But there is reason to believe that the time period may be cumulative rather than presumed consecutive. This is believed to be why Herbert Hoover was able to successfully run for president in 1928 after his return in 1917. Hoover went to China where he worked as a leading engineer for a private company. In June 1900, he got stuck in the middle of the Boxer Rebellion. He was in a settlement that had been under heavy fire for a month. In 1914, he was stationed in London when Germany declared war on France, then joined the American consul general in helping stranded tourists return home. Then he returned home and entrenched himself in government because President Wilson appointed Hoover as head of the Food Administration. He had not returned home for 14 consecutive years. The third and final requirement is that the President must be a natural born citizen of the United States of America. This is defined as a natural born citizen. With these powers come several responsibilities, including the constitutional obligation to “furnish from time to time to the Congress information concerning the state of the Union, and recommend for its consideration such measures as it shall deem necessary and expedient.” Although the President can fulfill this requirement in any way he chooses, Presidents traditionally give a State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress every January (except in inaugural years) outlining their agenda for the coming years.