| 1959 State of the Union Address | |
| Time: | 12:30 p.m. EST[1] |
| Duration: | 42 minutes[2] |
| Venue: | House Chamber, United States Capitol |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates: | 38.8897°N -77.0089°W |
| Type: | State of the Union Address |
| Participants: | Dwight D. Eisenhower Richard Nixon Sam Rayburn |
| Blank1 Label: | Previous |
| Blank1 Data: | 1958 State of the Union Address |
| Blank2 Label: | Next |
| Blank2 Data: | 1960 State of the Union Address |
The 1959 State of the Union Address was given by Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, on Friday, January 9, 1959, to the 86th United States Congress in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives.[3] It was Eisenhower's seventh State of the Union Address. Presiding over this joint session was House speaker Sam Rayburn, accompanied by Vice President Richard Nixon, in his capacity as the president of the Senate. The speech was broadcast by radio and television.
Eisenhower opened this speech with a question:
Eisenhower continued on to address many subjects, such as the economy in light of the Recession of 1958, saying, "A year ago the nation was experiencing a decline in employment and output. Today that recession is fading into history, and this without gigantic, hastily-improvised public works projects or untimely tax reductions." Eisenhower also addressed the need for a balanced federal budget and future tax cuts. He called for legislation to strengthen civil rights laws and to correct abuses of labor unions. He advocated for more spending for national defense while increasing efficiency and reducing waste. He also called for increased spending with regard to health programs, science and education, water resources, highways and rebuilding cities.
Eisenhower closed his speech by opposing Marxism and calling on the United States to remember its founding ideals: