JFK REPORTS ON THE STATE OF THE UNION
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy gave his report on the State of the Union last night to a joint session of the 87th United States Congress.
The President presented more than 30 proposals for the consideration of the Congress this year.
The proposals include:
--$3 billion for the Alliance for Progress
--Federal funding for public schools
--Federal incentives for building public fallout shelters
--Improved unemployment insurance benefits
--Salary increases for Federal employees
In addition to his proposals, JFK presented his view on the current state of the economy. He said:
"At year's end, the economy which Mr. Khrushchev once called a stumbling horse, was racing to new records in consumer spending, labor income & industrial production."
In regard to the status of the United States among the nations of the world, JFK said:
"In the past year, I have traveled to other lands and I have found that people everywhere look to us, not to our wealth & power, but to the splendor of our ideals. Our obligation is to fulfill the world's hopes by fulfilling our own faith."
Speaking of our nation's goals in foreign policy, the President said that they remain as they have been: "a peaceful world community of free & independent states, free to choose their own future & their own system."
As to the achievement of these goals, JFK listed the following 5 basic sources of strength:
--moral & physical strength of the USA
--united strength of the Atlantic community
--regional strength of our Hemispheric relations
--creative strength of new & developing nations
--peace keeping strength of the United Nations
JFK concluded his "State of the Union" message with these words:
"A year ago, I said that few generations have been granted the role of defender of freedom in its hour of maximum danger. No nation has ever faced such a challenge (&) no nation has ever been so ready to seize the burden & glory of freedom."
JFK Delivers State of the Union Address
United States Capitol
January 14, 1963
