0 before i proceed any further, let me begin by acknowledging the distinguish gently from the great state of california, the iconic, the herat, the legendar speaker ameritech, nancy bearra. nancy pelosi. is about how the gavel to kevin mccarthy, who on the 15th but was finally elected. >> speaker pelosi but without i history as the greatest speaker of all time. throughout her time in congress she has been the legendary legislator, a fabulous facilitator and a no nonsense negotiator. we know that nancy pelosi is a woman of faith at a loving wife and a mother grandmother of nine , a defender of democracy, a voice for the voiceless and a powerful champion for the children come of the climate charm city. the congress and the country an the constitution, thank you, madam speaker speaker for all that you have done it it is an honor to stand on your broad shoulders. as well as the shoulders of the great -- two consequential theaters in their own right. the scripture says in galatians let us not become weary. and doing good. for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not giv up. over the last two years, house democrats in partnership with president five and our colleagues in the set have been hard at work on behalf of the american people, getting big things done. we passed the american rescue plan, save the economy from a deep recession. put shots of arms and money in pockets and kids back in school. past the infrastructure investment and child act to create millions of good paying jobs. fixed or crumbling bridges and roads. ed ensure high speed internet access in community. we passed gun safety legislatio for the first time in 30 years that will save lives that and make our communities safe.care r health care costs and drive down the high price of life saving prescription drugs for millions of americans. it was one of the most consequential congresses in american history. president biden gets the job done and the d in democrat stands for deliver joe biden extra years over the next over the next two years. as we begin this one hundred and eighteen congress. let us continue to fight for lower cost. >> let us continue to fight in this congress for better paying jobs. let us continue to fight in this congress for safer communities. let us continue to fight in this congress to defend democracy. let us continue to fight in this congress to put and protect the public interest . let us continue to fight in this congress for economic opportunity. in every single zip code and let us continue to fight in this congress for reproductive freedom. >> because as democrats, we do believe in a country for everyone. >> we do believe in a country for everyone, a country that provides for the poor, works for working families, makes sense for the middle class, stands up for senior citizens, innovates in inner city, strengthened suburban communities, helps help the heartland and revitalize this rural america. >> we believe in a country with liberty and justice for all, equal protection under the law, free and fair elections, and yes, we believe in a country with the peaceful transfer of power. we believe that in america, our diversity is a strength. it is not a weakness in economic strength. the competitive strength, the cultural strength. our diversity is a strength. it is not a weakness. we are gorgeous mosaic of people from throughout the world. as john lewis would sometimes remind us on this floor. we may have come over on different ships, but we're all in the same boat now. >> we are white, we are black, we are latino. we are asian. we are native american. we are christian . we are jewish. we are muslim. we are hindu. we are religious. we are secular. we are . we are straight. we are young. we are older. we are women. we are men . we are citizens. we are dreamers. out of many. we are one . >> that's what makes america a great country. and no matter what kind of haters are trying to divide us , we're not going to let anyone take that away from us . not now, not ever. this is the united states of of america, a land of opportunity . the fact that i'm able to stand up here today is another data point in that narrative. i was born in brooklyn hospital ,raised in a working class neighborhood in crown heights, grew up in the cornerstone baptist church, started off in the cradle roll department. somehow survived the violence of the crack cocaine epidemic. and wound up here in the united states congress as the highest ranking democrat in the house of representatives. >> america, truly a land of opportunity, government of the people, by the people and for the people. so on this first day, let commit to the american dream a dream that promises that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family. educate your children, purchase a home and one day retire with grace and dignity. let us commit on this first day to lift up the american dream for every single person in this nation. now, i recognize that this is a moment of transition as we transition from one congress to the next from one majority to the next from a year of from a year of accomplishment, a year of accomplishment to a year of ambiguity. >> a moment of transition. the american people, understandably, after the events of this week, recognize that the congress is at a fork in the road and are asking the question, what direction will we choose on this first day? i do not pretend to answer that question on behalf of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. >> but we do extend our hand of partnership to you and want to make clear that we extend and intend to try to find common ground whenever and wherever possible on behalf of the american people. not as democrats, not as republicans. not as independents, but as americans. but i also want to make clear that we will never compromise our principles. house democrats will always put american values over autocracy, benevolence over bigotry, the constitution over the democracy, over demagogues economic opportunity, over extremism, freedom, over fascism, governing over gaslighting, hopefulness, over hatred and closing over isolation. justice over judicial overreach, knowledge over kangaroo courts, liberty, over limitation. maturity over mar-a-lago. normalcy over negativity, opportunity over obstruction. people over politics, quality of life. issues over chewing reason over racism, substance over slander, triumph over tyranny, understanding over ugliness, voting rights over voter suppression, working families over the well-connected zinnia over xenophobia. yes, we can overuse can't do it and zealous representation over zero sum compensation. we will always do the right thing by the american people. so let us not grow weary of doing good for the american people will reap the benefit of the harvest if we do not give up. god bless you. god bless the house. and god bless the united states of america. it is now my solemn responsibility to hand over the people's gavel to a son of bakersfield, a former small business, a proud product of a firefighter's household. the gentleman from the great state of california and the next speaker of the one hundred and eighteenth congress, kevin mccarthy,