New Congress will be sworn in today.

[The_Doctor]

The Vice President recognizes the new Senate Majority Leader. McConnell (R-Ky) suggests the absence of a quorum. The Clerk is calling the roll. This is the first time McConnell has been recognized as the Majority Leader.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

This is the first time McConnell has been recognized as the Majority Leader.

So, when did his election as ML take place?

[The_Doctor]

This is the first time McConnell has been recognized as the Majority Leader.

So, when did his election as ML take place?

November Republican Senate caucus elections, but I mean the first time he's been recognized on the Floor as Majority Leader. He was merely Majority Leader - designate.

[The_Doctor]

Now the drama is beginning over in the House. They're preparing for Speaker nominations.

[The_Doctor]

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wa. 4) is nominating John Boehner (R-Ohio) for renomination with a lengthy life biography of him. Xavier Beccerra (D-Calif. 34) is nominating Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for Speaker.

[free my dawg]

Gardner will become a senator today? Start stacking up on condoms...

quit spreading lies.

>2014
>not having a stockpile of condoms
>i seriously hope you guys don't do this

[The_Doctor]

Massie (R-KY 04) - a libertarian and Paul ally - nominates Ted Yoho (R-Fl.) for Speaker. Someone (I forgot) nominated Louie Gohmert. Someone nominated Daniel Webster (R-FL) too. They've now appointed tellers for the Speaker vote.

Over in the Senate, they've elected Orrin Hatch President Pro Tempore and Biden has relinquished the gavel to him. McConnell is running the show. Can't see where Reid is in C-Span.

[The_Doctor]

Oh I see now - Reid isn't here. Durbin is filling in for him.

[The_Doctor]

Speaker vote - a number of GOP defections, but they need 30. Blum voted for Webster (lol, that one term Republican from Iowa), Brat voted for someone named Duncan, and Bridenstine voted Gohmert.

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 39
Pelosi: 32
Others: 6
Present: 1

[Türkisblau]

Keep updating! I'm stuck in class.

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 48
Pelosi: 46
Others: 8
Present: 1

McConnell has called for the first reading of the Keystone Pipeline XL bill.

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 62
Pelosi: 56
Others: 13
Present: 1

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 87
Pelosi: 68
Others: 14
Present: 1



Of note: Foxx (R-Va.), Grothman (R-Wis.), and Jody Hice (R-Ga.) all voted Boehner. Huelskamp (R-Kan.) voted Webster.

[Kraxner]

Coming soon: Salon, Motherjones, Newrepublic clickbait articles about "Dixiecrat Gwen"

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 106
Pelosi: 90
Others: 16
Present: 1

I didn't see how she voted.

King of Iowa voted Webster. Labrador of Idaho voted Boehner.

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 123
Pelosi: 101
Others: 19
Present: 1

Loudermilk (R-Ga.) voted Boehner. Massie or someone voted for someone other than Boehner.

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 153
Pelosi: 120
Others: 22
Present: 1

[The_Doctor]

Republican defections are at 23. Boehner needs a maximum of about 29 Republican defections.

[The_Doctor]

Two Democratic defections; so make that 22 Republican defections. (Sinema of Az. and Graham of Fla. voted for other than Pelosi. Sinema voted for Lewis (?)).

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 186
Pelosi: 145
Others: 25
Present: 1

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Sinema voted for Lewis (?)).

Presumably John Lewis of Georgia, who as a young man was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and is thus pretty universally respected and admired.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Thanks for the updates everyone.  Are Sinema and Graham running for a Senate seat in 2016?

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 205
Pelosi: 157
Others: 27
Present: 1

[The_Doctor]

Boehner: 212 (or 214).
Pelosi: 159
Others: 28
Present: 1