The President’s State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications

Research ReportCRS ReportVersion 19

R40132

The President’s State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications

Published Jan 4, 2016Updated Jun 20, 2025

Full report

What this is

The Congressional Research Service is a nonpartisan policy and legal analysis arm of the Library of Congress. CRS reports are written for members of Congress and their staff, not the public — but they’re made available openly through Congress.gov.

Read the PDF on Congress.gov

HR 2029114th Congress
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016
Dec 18, 2015 · Became Public Law No: 114-113.

The President’s State of the Union Address: Tradition, Function, and Policy Implications

Legislation this report covers