Presidential addresses to joint sessions of Congress

Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution provides, in part, that the president "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."

The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate holds a joint session to hear these presidential addresses, which are held annually and on an ad hoc basis to cover specific topics. From 1790 to 2025, there had been 182 presidential addresses to joint sessions of Congress.

Initially, annual messages were delivered in person. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson (D-R) began the tradition of sending a written message to Congress that would be read by the chamber secretaries. This continued for more than a century until 1913 when President Woodrow Wilson (D) renewed the spoken annual address.

In 1947, the annual message began to be called the State of the Union address. This was also the first year that the annual message—delivered by President Harry Truman (D)—was televised.

This page provides an overview of presidential addresses delivered to joint sessions of Congress between 1790 and present.

List of presidential addresses to joint sessions of Congress, 1790-2025

The following table provides a list of annual and other presidential addresses delivered to joint sessions of Congress between 1790 and 2025. It does not include inaugurations. Click the link in the Occasion or topic column to read more about each address. The information was compiled from the U.S. House of Representatives Office of the Historian.

• President Woodrow Wilson (D), whose administration overlapped with World War I, delivered the most addresses: 23.
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) followed with 19 addresses, which included a joint speech with the ambassador of France in 1934 and an address read before Congress on his behalf in 1945. World War II took place during his administration.
• President Harry S. Truman had the third-most addresses at 16. His administration covered the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War.
• Among presidents who served between 1981 and 2025, Presidents Ronald Reagan (R) and Barack Obama (D) delivered the most addresses with 11 and 10, respectively.

Presidential addresses to joint sessions of Congress
Date	Session of Congress	Occasion or topic	President and other speaking dignitaries
March 4, 2025	119th Congress	Address	President Donald J. Trump
March 7, 2024	118th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
February 7, 2023	118th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
March 1, 2022	117th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
April 28, 2021	117th Congress	Address	President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Feb. 4, 2020	116th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Donald J. Trump
Feb. 5, 2019	116th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Donald J. Trump
Jan. 30, 2018	115th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Donald J. Trump
Feb. 28, 2017	115th Congress	Address	President Donald J. Trump
Jan. 12, 2016	114th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Jan. 20, 2015	114th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Jan. 28, 2014	113th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Feb. 12, 2013	113th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Jan. 24, 2012	112th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Sept. 8, 2011	112th Congress	Address on American Jobs Act	President Barack H. Obama
Jan. 25, 2011	112th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Jan. 27, 2010	111th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Barack H. Obama
Sept. 8, 2009	111th Congress	Address on Health Care Reform	President Barack H. Obama
Feb. 24, 2009	111th Congress	Address	President Barack H. Obama
Jan. 28, 2008	110th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush
Jan. 23, 2007	110th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush
Jan. 31, 2006	109th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush
Feb. 2, 2005	109th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush
Jan. 20, 2004	108th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush.
Jan. 28, 2003	108th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush.
Jan. 29, 2002	107th Congress	State of the Union Address	President George W. Bush.
Sept. 20, 2001	107th Congress	Address on the War on Terrorism	President George W. Bush.
Feb. 27, 2001	107th Congress	Budget Message	President George W. Bush.
Jan. 27, 2000	106th Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Jan. 19, 1999	106th Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Jan. 27, 1998	105th Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Feb. 4, 1997	105th Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Jan. 23, 1996	104th Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Jan. 24, 1995	104th Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Jan. 25, 1994	103rd Congress	State of the Union Address	President William J. Clinton.
Sept. 22, 1993	103rd Congress	Address on Health Care Reform	President William J. Clinton.
Feb. 17, 1993	103rd Congress	Economic Address	President William J. Clinton.
Jan. 28, 1992	102nd Congress	State of the Union Address	President George Bush.
Mar. 6, 1991	102nd Congress	Conclusion of Persian Gulf War	President George Bush.
Jan. 29, 1991	102nd Congress	State of the Union Address	President George Bush.
Sept. 11, 1990	101st Congress	Invasion of Kuwait by Iraq	President George Bush.
Jan. 31, 1990	101st Congress	State of the Union Address	President George Bush.
Feb. 9, 1989	101st Congress	Address on Building a Better America	President George Bush.
Jan. 25, 1988	100th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Jan. 27, 1987	100th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Feb. 4, 1986	99th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Nov. 21, 1985	99th Congress	Address on Geneva Summit	President Ronald Reagan.
Feb. 6, 1985	99th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Jan. 25, 1984	98th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Apr. 27, 1983	98th Congress	Address on Central America	President Ronald Reagan.
Jan. 25, 1983	98th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Jan. 26, 1982	97th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Ronald Reagan.
Apr. 28, 1981	97th Congress	Address on Economic Recovery--inflation	President Ronald Reagan.
Feb. 18, 1981	97th Congress	Address on Economic Recovery	President Ronald Reagan.
Jan. 23, 1980	96th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Jimmy Carter.
June 18, 1979	96th Congress	Address on Salt II agreements	President Jimmy Carter.
Jan. 23, 1979	96th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Jimmy Carter.
Sept. 18, 1978	95th Congress	Address on Middle East Peace agreements	President Jimmy Carter; Joint session attended by Anwar El Sadat, President of Egypt, and by Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel.
Jan. 19, 1978	95th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Jimmy Carter.
Apr. 20, 1977	95th Congress	Address on Energy	President Jimmy Carter.
Jan. 12, 1977	95th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Gerald R. Ford.
Jan. 19, 1976	94th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Gerald R. Ford.
Apr. 10, 1975	94th Congress	Address on State of the World	President Gerald R. Ford.
Jan. 15, 1975	94th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Gerald R. Ford.
Oct. 8, 1974	93rd Congress	Address on the Economy	President Gerald R. Ford.
Aug. 12, 1974	93rd Congress	Assumption of office	President Gerald R. Ford.
Jan. 30 1974	93rd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Richard M. Nixon.
June 1, 1972	92nd Congress	Address on Europe trip	President Richard M. Nixon.
Jan. 20, 1972	92nd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Richard M. Nixon.
Sept. 9, 1971	92nd Congress	Address on Economic policy	President Richard M. Nixon.
Jan. 22, 1971	92nd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Richard M. Nixon.
Jan. 22, 1970	91st Congress	State of the Union Address	President Richard M. Nixon.
Jan. 14, 1969	91st Congress	State of the Union Address	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jan. 17, 1968	90th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jan. 10, 1967	90th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jan. 12, 1966	89th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Mar. 15, 1965	89th Congress	Voting rights	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jan. 4, 1965	89th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jan. 8, 1964	88th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Nov. 27, 1963	88th Congress	Assumption of office	President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Jan. 14, 1963	88th Congress	State of the Union Address	President John F. Kennedy.
Jan. 11, 1962	87th Congress	State of the Union Address	President John F. Kennedy.
May 25, 1961	87th Congress	Urgent national needs: foreign aid, defense, civil defense, and outer space	President John F. Kennedy.
Jan. 30, 1961	87th Congress	State of the Union Address	President John F. Kennedy.
Jan. 7, 1960	86th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jan. 9, 1959	86th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jan. 9, 1958	85th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jan. 10, 1957	85th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jan. 5, 1957	85th Congress	Address on the Middle East	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jan. 6, 1955	84th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Jan. 7, 1954	83rd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Feb. 2, 1953	83rd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
June 10, 1952	82nd Congress	Address on Steel Strike	President Harry S. Truman.
Jan. 9, 1952	82nd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Harry S. Truman.
Jan. 8, 1951	82nd Congress	State of the Union Address	President Harry S. Truman.
Jan. 4, 1950	81st Congress	State of the Union Address	President Harry S. Truman.
Jan. 5, 1949	81st Congress	State of the Union Address	President Harry S. Truman.
July 27, 1948	80th Congress	Address on inflation, housing, and civil rights	President Harry S. Truman.
Apr. 19, 1948	80th Congress	Address on 50th anniversary, liberation of Cuba	President Harry S. Truman; Guillermo Belt, Ambassador of Cuba.
Mar. 17, 1948	80th Congress	National security and conditions in Europe	President Harry S. Truman.
Jan. 7, 1948	80th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Harry S. Truman.
Nov. 17, 1947	80th Congress	Address on Aid to Europe	President Harry S. Truman.
Mar. 12, 1947	80th Congress	Address on Greek-Turkish aid policy	President Harry S. Truman.
Jan. 6, 1947	80th Congress	State of the Union Address	President Harry S. Truman.
May 25, 1946	79th Congress	Address on Railroad Strike	President Harry S. Truman.
Oct. 23, 1945	79th Congress	Address on Universal Military Training	President Harry S. Truman.
May 21, 1945	79th Congress	Address on Bestowal of Congressional Medal of Honor to Tech. Sgt. Jake William Lindsey	General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army; President Harry S. Truman.
Apr. 16, 1945	79th Congress	Address on Assumption of Office and War	President Harry S. Truman.
Mar. 1, 1945	79th Congress	Address on Yalta Conference	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 6, 1945	79th Congress	Annual Message	President Roosevelt was not present. His message was read before the Joint Session of Congress.
Jan. 11, 1944	78th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 7, 1943	78th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 6, 1942	77th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Dec. 8, 1941	77th Congress	Address on the "Day of Infamy"	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 6, 1941	77th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
May 16, 1940	76th Congress	Address on National Defense	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 3, 1940	76th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Sept. 21, 1939	76th Congress	Address on Neutrality	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Mar. 4, 1939	76th Congress	Address on Sesquicentennial of the 1st Congress	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 4, 1939	76th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 3, 1938	75th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 6, 1937	75th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 3, 1936	74th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
May 22, 1935	74th Congress	Address on Budget Bill Veto	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Jan. 4, 1935	74th Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
May 20, 1934	73rd Congress	Address on 100th anniversary of the death of the Marquis de Lafayette	Andre de Laboulaye, Ambassador of France; President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; ceremony attended by Count de Chambrun, great-grandson of Lafayette.
Jan. 3, 1934	73rd Congress	Annual Message	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Feb. 22, 1932	72nd Congress	Address on bicentennial of George Washington's birth	President Herbert Hoover.
Dec. 6, 1932	72nd Congress	Annual Message	President Herbert Hoover.
Dec. 8, 1931	72nd Congress	Annual Message	President Herbert Hoover.
Dec. 2, 1930	71st Congress	Annual Message	President Herbert Hoover.
Dec. 3, 1929	71st Congress	Annual Message	President Herbert Hoover.
Dec. 4, 1928	70th Congress	Annual Message	President Calvin Coolidge.
Feb. 22, 1927	70th Congress	Address on upcoming George Washington birthday bicentennial	President Calvin Coolidge.
Dec. 6, 1927	70th Congress	Annual Message	President Calvin Coolidge.
Dec. 6, 1926	69th Congress	Annual Message	President Calvin Coolidge.
Dec. 8, 1925	69th Congress	Annual Message	President Calvin Coolidge.
Dec. 6, 1924	68th Congress	Annual Message	President Calvin Coolidge.
Dec. 3, 1923	68th Congress	Annual Message	President Calvin Coolidge.
Feb. 7, 1923	67th Congress	Address on British debt due to the United States	President Warren G. Harding.
Dec. 8, 1922	67th Congress	Annual Message	President Warren G. Harding.
Nov. 21, 1922	67th Congress	Address on promotion of the American Merchant Marine	President Warren G. Harding.
Aug. 18, 1922	67th Congress	Address on coal and railroad strikes	President Warren G. Harding.
Feb. 28, 1922	67th Congress	Address on maintenance of the Merchant Marine	President Warren G. Harding.
Dec. 6, 1921	67th Congress	Annual Message	President Warren G. Harding.
Apr. 12, 1921	67th Congress	Federal problem message	President Warren G. Harding.
Aug. 8, 1919	66th Congress	Cost of living message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Dec. 2, 1918	65th Congress	Annual Message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Nov. 11, 1918	65th Congress	Terms of armistice signed by Germany	President Woodrow Wilson.
May 27, 1918	65th Congress	War finance message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Feb. 11, 1918	65th Congress	Peace message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Jan. 8, 1918	65th Congress	Program for world's peace	President Woodrow Wilson.
Jan. 4, 1918	65th Congress	Federal operation of transportation systems	President Woodrow Wilson.
Dec. 4, 1917	65th Congress	Annual Message/War with Austria-Hungary	President Woodrow Wilson.
Apr. 2, 1917	65th Congress	War with Germany	President Woodrow Wilson.
Feb. 26, 1917	64th Congress	Arming of merchant ships	President Woodrow Wilson.
Feb. 3, 1917	64th Congress	Severing diplomatic relations with Germany	President Woodrow Wilson.
Dec. 5, 1916	64th Congress	Annual Message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Aug. 29, 1916	64th Congress	Railroad message (labor-management dispute)	President Woodrow Wilson.
Dec. 7, 1915	64th Congress	Annual Message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Dec. 8, 1914	63rd Congress	Annual Message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Sept. 4, 1914	63rd Congress	War tax message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Apr. 20, 1914	63rd Congress	Mexico message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Mar. 5, 1914	63rd Congress	Panama Canal tolls	President Woodrow Wilson.
Jan. 20, 1914	63rd Congress	Trusts message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Dec. 2, 1913	63rd Congress	Annual Message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Aug. 27, 1913	63rd Congress	Mexican affairs message	President Woodrow Wilson.
June 23, 1913	63rd Congress	Currency and bank reform message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Apr. 8, 1913	63rd Congress	Tariff message	President Woodrow Wilson.
Nov. 22, 1800	6th Congress	Annual Message	President John Adams.
Dec. 3, 1799	6th Congress	Annual Message	President John Adams.
Dec. 8, 1798	5th Congress	Annual Message	President John Adams.
Nov. 23, 1797	5th Congress	Annual Message	President John Adams.
May 16, 1797	5th Congress	Relations with France	President John Adams.
Dec. 7, 1796	4th Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Dec. 8, 1795	4th Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Nov. 19, 1794	3rd Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Dec. 3, 1793	3rd Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Nov. 6, 1792	2nd Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Oct. 25, 1791	2nd Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Dec. 8, 1790	1st Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.
Jan. 8, 1790	1st Congress	Annual Message	President George Washington.

See also

• United States Senate
• United States Congress
• President of the United States

External links

• United States House of Representatives: Joint Meetings