Protests

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the last time the Senate convened we had just reclaimed the Capitol from violent criminals who tried to stop Congress from doing our duty.

The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the President and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the Federal Government which they did not like.

But we pressed on. We stood together and said an angry mob would not get veto power over the rule of law in our Nation, not even for one night.

We certified the people's choice for their 46th President.

Tomorrow, President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris will be sworn in. We will have a safe and successful inaugural right here on the west front of the Capitol--the space that President Bush 41 called ``democracy's front porch.''

And then we will move forward. Our work for the American people will continue, as it has for more than 230 years. There are serious challenges that our Nation needs to continue confronting, but there will also be great and hopeful opportunities for us to seize.

Certainly, November's elections did not hand any side a mandate for sweeping ideological change. Americans elected a closely divided Senate, a closely divided House, and a Presidential candidate who said he would represent everyone.

So our marching orders from the American people are clear. We are to have a robust discussion and seek common ground. We are to pursue bipartisan agreement everywhere we can and check and balance one another respectfully where we must. And through all of this, we must always keep in mind that we are all Americans, we all love this country, and we are all in this together.

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