Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2023

January 7, 2023

Jill and I congratulate Kevin McCarthy on his election as Speaker of the House.

The American people expect their leaders to govern in a way that puts their needs above all else, and that is what we need to do now. As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can, and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well. Now that the leadership of the House of Representatives has been decided, it is time for that process to begin.

Today we learned that my plan to build an economy that works from the bottom up and the middle out has achieved the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years and that we made 2021 and 2022 the best years for job growth on record.

It's imperative that we continue that economic progress, not set it back. It is imperative that we protect Social Security and Medicare, not slash them. It is imperative that we defend our national security, not defund it. These are some of the choices before us.

As the last 2 years show, we can do profound things for the country when we do them together. For example, this week I traveled to Kentucky to highlight the growing benefits that the bipartisan infrastructure law is bringing to communities all over the country.

This is a time to govern responsibly and to ensure that we're putting the interests of American families first.

Categories: Statements by the President : Election of Kevin O. McCarthy as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Names: Biden, Jill T.; McCarthy, Kevin O.

Subjects: Bipartisanship; Economic improvement; Infrastructure improvements; Job creation and growth; Medicare and Medicaid programs; Social Security program; Speaker of the House of Representatives; Unemployment rate; Voter participation.

DCPD Number: DCPD202300012.

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