Kennedy's Apollo Program Announcement

Date: May 25, 1961 • Location: Washington, United States

In an address to Congress, U.S. president John F. Kennedy announced his support for the Apollo program, with "the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth".

A joint session of the United States Congress is a gathering of members of the two chambers of the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Joint sessions can be held on any special occasion, but are customarily held when the president delivers a State of the Union address and are required when they gather to count and certify the votes of the Electoral College as the presidential election. A joint meeting is usually a ceremonial or formal occasion and does not perform any legislative function, and no resolution is proposed nor vote taken.