WASHINGTON -- President Obama will set forth an ambitious agenda in the first State of the Union address of his second term Tuesday night.
His most urgent call will be for Congress to avert the so-called sequester -- those automatic deep spending cuts to the military and other federal programs set to take effect in a few weeks.
While the first days of the president's second term have been dominated by his plans to reform immigration and reduce gun violence, the national unemployment rate continues to hover around 8 percent.
In Tuesday's address, White House officials say the president will outline a plan to create more jobs.
Stay with CBNnews.com for live coverage of the State of the Union, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. We will be LIVE-streaming the speech and White House Correspondent Jennifer Wishon will LIVE blogging on Beltway Buzz.
CBN News Congressional Correspondent John Jessup has more on what to expect from tonight's speech and the Republican and Tea Party responses, following this report
"The president understands fully that we have work to do on the economy. We are not done -- not even close," White House press secretary Jay Carney said. "We need for this economy to continue to grow; we need it to grow faster; we need it to create more jobs."
The president will call on House Republicans to raise some taxes and get rid of some loopholes to cut the deficit. He's also expected expand on his plan to address climate change.
Instead of doing battle with Congress by himself, expect the president to use his bully pulpit to try to rally Americans to pressure Congress, using campaign-style events and a tool he's mastered: social media.
One hundred people who follow the president on social media have been invited to the White House to take part in an online panel after the speech.
Meanwhile, the White House will stream a special version of the president's address online, complete with graphics and supporting information.
The president will have trouble passing nearly every piece of his agenda through the divided Congress; however, the Obama administration has already demonstrated a willingness to take executive action whenever possible to achieve its goals.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will deliver the Republican response to the president's State of the Union address.
CBN News will interview Rubio after his remarks and will have his thoughts on the president's proposal, on "The 700 Club," Feb. 13. Check your local listings or CBNNews.com for the interview.