State of the Union Address January 1949

On January 5, 1949, President Harry Truman presented the state of the union address to the U.S. Congress. Issues discussed included: poor medical care, low minimum wage, inflation, poorly managed natural resources and inadequate education.

Solutions he proposed included: empowering congress to impose price ceilings; endorsement of the St. Lawrence Seaway Project; new tax legislation to balance the national budget; changes in labor-related laws; improvement of Social Security, Education, health care, public housing and civil rights.

On January 29, 1949 Harry S. Truman was (re-) inaugurated president. In his inaugural speech, he emphasized four points:

The four points

  • First, “we will continue to give unfaltering support to the United Nations and related agencies, and we will continue to search for ways to strengthen their authority and increase their effectiveness.”
  • Second, “we will continue our programs for world economic recovery.”
  • Third, “we will strengthen freedom-loving nations against the dangers of aggression.”
  • Fourth, “we must embark on a bold new program for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of underdeveloped areas.”