House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Was re-elected to her leadership position on Sunday, despite an increasingly smaller Democratic majority in the House.
With Democrats holding a smaller majority than the previous Congress, Pelosi could only afford to have a small handful of lawmakers stand out and choose to write someone else. The final count was 216, with only two Democrats – Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Conor Lamb, D-Pa. – choose someone other than Pelosi and three other gifts with voting rights. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy received 209 votes from members of his own party.
Sunday also marked the inauguration of the 117th Congress. In a letter to colleagues on Sunday morning, Pelosi said that the new Congress will meet “at a time of extraordinary difficulty”.
“Each of our communities has been dramatically affected by the pandemic and the economic crisis: 350,000 tragic deaths, more than 20 million infections, millions without jobs – a number almost beyond comprehension,” she said. “Thank you for your generosity of spirit and patriotism in taking on this challenge for the people.”
“I am immensely grateful for the trust that members have placed in me,” she added. “I am confident that the election of the mayor today will show a united democratic bench, ready to face future challenges.”
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the speaker vote – which must be conducted in person – looks different from previous years. Members will be divided into separate groups, instead of having all elected representatives meeting in plenary at the same time. The roll-call vote, which started shortly after 2 pm ET, is underway.
Some members should not be present for the vote, including Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., Who is battling pancreatic cancer, and Rep. David Valadao, R-Ca., And Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R -Fla., Which recently tested positive for Covid-19.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Dr. Brian Monahan, Congressional assistant physician, announced the installation of an area above the floor of the Chamber for members exposed to Covid-19, but who have had a negative result so they can vote in person while they remain. quarantined. A Capitol official said two Democrats and a Republican are using this option. It is not yet known which members are doing this.
“The greatest possible safeguards have been implemented, including separate and improved ventilation in this space and separate retention facilities for any member using Gallery 4,” said Monahan. “This step will only be necessary until proxy voting is resumed as an option for affected Members.”
Pelosi won the previous 220 to 192 speaker vote over House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Senators also took an oath on Sunday. The ceremonies marked the end of David Perdue’s tenure in office. Perdue left his vacant position in Georgia until he or Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff is certified as the winner of one of the most watched Senate rounds in that state. Senator Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., Also faces a runoff on Tuesday, but she remains in her seat during the election because she was previously nominated to continue a term that does not expire on Sunday.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Kicked off the new year by recognizing the “challenging time” to come. McConnell is facing a growing contingent of Republican senators who plan to challenge the results of the Electoral College on Wednesday when Congress meets to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
“From political division to a deadly pandemic for opponents around the world, the obstacles before us are many and they are serious,” said McConnell, who has asked senators not to question the results. “But there are also many reasons for hope.”
The Senate now has 51 Republican and 48 Democratic senators after the inauguration ceremonies. If Democrats prevail in the second round of Georgia, that division will be 50-50, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris serving as a tiebreaker, giving Democrats a majority.
On Sunday, several Republican senators and Republican members of the House issued separate statements opposing the contestation of the election that their colleagues planned for Wednesday.
“Taking steps in another way – that is, unconstitutionally placing Congress at the center of the presidential election process – would be tantamount to stealing the power of the people and the states,” said seven House Republicans – including some of the most conservative members of the body – in your statement. “In fact, it would replace the electoral college with Congress and, in doing so, would strengthen the efforts of those on the left who are determined to eliminate it or make it irrelevant.”