Clinton Romesha, recipient of the Medal of Honor was invited by Michelle Obama, but declined so as to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife and friends.
[9] The designated survivor is the member of the president's cabinet who does not attend the address in case of a catastrophic event, in order to maintain a continuity of government.
The New York Times added: "Obama did not match the lofty tone of his inauguration speech, but the address was clearly intended to be its workmanlike companion.
"[11] The speech was dominated by domestic issues such as debt & deficit reduction,[12][13] infrastructure measures,[12][13] the economy and need to reinvigorate the middle class,[13][14] gun control,[13][14][15] minimum wage,[12][13][15] early education[13][14] and immigration.
"[11] But despite this Obama noted that it is now his generation's task to "reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth — a rising, thriving middle class.
"[14] He also called on Congress to invest $50 billion on rebuilding roads and bridges[17] and announced a bipartisan commission to improve the voting system.
[11] Obama proposed universal preschool for 4-year-olds[12] and linking some federal grant decisions to research schools on their ability to keep tuition costs in check.
[11][18] Obama called for "modest" reforms to Medicare in his speech, continued his push for Congress to act on immigration reform and proposed a paycheck fairness act intended to make it easier for women to fight salary discrimination without losing their jobs, the development of new alternative energy hubs in the country, and to help people refinance their mortgages at today's lower interest rates.
"I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.
"[18] Obama thus advocated a transition to more sustainable and environment-friendly sources of energy, such as wind and solar, in order to reduce America's dependence on oil.
"[12] "It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country – the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead," the president said.
"[17] Obama's State of the Union address included a call to "set party interests aside, and work to pass a budget that replaces reckless cuts with smart savings and wise investments in our future.
[20][23] Barack Obama called for a free trade agreement between the United States and the European Union[24] and announced his intent to complete negotiations on a "Trans-Pacific partnership".
[20][25][26] Obama warned the North Korea's reclusive government that it faced further isolation, swift retaliation and a United States bent on improving its own missile defense systems.
[27][28] Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul delivered the Tea Party movement's rebuttal to Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address.