
Johnson delivered his farewell message in the form of a State of the Union Address to a joint session of both Houses of Congress. It was, as Johnson pointed out, "the sixth and the last time" that he would give such an address. He began by acknowledging that there were problems which existed in the nation. He said:
"Urban unrest, poverty, pressures on welfare, education of our people, law enforcement and law and order, the continuing crisis in the Middle East, the conflict in Vietnam, the dangers of nuclear war, the great difficulties of dealing with the Communist powers, all have this much in common: They and their causes--the causes that gave rise to them--all of these have existed with us for many years. Several Presidents have already sought to try to deal with them. One or more Presidents will try to resolve them or try to contain them in the years that are ahead of us."
He contrasted that with the nation's assets: a strong economy, its democratic system, "our sense of exploration, symbolized most recently by the wonderful flight of the Apollo 8, in which all Americans took great pride, the good commonsense and sound judgment of the American people, and their essential love of justice." Johnson said that the nation should not ignore its problems, nor should it ignore its strengths. He characterized his time in office as a time "when a watershed is reached--when there is--if not really a break with the past--at least the fulfillment of many of its oldest hopes, and a stepping forth into a new environment, to seek new goals." he reminded his audience of great things that had been achieved o his watch, such as Medicare, Voting rights that were now open "at last to all Americans regardless of their color", federal assistance to schools, preschool education, advances in conservation, and new Federal job training programs. he boasted that
"This Nation is close to full employment--with less unemployment than we have had at any time in almost 20 years. That is not in theory; that is in fact. Tonight, the unemployment rate is down to 3.3 percent. The number of jobs has grown more than 8 1/2 million in the last 5 years. That is more than in all the preceding 12 years."
He did not take all the credit for this, but rather said that it was the product of "Congress and the executive branch, with their checks and balances, reasoned together and finally wrote them into the law of the land. They now have all the moral force that the American political system can summon when it acts as one." he referred to the Housing Act of 1968 and said that "this year more than 500,000 homes for needy families in the coming fiscal year" were being built. He said that "an urban development bank should be created by the Congress. This bank could obtain resources through the issuance of taxable bonds and it could then lend these resources at reduced rates to the communities throughout the land for schools, hospitals, parks, and other public facilities."
Next he discussed the Social Security Act, passed in 1935. He said "The time has come, I think, to make it more adequate. I believe we should increase social security benefits, and I am so recommending tonight. I am suggesting that there should be an overall increase in benefits of at least 13 percent. Those who receive only the minimum of $55 should get $80 a month."
On the subject of health care, he said that it should be remembered "that our country ranks 15th among the nations of the world in its infant mortality rate" and he called for "decent medical care for every expectant mother and for their children during the first year of their life in the United States of America."
Johnson reminded Congress of its pledge made in 1964, when they said: "It is the policy of the United States to eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this nation." Johnson went on to state:
"This is the richest nation in the world. The antipoverty program has had many achievements. It also has some failures. But we must not cripple it after only 3 years of trying to solve the human problems that have been with us and have been building up among us for generations. I believe the Congress this year will want to improve the administration of the poverty program by reorganizing portions of it and transferring them to other agencies. I believe, though, it will want to continue, until we have broken the back of poverty, the efforts we are now making throughout this land."
Johnson said that the key to eliminating poverty was job creation and he recommended that $3.5 billion be allocated for a job training program.
Johnson next spoke about "The Nation's commitment in the field of civil rights" and said that "On January 1 of this year, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 covered over 20 million American homes and apartments. The prohibition against racial discrimination in that act should be remembered and it should be vigorously enforced throughout this land. I believe we should also extend the vital provisions of the Voting Rights Act for another 5 years.
Crime was next on his list and he asked Congress to "provide the full $300 million that the Congress last year authorized" in the fight against crime. He said that this was "an essential contribution to justice and to public order in the United States." He next spoke about his failure to get adequate gun control legislation passed. He said:
"Frankly, as I leave the Office of the Presidency, one of my greatest disappointments is our failure to secure passage of a licensing and registration act for firearms. I think if we had passed that act, it would have reduced the incidence of crime. I believe that the Congress should adopt such a law, and I hope that it will at a not too distant date."
Johnson acknowledged "that most of the things we do to meet all of these commitments I talk about will cost money. If we maintain the strong rate of growth that we have had in this country for the past 8 years, I think we shall generate the resources that we need to meet these commitments." He said that government "must continue to budget our resources and budget them responsibly in a way that will preserve our prosperity and will strengthen our dollar."
Johnson was very proud to announce that, because of "greater revenues and the reduced Federal spending required by Congress last year", the nation's financial picture had improved such that, instead of a projected deficit of $8 billion, he said: "I am glad to report to you tonight that the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969, this June, we are going to have not a deficit, but we are going to have a $2.4 billion surplus." He predicted a $3.4 billion surplus for the following year.
Next on his agenda was Vietnam. Johnson expressed "the hope that the Paris talks will bring an early peace to Vietnam. And if our hopes for an early settlement of the war are realized, then our military expenditures can be reduced and very substantial savings can be made to be used for other desirable purposes, as the Congress may determine." He said that the pending nonproliferation treaty-which was now before the Senate, needed to be ratified. He said:
"In my opinion, delay in ratifying it is not going to be helpful to the cause of peace. America took the lead in negotiating this treaty and America should now take steps to have it approved at the earliest possible date. Until a way can be found to scale down the level of arms among the superpowers, mankind cannot view the future without fear and great apprehension. So, I believe that we should resume the talks with the Soviet Union about limiting offensive and defensive missile systems. I think they would already have been resumed except for Czechoslovakia and our election this year."
Johnson asked for increased funding for foreign aid, which he said would "further peace throughout the world." He said that "the quest for peace, I believe, requires that we maintain the liberal trade policies that have helped us become the leading nation in world trade, that we strengthen the international monetary system as an instrument of world prosperity, and that we seek areas of agreement with the Soviet Union where the interests of both nations and the interests of world peace are properly served." He was critical of the recent Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and he said "we earnestly hope that time will bring a Russia that is less afraid of diversity and individual freedom."
Johnson expressed his regret "more than any of you know that it has not been possible to restore peace to South Vietnam", but said that "the prospects, I think, for peace are better today than at any time since North Vietnam began its invasion with its regular forces more than 4 years ago." He was concerned that there would be "hard fighting before a settlement is reached; but, I can assure you, it will yield no victory to the Communist cause." He expressed his gratitude to America's armed forces, stating "I have been honored to be their Commander in Chief. The Nation owes them its unstinting support while the battle continues, and its enduring gratitude when their service is done." He also expressed his support for the unanimous resolution of the U.N. Security Council which proposed a middle east peace plan.
Johnson concluded on a sentimental note, stating:
"Most all of my life as a public official has been spent here in this building. For 38 years-since I worked on that gallery as a doorkeeper in the House of Representatives, I have known these halls, and I have known most of the men pretty well who walked them. I know the questions that you face. I know the conflicts that you endure. I know the ideals that you seek to serve. I left here first to become Vice President, and then to become, in a moment of tragedy, the President of the United States. My term of office has been marked by a series of challenges, both at home and throughout the world. In meeting some of these challenges, the Nation has found a new confidence. In meeting others, it knew turbulence and doubt, and fear and hate. Throughout this time, I have been sustained by my faith in representative democracy--a faith that I had learned here in this Capitol Building as an employee and as a Congressman and as a Senator. I believe deeply in the ultimate purposes of this Nation--described by the Constitution, tempered by history, embodied in progressive laws, and given life by men and women that have been elected to serve their fellow citizens."
He thanked many of those who had come before him and who had been his mentors, including "two great former Presidents, Harry S. Truman and Dwight David Eisenhower" as well as "my pleasant and close association with the beloved John F. Kennedy, and with our greatest modern legislator, Speaker Sam Rayburn. He thanked Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and a number of congressional leaders. He said "No President should ask for more, although I did upon occasions. But few Presidents have ever been blessed with so much."

Johnson observed that his successor, Richard Nixon, "is going to need your understanding, just as I did. And he is entitled to have it." He finished with these words:
"I hope every Member will remember that the burdens he will bear as our President, will be borne for all of us. Each of us should try not to increase these burdens for the sake of narrow personal or partisan advantage. Now, it is time to leave. I hope it may be said, a hundred years from now, that by working together we helped to make our country more just, more just for all of its people, as well as to insure and guarantee the blessings of liberty for all of our posterity. That is what I hope. But I believe that at least it will be said that we tried."