[Pages H2-H7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          ELECTION OF SPEAKER

  The CLERK. Pursuant to law and precedent, the next order of business 
is the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 
119th Congress.
  Nominations are now in order.
  The Clerk recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain).
  Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Clerk, as chair of the Republican Conference, I am 
directed by the vote of that Conference to present for election to the 
Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 119th 
Congress the name

[[Page H3]]

of the Honorable   Mike Johnson, a Representative-elect from the State 
of Louisiana.
  Mr. Clerk, I thank you and my fellow colleagues. As the chair of the 
Republican Conference, I am directed by the vote of that Conference to 
present for election to the office of the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives for the 119th Congress the name of the Honorable   Mike 
Johnson, a Representative from the State of Louisiana.
  Welcome, everybody. I am optimistic about our future. On November 5, 
the American people gave us a great opportunity to get America back on 
the right track. They gave us an opportunity to get back to normal and 
to get back to the real issues that the country faces right now. People 
want the opportunity to take care of their families. They simply want 
to provide for their children and give them a prosperous future.
  Mr. Clerk, we have the opportunity today to do just that. We have an 
opportunity to take our country back. With Speaker   Mike Johnson, 
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and President Donald J. Trump in 
charge, we have the opportunity to put America first again.
  We have an opportunity to do something about crime; we have an 
opportunity to do something about the border; and we have an 
opportunity to take care of our veterans. We--every single Member in 
this Chamber and those of you watching at home on TV--should be looking 
forward knowing that America will be respected again.
  Our country is the last bastion of hope. If we fail, then who?
  This is why we are focused on the issues that the majority of 
Americans care about: God, family, country, faith, freedom, and 
traditional American values. We should be making it easier for people 
to achieve the American Dream.
  Over 14 months ago,   Mike Johnson took on a daunting task. No 
Speaker is perfect, and no one will ever be. However, achieving 
perfection requires incremental gains and hard decisions along the way. 
None of us will get exactly what we want. The fundamental collective 
goal of this body is to make progress for the American people in which 
we represent, and we have done just that under Mike's leadership.
  We should be celebrating and building upon his efforts, our efforts. 
Mike has remained the same kind and caring person as he was before he 
assumed this role. He is an honest broker. He shows you his true 
beliefs at face value. He is steadfast in his values of faith, family, 
and love of this country. He knows our brightest days are still ahead 
of us; and I do, too.
  I am hopeful for the next Congress. I am optimistic that we will 
focus on those issues that people truly care about. I know Mike will be 
an integral part of this country's comeback. He will lead us through 
another successful Republican majority. As chairwoman of the unified 
House Republican Conference, I can say proudly that we are ready to 
govern.
  It is my honor to present our Conference's nominee for the Speaker of 
the people's House, the Honorable   Mike Johnson from the State of 
Louisiana.

                              {time}  1245

  The CLERK. The Clerk now recognizes the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Aguilar).
  Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Clerk, I have had a little bit of practice and, 
clearly, my colleagues took notice.
  I rise to place a name in nomination, but, first, I acknowledge my 
colleague from Michigan (Mrs. McClain) for her heartfelt and personal 
nominating speech. As someone who has given a few of these, I can say 
Representative McClain served her Conference well.
  Mr. Clerk, today I rise on behalf of the governing majority of the 
House of Representatives. The American people have sent a strong 
message that they want their elected leaders working together to tackle 
the affordability crisis. There is only one leader in this Chamber with 
the track record of compromise, conviction, and compassion.
  There is only one leader who understands the needs of the working 
people, who has lived the American Dream himself, and who is committed 
to ensuring its promise for future generations. There is only one 
leader who knows how to negotiate a bipartisan deal and then stick to 
that deal.
  House Democrats are united behind the most powerful legislative 
leader in this Chamber, Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn. House Democrats, 
under the leadership of Hakeem Jeffries, are committed to 
bipartisanship and commonsense solutions to America's most pressing 
challenges.
  In the face of chaos and dysfunction over the last 2 years, our 
Caucus has kept the government funded, kept our allies protected, and 
the economy secured from the catastrophic default.
  In the 119th Congress, we will work with the incoming administration 
to make life better, safer, and more affordable for working families. 
The incoming administration must also recognize that while my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle are divided and while 
compromise remains a dirty word for so many, Congress won't be able to 
keep the lights on, let alone pass anything of substance, without the 
buy-in and blessing of House Democrats and Hakeem Jeffries.
  Make no mistake, Democrats want to bring down the cost of living, 
build more housing, and lower the cost of everyday items, like food, 
medicine, and childcare. Even as the extreme rhetoric rises in this 
Chamber and in the public square, we will not stop advocating for the 
policies that do the most good for the most people.
  Because of Hakeem's leadership, we will never abandon our values or 
sacrifice our bedrock principles of freedom and democracy. When 
America's enemies abroad threatened our democratic ally Ukraine, when 
terrorists attacked our strongest ally, Israel, it was Hakeem Jeffries 
and House Democrats who delivered the votes and stood tall for 
America's national security.
  When the least, the lost, and the left behind were threatened with 
devastating cuts, Hakeem Jeffries stood with America's mothers, 
children, and veterans. When the incoming administration wanted to 
raise the debt limit by trillions of dollars in order to finance tax 
cuts for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected, leaving 
middle-class families to pay for the bill and leaving them high and 
dry, Hakeem Jeffries didn't just say no, he said hell no. That is why 
there is only one true candidate today for Speaker.
  Mr. Clerk, I am honored to rise today at the direction of the House 
Democratic Caucus to place into nomination for election to the position 
of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the pride of Brooklyn, 
the gentleman from New York (Hakeem Jeffries).
  The CLERK. The names of the Honorable   Mike Johnson, a 
Representative-elect from the State of Louisiana, and the Honorable 
Hakeem Jeffries, a Representative-elect from the State of New York, 
have been placed in nomination.
  Are there further nominations?
  There being no further nominations, the Clerk appoints the following 
tellers:
  The gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx);
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle);
  The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil); and
  The gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres).
  The tellers will come forward and take their seats at the desk in 
front of the Speaker's rostrum.
  The roll will now be called, and those responding to their names will 
indicate by surname the nominee of their choosing.
  The Reading Clerk will now call the roll.
  The tellers having taken their places, the House proceeded to vote 
for the Speaker.
  The following is the result of the vote:

                              [Roll No. 2]

                           JOHNSON (LA)--218

     Aderholt
     Alford
     Allen
     Amodei (NV)
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Barr
     Barrett
     Baumgartner
     Bean (FL)
     Begich
     Bentz
     Bergman
     Bice
     Biggs (AZ)
     Biggs (SC)
     Bilirakis
     Boebert
     Bost
     Brecheen
     Bresnahan
     Buchanan
     Burchett
     Burlison
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Carey
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Ciscomani
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Cole
     Collins
     Comer
     Crane
     Crank
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Davidson
     De La Cruz
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Donalds
     Downing
     Dunn (FL)
     Edwards
     Ellzey
     Emmer
     Estes
     Evans (CO)
     Ezell
     Fallon

[[Page H4]]


     Fedorchak
     Feenstra
     Finstad
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Flood
     Fong
     Foxx
     Franklin, Scott
     Fry
     Fulcher
     Garbarino
     Gill (TX)
     Gimenez
     Goldman (TX)
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gooden
     Gosar
     Graves
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hageman
     Hamadeh (AZ)
     Haridopolos
     Harrigan
     Harris (MD)
     Harris (NC)
     Harshbarger
     Hern (OK)
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill (AR)
     Hinson
     Houchin
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Hunt
     Hurd (CO)
     Issa
     Jack
     Jackson (TX)
     James
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kean
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Kennedy (UT)
     Kiggans (VA)
     Kiley (CA)
     Kim
     Knott
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaLota
     LaMalfa
     Langworthy
     Latta
     Lawler
     Lee (FL)
     Letlow
     Loudermilk
     Lucas
     Luna
     Luttrell
     Mace
     Mackenzie
     Malliotakis
     Maloy
     Mann
     Mast
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClintock
     McCormick
     McDowell
     McGuire
     Messmer
     Meuser
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (OH)
     Miller (WV)
     Miller-Meeks
     Mills
     Moolenaar
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (NC)
     Moore (UT)
     Moore (WV)
     Moran
     Murphy
     Nehls
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Nunn (IA)
     Obernolte
     Ogles
     Onder
     Owens
     Palmer
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Reschenthaler
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rulli
     Rutherford
     Salazar
     Scalise
     Schmidt
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Self
     Sessions
     Shreve
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Stauber
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Strong
     Stutzman
     Taylor
     Tenney
     Thompson (PA)
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Turner (OH)
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Van Orden
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Westerman
     Wied
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yakym
     Zinke

                             JEFFRIES--215

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Amo
     Ansari
     Auchincloss
     Balint
     Barragan
     Beatty
     Bell
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop
     Bonamici
     Boyle (PA)
     Brown
     Brownley
     Budzinski
     Bynum
     Carbajal
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Casar
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Cisneros
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Conaway
     Connolly
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crockett
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Davids (KS)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (NC)
     Dean (PA)
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deluzio
     DeSaulnier
     Dexter
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Elfreth
     Escobar
     Espaillat
     Evans (PA)
     Fields
     Figures
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Foushee
     Frankel, Lois
     Friedman
     Frost
     Garamendi
     Garcia (CA)
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Gillen
     Golden (ME)
     Goldman (NY)
     Gomez
     Gonzalez, V.
     Goodlander
     Gottheimer
     Gray
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Himes
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hoyle (OR)
     Huffman
     Ivey
     Jackson (IL)
     Jacobs
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (TX)
     Kamlager-Dove
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy (NY)
     Khanna
     Krishnamoorthi
     Landsman
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latimer
     Lee (NV)
     Lee (PA)
     Leger Fernandez
     Levin
     Liccardo
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Lynch
     Magaziner
     Mannion
     Matsui
     McBath
     McBride
     McClain Delaney
     McClellan
     McCollum
     McDonald Rivet
     McGarvey
     McGovern
     McIver
     Meeks
     Menendez
     Meng
     Mfume
     Min
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Morrison
     Moskowitz
     Moulton
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Nadler
     Neal
     Neguse
     Norcross
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Olszewski
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pelosi
     Perez
     Peters
     Pettersen
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Pou
     Pressley
     Quigley
     Ramirez
     Randall
     Raskin
     Riley (NY)
     Rivas
     Ross
     Ruiz
     Ryan
     Salinas
     Sanchez
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schneider
     Scholten
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simon
     Smith (WA)
     Sorensen
     Soto
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Subramanyam
     Suozzi
     Swalwell
     Sykes
     Takano
     Thanedar
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tokuda
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Tran
     Turner (TX)
     Underwood
     Vargas
     Vasquez
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Vindman
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Whitesides
     Williams (GA)
     Wilson (FL)
       

                                EMMER--1

       
     Massie
       

                        ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--0

                             NOT VOTING--0


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Ms. PLASKETT. (During the vote). Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary 
inquiry.
  I note that the names of the Representatives from American Samoa, 
Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and 
the District of Columbia were not called, representing collectively 4 
million Americans who are, collectively, the largest per capita of 
veterans in this country.
  The CLERK. Does the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands have a 
parliamentary inquiry?
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Chair, I ask why they were not called--from the 
Parliamentarian, please.
  The CLERK. Delegates-elect and the Resident Commissioner-elect are 
not qualified to vote.
  Representatives-elect are the only individuals qualified to vote in 
the election of a Speaker. As provided in section 36 of the House Rules 
and Manual, the Speaker is elected by a majority of the Members-elect 
voting by surname.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, this body and this Nation have a territory 
and a Colony problem.
  What was supposed to be temporary has now effectively become 
permanent.
  The CLERK. The gentlewoman is no longer recognized.
  Ms. PLASKETT. We must do something about this problem so that these--
  The CLERK. The gentlewoman is no longer recognized.
  Ms. PLASKETT.--4 million--I may not have a vote, but I have a voice--
and my vote for the Speaker of the Virgin Islands is for Hakeem 
Jeffries.

                              {time}  1433

  The CLERK. The tellers agree in their tallies that the total number 
of votes cast is 434, of which the Honorable   Mike Johnson of the 
State of Louisiana has received 218 votes, and the Honorable Hakeem 
Jeffries of the State of New York has received 215 votes, and the 
Honorable   Tom Emmer of the State of Minnesota has received 1 vote.
  Therefore, the Honorable   Mike Johnson of the State of Louisiana, 
having received a majority of the votes cast, is duly elected Speaker 
of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Nineteenth 
Congress.
  The Clerk appoints the following committee to escort the Speaker-
elect to the chair:
  The gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise);
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries);
  The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Emmer);
  The gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark);
  The gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain);
  The gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar);
  The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson);
  The gentleman from California (Mr. Lieu);
  The gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Hern);
  The gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse);
  The gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore);
  The gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. DelBene);
  The gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin);
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle);
  The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Reschenthaler);
  The gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell);
  And the Members of the Louisiana delegation:
  Mr. Higgins
  Ms. Letlow
  Mr. Carter
  Mr. Fields
  The committee will retire from the Chamber to escort the Speaker-
elect to the chair.

                              {time}  1445

  The Sergeant at Arms announced the Speaker-elect of the House of 
Representatives of the 119th Congress, who was escorted to the chair by 
the Committee of Escort.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Speaker Johnson, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, it is great to 
see you back in the Chamber.
  Whip Clark, Chairman Aguilar, thank you for your kind and generous 
words of nomination.
  To my colleagues in government, new Members of Congress, families, 
friends, all those assembled, it is a high honor and a distinct 
privilege to welcome you to the people's House and the 119th Congress.
  The Bible teaches us, in Ecclesiastes 3:1, ``For everything there is 
a season

[[Page H5]]

and a time for every matter under Heaven.''
  It is fair to say that in a democracy there is a time to campaign and 
a time to govern. The election is over. This is a new Congress. The 
American people need us as their elected Representatives in this season 
to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares.
  It is a time for us to come together, not as Democrats or Republicans 
but as Americans, to get things done for the people.
  In that spirit, House Democrats will work hard to find bipartisan 
common ground with our Republican colleagues and the incoming 
administration on any issue, whenever and wherever possible, in order 
to make life better for everyday Americans.
  For far too long in this country, the cost of living has gone up, but 
the size of the middle class has come down. Housing costs are too high. 
Grocery costs are too high. Childcare costs are too high. Insurance 
costs are too high. Utility costs are too high. America is too 
expensive.
  There are far too many people in this great country who, for decades, 
have been struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. That is not 
acceptable in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.
  We need to build an affordable economy for hardworking American 
taxpayers, and we need to build it now.
  It is time for us to come together and finally lower the high cost of 
living in the United States of America once and for all, and we will 
work with anyone of any party to get that done.
  We will work with anyone to secure our borders, and we will work with 
anyone to fix our broken immigration system in a comprehensive and 
bipartisan manner.
  At the same period of time, we will push back against far-right 
extremism whenever necessary.
  So, let me be clear: Social Security and Medicare are not entitlement 
programs. They are earned benefits. Hardworking American taxpayers pay 
into Social Security and Medicare every day, every week, every month, 
every year throughout their entire adult life. They have earned those 
benefits, worked hard for those benefits, and deserve those benefits.
  So, as Democrats, our promise to the American people is that we will 
fight hard to make sure that no one in this town takes away Social 
Security or Medicare from the American people, not now, not ever. No 
means never.

                              {time}  1500

  Our position is that it is not acceptable to cut Social Security, cut 
Medicare, cut Medicaid, cut veterans' benefits, or cut nutritional 
assistance from children and families in order to pay for massive tax 
breaks for billionaires and wealthy corporations.
  House Democrats will fight hard to protect working-class Americans 
and the things that matter to them, not the wealthy, the well-off, and 
the well-connected. Keep your hands off Social Security and Medicare.
  Over the last 4 years, it has been a great honor for us to work 
alongside President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris whose 
administration rescued the economy from a once-in-a-century pandemic; 
delivered historic infrastructure investment; created more than 15 
million good-paying jobs; enacted commonsense gun safety legislation 
for the first time in 30 years; provided life-sustaining health 
insurance to veterans suffering from toxic exposure; championed the 
largest investment in combating the climate crisis in the history of 
the world, which we will defend; and brought down the high price of 
lifesaving prescription drugs for millions of Americans.
  Thank you, President Biden and Vice President Harris, for your 
powerful, principled, and purposeful public service. Thank you.
  Two months ago, the American people elected Donald Trump as the 47th 
President of the United States of America.
  Thank you for that very generous applause. It is okay. There are no 
election deniers on our side of the aisle. You see, one should love 
America when you win and when you lose. That is the patriotic thing to 
do, and that is the America that House Democrats will fight hard to 
preserve because we love this country.
  America is bigger than any one campaign, any one election, or any one 
individual. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. 
Let us never forget that our country is free not simply because we are 
strong; America is strong because we are free.
  That freedom is now under assault. There are some in this country who 
apparently believe that the freedom of economic opportunity that made 
them wealthy should not apply to everyone else. Our message to that 
crowd is simple: Democrats will never abandon the long walk toward 
freedom.
  We will fight hard to defend the freedom of opportunity that makes 
the American Dream possible. We will fight hard for the freedom to vote 
and to fight for a government of the people, by the people, and for the 
people. We will fight for the freedom to organize and join a union of 
your choice. We will fight to defend the free enterprise system. We 
will work hard to make sure that it actually works for working-class 
Americans. We will always defend a woman's freedom to make her own 
reproductive healthcare decisions.
  America promises one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and 
justice for all. That is the America House Democrats will fight hard to 
preserve.
  God bless you, God bless the House of Representatives, and may God 
continue to bless the United States of America.
  It is now my responsibility to present the gavel to the gentleman 
from the great State of Louisiana, the son of a firefighter, a God-
fearing man, a husband, and a loving father of four, the 56th Speaker 
of the United States House of Representatives, the Honorable Mike 
Johnson.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Thank you, Leader Jeffries and all of our 
treasured colleagues here in the House.
  I am grateful for this nomination. I am grateful for this election, 
for the confidence this Chamber has placed in me. It is the great honor 
of my life to serve this body with all of you.
  Of course, these are difficult days in our home State of Louisiana 
where I come from. We all know about the terrorist attack in New 
Orleans. It has really shaken our State. People are reeling from that 
attack. It took the lives of 14 innocent people, and it injured dozens 
more.
  I want to begin appropriately today. I would ask you all to join me 
in a moment of silence for the victims of this horrific act.
  Thank you. Thank you for that.
  I believe in giving honor where honor is due, and all of us do well 
to honor our spouses. My wife happens to be here this time. She didn't 
make it last time. It happened suddenly.
  Kelly, would you stand up, up here in the gallery. Thank you.
  We have our four children here: Hannah, Abby, Jack, and Will. Stand 
up quickly.
  I wanted to do that. All of us recognize that there are no perks to 
being a Congressman's kid, right? It is all sacrifice. Our spouses put 
up with so much, the endless hours of travel and all of the 
responsibilities upon us. We are good to remind them how important they 
are to us and how we could not do the job without them. It is 
appropriate for all of us to do that. Thank you.
  This is a momentous time in the history of our Nation; it really is. 
As Members of the 119th Congress, we are stewards of the great American 
Revolution that began almost exactly now 250 years ago, 1775 and 1776. 
It will fall at the time of this Congress, the great anniversary.
  In these two-and-a-half centuries, we have been reminded repeatedly 
that freedom is never free. We have stood tall, as the greatest Nation 
on the face of the Earth. It is without debate: We are the freest, the 
most powerful, and most benevolent Nation that has ever been in the 
history of the world.
  It is not by happenstance. We are the ones who settled the West. We 
are the ones who ended slavery, who laid the transcontinental railroad, 
who gave women the right to vote, who won two world wars, who landed on 
the Moon, and who won the Cold War.
  Throughout our history, we have done what no one thought was 
possible, and still, at 250 years old, our Nation is actually a young 
Nation.
  This past fall, I had an opportunity to go to the G7 Speakers Meeting 
that was held in Italy. It is the only international trip I took as 
Speaker over

[[Page H6]]

the last 14 months because I didn't have time. It was a quick 3-day 
jaunt. I met with my colleagues, the speakers of the other parliaments, 
the great governments around the world. We talked about that, how 
really special America is, how unique we are in our place on the globe, 
and how important it is for us to maintain that.
  As I talked to these colleagues from around the world, I thought 
about our closest allies who recognize how important we are, how 
important this body, this House, is. I thought about how is it that 
such a young country has become so exceptional, so singular in its 
importance, that today stands as the world's leader in liberty, the 
economy, and culture.
  One hundred years ago, President Calvin Coolidge answered that very 
question in his inaugural address. It was March of a hundred years ago 
exactly, almost.
  He said this: ``We can best serve our own country and most 
successfully discharge our obligations to humanity by continuing to be 
openly and candidly, intensely and scrupulously, American.''
  I love that. That is right. That is an applause line.
  Today, my friends, our Nation is the envy of the world. Why?
  Because we have been marked by a spirit and a people who are 
explicitly that. We are explicitly American. We don't try to be like 
other nations, and we recognize that a strong America is good for the 
entire world. Everybody around the globe knows that. That is right.
  We also recognize that the core principles that made America what we 
are must still be preserved today. I call them the seven core 
principles of American conservatism, but it is really the seven core 
principles of the Nation itself: individual freedom, limited 
government, the rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal 
responsibility, free markets, and human dignity. These are the 
ingredients, the things that made us who we are.
  In America, we know that human flourishing is best achieved by 
adherence to time-tested truths. We can list a number of those simple 
truths.
  Here are a couple: It is better to give a hand up than a handout. 
Innovation thrives when bureaucracy dies.
  The simple truth is that it is parents and families, not 
administrators, that must be in charge of their children's education.
  The path of prosperity has long been paved with policies that put 
America and Americans first, and that is what we will champion in the 
119th Congress.
  We have a mandate that was shown in the election cycle. The people 
want an America First agenda. They do.
  Sadly, for the past 4 years of divided government, too many 
politicians in Washington have done the opposite. Open borders and 
overregulation have destroyed our cities and stifled innovation. 
Inflation and weak leadership have left Americans poorer and have 
placed our country in a perilous position. That is right.
  In recent months, we have witnessed something happening, something 
that is really remarkable: a political moment in our modern history, a 
groundswell of Americans from every State, race, and religion who now 
demand that we put the interests of Americans first again, and we will.

                              {time}  1515

  This is a powerful new coalition of our country. It is a coalition 
that insists that we purge the policies of America last and we bury it 
in the graveyard of history's mistakes because it was a big mistake.
  To that end, this Congress will renounce the status quo, and we will 
listen to the voices of the people. We will act quickly, and we will 
start by defending our Nation's borders. That is the number one 
priority.
  In coordination with President Trump, this Congress will give our 
border and immigration enforcement agents the resources that they need 
to do their job. We will secure the border. We will deport dangerous, 
criminal illegal aliens and, finally, finish building the border wall.
  You said that you would work with us on that, Hakeem. I am counting 
on it.
  After 4 years of high inflation, we have a big agenda. We have a lot 
to do, and we can do it in a bipartisan fashion. We can fight high 
inflation, and we must. We will give relief to Americans, and we will 
extend the Trump tax cuts.
  We are going to protect our industries from one-sided trade deals, 
and we are going to bring overseas investments back to America's 
shores.
  We will defeat the harmful effects of inflation, and we will make 
life affordable again for America's hardworking people.
  As leaders of a nation with vast natural resources that God has 
blessed us with, it is our duty to restore America's energy dominance. 
That is what we will do.
  We have to apply common sense. We have to stop the attacks on 
liquefied natural gas and pass legislation to eliminate the funding of 
the Green New Deal. We are going to expedite new drilling permits.
  We are going to save the jobs of our auto manufacturers, and we are 
going to do that by ending the ridiculous EV mandates.
  As heirs to the American Revolution and the descendants of patriots 
who defied tyranny, in the coming months we are going to pass 
legislation to roll back the totalitarian fourth branch of government 
known as the administrative state.
  We are going to drastically cut back the size and scope of 
government. We are going to return the power back to the people, and in 
coordination with President Trump and his administration, we are going 
to create a leaner, faster, and more efficient Federal workforce. We 
need to do that.
  Our people do not deserve to be ruled by millions of bureaucrats they 
have never voted for, never met, and can never hold accountable. They 
deserve a government that is led by those whom they have elected to 
lead. That is how Article I is supposed to work. That was the idea of 
the Congress, and we will return to that principle.
  The American people have called on us to reject business as usual and 
throw out the status quo. We must, and we will, heed their call.
  This is especially important as it comes to our Nation's military. 
For too long, the Washington establishment has sought to appease and 
accommodate our Nation's adversaries. They have tried to replace our 
military warriors with social justice warriors. It does not work.
  While we are still the most powerful fighting force in the history of 
the world, by God's grace, the same establishment has eroded the 
capacities of our Army and Navy and diminished the readiness of our Air 
Force. We have to put an end to this madness.
  I say to my friends and my colleagues: I think we should all unite in 
this idea. It is time now to reinstate fear in our enemies, refocus our 
mission on lethality, and realign our commitment to peace through 
strength.
  We have to prioritize the things that matter most. We have to make 
adequate investments in defense. This is the most dangerous moment 
since World War II, and everyone around the world is looking to America 
and looking to this body to ensure that we maintain the peace.
  What we are proposing now is just simply, as President Trump likes to 
say, a return to common sense, and he is exactly right. That message 
resonated across the country.
  I am very thankful personally that this body is filled with men and 
women who are committed to that change, to return to common sense. We 
can do this together. We should. It is our responsibility to do so.
  When I first took this gavel, many of you heard me say that I don't 
believe in luck or consequence. I believe in the idea of providence. 
Early this morning, I participated with many of you in the 119th 
Congress interfaith prayer service. It was held at Saint Peter's 
Catholic Church. Many of you were there. It was an ecumenical service 
and a bipartisan service, which was great. My good friend, Hakeem 
Jeffries, began by reading from the Old Testament. He read out of 
Deuteronomy 10. Then, I was asked to provide a prayer for the Nation. I 
offered one that is quite familiar to historians and probably many of 
us.
  It says right here in the program under my name that this is the 
prayer that was said each day of his 8 years of the Presidency and 
every day thereafter until his death, President Thomas

[[Page H7]]

Jefferson recited this prayer. I wanted to share it with you here at 
the end of my remarks not as a prayer per se right now but really as a 
reminder of what our third President and the primary author of the 
Declaration of Independence thought was so important that it should be 
a daily recitation.
  Let me just read you Thomas Jefferson's prayer for the Nation:
  Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage, we 
humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful 
of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable 
ministry, sound learning, and pure manners.
  Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and 
arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion 
into one united people the multitude brought hither out of many 
kindreds and tongues.

  Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those to whom in Thy name we entrust 
the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at 
home and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy 
praise among the nations of the Earth.
  In time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the 
day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail, of which we ask 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
  Amen.
  That was Thomas Jefferson's prayer.
  Suffer not our trust in Thee to fail. We will not fail, and we cannot 
fail. We are all in this together. Our Nation is counting on us to band 
together and solve these problems and get this done.
  I said before it is my belief that God has elevated each one of you 
to your positions of leadership, and it is an act of providence that 
you have all been placed in your specific roles in this specific moment 
at this historic time, at the 250-year inflection point of the greatest 
nation in the history of the world. It is no small thing.
  We are also witnesses to the providence that spirited our incoming 
President, President Trump, from the assassin's bullet, as remarkable 
as that was, and to the new coalition of Americans who has risen from 
every creed, color, and cul-de-sac who want us to put America first.
  Our people are asking for a thriving economy, a rebuilt middle class, 
strong borders, and a strong military. We can deliver that. These 
objectives and these aims do not have an ``R'' or a ``D'' behind them. 
They have a ``USA.'' That is what we are about.
  In just a few moments, we are all going to take an oath. It is the 
same one oath for one nation and under the banner of one great American 
flag. This is an opportunity for us to protect our shared American 
heritage, to maintain the conditions needed for self-government, and to 
defend what Hakeem said earlier, the rights to life, liberty, and the 
pursuit of happiness.
  Working together, we have the potential to be one of the most 
consequential Congresses in the history of this great Nation so long as 
we work together, we do the right thing, and we put America first.
  As we think about all we have accomplished in the past 250 years, we 
can only imagine what life will be like 250 years from now.
  Whatever the future may look like, if we do our jobs now, then we can 
help ensure that our civic virtues will endure, that this Nation will 
still be an example to all the world for its greatness and its example 
of self-government, and that, in spite of our great challenges and even 
our disagreements and our healthy debates, this extraordinary 
institution, the people's House, will still be standing strong.
  I thank you all so much, and God bless America.
  So, as the sequence of events requires, I am now ready to take the 
oath of office.
  I ask the dean of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Harold 
Rogers of Kentucky, to administer the oath of office.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, number one, congratulations are 
in order.
  Today, we celebrate our shared American self-rule.
  When our Founding Fathers rejected calls for an American king and 
chose a bold and innovative government of self-rule, it was met by 
opposition, understandably, by the world's kings. They said that you 
can't govern yourself. You need a king to direct the country. They said 
self-rule is only a dream. The Founding Fathers said that you are 
right. It is the American Dream.
  Thus, our Founders said that we should move on our own with our own 
leadership. The Speaker of the House is the critical protector and 
promoter of self-rule, the keeper of the dream, if you will.
  We have elected this man from Louisiana to carry on our bold 
experiment in democracy and self-rule.
  So, sir, if you are ready to assume this awesome responsibility, 
please raise your right hand.
  Mr. Rogers of Kentucky then administered the oath of office to Mr. 
Johnson of Louisiana, as follows:
  Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support and defend the 
Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and 
domestic; that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; 
that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or 
purpose of evasion; and that you will well and faithfully discharge the 
duties of the office on which you are about to enter, so help you God.
  (Applause, the Members rising.)
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Congratulations, Mr. Speaker.

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