Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, my colleagues in the Congress, our distinguished guests, my fellow Americans: 

Twenty-five years ago I sat here as a freshman Congressman—­along with Speaker Albert—­and listened for the first time to the President address the State of the Union.

I shall never forget that moment.  The Senate, the diplomatic corps, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet entered the Chamber, and then the President of the United States.  As all of you are aware, I had some differences with President Truman.  He had some with me.  But I remember that on that day—­the day he addressed that joint session of the newly elected Republican 80th Congress, he spoke not as a partisan, but as President of all the people—­calling upon the Congress to put aside partisan considerations in the national interest.

The Greek-Turkish aid program, the Marshall Plan, the great foreign policy initiatives which have been responsible for avoiding a world war for over 25 years were approved by the 80th Congress, by a bipartisan majority of which I was proud to be a part.

Nineteen hundred seventy-two is now before us.  It holds precious time in which to accomplish good for the Nation.  We must not waste it.  I know the political pressures in this session of the Congress will be great.  There are more candidates for the Presidency in this Chamber today than there probably have been at any one time in the whole history of the Republic.  And there is an honest difference of opinion, not only between the parties, but within each party, on some foreign policy issues and on some domestic policy issues.

However, there are great national problems that are so vital that they transcend partisanship.  So let us have our debates.  Let us have our honest differences.  But let us join in keeping the national interest first.  Let us join in making sure that legislation the Nation needs does not become hostage to the political interests of any party or any person.

There is ample precedent, in this election year, for me to present you with a huge list of new proposals, knowing full well that there would not be any possibility of your passing them if you worked night and day.

I shall not do that.

I have presented to the leaders of the Congress today a message of 15,000 words discussing in some detail where the Nation stands and setting forth specific legislative items on which I have asked the Congress to act.  Much of this is legislation which I proposed in 1969, in 1970, and also in the first session of this 92d Congress and on which I feel it is essential that action be completed this year.

I am not presenting proposals which have attractive labels but no hope of passage.  I am presenting only vital programs which are within the capacity of this Congress to enact, within the capacity of the budget to finance, and which I believe should be above partisanship—­programs which deal with urgent priorities for the Nation, which should and must be the subject of bipartisan action by this Congress in the interests of the country in 1972.