you as speaker of the house, as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a devout catholic, a proud democrat, and a patriotic american, a citizen of the greatest republic in the history of the world. with these elections and people stood in the breach and repelled the assault on democracy. they resoundingly rejected violence and insurrection. and in doing so gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. when i came to the congress in 1987, there were 12 democratic women. now there are over 90. and we want more. [applause] when i first came to the floor
women the right to vote, establish social security and medicare, offers a hand to the week and the sick and education to the young and hope to the many. indeed, it is here under the many. indeed, it is here under the gaze of a picture of george washington and the peoples house that we have done the peoples work. my that we have done the peoples work. my colleagues, i stand before you as speaker of the house, as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a devout catholic, a proud democrat and a patriotic american, a citizen of the greatest republic in the history of the world. applause which president lincoln called the last best hope on earth and indeed in the words attributed to the
democrat, and a patriotic american, a citizen of the greatest republic in the history of the world. [ applause ] which president lincoln called the last best hope on earth. indeed, in the words attributed to another of our colleagues, the legendary daniel webster, he said, 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. but it is fragile. many of us here have witnessed
personally, it binds me as a colleague to my father, a proud new deal congressman and one of the earliest italian americans to serve in the congress. this is an oath we are duty bound to keep. it links us with the highest aspirations of the ages. in this room, our colleagues across history have abolished slavery, granted women the right to vote, established social security and medicare, offered a hand to the weak, care to the sick, education to the young and hope to the many. indeed, it s here under the gaze of our patriarch, george washington, in the people s house, that we have done the people s work. my colleagues, i stand before you as speaker of the house, as a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a devout catholic, a proud democrat and a patriotic
across history have abolished slavery, granted women the right to vote, establish social security and medicare, offered a hand to the week, care to the sick, education to the young, and hope to the many. indeed, it is here under the gaze of our patriotic george washington and the people s house that we have done the people s work. my colleagues, i stand as a wife, a mother, a grandmother a devout catholic, a proud democrats command a patriotic american, a citizen of the greatest republic in the history of the world. [applause] [applause] which president lincoln called