Expand All Collapse All Extent 142 folders, approximately 5,627 pages Summary This collection consists of records relating to the 1996 State of the Union Address. The collection contains information and statistics submitted by various government departments and working groups, suggested themes, research materials, lists of potential SOTU guests, speech drafts, responses to the SOTU, correspondence, media outreach planning, news clippings, and photocopies of signed covers of the SOTU sent to information contributors, members of the legislature, and supporters. Scope and Content Note The materials in FOIA 2020-0810-F (Seg 2) are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related material. Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution states that the President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” For much of the nation’s history, this presentation was known as the President’s Annual Message to Congress; it wasn’t until 1947 that “the State of the Union” (SOTU) became the more commonly used name. Each year, the House of Representatives and the Senate both pass a resolution setting a time and date for the address and issue an invitation to the President for that time. Since the 1930s, the address has typically been scheduled in either late January or early February, though outliers exist. Preparations for the President’s speech begin months in advance, with various departments compiling research and statistics for working groups who construct the general theme, outline, and specific wording of the message. This collection contains information and statistics submitted by various government departments and working groups, suggested themes, research materials, lists of potential SOTU guests, speech drafts, responses to the SOTU, correspondence, media outreach planning, news clippings, and photocopies of signed covers of the SOTU sent to information contributors, members of the legislature, and supporters. Other materials relevant to the topic of this FOIA can be found in the following previously opened FOIA cases: 2006-0458-F Don Baer, Speechwriter; 2006-0459-F Antony Blinken, NSC Speechwriter; 2006-0461-F Carolyn Curiel, Speechwriter; 2006-0466-F Jonathan Price, Speechwriter; 2006-0469-F (Seg. 2) Michael Waldman, Speechwriter; 2010-0198-S Carol Rasco Meetings, Trips, Events Series, Domestic Policy Council; 2011-0255-S, Gaynor McCown, Domestic Policy Council; 2011-0299-S Bruce Reed Press Series, Domestic Policy Council; 2012-0726-S Deanne Benos Subject File, Domestic Policy Council; 2013-0968-S Michael Schmidt, Domestic Policy Council; 2014-0209-S Jennifer Klein, Domestic Policy Council; 2015-0734-S Karen Finney, Press Office, First Lady’s Office; 2016-0666-S General Files, Speechwriting; 2017-0138-S Gabrielle Bushman, Speechwriter; and 2019-0774-S Todd Stern, Staff Secretary. Record Type Textual System of Arrangement Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collection areas— Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM Subject Files, and Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files. The White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) contains a variety of series created to organize and track documents and correspondence. The WHORM Alpha file was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management from 1993 – 1996 and is a series of documents arranged by name of persons, organizations, or events. The WHORM Subject file was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and is a series of categories designated by a letter/number combination. In addition, there are WHORM, WHORM Counsel, WHORM (CL), WHORM (OP), WHORM (Too Late); WHORM (Various Offices); and WHORM (Alpha Project) series. Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area. FOIA 2020-0810-F (Seg. 2) includes WHORM records from these subject codes: SP230 State of the Union SP230-96 State of the Union, 1996. Access Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions. Copyright Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States government as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Researchers are advised to consult the copyright law of the United States (17 U.S.C. Chapter 1) which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Provenance Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA). Processed by Staff Archivist, 2023. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released. Last Modified Date 2023-09-26 Container List The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2020-0810-F (Seg. 2): Box 1 Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File Category Case Number SP230 145629 SP230 194154 SP230-96 [1996 SOTU Congratulatory Notes] SP230-96 144424SS Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File (continued) Category Case Number SP230-96 144691SS [1] SP230-96 144691SS [2] SP230-96 145195SS SP230-96 145501SS SP230-96 145766SS SP230-96 146155SS SP230-96 146508SS SP230-96 146541SS SP230-96 146569SS SP230-96 146571SS SP230-96 146917SS SP230-96 147200SS SP230-96 147643 SP230-96 147685SS SP230-96 147891SS SP230-96 148064 SP230-96 148372 SP230-96 148385 SP230-96 148647SS SP230-96 148712SS [1] SP230-96 148712SS [2] Box 2 SP230-96 148712SS [3] SP230-96 149043 SP230-96 149085 SP230-96 149095 SP230-96 149207 SP230-96 149210 SP230-96 149213 SP230-96 149359SS SP230-96 149360SS SP230-96 149433SS SP230-96 149516 SP230-96 149550SS SP230-96 149698CU SP230-96 149734 SP230-96 149738 SP230-96 149743 SP230-96 149907 SP230-96 150091SS SP230-96 150110SS SP230-96 150119 SP230-96 150124 SP230-96 150392 SP230-96 150414 Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File (continued) Category Case Number SP230-96 150434 SP230-96 150982 SP230-96 151293 SP230-96 151338 SP230-96 151515 SP230-96 151592 SP230-96 151609SS SP230-96 151631 SP230-96 151643 SP230-96 151677 SP230-96 152149 SP230-96 152294 SP230-96 152363 SP230-96 152553 SP230-96 153372 SP230-96 153705 SP230-96 153730 SP230-96 153784 SP230-96 153785 SP230-96 153798 SP230-96 154048 SP230-96 154051 SP230-96 154381 SP230-96 154814 Box 3 SP230-96 155201 SP230-96 155540 SP230-96 157031 SP230-96 157832 SP230-96 159622 SP230-96 162921 SP230-96 163560 SP230-96 164206 SP230-96 164213 SP230-96 164216 SP230-96 168686 SP230-96 171342 SP230-96 271435 [1] SP230-96 271435 [2] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files Cabinet Affairs Balderston, Kris [Memo for Agency Chiefs of Staff re: State of the Union Amplification] [1996] [loose] [OA/ID 13177] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued) Cabinet Affairs Balderston, Kris [Memo for the President re: State of the Union Communications Plan [loose] [OA/ID 13177] [Memo re: State of the Union Address Roll-out] [1996] [loose] [OA/ID 13177] [Memo re: State of the Union Follow-Through] [1996] [loose] [OA/ID 13177] [Memo re: State of the Union process] [1996] [OA/ID 13177] State of the Union [1996] [OA/ID 13177] Higgins, Kitty Box 2, Folder 2: [State of the Union - December 11, 1995-January 20, 1996] [1] [OA/ID 7269] Box 2, Folder 2: [State of the Union - December 11, 1995-January 20, 1996] [2] [OA/ID 7269] Box 4 Box 2, Folder 2: [State of the Union - December 11, 1995-January 20, 1996] [3] [OA/ID 7269] Inadomi, LeeAnn State of the Union [1996] [1] [OA/ID 7257] State of the Union [1996] [2] [OA/ID 7257] State of the Union [1996] [3] [OA/ID 7257] State of the Union [1996] [4] [OA/ID 7257] Silverman, Stephen SOU [State of the Union] - Seven Challenges [1996] [OA/ID 11409] Chief of Staff Bobowick, Tracy [America’s Challenge: Background on President Clinton’s State of the Union Address to Congress - January 23, 1996] [OA/ID 11944] King, Angus Action on SOTU [State of the Union] Policies [1996] [OA/ID 10038] Lieberman, Evelyn State of the Union [1996] [OA/ID 8501] Box 5 O’Conner, Jennifer 1996 State of the Union [OA/ID 8164] Panetta, Leon; Bowles, Erskine [January 23, 1996 - President William Jefferson Clinton - State of the Union Address] [loose] [OA/ID 15115] Radd, Victoria Communications Office I: [1996 State of the Union] [OA/ID 11021] Communications Office II: [1996 State of the Union] [OA/ID 11021] Communications Office II: [1996 State of the Union] – Scheduling [OA/ID 11021] Communications Office II: SOTU [State of the Union] Roll-Out [OA/ID 11021] Communications Office III: [1996 State of the Union] [OA/ID 11021] SOTU [State of the Union] - Themes/Schedules [1996] [OA/ID 9473] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued) Chief of Staff Stephanopoulos, George President William J. Clinton - State of the Union - January 23, 1996 [OA/ID 8032] Communications General Files Republican Responses on State of the Union - 1996 [OA/ID 11829] Walker, Ann SOTU [State of the Union] 1996 [OA/ID 11808] Council of Economic Advisers Munnell, Alicia Budget: State of the Union Address, January 1996 [OA/ID 10100] Stiglitz, Joseph State of the Union (1996) [OA/ID 9540] Counsel’s Office Wallman, Kathleen State of the Union - 1996 [OA/ID 7946] Domestic Policy Council Burke, Dennis State of the Union 96 [1] [OA/ID 9829] Box 6 State of the Union 96 [2] [OA/ID 9829] Legislative Affairs Kountoupes, Lisa SOTU [State of the Union] 1/23/1996 [OA/ID 19217] Subject Files [1996 State of the Union Address] [loose] OA/ID 11142] State of the Union Talking Points 1996 [OA/ID 18361] Management and Administration Rutledge, Andrea [1996 State of the Union] [OA/ID 10873] National Economic Council Dorval, Chris Media Report 1/18/96 - 1/25/96: State of the Union Tyson Media Report [OA/ID 8943] State of the Union [January 23, 1996] [OA/ID 8942] Sperling, Gene State of the Union Statistics [January 23, 1996] [binder] [1] [OA/ID 9251] State of the Union Statistics [January 23, 1996] [binder] [2] [OA/ID 9251] Subject Files 1/23/1996 State of the Union [binder] [1] [OA/ID 15085] 1/23/1996 State of the Union [binder] [2] [OA/ID 15085] State of the Union 1996 [OA/ID 8471] Box 7 Tseng, David SOTU [State of the Union] 1996 [OA/ID 15044] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued) Press Secretary Engebretsen, Jenni State of the Union 1993 - 1996 [OA/ID 21375] Public Liaison Matsui, Doris State of the Union 1/23/1996 [OA/ID 8445] Stanek, Christine State of the Union January 1996 [OA/ID 18261] Subject Files 1/19/96 DC Reps Briefing - OPL [Office of Public Liaison] State of the Union [OA/ID 14432] Wayne, Christopher State of the Union: Conference Call - State of the Union [1996] [OA/ID 6601] State of the Union: State of the Union [1996] [OA/ID 6601] White, Bill State of the Union - Disability [1996] [OA/ID 20999] Woolley, Barbara Budget & State of the Union [1996] [1] [OA/ID 23689] Budget & State of the Union [1996] [2] [OA/ID 23689] State of the Union - Seniors [1996] [OA/ID 18049] Women’s Initiative And Outreach General Files ‘96 State Validators for State of the Union [OA/ID 24076]