Obama to give State of the Union speech on Wednesday, Jan. 27

By Walter Alarkon - 01/18/10 06:43 PM ET

President Barack Obama will give the State of the Union address on Wednesday, Jan. 27, the White House said Monday.

The Obama administration will release its budget proposal for 2011 on Monday, Feb. 1.

The State of the Union speech, which will start at 9 p.m., will be the first of Obama's presidency. He gave an address to a joint session of Congress soon after taking office last year, but presidents don't give official State of the Union remarks in their first weeks in office.

The speech has traditionally been held the last Tuesday of January, but its date has varied in recent years.

The date had been up in the air as the White House and leading Democrats in Congress have been trying to hash out a final healthcare bill.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had assured reporters earlier this month that the State of the Union would not conflict with the 3-hour season premiere of "Lost" on ABC on Feb. 2.

Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman, told The Hill that the department has “begun working with our law enforcement partners including the Secret Service” for the speech.