Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives asserting her future plans. Below are the Speaker’s remarks:
Speaker Pelosi. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as we collect right here, we stand on sacred floor: the Chamber of the United States House of Representatives, the guts of American Democracy.
I’ll always remember the primary time I noticed the Capitol.
It was on a chilly January day, after I was six years outdated. My father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was about to be sworn in for his fifth time period in Congress – representing our beloved hometown of Baltimore.
I used to be using within the automobile with my brothers, and so they have been thrilled and leaping up and down and saying to me, ‘Nancy, Nancy, look – there’s the Capitol!’
And I maintain – each time I’d say, ‘I don’t see any capital. Is it a capital A, a capital B or a capital C?’
[Laughter]
And lastly, I noticed it: a surprising white constructing with a powerful dome.
I believed then, as I imagine as we speak, that is essentially the most lovely constructing on the earth – due to what it represents.
The Capitol is a temple of our Democracy, of our Constitution, of our highest beliefs.
[Applause]
On that day, I stood with my father on this Floor as he took a sacred oath: to assist and defend the Constitution of the United States – in opposition to all enemies, international and home.
All of us who’ve served on this House have taken the hallowed oath of workplace. And it’s the oath that stitches us collectively in an extended and storied heritage: colleagues who served earlier than us are all our colleagues.
Colleagues like Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Webster. Shirley Chisholm. Patsy Mink. Our beloved John Lewis.
Personally, it binds me as a colleague to my father, a proud New Deal Congressman and one of many earliest Italian Americans to serve within the Congress.
And that is an oath we’re duty-bound to maintain – and hyperlinks us with the best aspirations of the ages.
In this room, our colleagues throughout historical past have abolished slavery; granted girls the proper to vote; established Social Security and Medicare; provided a hand to the weak, care to the sick, training to the younger and hope to the numerous.
Indeed, it’s right here, underneath the gaze of our patriarch George Washington within the People’s House, that now we have accomplished the People’s work.
My colleagues, I stand earlier than you as Speaker of the House. As a spouse. A mom. A grandmother. A religious Catholic. A proud Democrat. And a patriotic American: a citizen of the best Republic within the historical past of the world.
[Applause]
Which President Lincoln known as the final, greatest hope on earth.
Indeed, within the phrases attributed to a different certainly one of our colleagues, the legendary Daniel Webster, he stated: ‘Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution of your country and the government established under it. Miracles do not cluster. That which has happened but once in 6,000 years cannot be expected to happen often.’
Indeed, American Democracy is majestic – however it’s fragile.
Many of us right here have witnessed its fragility firsthand – tragically, on this Chamber.
And so, Democracy should be ceaselessly defended from forces that want it hurt.
Last week, the American folks spoke. And their voices have been raised in protection of liberty, of the rule of regulation and of Democracy itself.
[Applause]
With these elections, the folks stood within the breach and repelled the assault on Democracy. They resoundingly rejected violence and riot. And in doing so, ‘gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.’
[Applause]
And now, we owe to the American folks our perfect to ship on their religion. To ceaselessly attain for the extra good union: the wonderful horizon that our Founders promised.
The questions earlier than this Congress and on this second are pressing.
Questions about beliefs that this House is charged by the Constitution to protect and defend: ‘establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Liberty, to ourselves and our Posterity.’
Our Posterity. Our kids. Babies born as we speak will dwell into the subsequent century. And our choices will decide their future – for generations to come back.
While we could have our disagreements on coverage, we should stay totally dedicated to our shared, basic mission: to carry robust to our most treasured Democratic beliefs, to cherish the spark of divinity in every certainly one of us, and to all the time put our Country first.
In their infinite knowledge, our Founders gave us their steering: E Pluribus Unum, from many, one.
They couldn’t have imagined how giant our nation would develop into – or how totally different we is likely to be from each other. But they knew that we needed to be united as one.
We The People: One Country, One Destiny.
It has been with nice satisfaction, in my 35 years within the House, I’ve seen this physique develop extra reflective of our nice nation, our lovely nation.
[Applause]
When I got here to the Congress in 1987, there have been 12 Democratic girls. Now, there are over 90. And we would like extra!
[Applause]
The new Members of our Democratic Caucus will probably be about 75 p.c girls, folks of coloration and LGBTQ.
And now we have introduced extra voices to the decision-making desk. When I entered Leadership in 2002, there have been eight of us. Today, there are seventeen Members of the Leadership.
When I first got here to the Floor at six years outdated, by no means would I’ve thought that sometime I might go from homemaker to House Speaker.
[Applause]
In truth, I by no means supposed to run for public workplace.
Mommy and Daddy taught us via their instance that public service is a noble calling – and that all of us have a accountability to assist others. In our household, my brother Tommy then grew to become Mayor of Baltimore additionally.
But it has been my privilege to play an element in forging extraordinary progress for the American folks. I’ve loved working with three Presidents, attaining:
Historic investments in clear vitality with President George Bush.
[Applause]
Transformative well being care reform with President Barack Obama.
[Applause]
And forging the long run – from infrastructure to well being care to local weather motion – with President Joe Biden.
[Applause]
Now, we should transfer boldly into the long run: grounded by the rules which have propelled us this far and open to contemporary prospects for the long run.
Scripture teaches us that: ‘For everything there is a season – a time for every purpose under heaven.’
My buddies, it doesn’t matter what title you all, my colleagues, have bestowed upon me – Speaker, Leader, Whip – there isn’t a better official honor for me than to face on this Floor and to talk for the folks of San Francisco.
This I’ll proceed to do as a Member of the House: talking for the folks of San Francisco, serving the nice State of California and defending our Constitution.
And with nice confidence in our Caucus, I cannot search re-election to Democratic Leadership within the subsequent Congress.
For me, the hour has come for a brand new era to steer the Democratic Caucus that I so deeply respect.
And I’m grateful that so many are prepared and keen to shoulder this superior accountability.
Madam Speaker: standing right here as we speak, I’m endlessly grateful for all of life’s blessings.
For my Democratic colleagues, whose braveness and dedication – with the assist of your households – have made many of those accomplishments potential. In truth, couldn’t have been accomplished with out you.
For my pricey husband Paul, who has been my beloved associate in life and my pillar of assist. Thank you. We are grateful for the entire prayers and well-wishes as he continues his restoration. Thank you a lot.
[Applause]
For our darling kids, Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul and Alexandra.
And our grandchildren: Alexander and Madeleine; Liam, Sean and Ryan; Paul and Thomas; Bella and Octavio.
They are the thrill of our lives, for whom – and we’re so very, very happy with them and a consolation to us right now.
[Applause]
And for my sensible, devoted and patriotic employees, underneath the management of Terri McCullough. Together, working collectively, the best group of public servants the House has ever recognized. Thank you all a lot.
[Applause]
And once more, for individuals who despatched me right here, for the folks of San Francisco, for entrusting me with the excessive honor of being their voice in Congress.
In this continued work, I’ll attempt to honor the decision of the patron saint of our metropolis, Saint Francis: ‘Lord make me an instrument of thy peace.’
In this House, we start every day with a prayer and a pledge to the flag. And day-after-day, I’m in awe of the majestic miracle that’s American Democracy.
As we take part in an indicator of our Republic – the peaceable, orderly transition from one Congress to the subsequent – allow us to take into account the phrases of, once more, President Lincoln, spoken throughout certainly one of America’s darkest hours.
He known as upon us to come back collectively to ‘swell the chorus of the Union, when once again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.’
That, once more, is the duty at hand.
A brand new day is dawning on the horizon.
And I look ahead – all the time ahead – to the unfolding story of our nation.
A narrative of sunshine and love. Of patriotism and progress. Of many changing into one.
And, all the time, an unfinished mission to make the desires of as we speak the truth of tomorrow.
Thank you all – might God bless you and your households, and should God bless – proceed to bless – our veterans and the United States of America. Thank you all a lot.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”