlined by the President.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R40132", "sha1": "046b8bae3f6e816fed00898a9f3f71de8026b25b", "filename": "files/20160104_R40132_046b8bae3f6e816fed00898a9f3f71de8026b25b.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R40132", "sha1": "9aa80e3d16a78082be8a90fb3f1fe9e65467949e", "filename": "files/20160104_R40132_9aa80e3d16a78082be8a90fb3f1fe9e65467949e.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3413, "name": "Separation of Powers" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc501588/", "id": "R40132_2015Jan16", "date": "2015-01-16", "retrieved": "2015-03-30T22:03:27", "title": "Tax Havens: International Tax Avoidance and Evasion", "summary": "This report discusses the State of the Union address, which is a communication between the President and Congress in which the chief executive reports on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150116_R40132_b25ddce87838f95fc65b431d02a91e398ea3b439.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150116_R40132_b25ddce87838f95fc65b431d02a91e398ea3b439.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidential messages", "name": "Presidential messages" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "President and the press", "name": "President and the press" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462081/", "id": "R40132_2014Jan24", "date": "2014-01-24", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "The President's State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications", "summary": "This report discusses the State of the Union address, which is a communication between the President and Congress in which the chief executive reports on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140124_R40132_36271ac5d5c10648e524ace3ae867e0381acfb68.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140124_R40132_36271ac5d5c10648e524ace3ae867e0381acfb68.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidential messages", "name": "Presidential messages" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "President and the press", "name": "President and the press" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc822100/", "id": "R40132_2012Dec17", "date": "2012-12-17", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "The President\u2019s State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20121217_R40132_0d79e6bfb2f08124962e2af725e5eba39feb0d96.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20121217_R40132_0d79e6bfb2f08124962e2af725e5eba39feb0d96.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc31328/", "id": "R40132_2010Nov17", "date": "2010-11-17", "retrieved": "2011-03-09T09:26:47", "title": "The President's State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications", "summary": "This report explores the President's State of the Union Address, in which the President reports to Congress on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year. This report also discusses the State of the Union's considerable evolution over time.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20101117_R40132_eedf3b673baa8dce1d1fab947fed6bc8290b992a.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20101117_R40132_eedf3b673baa8dce1d1fab947fed6bc8290b992a.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidential messages", "name": "Presidential messages" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress", "name": "Congress" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462812/", "id": "R40132_2009Jan12", "date": "2009-01-12", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "The President's State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications", "summary": "This report discusses the State of the Union address, which is a communication between the President and Congress in which the chief executive reports on the current conditions of the United States and provides policy proposals for the upcoming legislative year.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090112_R40132_26c75aae657a9cdd7a1f7309e5f88cfec4678c53.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090112_R40132_26c75aae657a9cdd7a1f7309e5f88cfec4678c53.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidential messages", "name": "Presidential messages" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "President and the press", "name": "President and the press" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] } ], "topics": [] }