We will hear from current House Speaker nancy pelosi and other congressional leaders. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable nancy pelosi, speaker of the United States house of representatives. Good afternoon, u everyone. As speaker of the house it is my official and personal honor to welcome friends House Speaker john boehner to the u. S. Capitoh on this historic day. The presence of members from both sides ofap the aisle come from both sides of the capital is a testament to the respectes that all have or john, mr. Speaker. We are pleased to welcome two former speakers and we anticipate speaker gingrich was with us and speaker ryan. Both of them are here. [applause] and we warmly welcome and extend our gratitude to debbie, the lindsey and tricia, and the entire banner family for sharing john with this congress and with our country. Now it is my privilege to invite father conroy to deliver the invocation. Im surrounded by quadraphonic speakers. [laughing] dear god [laughing] we give you thanks for the proceedings of this day, and for Speaker John Boehner and his place in history as the 53rd speaker of the peoples house here we thank you for his many years of faithful attention to the peoples house as its speaker. Our nation will always be f grateful for his leadership and aware of the important contribution Speaker Boehner made to the greatness of our nation. Bless our time here together on this joyous occasion. In the course of the ceremonies, may all be reminded of our shared citizenship and the importance of Public Service in the advancement of our experiment ofex constitutional democracy. May all that is said and done g here be for your greater honor and glory. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen, lees rise for the presentation of the colors of the United States, by the u. S. Capitol police ceremonial unit, and the singing of our National Anthem by Master Sergeant Robert Burnett and the retiring of the colors. [background sounds] oh, say, can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming . Whose broad stripes and bright stars thro the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh, say, does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [background sounds] [background sounds] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable kevin mccarthy, republican leader of the United States house of representatives. Good afternoon. Its an honor to be here with all the turmoil going in washington, john boehner brought us all back together. [laughing]. One that represents our values of hard work and gratitude. Few individuals embody these values more than john does. The American Dream. A young boy growing up with 11 siblings and sweeping the floors of his dads barr. Nothing prepared him for the job of being speaker than this. Several leadership roles and committee chairs. In modern history, he was among the best in history to be elected to become speaker. In preparation served john while in our country. History will be very kind to this man. From the time john received that gavel, and then former speaker nancy pelosi, when i had to return the gavel because of johns leadership, the federal government was spending less and than one job was firsthand at the gavel. I dont know if that will ever happen again, its already been broken. John secured new educational opportunities, charter schools, underprivileged children and across the country. Commissioning the freedom foyer for the capital whichby includes william churchill. He did these things while bringing new groups and members into the public and skillfully managing diverse views and personalities. They know who they are. [laughter] i saw this firsthand when we worked together. I spent a lot of time with john and i will always be grateful for the opportunity. I met john the very first time as a young staffer when he was on the Oversight Committee in north carolina. A contested election. We became friends. When i first got elected to congress as a freshman, john called me into his office, his minority leader and wanted to offer me the job of Platform Committee chair that year. I remember turning to him and asking him, did i do something wrong . [laughter] he gave me a day to think about and i took the job. When he called me a back and sa, we will win the majority. I want to work with you and develop a project that would actually make a pledge to america. What we promised we would do and carry out. John was right. America was hungry for that. I remember taking john to the very First Tea Party rally. It happened on tax day april 15. John heard something others were not hearing across the country. He wanted to make a pledge that we would govern differently. He was right. We captured 63 seats that year. John became the speaker of the house. If you look at his career, theres a lot of victory and stumbles. Our life is like a book. There are times in the chapter when we stumble, that may be the end of that chapter. Theres many that would have left and retired during some of the struggles that john endured. Ive never seen him complain. He always had that smile on his face. He endured. He rose to the occasion, many did not think possible, to recapture the house, not just for parties but republican country. I applaud you for the work you have done. In johns case, what i learned in all those days of being speaker, some were tough. John has the patients of job. For job that meant suffering and never cursing god or losing faith in him. John took that suffering as a new direction. John never lost his faith in g god, his country or his party. Along the way, theres been agh few tears. [laughter] i will tell you this, never he saw the tears on his face, he was usually talking aboutab children or freedom. He cared deeply about their future and hours. John put his heart and soul in the American Dream. Particularly through education. He wanted everyone to have the opportunities that a good education brings. We were all in the gallery speakers, many passed by. A legacy of change last far longer. Generation to generation, its like compounding interest for snowball rolling down a hill. John, your legacy is right here in the peoples house. Its more than tribute to one man. Its an internal reminder. Freedom, hard work and never quitting. They are the same qualities that Theodore Roosevelt spoke in his arena and john lived up to that. Its clear when john would speak to us from the floor of the house. Its the same message we would hear when he would comment about a crooked tie or suit jacket. Its the same message serving in this institution. Representing the people is the most sacred responsibility that an american can have. John took pride in how he appeared before the american public. E he took pride in them. He wason proud to be the representative and he showed that he understood his responsibility is that it entailed. This is what i hear when i walk by and ill take pride in knowing the American People what john stood for. I know john doesnt put steak in his fans here. Pu he never wanted this day to come, he didnt care about a portrait. It was always to get to the point quickly. The president lincoln and gettysburg, john could be brief. He couldef make a big impact in peoples lives. In all of his great accomplishments, from opening up and changing the va, transforming a country and listening to a voice others would not, there are some small things that still live on. Like the birthday song. [laughter] fittingly, you may know last sunday was johns 70th birthday. I would like to end with you joining with me in singing to john his birthday song. This is your birthday song i know your portrait and your legacy will last generations. [applause] the honorable democratic leader of the u. S. Senate. When your chairman of the rules committee in the senate as i was in 2012, you have the response body of planning the president ial inauguration and all the associated festivities including the congressional luncheon. In honor but also a laborious task. Without naming any names, theres particular preferences about where they like to sit, when they like to speak and how exactly they would like their food prepared. When i asked speaker lane what i wanted to do for lunch, he replied i want 12 children, doesnt even need to be worn. [laughter] despite rising to one of the highest in our country, john never forgot where he came from, he carried that modesty and sense of perspective with him. Even the speaker ofen the house can seen zippy do doll at a press conference. [laughter] he wore his emotions on his sleeve, sometimes got overwhelmed and not always the times you would expect. As a headline once said why does he cry so much . For listing a series of mysterious moments for the speaker. Listening to irish music on st. Patricks day, during the rendition of america the beautiful after attribute, arnold palmer. I have some regret that john left the political scene when he did. Hes only endured a few more years, i never would have become in chuck schumer. [laughter] [applause] initially it was fake tears humor. Because i was weepy when we had a bunch of immigrants, theres families were being split up. I was tearyeyed and he said i know, those are fake tears. Actually, its well known in my family when i took my daughters to seek frequently, i started weeping uncontrollably when willie escaped and got into the ocean. My daughters ran out of the theater. So we have that in common as well. Im not going to say speaker john and i agree on most issues or even many. Immigration comes to mind. But he always exercise humility sense of humor. He always understood the nature of compromise. He knew in the divided government you dont get one 100 of what you want all the time. Sometimes you dont even get what you want from your own side of the aisle. Its not hard to understand him. Cigarette, red wine, the occasional serenity prayer. I believe if theres interest in legalizing marijuana, that started earlier, hee might have eenjoyed an even more relaxing speakership. [laughter] hes an easy subject, you know. [laughter] in all seriousness, he was always a good and decent man. He worked to guide the house into the most difficult of circumstances. We thank him for his service and we are glad to see his so enjoying the next chapter in his life. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, mitch mcconnell. Majority leader of the u. S. Senate. ,te its great to be here today with all of you for this wonderful occasion. Ive been hardpressed to think of words of tribute, what could possibly be meaningful to a stone cold stoic. Like john. [laughter] in situations like this, you could imagine some maybe get emotional. Maybe a little choked up. But not john. Not somebody so on emotional, so completely unflappable. You could say all of his other accomplishments and still remember forever as the best dealmaker and negotiator with the worst pokers face in amerin political history. Yes, hes always worn his heart on his sleeve. I think its one of the biggest reasons why he earned so much respect and oppression throughout his career. Even those who strongly disagreed with him. R i remember john in 1991 as a charging nonconservative. He and six other freshmen decided to endorse themselves to the old guard by immediately calling out the house a scandal. John kept checking things up for a quarter of a century. He helped shape and lead his conference and he served the American People as speaker of the house. During the institution through a turbulent time through patriotism, principal and righteousness. Ill never forget how john once explained the job of speaker to the press. Heres what he said. I grew up in a barr, mopped floors, did dishes, tended barr, you had to learn the deal with every character that comes in ad trust me, i need all the lessons i learned growing up to do this job. Thats the john description. With john, you have red wine, the smokes, the call and in some ways its almost like a caricature of a powerful leader come to life, walks right off the page of some political cartoon. You also have this remarkably forthright, goodhearted and genuine person, one of theth mot downtoearth individuals this town has ever seen. Many have observed john embodies the American Dream. As of have said, a one bedroom house and wiping down a bar and factory town grows up to walk in power and actually gets his portrait right here in theal u. Capital. But that isnt the whole story. The story is not just the john from a humble start. The real reason why john has lived the American Dream is how he used that power. Working every day to help other children write new stories of their own. John knew he was speaker of the house for a reason. Don knew he was speaker because small towns dont go to themselves. In her city schoolchildren dont fight for themselves and the american idea doesnt fight for itself. All of them need champions and it is you they all headline. Congrats on this. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable nancy pelosi, speaker of the house. John is a great patriot who has dedicated his life to our country. Its only fitting we celebrate his legacy here, the american patriots, Great Americans marv marvel. Now johns portrait will be joining his predecessor in the lobby as an inspiring and enduring monument to his contributions to our country. Im trying to think of occasions when i saw john crying. I was thinking of occasions when i didnt see john crying. But i thinkns he was crying when he gave me the gavel. Thaughter] being the first woman, its emotional. [laughter] john was on the house floor and he said, the peoples house is the great embodiment of the American Dream. All speakers have addressed that aspect of johns life. How appropriate debt don john is the personification of the American Dream. In his story, we are reminded of the promise of america. A hardworking son of an ohio farming can be speaker of the house. As speaker, don was a spokesperson for his party and his cause. He sought Common Ground and held his ground and he could not. He always stood the value of relationships and consensus. He always advised other members. He was always a person of his word. Friendship never left his voice. In all negotiations. Will never forget how he worked with ted kennedy and george, two liberal client under george w. Bush. We all had our differences but i respected his commitment to america and this institution. We all remember how john made the visit of popeof francis suca meaningful and beautiful experience for all of us. On and how wonderful today to see him appear with zachary who was just six weeks old when he was blessed by the pope. That day was absolute clarity. Pope francis calls on us to be better stewards of gods creation and instruments of gods peace. John had that clarity, to in everything he did. Thanks to johns leadership, hope, peace and dialogue will be a blessing and inspiration to our congress and the country. For many years to come. In his Farewell Speech well, not quite farewell because we have another one now but john also spoke in the sake of his home city, the great general cincinnatus. A farmer who answered the call of his nation to lead and surrender his power to return to the home he [john had been strengthened by your decision to answer the call of our nation when you did. Now we wish you all the best as you enjoy your retirement, i dont know if thats quite the word for it. Erw i have the privilege of inviting to the podium here, speakers family to join the unveiling of his portrait. Thank you so much. The future, here they come. Let us welcome the family to the podium. [applause] [applause] [applause] [laughter] [inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable john, speaker of the u. S. House of representatives. [cheering] [applause] thank you, thank you. Thank you. Well, well, well. Its good to be back in the capital. [laughter] took care of me with a box of tissues down here just in case. [laughter] which is, well see how they do. Thank you for hosting this event today, i want to thank my colleagues i served in the leadership. Friends and families, let me say thank you all for being here today. My family, tricia, jake, domin dominic, alister and zach. Thank you for being here and being supportive throughout all these years. [applause]li let me think Joan Dale Hubbard for the generosity that made thisth portrait a reality, if i couldnt be there today, i cant thank them enough. I want to thank the artist, ron who did a great job. His work can be found in places like the National Portrait fgallery. You may be aware that one of our past president s, my friend, 43, george w. Bush also painted a portrait of me. After that, its a different portrait than this one. [laughter] that one wont bet hanging in e speakers i lobby but it is in or living room in ohio. I will send our thanks to president bush. For the wonderful gift of idlafriendship. Those of us notot here with us today and people at home on this journey would not have been possible without. My late former chief of staff, paula and her mother. My former and first chief of staff and his father and late mother, judy. Two Great American families who sacrificed to support me and everything we were trying to achieve. Let me think my friends and former colleagues that i served in this institution with. Whether you are republican or democrat, whether you voted for me or speaker or somebody else, it was an honor to serve with eryou. I may think the people of ohio and the Congressional District who sent me to the u. S. House of representatives 25 years. Ive had a few years now to reflect on my time and what it meant to me to work under this. It was a chance to learn from people that i admired. The late henry and a guy name john. Theres a chance the friendships with people on both sides of the aisle and both chambers. Many of you are here. Well friendships and close friendships like richard and t tom. I remember the day that i was first sworn in as speaker. I was doing well. Had my act together, i had my tune up, i had it all together. I was waiting to be applause to die down and i looked up to see my three best buds. Formal. [laughter] there is a chance to change our government, they closed the house thank. Later, our mantra and jobs. It provided the company my speakership. As a chance to make law and f kennedy and Speaker Pelosi pointed out, to demonstrate colleagues where we were able to workwo together without compromising on our principles. I have tori say, working with harry reid, for many years, was an opportunity to again, work across the aisle to get things done on behalf of t the American People. Many of you on both sides of the aisle id like to mention but i dont want to ruin your career while you are still in office. [laughter] was a chance to honor some of ma personal heroes, jack nicklaus, arnold palmer. Address a joint congress for the first time. I never wanted this to be about me. When i got to the speakership, i became to the realize this. I remember the weeks leading up toi the 20th election, they wanted me to sit and pose for a cover shot. I was honored but i declined. The lead case and i declined. Finally they sent a photographer to chase me around chicago. Finally i grabbed the shot of me and put it on the cover. It turned out fine. I feel the same way about the portrait today. It will be on the wall but its my hope that when the citizens see this in the speaker bobby theyll think, is not about me but theut things we stood for during my time here on the capital. It doesnt cost anything to be nice. Id like to think we are able to disagree without being disagreeable. I like to think we try to do the right things for the right reasons. I like to think we served with our priorities in mind. Mindful of our childrens future especially when it comes to our nations debt. Sometimes we fall short on these things. But we always try. Its important for those in office to keep trying. It can be anything they want to be. My wife is somewhat proof of that. Its a tribute to me but to that particularly on that particular quality of this great country. We call it the American Dream. The American Dream is aliveth because so many have sacrificed and keep it alive. Thats what i hope for today. From the bottom of my heart, i want to thank each of you for being here today, for being who you are and for being here to help me celebrate this great day. God bless you and the u. S. Of america. [applause] during this thanksgiving week, we are showcasing book programs normally available weekends here on cspan2. Tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern, u. S. Intelligence. She discusses her book life undercover, coming of age in the cia followed by cia detentions centers after 9 11. Stephen on his book on sydney, the head of the cias mind control program. Book tv tonight on cspan2
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