U.S. President George W. Bush, standing before Congress one last time, urged Americans to stand confident against gnawing recession fears and be patient with the grinding war in Iraq.

U.S. President George W. Bush delivers his State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28. AP PHOTO

Bush delivered his final State of the Union address before a hostile, Democratic-led Congress eager for the end of his term next January.

With his approval rating near its all-time low, the president lacked the political muscle to push bold ideas, and he did not try. The one possible exception was the economy. He urged lawmakers to approve urgently a $150 billion plan to stave off a recession through tax rebates — negotiated with Democratic and Republican lawmakers — for families and incentives for businesses to invest in new plants and equipment.

"As we meet tonight, our economy is undergoing a period of uncertainty," Bush said. "And at kitchen tables across our country there is concern about our economic future."

Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the war has been a main topic of Bush's annual addresses to Congress. He said the buildup of 30,000 U.S. troops and an increase in Iraqi forces "have achieved results few of us could have imagined just one year ago."

The annual State of the Union address normally ranks among the biggest events in the U.S. political calendar, delivered with pomp and ceremony to lawmakers from both chambers, and to other powerful Washington officials attending the joint session. This year's speech has been overshadowed by the intense Democratic and Republican campaigns to succeed Bush, who is barred by the constitution from seeking a third term.