President Obama will focus on the economic recovery and a range of other domestic and foreign policy subjects in his Jan. 25 State of the Union speech to Congress.
The date for the speech, to be delivered to a joint session of Congress in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, was decided after discussions between the White House and the Office of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).
Boehner noted the massacre in Tucson last Saturday when issuing the formal invitation.
"Recent events have reminded us of the imperfect nature of our representative democracy, but also how much we cherish the ideal that our government exists to serve the people. Even in the wake of tragedy, we must never waiver from our obligation to carry out their will and provide solutions to keep moving our nation forward,'' he wrote.
Article 2 of the Constitution mandates that the president periodically advise Congress about "the State of the Union.'' Presidents George Washington and John Adams delivered the address in person but President Thomas Jefferson changed the practice and submitted the report in writing to lawmakers. President Woodrow Wilson resumed tradition of delivering the address in person.
