The 117th Congress sworn in Sunday; Pelosi reelected as House speaker
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks about the late Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, R-La., during a news conference Wednesday Dec. 30, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Letlow died Tuesday after battling COVID-19. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
By: Associated Press and Scripps National
Posted at 11:07 AM, Jan 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-03 16:58:49-05
The 117th U.S. Congress is beginning after the House and Senate gaveled in to swear in new members.
Both chambers held rare Sunday sessions to open the new Congress on Jan. 3, as the Constitution requires. All members of the House and roughly one-third of the Senate will be sworn in.
The 117th Congress sworn in Sunday; Pelosi reelected as House speaker
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks about the late Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, R-La., during a news conference Wednesday Dec. 30, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Letlow died Tuesday after battling COVID-19. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
By: Associated Press and Scripps National
Posted at 9:07 AM, Jan 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-04 11:51:15-05
The 117th U.S. Congress is beginning after the House and Senate gaveled in to swear in new members.
Both chambers held rare Sunday sessions to open the new Congress on Jan. 3, as the Constitution requires. All members of the House and roughly one-third of the Senate will be sworn in.
1 p.m.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling the effort by Sen. Ted Cruz and other Republican senators to overturn the presidential election a “dodge” that doesn’t go far enough in helping President Donald Trump.
Graham said in a statement Sunday that Cruz has a “high bar” to show there was evidence of problems with the election. The South Carolina senator also said Cruz’s proposal has “zero chance of becoming reality.”
Cruz of Texas is leading a coalition of 11 GOP senators who vow to challenge the election results unless Congress agrees to launch a commission to investigate the outcome. They and others are prepared to object Wednesday when Congress convenes for a joint session to confirm Biden’s 306-232 electoral tally over Trump.
1:55 p.m.
A bipartisan group of 10 senators has issued a statement calling for Congress to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s win.
The senators, including four Republicans, said in the statement on Sunday that efforts by some Republicans to overturn the results in favor of President Donald Trump “are contrary to the clearly expressed will of the American people and only serve to undermine Americans’ confidence in the already determined election results.”
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mitt Romney of Utah signed on to the statement, which said “it is time to move forward.”
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