1977 State of the Union Address

{{Short description|Speech by US president Gerald Ford}}

{{use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox event

| title = 1977 State of the Union Address

| image =

| image_alt =

| caption =

| time = 9:00 p.m. EST

| duration = 45 minutes

| date = {{start date|1977|01|12}}

| venue = House Chamber, United States Capitol

| location = Washington, D.C.

| coordinates = {{coord|38|53|23|N|77|00|32|W|region:US-DC_type:event|display=inline,title}}

| type = State of the Union Address

| theme =

| participants = Gerald Ford
Nelson Rockefeller
Tip O'Neill

| url =

| website =

| blank1_label = Previous

| blank1_data = 1976 State of the Union Address

| blank2_label = Next

| blank2_data = 1978 State of the Union Address

}}

The 1977 State of the Union address was given by President Gerald R. Ford to a joint session of the 95th United States Congress on Wednesday, January 12, 1977.{{cite web|title=Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress Reporting on the State of the Union|website=The American Presidency Project|date=January 12, 1977|access-date=March 9, 2024|url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-joint-session-the-congress-reporting-the-state-the-union-0}} Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Tip O'Neill, accompanied by Nelson Rockefeller, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

The speech lasted 44 minutes and 55 seconds{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/sou_minutes.php |title=Length of State of the Union Addresses in Minutes |publisher=Presidency.ucsb.edu |access-date=2012-11-08}} and contained 4,727 words.{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/sou_words.php |title=Length of State of the Union Addresses |publisher=Presidency.ucsb.edu |access-date=2012-11-08}} In the speech, President Ford discussed the Vietnam War, national defense, and fiscal policy issues.{{cite web|title=1977 State of the Union Address|website=C-SPAN|date=January 12, 1977|access-date=March 9, 2024|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?153627-1/1977-state-union-address}}

The President advocated for peace through strength by saying:{{Cite web |title=Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress Reporting on the State of the Union {{!}} The American Presidency Project |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-before-joint-session-the-congress-reporting-the-state-the-union-0 |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=www.presidency.ucsb.edu}}

America's first goal is and always will be peace with honor. America must remain first in keeping peace in the world. We can remain first in peace only if we are never second in defense.