INTO THE NIGHT AND WE’LL STAY AS
LONG AS IT TAKES.
OUR PURPOSE WILL BE
ACCOMPLISHED.
WE MUST, AND WE WILL, SHOW TO
THE COUNTRY AND, INDEED, TO THE
WORLD, THAT WE WILL NOT BE
DIVERTED FROM OUR DUTY.
THAT WE WILL RESPECT OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
CONSTITUTION AND TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
ON SUNDAY, IT WAS A GREAT -- MY
GREAT HONOR TO BE SWORN IN AS
SPEAKER AND TO PRESIDE OVER A
SACRED RITUAL OF RENEWAL.
AS WE GATHERED UNDER THE DOME OF
THE TEMPLE OF DEMOCRACY TO OPEN
THE 117th CONGRESS.
I SAID, AS WE WERE SWORN IN
THEN, WE ACCEPT A
RESPONSIBILITY, AS DAUNTING AND
DEMANDING AS ANY PREVIOUS
GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP HAS
EVER FACED.
WE KNOW THAT WE’RE IN DIFFICULT
TIMES.
BUT, LITTLE COULD WE HAVE
IMAGINED THE ASSAULT THAT WAS
MADE ON OUR DEMOCRACY, TODAY.
TO THOSE WHO -- TO TEAR US FROM
OUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOU HAVE
FAILED.
TO THOSE WHO ENGAGED IN THE
GLEEFUL DESECRATION OF THIS, OUR
TEMPLE OF DEMOCRACY, AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.
TODAY, JANUARY 6th, IS THE
EPIPHANY.
ON THIS DAY OF REVELATION, LET
US PRAY THAT THIS INSTIGATION TO
VIOLENCE WILL PROVIDE AN
EPIPHANY FOR OUR COUNTRY TO
HEAL.
IN THAT SPIRIT OF HEALING, I
EVOKE THE SONG OF ST. FRANCIS.
I USUALLY DO.
ST. FRANCIS IS THE PATRON SAINT
OF MY CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO AND
IS OUR ANTHEM.
LORD, MAKE ME A CHANNEL OF THY
PEACE.
WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, BRING
LIGHT.
WHERE THERE IS HATRED, LET US
BRING LOVE.
WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR, LET US
BRING HOPE.
WE KNOW THAT WE WOULD BE PART OF
HISTORY IN A POSITIVE WAY,
TODAY, EVERY FOUR YEARS WHEN WE
DEMONSTRATE, AGAIN, THE PEACEFUL
TRANSFER OF POWER.
FROM ONE PRESIDENT TO THE NEXT.
AND DESPITE THE SHAMEFUL ACTIONS
OF TODAY, WE STILL WILL DO SO.
WE WILL BE PART OF A HISTORY
THAT SHOWS THE WORLD WHAT
AMERICA IS MADE OF, THAT
THESE -- THIS ASSAULT -- THIS
ASSAULT IS JUST THAT.
IT SHOWS THE WEAKNESS OF THOSE
WHO’VE HAD TO SHOW, THROUGH
VIOLENCE, WHAT THEIR MESSAGE
WAS.
MY COLLEAGUES, IT’S TIME TO MOVE
ON.
I -- I WEAR THIS PIN, QUITE
FREQUENTLY,
FREQUENTLY.
ACTUALLY, I GAVE IT TO OUR
BELOVED JOHN LEWIS, JUST A
WEEKEND BEFORE -- WEEKEND OR SO
BEFORE HE LEFT US.
AND IT’S A FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
A FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
AND ON IT, IT SAYS, ONE COUNTRY,
ONE DESTINY.
ONE COUNTRY, ONE DESTINY.
WRITTEN ON THE FLAG.
THAT WAS, ALSO, WHAT WAS
EMBROIDERED ON ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S
COAT THAT HE HAD ON, THAT
FATEFUL NIGHT.
LINCOLN’S PARTY.
LINCOLN’S MESSAGE.
ONE COUNTRY, ONE DESTINY.
SO, ON THIS HOLY DAY OF
EPIPHANY, LET US PRAY.
I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN PRAYER.
LET US PRAY THAT THERE WILL BE
PEACE ON EARTH, AND THAT IT WILL
BEGIN WITH US.
LET US PRAY THAT GOD WILL
CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA.
AND WITH THAT, LET US PROCEED
WITH OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE
CONSTITUTION, TO WHICH WE HAVE