2015 State of the Union Address
speech by US president Barack Obama
The 2015 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on January 20, 2015, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 114th United States Congress. It was Obama's sixth State of the Union Address and his seventh speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, John Boehner, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.
Following recent tradition, Speaker of the House John Boehner sent a letter on December 19, 2014, formally inviting President Obama to speak (despite a proposal from some conservatives that House Republicans withhold the invitation in retaliation for Obama's executive actions on immigration reform). The State of the Union Address was broadcast on various television and radio stations and webcast from the White House. Webcasts were also provided by other sponsors, including a webcast from the U.S. Republican Party.
The President addressed controversial economic issues in the U.S., arguing in support of expanding access to community college in the context of American higher education as well as in support of increased taxes on financial institutions. In terms of U.S. foreign policy, he expressed his belief in American exceptionalism and defended what he saw as an assertive foreign agenda in which the country is "upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small."
Seating and guests
As since 2011, members of Congress sat together, regardless of party. Guests of First Lady Michelle Obama at the Address included the former prisoner of Cuba Alan Gross, astronaut Scott Kelly, DREAM Act immigration reform activist Ana Zamora, Ebola international emergency care coordinator Dr.
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