Washington  - President Barack Obama will offer assurances that the United States will recover and emerge stronger from its worst economic crisis in decades, according to released excerpts of his speech to be delivered Tuesday evening to Congress.

But Obama will also challenge politicians and citizens alike to take responsibility for the country's serious problems and bring to an end an era that was dominated by a lust for quick profits and short-term gains.

A "day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here," Obama will say, according to excerpts released by the White House.

Yet he will express optimism about the country's long-term prospects.

"While our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: we will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before," Obama said.

The president's annual address before a joint session of Congress - Obama's first since taking office in January - was set to focus on stabilizing the economy and little on the United States' many foreign policy challenges.

The president will unveil details of his 2010 budget, promising cuts in wasteful health, education, agriculture and defence programmes. He vowed to address the spiralling costs of health care and retirement benefits, which have frustrated many previous administrations but will have to be tackled if the country hopes to return to a balanced budget.

Obama last week approved a record 787-billion-dollar economic stimulus programme to help pull the US out of recession. The massive spending was the main target of opposition Republicans' response to Obama's address late Tuesday.

"It's irresponsible, and it's no way to strengthen our economy, create jobs or build a prosperous future for our children," Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was to say. The country's first Indian-American governor, the 37-year-old is considered a rising star in national politics and was chosen to deliver the Republican rebuttal.

This week, Obama turned his focus to the country's ballooning federal deficit - forecast to reach 1.5 trillion dollars this year - which he promised to cut in half by the end of his first four-year term in office.

"Everyone in this chamber - Democrats and Republicans - will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars," Obama said, according to the excerpts.

A full budget outline for 2010 and beyond will be presented Thursday to Congress.

Obama's speech marks a shift to a more positive tone in an effort to reverse the pessimistic economic outlook of many Americans after a year-long contraction in the world's largest economy. The New York- based Conference Board earlier Tuesday said that consumer confidence had tumbled to a record low this month.

"The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation," Obama said.

"What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face and take responsibility for our future once more."

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reinforced Obama's positive message earlier Tuesday, telling a Senate hearing that the economy could emerge from recession by the end of this year. (dpa)