This year, President Barack Obama took the unusual step of unveiling many of State of the Union policy proposals in detail well in advance of Tuesday's prime-time speech before a joint session of Congress.
"Why stand on formalities? Let's get the ball rolling right now," Mr. Obama said at a recent stop in Tennessee.
In previous years, As Dow Jones reports, the content of the speech was a closely guarded secret, leaving reporters, politicians, lobbyists and interest groups scrambling for tidbits and gossip in the days and weeks leading up to the event.
But this year, much of Mr. Obama's policy wish list and broad themes will be well-known when he walks onto the House floor next week. Here is what the president is widely expected to focus on in his address, which will be held on Jan. 20 at 9 p.m. EST. (This updates an article initially published last week.)
Taxes: Mr. Obama will propose using revenue generated from tax increases on investment gains and inherited property to pay for tax breaks aimed at low- and middle-income households. The initiatives, previewed Saturday by administration officials, include tripling the child-care tax credit to $3,000 and creating a new $500 credit for families in which both spouses work. Under the plan, the top capital-gains rate would rise to 28% from 23.8% and more inherited assets would be subject to capital-gains taxes.
The Economy: One of the biggest themes of Mr. Obama's speech will be the strengthening economic recovery. With the stock market up, GDP growing and unemployment at new lows, Mr. Obama has began talking up the economy -- a bit of legacy building from a president entering his final two years in office.
"In my speech, I'm going to focus on how we can build on the progress we've already made and help more Americans feel that resurgence in their daily lives, with higher wages, and rising incomes and growing our middle class," Mr. Obama said in remarks last week previewing his address.
Cybersecurity: Mr. Obama is expected to give hacking and cybersecurity a prominent mention in the speech, in the aftermath of several high profile incidents including data breaches at top retailers, the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and the breach of a U.S. military Twitter account. Mr. Obama will call on Congress to take up cybersecurity legislation, and he is working on an executive order on the issue. He'll also call for new protections in the event that consumer credit card data gets stolen or compromised.
Free Community College: Mr. Obama has proposed spending $60 billion over 10 years to ensure cost-free access to community college for students, with the hope of making two years of college as universal as high school is today. Students would need to be halftime students, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and be working toward completing their degrees.
Government-owned broadband networks: The president has also called for overturning state laws that keep local governments from investing in municipally-owned broadband networks. The Obama administration says the move would encourage competition and increase the availability of high-speed broadband Internet access, especially in rural areas.
Paid sick, parental and family leave: The president will also urge Congress to vote on the Healthy Families Act, which would mandate up to seven days of paid sick leave for workers every year. He is also likely to tout a recently signed executive order that guarantees federal workers at least six weeks of parental leave for the birth of a child. And he'll call for Congress to overhaul federal workforce policies for parents.
Housing: The president is expected to talk about a new push to jump-start the sluggish housing market. Mr. Obama recently ordered the Federal Housing Administration to reduce annual mortgage insurance premiums from 1.35% to 0.85% -- with the aim of making home ownership more affordable.
Manufacturing hubs: The president will spend some time discussing the revival of manufacturing in the U.S., including his efforts to establish "manufacturing hubs." Those are regional public-private partnerships aimed at developing new manufacturing technologies. Mr. Obama visited the Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Advanced Composites in Knoxville, Tenn., this month in advance of the speech.
Other possibilities: Foreign policy, trade and infrastructure: Mr. Obama hasn't yet outlined all of the themes of the speech, but with ongoing concerns about Islamic State, al Qaeda and other militant Islamist groups, the president is likely to mention foreign policy themes and ideas in the address.
He's also likely to focus on some policy areas where he believes Republicans and Democrats can work together in the closing years of his administration -- including on trade and infrastructure.
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Or perhaps this sums it up best...
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