The publication is reproduced in full below:
FURTHER MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE
A further message from the Senate by Ms. Byrd, one of its clerks, announced that the Secretary of the Senate shall inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is ready to proceed in joint session with the further counting of the electoral votes for President and Vice President.
(By unanimous consent, Mr. Hoyer was allowed to speak out of order.)
Honoring Shuwanza Goff
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, this would not be the time I would have chosen, but it may be the last time that we are in session before the new administration comes in.
We are losing an extraordinary young woman who has been with me for over a decade and who is our floor leader, our floor director. All of you know her. Her name is Shuwanza Goff, and she has been with me for a significant period of time.
Shuwanza is a wonderful person. And the problem with having wonderful, talented, good staff is that at an administration change, they steal your people. It is just a terrible thing that happens. Two of my staff, Shuwanza Goff and Mariel Saez, will be going to the administration as well, and I have asked the administration to please do not take any more of my people.
But Shuwanza Goff has just been extraordinary. Those of you who have dealt with her understand how bright she is.
That is the bad news, Madam Speaker, that they have taken her. But the good news is, she is going to be the administration's representative to the House of Representatives, so we are going to see a lot of Shuwanza. I am sure she will be talking to both of us on both sides of the aisle and urging us to vote one way or the other or getting us information or doing all sorts of things that we might ask her to do and that she would want to do for us.
I want to say, Madam Speaker, and I know you share my view, those of us who have had an opportunity to work closely with Shuwanza, I love Shuwanza Goff. She is just a wonderful spirit. She is smart. She knows the rules. She knows the floor. I think Mr. McCarthy's and Mr. Scalise's staffs would say the same thing if I had given them any notice that we were going to do this, but I thought we had some time.
Shuwanza, I really do want to thank you, and we wish you the best of luck. We know you are not going far. I know we are going to see a lot of you, but we wish you great success in everything you do.
I tell my staff, Madam Speaker, that they can go off the payroll, but they cannot go off the staff.
God bless, Shuwanza, and good luck.
{time} 0322
At 3:22 a.m., the Sergeant at Arms, Paul D. Irving, announced the Vice President and the Senate of the United States.
The Senate entered the Hall of the House of Representatives, headed by the Vice President and the Secretary of the Senate, the Members and officers of the House rising to receive them.
The Vice President took his seat as the Presiding Officer of the joint convention of the two Houses, the Speaker of the House occupying the chair on his left. Senators took seats to the right of the rostrum as prescribed by law.
The VICE PRESIDENT. The joint session of Congress to count the electoral vote will resume. The tellers will take their chairs.
The two Houses retired to consider separately and decide upon the vote of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to which an objection has been filed.
The Secretary of the Senate will report the action of the Senate.
The Secretary of the Senate read the order of the Senate, as follows:
Ordered, That the Senate by a vote of 7 ayes to 92 nays rejects the objection to the electoral votes cast in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Joseph R. Biden, Jr., for President and Kamala D. Harris for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. The Clerk of the House will report the action of the House.
The Clerk of the House read the order of the House, as follows:
Ordered, That the House of Representatives rejects the objection to the electoral vote of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Pursuant to the law, chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, because the two Houses have not sustained the objection, the original certificate submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be counted as provided therein.
The tellers will now record and announce the vote of the State of Rhode Island for President and Vice President in accordance with the action of the two Houses.
This certificate from Rhode Island, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate from an authority of that State purporting to appoint and ascertain electors.
Senator KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Rhode Island seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the State of Delaware received 4 votes for President and Kamala D. Harris of the State of California received 4 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of vote of the State of Rhode Island that the teller has verified appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from South Carolina, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate from an authority of that State purporting to appoint and ascertain electors.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of South Carolina seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 9 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 9 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of vote of the State of South Carolina that the teller has verified appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from South Dakota, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate from an authority of that State purporting to appoint and ascertain electors.
Senator BLUNT. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of South Dakota seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 3 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 3 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of vote of the State of South Dakota that the teller has verified appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
{time} 0330
The VICE PRESIDENT. This certificate from Tennessee, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of electoral vote from the State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority of that State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Tennessee seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 11 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 11 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote of the State of Tennessee that the teller has verified as regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from Texas, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of vote from the State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority of that State that purports to appoint or ascertain electors.
Senator KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Texas seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 38 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 38 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote of the State of Texas that the teller has verified appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from Utah, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority from the State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of ILLINOIS. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Utah seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 6 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 6 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote of the State of Utah that the teller has verified to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from Vermont, the Parliamentarian has advised me, is the only certificate of vote from the State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority from that State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Senator BLUNT. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Vermont seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the State of Delaware received 3 votes for President and Kamala D. Harris of the State of California received 3 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote of the State of Vermont that the teller has verified as regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Parliamentarian has advised, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority from that same State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the Commonwealth of Virginia seems to be in regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the State of Delaware received 13 votes for President and Kamala D. Harris of the State of California received 13 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote of the Commonwealth of Virginia that the teller has verified as appearing regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from Washington, the Parliamentarian has advised, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has a certificate of an authority from the same State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Senator KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Washington seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the State of Delaware received 12 votes for President and Kamala D. Harris of the State of California received 12 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote of the State of Washington that the teller has verified and appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from West Virginia, the Parliamentarian has advised, is the only certificate of vote from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority from the State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of ILLINOIS. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of West Virginia seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 5 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 5 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting the certificate of the vote for the State of West Virginia that the teller has verified appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, this certificate from Wisconsin, the Parliamentarian has advised, is the only certificate from that State that purports to be a return from the State and that has annexed to it a certificate of an authority from the State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Wisconsin seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the State of Delaware received 10 votes for President and Kamala D. Harris of the State of California received 10 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. For what purpose does the gentleman from Texas rise?
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. President, I object to the electoral votes of the State of Wisconsin because 71 House Members, all of who condemn violence as we witnessed today, are firmly committed to the resolution of disagreements in civil, lawful, peaceful institutions with full and fair debate, free of violence. And though not a single court has allowed an evidentiary hearing to listen to the significant body of evidence of fraud, and though some seize on the court's failure to misrepresent that no court would listen to the evidence as saying evidence did not exist; while Democrat leaders in Milwaukee illegally and unconstitutionally created more than 200 illegal polling places; tens of thousands of votes were changed by workers, despite election workers' objections, plus so many other illegalities to fraudulently create a 20,000-vote lead, we object, along with a Senator who now has withdrawn his objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Sections 15 and 17 of title 3 of the United States Code require that any objection be presented in writing, signed by a Member of the House of Representatives and a Senator.
Is the objection in writing and signed by a Member and a Senator?
Mr. GOHMERT. It is in writing. It is signed by a Member, but it is not signed and objected to by a Senator, Mr. President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. In that case, the objection cannot be entertained.
This certificate from Wyoming, the Parliamentarian has advised, is the only certificate of vote from that State and purports to be a return from the State and has annexed to it the certificate of an authority from the same State purporting to appoint or ascertain electors.
Senator BLUNT. Mr. President, the certificate of the electoral vote of the State of Wyoming seems to be regular in form and authentic, and it appears therefrom that Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida received 3 votes for President and Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana received 3 votes for Vice President.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Are there any objections to counting a certificate of the vote of the State of Wyoming that the teller has verified appears to be regular in form and authentic?
There was no objection.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Hearing none, the Chair advises Members of Congress the certificates having been read, the tellers will ascertain and deliver the result to the President of the Senate.
Senator KLOBUCHAR. The undersigned, Roy Blunt and Amy Klobuchar, tellers on the part of the Senate; Zoe Lofgren and Rodney Davis, tellers on the part of the House of Representatives, report the following as the result of the ascertainment and counting of the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States for the term beginning on the 20th day of January, 2021. The report we make is that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be the President and the Vice President, according to the ballots that have been given to us.
The tellers delivered to the President of the Senate the following statement of results:
JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS FOR THE COUNTING OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES FOR
PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES--OFFICIAL TALLY
The undersigned, Roy Blunt and Amy Klobuchar tellers on the part of the Senate, Zoe Lofgren and Rodney Davis tellers on the part of the House of Representatives, report the following as the result of the ascertainment and counting of the electoral vote for President and Vice President of the United States for the term beginning on the twentieth day of January, two thousand and twenty one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For President For Vice President
-------------------------------------------
Electoral votes of each Joseph R.
State Biden, Donald J. Kamala D. Michael
Jr. Trump Harris R. Pence
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama--9.................. ......... 9 ......... 9
Alaska--3................... ......... 3 ......... 3
Arizona--11................. 11 ......... 11 .........
Arkansas--6................. ......... 6 ......... 6
California--55.............. 55 ......... 55 .........
Colorado--9................. 9 ......... 9 .........
Connecticut--7.............. 7 ......... 7 .........
Delaware--3................. 3 ......... 3 .........
District of Columbia--3..... 3 ......... 3 .........
Florida--29................. ......... 29 ......... 29
Georgia--16................. 16 ......... 16 .........
Hawaii--4................... 4 ......... 4 .........
Idaho--4.................... ......... 4 ......... 4
Illinois--20................ 20 ......... 20 .........
Indiana--11................. ......... 11 ......... 11
Iowa--6..................... ......... 6 ......... 6
Kansas--6................... ......... 6 ......... 6
Kentucky--8................. ......... 8 ......... 8
Louisiana--8................ ......... 8 ......... 8
Maine--4.................... 3 1 3 1
Maryland--10................ 10 ......... 10 .........
Massachusetts--11........... 11 ......... 11 .........
Michigan--16................ 16 ......... 16 .........
Minnesota--10............... 10 ......... 10 .........
Mississippi--6.............. ......... 6 ......... 6
Missouri--10................ ......... 10 ......... 10
Montana--3.................. ......... 3 ......... 3
Nebraska--5................. 1 4 1 4
Nevada--6................... 6 ......... 6 .........
New Hampshire--4............ 4 ......... 4 .........
New Jersey--14.............. 14 ......... 14 .........
New Mexico--5............... 5 ......... 5 .........
New York--29................ 29 ......... 29 .........
North Carolina--15.......... ......... 15 ......... 15
North Dakota--3............. ......... 3 ......... 3
Ohio--18.................... ......... 18 ......... 18
Oklahoma--7................. ......... 7 ......... 7
Oregon--7................... 7 ......... 7 .........
Pennsylvania--20............ 20 ......... 20 .........
Rhode Island--4............. 4 ......... 4 .........
South Carolina--9........... ......... 9 ......... 9
South Dakota--3............. ......... 3 ......... 3
Tennessee--11............... ......... 11 ......... 11
Texas--38................... ......... 38 ......... 38
Utah--6..................... ......... 6 ......... 6
Vermont--3.................. 3 ......... 3 .........
Virginia--13................ 13 ......... 13 .........
Washington--12.............. 12 ......... 12 .........
West Virginia--5............ ......... 5 ......... 5
Wisconsin--10............... 10 ......... 10 .........
Wyoming--3.................. ......... 3 ......... 3
Total--538.............. 306 232 306 232
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roy Blunt,Amy Klobuchar,
Tellers on the part of the Senate.Zoe Lofgren,Rodney Davis,
Tellers on the part of the House of Representatives.
The VICE PRESIDENT. The state of the vote for President of the United States, as delivered to the President of the Senate, is as follows:
The whole number of the electors appointed to vote for President of the United States is 538, of which a majority is 270.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the state of Delaware, has received for President of the United States 306 votes;
Donald J. Trump, of the state of Florida, has received 232 votes;
The state of the vote for Vice President of the United States, as delivered to the President of the Senate, is as follows:
The whole number of the electors appointed to vote for Vice President of the United States is 538, of which a majority is 270.
Kamala D. Harris, of the state of California, has received for Vice President of the United States 306 votes;
Michael R. Pence, of the state of Indiana, has received 232 votes.
This announcement of the state of the vote by the President of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, each for the term beginning on the twentieth day of January, two thousand and twenty one, and shall be entered, together with the list of the votes, on the Journals of the Senate and House of Representatives.
{time} 0340
The VICE PRESIDENT. The whole number of electors appointed to vote for President of the United States is 538. Within that whole number, a majority is 270.
The votes for President of the United States are as follows:
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of the State of Delaware has received 306 votes.
Donald J. Trump of the State of Florida has received 232 votes.
The whole number of electors appointed to vote for Vice President of the United States is 538. Within that whole number, a majority is 270.
The votes for Vice President of the United States are as follows:
Kamala D. Harris of the State of California has received 306 votes.
Michael R. Pence of the State of Indiana has received 232 votes.
This announcement of the state of the vote by the President of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, each for the term beginning on the 20th day of January, 2021, and shall be entered, together with the list of the votes, on the Journals of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The Chair now recognizes for the purpose of a closing prayer the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate, Chaplain Barry C. Black.
Chaplain BLACK. Lord of our lives and sovereign of our beloved Nation, we deplore the desecration of the United States Capitol Building, the shedding of innocent blood, the loss of life, and the quagmire of dysfunction that threaten our democracy.
These tragedies have reminded us that words matter and that the power of life and death is in the tongue. We have been warned that eternal vigilance continues to be freedom's price.
Lord, You have helped us remember that we need to see in each other a common humanity that reflects Your image. You have strengthened our resolve to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies domestic, as well as foreign.
Use us to bring healing and unity to a hurting and divided Nation and world. Thank You for what You have blessed our lawmakers to accomplish in spite of threats to liberty.
Bless and keep us. Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to do Your will, and guide our feet on the path of peace. And God bless America.
We pray in Your sovereign name.
Amen.
The VICE PRESIDENT. The purpose of the joint session having concluded, pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, 117th Congress, the Chair declares the joint session dissolved.
(Thereupon, at 3 o'clock and 44 minutes a.m., the joint session of the two Houses of Congress was dissolved.)
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Jackson Lee). Pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, the electoral vote will be spread at large upon the Journal.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 4
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up