Nomination of Rep. Mike Johnson for Speaker of the House – Jan. 2, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. And thank you, colleagues. Mr. Clerk, 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. And, ladies and gentlemen, 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 and every single member in this chamber and those of you watching at home and 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. And 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's 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's 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.

"House Session - Opening Day of 119th Congress." C-SPAN video. Jan. 2, 2025. https://www.c-span.org/program/house-proceeding/house-session---opening-day-of-119th-congress/653842