Elise Stefanik: “Pro tempore, Mr. Clerk, colleagues, on behalf of the House Republican Conference, I rise today to nominate the gentleman…”

“Pro tempore, Mr. Clerk, colleagues, on behalf of the House Republican Conference, I rise today to nominate the gentleman from Louisiana, Mike Johnson, as Speaker of the people's House. We convene this esteemed body today at a time of great crisis across America, a time of unprecedented challenges in this hallowed Chamber, and a time when the very existence of our most precious ally, Israel, is under attack from forces of evil. Yesterday, our dear colleague, our former Conference chair, the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, nominated Mike Johnson in our Conference. She put it best when she said: ``Trust has been broken, and we have come to a standstill. How do we restore trust between Members, leadership, and ultimately between Congress and we the people?'' Mrs. McMorris Rodgers noted that there is a sense that it cannot be business as usual. She said: ``Above the Speaker's chair in the House Chamber is our Nation's motto, In God We Trust.'' She went on to say: ``The times in which we are living demand boldness, unity, and transformational leadership that begins with trust in God and each other. Trust is when the magic happens. In the story of King David, we are reminded that man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'' Today is the day that House Republicans will humbly look in our hearts and elect Mike Johnson as Speaker of the people's House.…”