The numbers are on the screen. A very good morning on a snowy tuesday morning. Headlines about the congress in papers here in washington and around the country. Here in the Washington Times mcconnell letting to take the helm of the senate is the headline there. The starledger, what to expect from a new congress, including health care, invigoration immigration and border. And another headline the crop of young outsiders remakes the face of congress. In the u. S. House, 246 republicans, 188 democrats and one vacancy. That one vacancy, of course, republican my Republican Congressman Michael Grimm of new york who submitted his resignation after a guilty plea in a tax evasion case. Still, republicans start the year with 240 six republicans, the largest gop House Majority 246 republicans, the largest gop House Majority since 1946. The senate makes up 36 states having both from the same party 21 with two republicans and 15 with two democrats. There are also 53 former house members as members of the senate now. We are talking about the opening day of the 114th congress. We will be bringing you stats and figures and interviews all morning, but we as ashley want to hear your phone calls. The phone lines are open to do that. The numbers are on the screen. Some of the biggest drama of the day may come in the speakers election, whether Speaker Boehner may be able to keep the gavel in his hands. That is the story in the Washington Post this morning. And for more on the drama surrounding the speaker election, we send you now to cspans greta bronner. That vote will take place at noon eastern today. Tune in to cspan where we will have our cameras on the chamber. For the first couple of hours, you will see new camera angles. You will say who was talking to who and on the chamber. The Washington Post noted this morning that in opposition to the speaker, they need 28 votes. Unlikely to achieve that, but its not the first time the speaker has faced a rebellion from his own party. The New York Times and the noted this morning that 12 times republicans have voted against Speaker Boehner. Youll see about a dozen republicans voting no. And the hill newspaper has put together those putting voting no. Jim bridenstine of oklahoma. Representative elect gary palmer from alabama. Walter jones from North Carolina. Steve king from iowa. From kentucky, tom massey. And one of the recent rebellion, Marlin Stutzman from indiana. And ted yoho from florida. We also learned last that curt clawson also going to be voting against the weaker. He tweeted this out, that after caucusing with my colleagues tonight i will be voting for a change in the house leadership tomorrow. Now is a good time for change. And then from Jim Bridenstine im, he tweeted this out i congratulate representative Louie Gohmert and ted yoho for courageously running for House Speaker. Its time for a new speaker. However there are some in the leadership that find is embarrassing and are critical for of those opposing the speaker. Representative tom cole, republican of oklahoma, a close ally of the speaker, he is quoted in the papers today saying that he disagrees with what they are trying to do. And tom cole is saying, if you go against our own colleague by opposing the speaker of the floor, you will embarrass House Republicans and disrupt our team. It would be unforgivable political behavior. That is what he had to say. Hannah hess, a reporter for theyll newspaper, she tweeted out that represented tom massey from oklahoma, he told a scrum of reporters they would be 50 in the beta revolt if it want for the cspan cameras there. Host we will be talking with new members of congress about the republican side of that vote. Any policy matters that you want about this morning, the phone lines are open. We will start today with betty calling in from humble, texas. On the line for democrats, good morning. Caller im calling because im very concerned about change in the white house. Basically, we are concerned about the Keystone Pipeline they are trying to push through. I know its a bad idea for the environment. I hope they take into consideration looking at this for the long haul and not approve it. And they do need to change speakers in the white house. Host you are talking about the keystone xl pipeline, one of the first vote on the floor according to republicans in the house and senate. How confident are you that it will be blocked by those who oppose it like you do . Caller looking in the long haul, like i said, it is not good for the environment. I am a witness. Host do you have pipelines near you in texas ecco when you say in texas . When you say you are a witness what do you mean . Caller i do have pipelines near me. I have respiratory problems, kidney failure, it is coming from the previous pipelines. Its causing me to lose my life. And other people who continue to an hill this in the environment they, too, will be as sick as i am. Host were going to do about energy and environmental is in the 115th congress around 9 15 a. M. Or so. We are talking that all of the issues that our viewers want to talk about on the politics and the politics of opening day that you want to discuss on opening day. You can see the shot of the upper center park there and the snow that is falling. On the twitter page with the president Approval Ratings rising and congress and an alltime low, time for real legislation instead of symbolism. And another tweet my thoughts on the new congress, 100 sure they will sell out every american will stop things never change every american. Things never change. Lets go to debbie. Caller the first thing our house of representatives need to do is elect a new speaker of the house. We voted for a change and that is why we have so many republicans go into office. We need to get some gumption and change the leadership in the house. That is the first positive mood that they can make. Host getty, before you go, would you support debbie before you go, who would you support . There have been a couple that have announced. From texas, Louie Gohmert. Who would you back if you were voting for that position . Caller he is my choice, Louie Gohmert. He is a man of honor, man of integrity, and he is a constitutionalist. And he is not going to sell us out. He would have my vote. Host debbie, a republican another republican than as announced, ted yoho, from florida. Joe on our line for republicans, good morning. Caller john boehner is not conservative. I have called my congressman doug collins, and my former congressman, bryce, they should vote against boehner. Taxpayers, we are paying their salary, not john boehner. Good taxpayers again i head of leadership. Good taxpayers ahead of leadership. Im sick of those who will put the visitors ahead of taxpayers. Host a lot of headlines are saying boehner is likely to win. Here is one from the usa today today this morning. How do you see republicans giving the 29 plus votes to block him . Thereof only been about 10 that have definitely said they would vote against him. There have only been about 10 that have definitely said they would vote against him. Caller if doug goes against his own constituents, who pays 100 72,000 a year salary, hes in real trouble. Ok his 172,000 a year salary, hes in real trouble. Host you would vote against her own congressman in the next election if he doesnt vote against boehner . Caller i would strongly consider that. Host joe mccutchen, a longtime viewer and color. Brendan next on the line for democrats. Good morning. Caller good morning. I was calling about the pipeline. My concern is that its all on the american trade system and we have to have options to buy this oil. I dont see how having a pipeline running through the midwest rates got good or the environment through the midwest, its not good for the environment or for the animals. We are going to actually ingest that and i dont understand why we would do that if we are already buying the oil. I dont see a need to damage any more things inside the country. Host that is brendan calling in from georgia. The keystone vote will be one of the first vote in the congress. The legislation is set to be introduced today in the with possible votes later this week in the chambers as well. We will talk about that at 9 15 a. M. With our reporter from environment and energy news. This morning, our lines are open for any of your thoughts on the opening day of the 114th congress. And a very snowy morning here on capitol hill. You can see the shots there. Some comments on our Facebook Page, edward grimmer writes in they are going to be as bad as last two congressman, congresses, if not worse. In Mark Richards says to get moving on impeachment proceedings s s practicable and replace the speaker of the house as soon as practicable and replace the speaker of the house. Melissa is up next on calling in from kansas on the line for republicans. Good morning to you. Caller yes, good morning. Hello, america. I just want to say, kansas says no to republicans saying that we are scary, we are hateful, we are terrorist. It is time to fight back. Im so sick and tired of these liberal republicans kowtowing down to the liberals, and they are no longer democrats. They are now liberals. They are the worst of the worst socialist. They will kill us. Host who are some of the republicans that you are talking about here . Caller do you want me to tell you . Ok, look at all the guys. Weve got the arizona do that got reelected. I had to hold my nose with pat roberts. I hate pat roberts. He is a liar. He is the one vote that we needed not to pass the crumbs of us the cromnibus and he passed it. I want that repealed. And the senator, the weirdo in cases i cannot even remember his name. Until you come to the liberals are going to win. Weve got to stop the coming civil war. Host all right, concerns in kansas. Jays next in the valley on the line for democrats. Good morning. J, are you with us this morning . Caller im right here. Host go ahead. Caller what i want to say is, with the Keystone Pipeline from what i hear and read, its 46,000 temporary jobs and republicans are saying its going to make job security blah blah, blah. With only about 40 permanent jobs actually once its completed. Number two, if the pipeline was to break and pollute the lands us americans, the taxpayers have to pay the cleanup. Because the way the terms are set forth is that canada doesnt pay for anything. They just get to pipe it through the u. S. Going up to the mexico coast and out on ships to someplace other than the united dates. Plus, is the dirtiest oil around. Why doesnt anybody point this out . It is amazing how they can try to promote this, but the facts are it is dirty oil. If something happens, the taxpayers paid for it. Its not going to come to us to the United States to be used. Why are they trying to force this down america, what we are not going to be anything other than a vessel across unit dates to ship it off the mexico coast . Host j, from sun valley, nevada. Also concerned about the Keystone Pipeline. Energy issues are certainly one of the hot button topics that the congress will be taking up sooner rather than later, in the coming days with legislation being introduced. Another hot button issue is immigration. For more on immigration, we are joined by our first of several veteran capitol hill blue reporters capitol hill reporters. Fawn johnson is with the national journal. She is a correspondent there. Good morning to you. Guest good morning. How are you . Host im excellent. The president action on immigration during the lameduck session, what is their response that they are coming back in the 114 congress with an Even Stronger majority in the house and a new majority in the senate . Guest that is in a click question, and it turns out theres not a whole lot they can do. In the that is a good question and it turns out theres not a lot they can do. In the cromnibus, there was funding through february with the express purpose of making sure that republicans when they had control of both chambers of congress could act in protest of the president s executive order. But it turns out its difficult for them to do so, because even if they were to go to the most extreme action, which would be essentially, to deny funding for the department of Homeland Security and keep in mind that the department of Homeland Security funds a lot more than immigration. There is the coast guard, the tsa, and all of the things that are supposed to be keeping us safe. It is a little difficult likely to stop any funding for Homeland Security. But even if they were to do that, the president s order on immigration would go forward, because that was largely funded by fees and not intended to be paid for by taxpayer dollars. And 85 of the employees of Homeland Security are considered essential employees, which means they will be working without pay. Republicans are in a difficult position because in order to punish the president for this executive order, which they dont think he has the our has the power to put forward they would be punishing the entire country. They are trying to put forward other options now. Some lead republicans in the senate have said they will not shut down department of Homeland Security. Probably the best action would be for them to pass legislation. Although the talks going on in that department are not terribly wellinformed. Host the Washington Post talks about the immigration debate. One of their lead editorials, integration in her shut immigration inertia. We are talking to a few new members of Congress Today on the washington journal. Are there new members that bring voices to the debate . If so, who are you watching . Guest there are some new members, but im not sure they will provide anything in the way other than anything other than in the way of a temper tantrum. One particularly to watch today is david bratt, who replaced eric cantor, unseated him in the primary. Eric cantor was by gop standards a relatively friendly immigration legislator. He was particularly interested in bringing more high tech workers into the country. And he also was open to allowing undocumented youth to have some form of legalization, which for republicans is actually fairly moderate. He was unseated by mr. Bratt, who has already said he will not vote for Speaker Boehner today in the speaker election and who is very much opposed to anything involving relaxing immigration standards for anybody, legal or illegal. Some of the other candidates have stayed away from the issue. I expect that when we start looking at actual legislation which is truly the only way republicans will be able to change what the president has done, it will be the same players weve seen in the past. John cornyn, the number two senator from texas has always been involved in immigration. He has several pieces of legislation he would like to do on the hightech and im sure he be happy to debate goes. Chuck grassley from iowa, has had several come up. I would not be surprised to see those Going Forward if there is fullfledged debate on the policy. I do not expect any new members to be weighing in at closely. Host fawn johnson with some tips on members to watch as the immigration debate proceeds. You always welcome to join us on washington journal. Thanks for joining us on its opening day of congress. Guest youre welcome. Host it is the opening day of congress. We will be taking your thoughts and comments all morning long on this fivehour addition of washington journal. For the makeup of who is seated today, we go back to greta bronner. Guest this comes from the hill newspaper. They are posting on their website this morning that representative chris gibson, a republican of new york, will not seek reelection as he eyes statewide office in the future. He won the 19th district seat after beating democratic multibillionaire sean eldridge. Gibsons marks the second retirement by a republican from a suburban swing district to my right a democratic of in 2016. The 19th district voting for president obama in 2008 and in 2012. The washington journal front page this line has the story. The senates 13 new members will join 22 others who have served less than one term. In the house, roughly half of all lawmakers will have been in office only since the two had 2008 election, meaning their mean it experience is there may experience is the polarization of congress. Take a look at the with the makeup. 84 women in house, 22 erdogan 62 democrat. In the senate, 20 total. The ages of these new congress members, the oldest, resented doug conyers, 85 years old democrat from michigan. Representative to phonic, 30 years old is the youngest from new york. The average age, 57 years old. That is young compared to previous congressman congresses. The oldest to senator feinstein at 81 years old. The youngest senator tom cotton, 37 years old. The average age in that chamber, 61 years. And when you break it down by race, African Americans make up 45 and house will stop to republicans and 43 democrat. In the senate, to republican two total, one republican and one democrat. 29 total hispanic, seven republican, 32 democrat. In the senate, three total, to republican and one democrat. There are 160 house members with a law degree and 53 senators. 20 house members have no College Degree. And veterans, this is something that a lot of folks look at with the new members of congress. The veterans and house are 81 and in the senate, 20 one. Iraq and afghanistan veterans, over the house, 23 of them. Three in the senate. Women veterans, 81 in the house and 21 in the senate. Total veterans come as we told you. Women veterans can about they make up three and house and one in the senate for