The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What you need to know about the State of the Union address
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent President Donald Trump a letter Wednesday morning suggesting he postpone his State of the Union address, or deliver it in writing, because of the government shutdown.
What happens next?
Though Pelosi, D-Calif., invited Trump to give the annual address Jan. 29, she had not pushed through the legislation necessary to make it happen.
It’s not unusual for the speaker to wait until a few days before the speech to file what’s called a “concurrent resolution” that sets the day and time of the traditional speech. The measure must be passed by both chambers.
If Pelosi doesn’t file the resolution, there will be no presidential address before Congress. In her letter, Pelosi suggested that Trump could send his speech in writing to Capitol Hill. She later said he could also deliver it to the American people from the Oval Office.
Is that unconstitutional?
No. Most of what we have come to associate with the State of the Union is tradition, not law. There is nothing in the Constitution that says the president must give a live, in-person update on the country. Rather, there is a constitutional provision stating that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.”
What have past presidents done?
The first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, gave in-person addresses, but Thomas Jefferson sent a written version instead. Others followed suit.
It wasn’t until 1913 that President Woodrow Wilson decided he would revive the practice of delivering important speeches in Congress. Since then, there have been 83 in-person presidential addresses, according to the House historian.
In modern times, the speech has become less a commentary on the state of the country than a national platform for the president to revisit his accomplishments and push his agenda.