(MCT) — LANSDOWNE, Va. — President Obama previewed his State of the Union speech themes during a pep talk to House Democrats on Thursday, while framing the fiscal battles with Congress in familiar terms as he called for an end to “governance by crisis.”

Obama told his party’s House members that in his address to Congress next Tuesday he would outline an agenda for economic growth that ensures all Americans can thrive, balancing further deficit reduction efforts with needed investments to grow the economy.