[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 17, Chapters 34 - 40]
[Ch. 36. Ceremonies and Awards]
[§25. Presidential Inaugurations]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
[Page 316-338]
CHAPTER 36
Ceremonies and Awards
Sec. 25. Presidential Inaugurations
Inaugural ceremonies have evolved since George Washington gave his
first inaugural address on Apr. 30, 1789, and his second on Mar. 4,
1793.
After Washington's first inauguration, the Mar. 4 date was used for
subsequent Presidential inaugurations until 1933.(1) The
ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1933 mandated that the
Presidential term begin at noon on Jan. 20.(2)
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1. The ratification of the 12th Amendment in 1804 mandated that the
Presidential term expire on Mar. 4. U.S. Const. amend. XII.
2. U.S. Const. amend. XX. See also House Rules and Manual Sec. 150
(2007).
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From the 1829 inauguration of Andrew Jackson through the 1977
inauguration of Jimmy Carter, the primary Inauguration Day ceremony
took place on the Capitol's East Portico.(3)
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3. The fourth inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 was a
notable exception. Because World War II was at its height,
Roosevelt had a simple inauguration ceremony at the White House
with no fanfare or formal celebration. See 91 Cong. Rec. 364,
365, 79th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 22, 1945.
Ronald Reagan's second inaugural in 1985 was the coldest on
record, with an estimated noon temperature of seven degrees
Fahrenheit and wind chills well below zero. Because Jan. 20,
1985, fell on a Sunday, President Reagan was sworn in privately
on that date at the White House and had scheduled his public
inauguration ceremony for Monday, Jan. 21. The cold weather
forced the ceremony to be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda,
and limited space dictated that it be a semi-private ceremony.
See 131 Cong. Rec. 630-633, 99th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 21,
1985. See also House Rules and Manual Sec. 159 (2007).
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[[Page 317]]
Since the 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan, the ceremony has been
held on a terrace on the Capitol's West Front.(4)
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4. See 127 Cong. Rec. 540-543, 97th Cong. 1st Sess.
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In preparation for the ceremonies, a joint committee is created
months in advance of the event.(5) The committee is
established by concurrent resolution in the preceding Congress and the
authority continues in the following Congress by a continuing
resolution.(6)
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5. See Sec. 25.1, infra.
6. See Sec. 25.4, infra.
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On inauguration morning, the House proceeds to participate in the
ceremonies and stands adjourned at the conclusion of the ceremony
pursuant to an adjournment resolution.(7)
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7. See Sec. 25.7, infra.
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At the designated hour of the morning, the Senate and House leave
their respective Halls each to attend the ceremonies.
The House procession is traditionally headed by the Sergeant at
Arms bearing the mace and led by the Speaker pro tempore (who is
oftentimes the Dean of the House), followed by the House leadership,
committee chairmen, ranking minority members, and other Members in
order of seniority.(8) The officers of the House have
participated in the procession as well.(9)
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8. See, e.g., Sec. 25.8, infra.
9. Ibid.
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The Vice Presidential oath of office has been administered
variously by the outgoing Vice President,(10) by a Senator
from the Vice President's home state,(11) by the Senate
Minority Leader,(12) by the Speaker of the
House,(13) and by a Justice of the U.S. Supreme
Court.(14)
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10. 91 Cong. Rec. 364, 365, 79th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 22, 1945
(retiring Vice President Henry A. Wallace); 87 Cong. Rec. 188-
190, 77th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 29, 1941 (retiring Vice
President John N. Garner).
11. 103 Cong. Rec. 804-806, 85th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 21, 1957 (U.S.
Senator William F. Knowland); 99 Cong. Rec. 450-452, 83d Cong.
1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1953 (U.S. Senator William F. Knowland).
12. 115 Cong. Rec. 1288-92, 91st Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1969 (Senate
Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen).
13. See 151 Cong. Rec. 295-298, 109th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 2005
(Speaker Hastert); 123 Cong. Rec. 1861-63, 95th Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 20, 1977 (Speaker O'Neill); and 111 Cong. Rec. 984-
986, 89th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1965 (Speaker McCormack).
14. See, e.g., 147 Cong. Rec. 547-549, 107th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 22,
2001 (Chief Justice Rehnquist); 143 Cong. Rec. 470-473, 105th
Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1997 (Associate Justice Ginsburg);
and 119 Cong. Rec. 1658-61, 93d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1973
(Chief Justice Burger).
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[[Page 318]]
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has administered the oath to
the President at every regularly scheduled inauguration since Chief
Justice Oliver Ellsworth swore in President John Adams in 1797.
Following the swearing-in, the President makes an inaugural
address.
In the closing, a well-known American musical group or person may
perform a patriotic musical or poetic selection.
A benediction is pronounced and the ceremony comes to an
end. -------------------
Joint Committee for Inaugural Ceremonies
Sec. 25.1 The House, by unanimous consent, considered and agreed to a
Senate concurrent resolution establishing a Joint Congressional
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
On Mar. 16, 2004,(1) the following proceedings occurred:
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1. 150 Cong. Rec. 4380, 108th Cong. 2d Sess.
For other examples, see 146 Cong. Rec. 2720, 2721, 106th
Cong. 2d Sess., Mar. 14, 2000 (S. Con. Res. 89); 142 Cong. Rec.
21405, 104th Cong. 2d Sess., Aug. 2, 1996 (S. Con. Res. 47);
138 Cong. Rec. 16712, 102d Cong. 2d Sess., June 29, 1992 (S.
Con. Res. 103).
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ESTABLISHING JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON INAUGURAL
CEREMONIES
Mr. [Robert W.] NEY [of Ohio]. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate concurrent
resolution (S. Con. Res. 94) establishing the Joint Congressional
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, and ask for its immediate
consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore.(2) Is there objection to
the request of the gentleman from Ohio?
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2. Chris Chocola (IN).
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There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:
S. Con Res. 94
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring),
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT COMMITTEE.
There is established a Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies (in this resolution referred to as the
``joint committee''), consisting of 3 Senators and 3 Members
of the House of Representatives appointed by the President of
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
respectively. The joint committee is authorized to make the
necessary arrangements for the inauguration of the President-
elect and the Vice President-elect of the United States.
SEC. 2. SUPPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
The joint committee--
(1) is authorized to utilize appropriate equipment and the
services of appropriate
[[Page 319]]
personnel of departments and agencies of the Federal
Government, under arrangements between the joint committee
and the heads of the departments and agencies, in connection
with the inaugural proceedings and ceremonies; and
(2) may accept gifts and donations of goods and services to
carry out its responsibilities. . . .
The Senate concurrent resolution was concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.(3)
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3. Parliamentarian's Note: The concurrent resolution has no effect
beyond a Congress in which it is agreed to. A new concurrent
resolution continuing the joint committee at the beginning of
the Congress must be adopted at the beginning of the next
Congress. See Sec. 25.4, infra.
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Appointments to Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
Sec. 25.2 The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of members to
the Joint Committee on Inaugural Arrangements.
On Mar. 16, 2004,(1) the Chair announced the Speaker's
appointments to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural
Ceremonies:
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1. 150 Cong. Rec. 4381, 108th Cong. 2d Sess.
For other examples, see 146 Cong. Rec. 7055, 106th Cong. 2d
Sess., May 8, 2000; and 142 Cong. Rec. 22372, 104th Cong. 2d
Sess., Sept. 10, 1996.
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APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON
INAUGURAL CEREMONIES
The SPEAKER pro tempore.(2) Pursuant to Senate
Concurrent Resolution 94, 108th Congress, and the order of the
House of December 8, 2003, the Chair announces the Speaker's
appointment of the following Members of the House to the Joint
Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies:
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2. Chris Chocola (IN).
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Mr. Hastert, Illinois;
Mr. DeLay, Texas;
Ms. Pelosi, California.
On Jan. 4, 2005,(3) the Members of the Joint Committee
were reappointed, as follows:(4)
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3. 151 Cong. Rec. 68, 69, 109th Cong. 1st Sess.
4. For another example, see 139 Cong. Rec. 104, 103d Cong. 1st Sess.,
Jan. 5, 1993.
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REAPPOINTMENT AS MEMBERS OF JOINT COMMITTEE TO MAKE NECESSARY
ARRANGEMENT FOR THE INAUGURATION ON JANUARY 20, 2005
The SPEAKER pro tempore.(5) Pursuant to Senate
Concurrent Resolution 2, 109th Congress, the Chair announces the
Speaker's reappointment as members of the joint committee to make
the necessary arrangements for the inauguration of the President-
elect and the Vice President-elect of the United States on the 20th
day of January, 2005, the following Members of the House:
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5. Ray LaHood (IL).
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Mr. Hastert of Illinois,
[[Page 320]]
Mr. DeLay of Texas,
Ms. Pelosi of California.
Use of the Rotunda by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural
Ceremonies
Sec. 25.3 The House, by unanimous consent, considered and agreed to a
Senate concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol
Rotunda and other Federal resources in connection with Presidential
inaugural ceremonies on Jan. 20, 2005.
Several months before the inauguration, the House considered and
agreed to a concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol
Rotunda in connection with the Presidential inaugural ceremonies as a
predicate on which to plan and to prepare for logistics and security.
On Mar. 16, 2004,(1) the following proceedings took
place:
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1. 150 Cong. Rec. 4380, 108th Cong. 2d Sess. See Sec. 25.4, infra, for
the continuing resolution related to this concurrent
resolution.
For other examples, see 146 Cong. Rec. 2721, 106th Cong. 2d
Sess., Mar. 14, 2000 (S. Con. Res. 90); 142 Cong. Rec. 21405,
104th Cong. 2d. Sess., Aug. 2, 1996 (S. Con. Res. 48; 138 Cong.
Rec. 16712, 102d Cong. 2d Sess., June 29, 1992 (S. Con. Res.
103).
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AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL ROTUNDA BY JOINT CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE ON INAUGURAL CEREMONIES
Mr. [Robert W.] NEY [of Indiana]. Madam Speaker, I ask
unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate
concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 93) authorizing the use of the
rotunda of the Capitol by the Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies, and ask for its immediate consideration in
the House.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore.(2) Is there objection to
the request of the gentleman from Ohio?
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2. Chris Chocola (IN).
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There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:
S. Con. Res. 93
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring),
SECTION 1. USE OF THE ROTUNDA OF THE CAPITOL BY THE JOINT
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON INAUGURAL
CEREMONIES.
The rotunda of the United States Capitol is authorized to
be used on January 20, 2005, by the Joint Congressional
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies in connection with the
proceedings and ceremonies conducted for the inauguration of
the President-elect and the Vice President-elect of the
United States.
Mr. [John B.] LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I support S. Con.
Res. 93, which authorizes planning for the use of the Capitol Rotunda
on January 20, 2005, for the proceedings and ceremonies conducted for
the inauguration of the President and Vice President of the United
States. We traditionally pass this measure to begin the period of
security planning and rehearsal for the inaugural, since the Rotunda is
routinely used for ceremonial purposes during the inauguration and
could host the event itself, depending on the weather at that time.
[[Page 321]]
The 108th Congress does not formally authorize use of the Rotunda
through this measure, since it will expire on January 3, 2005, like all
concurrent resolutions which are not made part of permanent law and
must be renewed in the 109th Congress. However, it initiates the period
of pre-event planning necessary to bring one of our democracy's most
memorable and historic ceremonies to fruition smoothly and safely. I
urge its adoption.
The Senate concurrent resolution was concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Sec. 25.4 The House considered and agreed to a privileged Senate
concurrent resolution continuing the authority of the Joint
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the authority to use the
Capitol Rotunda for such ceremonies.
On Jan. 4, 2005,(1) the following proceedings took
place:
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1. 151 Cong. Rec. 7, 109th Cong. 1st Sess. See also Sec. Sec. 25.1,
25.3, supra.
For other examples of similar continuing resolutions, see
147 Cong. Rec. 37, 38, 107th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 3, 2001 (S.
Con. Res. 2); 143 Cong. Rec. 143, 105th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan.
7, 1997 (S. Con. Res. 2); 139 Cong. Rec. 100, 103d Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 5, 1993 (S. Con. Res. 2); 135 Cong. Rec. 84, 101st
Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 3, 1989 (S. Con. Res. 2).
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MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE
A message from the Senate by Mr. Monahan, one of its clerks,
announced that the Senate has passed bills of the following titles
in which the concurrence of the House is requested: . . .
S. Con. Res. 2. Concurrent resolution to extend the life of
the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and
the provisions of S. Con. Res. 93 and S. Con. Res. 94 of the
One Hundred Eighth Congress . .
. -------------------
PROVIDING FOR CONTINUATION OF JOINT COMMITTEE TO MAKE
INAUGURATION ARRANGEMENTS
The SPEAKER pro tempore(2) laid before the House the
following privileged(3) Senate concurrent resolution (S.
Con. Res. 2) to extend the life of the Joint Congressional
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the provision of S. Con. Res.
93 and S. Con. Res. 94 of the One Hundred Eighth Congress.
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2. Ray LaHood (IL).
3. Parliamentarian's Note: The concurrent resolution for the
continuation of the joint committee is privileged as essential
to the role of Congress in the inauguration.
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The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:
S. Con. Res. 2
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That effective from January 3, 2005, the joint
committee created by Senate Concurrent Resolution 94 (108th
Congress), to make the necessary arrangements for the
inauguration, is hereby continued with the same power and
authority provided for in that resolution.
Sec. 2. Effective from January 4, 2005, the provisions of
Senate Concurrent Resolution 93 (108th Congress), to authorize
the rotunda of the United States Capitol to be used in
connection with the proceedings
[[Page 322]]
and ceremonies for the inauguration of the President-elect and
the Vice President-elect of the United States, are continued
with the same power and authority provided for in that
resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the Senate
concurrent resolution is concurred in.
There was no objection.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Vice Presidential Inauguration Included
Sec. 25.5 Ceremonies for the inauguration of both the President and the
Vice President are now held on the steps of the
Capitol.(1)
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1. The Vice President was inaugurated in the Senate Chamber until Jan.
20, 1937.
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On Feb. 3, 1956,(2) the concurrent resolution providing
for the joint inaugural planning committee was amended in the Senate to
provide for the inclusion of the Vice President-elect:
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2. 102 Cong. Rec. 1958, 84th Cong. 2d Sess.
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JOINT COMMITTEE TO ARRANGE FOR INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT-
ELECT
The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 64) providing for a
joint committee to arrange for the inauguration of the President-
elect of the United States, January 20, 1957, was announced as next
in order. . . .
Mr. [William H.] KNOWLAND [of California]. Mr. President, I
should like to offer an amendment on line 6, after the word
``President-elect'', to add the words ``and Vice President-elect.''
Originally, the Vice President of the United States was
inaugurated in the Senate Chamber, but in recent years the
inaugural ceremonies for both the President-elect and the Vice
President-elect have been held on the steps of the Capitol
building. . . .
Mr. KNOWLAND. Mr. President, I conferred with the ranking
Republican member of the Committee on Rules and Administration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER.(3) The clerk will state the
amendment offered by the Senator from California.
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3. Frederick G. Payne (ME).
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The Legislative Clerk. It is proposed to insert in line 6,
after the word ``President-elect'', the words ``and Vice President-
elect.''
The amendment was agreed to.
The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 64), as amended, was
agreed to, as follows:
Resolved, etc., That a joint committee consisting of 3
Senators and 3 Representatives, to be appointed by the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, respectively, is authorized to make the
necessary arrangements for the inauguration of the President-
elect and the Vice President-elect of the United States on the
25th day of January 1957.
Sunday Inauguration Date
Sec. 25.6 Debate occurred in the Senate concerning Inauguration Day
1957 falling on a
[[Page 323]]
Sunday for the fifth time in history.(1)
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1. See House Rules and Manual Sec. 150 (2007). See also 3 Hinds'
Precedents Sec. 1996; and 6 Cannon's Precedents Sec. 449.
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On Feb. 16, 1956,(2) Senate Concurrent Resolution 64 was
called up by unanimous consent, and the Presiding Officer laid before
the Senate the House amendment thereto. The proceedings were as
follows:
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2. 102 Cong. Rec. 2668, 2669, 84th Cong. 2d Sess.
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JOINT COMMITTEE TO ARRANGE FOR INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT-
ELECT
Mr. [Theodore F.] GREEN [of Rhode Island]. Mr. President, I
desire to have Senate Concurrent Resolution 64 called up.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bible(3) in the chair).
The unfinished business is Senate Resolution 168, Calendar 1408.
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3. Alan H. Bible (NV).
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Mr. [Earle C.] CLEMENTS [of Kentucky]. Mr. President, I ask
unanimous consent that the unfinished business be temporarily laid
aside, so that Senate Concurrent Resolution 64 may be considered,
in accordance with the wish of the Senator from Rhode Island.
The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the amendment of
the House of Representatives to the concurrent resolution (S. Con.
Res. 64) providing for a joint committee to arrange for the
inauguration of the President-elect of the United States, January
20, 1957, which was in line 7, to strike out ``twentieth'' and
insert ``twenty-first''.
Mr. GREEN. Mr. President, let me say that Senate Concurrent
Resolution 64 has been agreed to by both the Senate and the House
of Representatives, and amendments to the concurrent resolution
have been adopted by both bodies.
The concurrent resolution as submitted by me, and passed as
agreed to by the Senate on February 3, 1956, provided for a joint
committee to arrange for the inauguration of the President-elect of
the United States, on January 20, 1957. On that day I was absent
from the Senate, having been excused in order to attend the
inauguration of the new President of Brazil. In my absence, Senate
Concurrent Resolution 64 was amended to include the Vice-President-
elect.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 64, as amended by the Senate, was
agreed to by the House of Representatives on February 7, 1956,
after it was further amended by the House to change the date in the
text of the resolution from ``January 20, 1957'' to ``January 21,
1957.'' The concurrent resolution is now back before the Senate for
consideration of the House amendment.
I have no objection to either the Senate amendment, which added
the Vice-President-elect, or to the House amendment, which changed
the date from January 20, 1957, to January 21, 1957. I believe,
however, that a statement in clarification of my position and of
proposed further amendments, which I am about to offer, is in
order.
As my colleagues in the Congress well know, under the
Constitution, as
[[Page 324]]
amended, the terms of the President and the Vice President end at
noon on the 20th day of January 1957, and the terms of the
President-elect and the Vice-President-elect begin at the same
instant--Constitution of the United States, amendment XX, effective
October 15, 1933; 62d United States Statutes at Large, page 672;
title 3, United States Code, section 101. Accordingly, although I
was well aware when I submitted Senate Concurrent Resolution 64
that the 20th day of January, in the year 1957, would fall on a
Sunday. I employed that date in my resolution because it was fixed
by the established law.
In 1957, for the first time since the ratification of the 20th
amendment, January 20 will fall on a Sunday in an inaugural year.
Under the old law, when Presidents of the United States were
inaugurated on March 4, there wee four occasions on which March 4
fell on a Sunday in an inaugural year. The former occasions were:
In 1971, Woodrow Wilson's second term; in 1877, Rutherford B.
Hayes' first term; in 1849, Zachary Taylor's first term; and in
1821, the beginning of James Monroe's second term.
In 1916, a Senate concurrent resolution was adopted by the
Congress providing for a committee to arrange for the inauguration
of the President elect, which carried in its text the date ``March
5, 1917.'' I refer to Senate Concurrent Resolution 27 of the 64th
Congress. President Wilson actually took his oath of office as
President, however, at the Capitol, on Sunday morning, March 4,
1917. Present at the occasion were his Cabinet and a few friends.
On the next day, Monday, March 5, 1917, the inaugural ceremony was
repeated in public for the benefit of the crowd which assembled at
the east front of the Capitol.
On the three prior occasions in our history when March 4 fell
on a Sunday in an inaugural year, there were no similar concurrent
resolutions. In 1877, President Hayes took the oath of office on
Saturday, March 3. Chief Justice Waite administered the oath in the
red room of the White House. On the following Monday, March 5, the
Chief Justice again swore President Hayes in at the formal ceremony
on the occasion of the President's Inaugural Address.
In 1849, President Taylor did not take his oath of office until
Monday, March 5, at 12 noon. It took place at the public
inauguration ceremonies in front of the great portico. This
occasion gave rise to a claim, apparently never completely
resolved, that Senator David R. Atchison, President pro tempore of
the Senate, was, under the Succession Act of 1792, actually
President of the United States for 1 day, beginning at noon on
March 4, 1849.
In 1821, President Monroe took the oath of office on March 5.
Today, the ending and beginning of a Presidential and Vice
Presidential term is clearly defined in the 20th amendment to the
Constitution which provides:
The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at
noon on the 20th day of January * * * and the terms of their
successors shall then begin.
In my humble opinion, if the President-elect of the United
States does not take his oath of office until noon on Monday,
January 21, 1957, then, pursuant to the provisions of Public Law
[[Page 325]]
199 of the 80th Congress, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives will actually be the President of the United States
from noon on January 20, 1957, until noon on the following day. Of
course, I have no objection to having the Honorable Sam Rayburn
occupy the White House and only regret that his term of office,
under those circumstances, would be so short lived. To those who
are opposed to Sam Rayburn's elevation to this high office, I can
only say that they will have to use irresistible persuasion on the
next President-elect to make him take his oath of office at noon on
Sunday, January 20, 1957.
Because the people of the State of Rhode Island, the smallest
State in the Union, have no aversion to a citizen of the largest
State taking possession of the White House, and because I feel that
Senate Concurrent Resolution 64 provides for a committee to make
arrangements for the public ceremonies attendant upon the
assumption of office by a new President, I now suggest that the
Senate agree to the amendment adopted by the House. In order to
avoid any misunderstanding or any possible interpretation of Senate
Concurrent Resolution 64 which would affect the law on Presidential
succession, however, I offer an amendment to the resolution, as
follows: On page 1, line 6, before the word ``inauguration'',
insert the word ``public.''
In addition, I offer a further amendment, as follows: In the
title of Senate Concurrent Resolution 64, before the word
``inauguration'' insert the word ``public''; after the words
``President-elect'', insert the words ``and Vice President-elect'';
and, after the word ``January'', strike the date ``20'', and insert
instead the date ``21.''
I ask unanimous consent that my amendments to Senate Concurrent
Resolution 64 be now considered and approved; and that Senate
Concurrent Resolution 64, as amended, be agreed to, by the Senate.
Mr. [William F.] KNOWLAND [of California]. Mr. President, will
the Senator yield?
Mr. GREEN. I yield.
Mr. KNOWLAND. I was wondering if the Senator would care to
amplify the reasons for inserting the word ``public,'' rather than,
in the original language, merely referring to the ``inauguration.''
As the Senator will recall, at the fourth inaugural of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, he determined to have the ceremony at the
White House, since it was a case of reelection to the office. No
one knows who the next President of the United States may be. He
may be a reelected President or a new President.
Mr. GREEN. The idea is that with these four amendments--two of
which have already been adopted, and the two I now offer--it will
be possible to distinguish between the public inauguration and
privately taking the oath in the White House or anywhere else the
President-elect might choose. Of course, we would not want to do
away with the public inauguration. Otherwise, as I have tried to
make clear, this ambiguity might make it possible for the claim to
be made that someone else than the elected President was President
during that one day.
Mr. KNOWLAND. All I wish to do is clarify the legislative
history. Let us assume, for the moment, that President Eisenhower
were reelected, and that he might choose, as President
[[Page 326]]
Franklin D. Roosevelt did, to have an inaugural ceremony at the
White House instead of at the Capitol. Would the language suggested
by the Senator foreclose the joint committee from such
arrangements?
Mr. GREEN. No. As I understand, he could take the oath
privately in the White House on Sunday, January 20, and later a
public inauguration could be held, the next day. We might
distinguish between the two ceremonies, and call one the
inauguration and the other the affirmation, or celebration of the
inauguration.
Mr. KNOWLAND. I understand that. However, because of the fact
that January 20 falls on Sunday, the President-elect might
privately take the oath of office on Sunday, and have the public or
formal ceremonies the following day.
Mr. GREEN. We might call that the installation.
Mr. KNOWLAND. But suppose the present President should be
reelected, as occurred during the Franklin D. Roosevelt
administration, and that he should choose to have the ceremony at
the White House. Would that be foreclosed under the language
suggested by the Senator?
Mr. GREEN. No; it would not be foreclosed. He might forego the
public inauguration if he so desired.
Mr. [Leverett] SALTONSTALL [of Massachusetts]. Mr. President,
will the Senator yield?
Mr. GREEN. I yield.
Mr. SALTONSTALL. I think the Senator from Rhode Island has made
it clear, but in order to make the Record still clearer, let me ask
one or two questions.
The President would take his oath on Sunday and become the
President of the United States, whether he were a reelected
President or a new President.
Mr. GREEN. That is correct.
Mr. SALTONSTALL. In connection with the public inauguration on
Monday, is it the Senator's idea that the President-elect should
again take the oath, or would the ceremonies on Monday be
ceremonies of celebration, when he should make his speech and go
through with all the other ceremonies?
Mr. GREEN. I think the public would like to see him take the
oath over again. However, I do not think it is necessary legally.
Mr. [Herbert H.] LEHMAN [of New York]. Mr. President, will the
Senator yield?
Mr. GREEN. I yield.
Mr. LEHMAN. We have had some experience with matters of this
kind in the State of New York.
The Constitution of the State of New York provides that the
term of a governor shall end at midnight on December 31. However,
he is not inaugurated until noon of the following day. Invariably
the Governor, whether he be a new governor or a governor who has
held office previously, has taken his oath of office at the
executive mansion at 1 minute after 12 o'clock midnight December
31, and has been publicly inaugurated the following day.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The first amendment offered by the
Senator from Rhode Island will be stated.
The Legislative Clerk. On page 1, line 6 before the word
``inauguration'' it is proposed to insert the word ``public.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment is not in order, because
[[Page 327]]
the Senate cannot amend its own concurrent resolution after it has
been agreed to by the House.
Mr. GREEN. Mr. President, may I ask unanimous consent that the
amendment be held to be in order, if a point of order is raised?
Mr. CLEMENTS. Will the Chair state the parliamentary situation?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair has held that the amendment
offered by the Senator from Rhode Island [Green] adding the word
``public'' is not in order.
Mr. KNOWLAND. Mr. President, a parliamentary inquiry.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator will state it.
Mr. KNOWLAND. If the Senate does not concur in the House
amendment and requests a conference with the House, would it be
possible for the conferees to make the change?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair is advised that the conferees
would not have any authority to take into consideration any
amendments which were not in disagreement.
Mr. CLEMENTS. Mr. President, will the Chair state the procedure
that should be followed in connection with this matter?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair is advised that all that the
Senate may consider is the amendment of the House of
Representatives, which is before it.
Mr. GREEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I may
withdraw my amendment, and merely move that the Senate concur in
the House amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The Chair hears
none, and it is so ordered.
Mr. GREEN. I believe the understanding is perfectly clear on
the Record without the use of the word ``public.'' I move that the
Senate concur in the amendment of the House of Representatives.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the
motion of the Senator from Rhode Island.
The motion was agreed to.
Inaugural Procedures Reviewed
Sec. 25.7 The House considered and adopted a privileged resolution
providing that at a designated time on Inauguration Day the House
shall proceed to the West Front of the Capitol to attend the
ceremony, and that at the conclusion of the ceremony the House
shall stand adjourned until a day and time certain pursuant to an
adjournment resolution.
On Jan. 4, 2005,(1) the House considered and adopted a
privileged resolution providing that at a designated time on
Inauguration Day the House shall proceed to the West Front of the
Capitol to attend the ceremony, and that at the conclusion of the
ceremony the House shall stand adjourned until
[[Page 328]]
a day and time certain pursuant to an adjournment
resolution:(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 151 Cong. Rec. 69, 109th Cong. 1st Sess.
2. Parliamentarian's Note: In an improvement over prior years'
resolutions, this one acknowledged the role of a concurrent
resolution of adjournment in providing for the House to stand
adjourned for more than three constitutional days (as opposed
to appearing itself to grant such permission). For
illustrations of the previous practice, see 147 Cong. Rec. 38,
107th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 3, 2001 (H. Res. 10, providing that
the House shall stand adjourned to a day certain ``or pursuant
to such other concurrent resolution of adjournment as may then
apply''); 143 Cong. Rec. 143, 105th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 7,
1997 (H. Res. 8, providing for adjournment until a date and
time certain without reference to an adjournment resolution);
139 Cong. Rec. 104, 103d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 5, 1993 (H. Res.
10, providing for procession to the West Front for the
inauguration but not adjournment); 135 Cong. Rec. 244, 101st
Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 19, 1989 (H. Res. 40, providing for
adjournment until a date and time certain without reference to
an adjournment resolution); and 131 Cong. Rec. 418, 99th Cong.
1st Sess., Jan. 3, 1985 (H. Res. 10, providing for adjournment
until a date and time certain without reference to an
adjournment resolution).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROVIDING FOR ATTENDANCE AT INAUGURAL CEREMONIES ON JANUARY 20,
2005
Mr. [Tom] DeLAY [of Texas]. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged
resolution (H. Res. 9) and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 9
Resolved, That at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 20, 2005,
the House shall proceed to the West Front of the Capitol for
the purpose of attending the inaugural ceremonies of the
President and Vice President of the United States; and that
upon the conclusion of the ceremonies the House stands
adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2005, pursuant
to such concurrent resolution of adjournment as may so permit.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
On that same day,(3) the House adopted a privileged
concurrent resolution providing for the adjournment of the House for
more than three days until Inauguration Day, and then from Inauguration
Day to a date certain more than three days hence:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. 151 Cong. Rec. 69, 109th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 4, 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROVIDING FOR AN ADJOURNMENT OR RECESS OF THE TWO HOUSES
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged concurrent
resolution (H. Con. Res. 2) and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:
H. Con. Res. 2
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
[[Page 329]]
That when the House adjourns on the legislative day of
Thursday, January 6, 2005, on a motion offered pursuant to this
concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee,
it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 20, 2005,
or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of
this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first; that when
the House adjourns on the legislative day of Thursday, January
20, 2005, it stand adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January
25, 2005, or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to
section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs
first; and that when the Senate recesses or adjourns on
Thursday, January 6, 2005, or Friday, January 7, 2005, on a
motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its
Majority Leader or his designee, it stand recessed or adjourned
until noon on Thursday, January 20, 2005, or at such other time
on that day as may be specified by its Majority Leader or his
designee in the motion to recess or adjourn, or until the time
of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent
resolution, whichever occurs first.
Sec. 2. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of
the Senate, or their respective designees, acting jointly after
consultation with the Minority Leader of the House and the
Minority Leader of the Senate, shall notify the Members of the
House and the Senate, respectively, to reassemble at such place
and time as they may designate whenever, in their opinion, the
public interest shall warrant it.
The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Sec. 25.8 The Chair announced the policy for the seating of Members
(and former Members) for the inaugural ceremonies.
On Jan. 20, 2005,(1) the Chair made an announcement
regarding the assembling and attendance of the House at the inaugural
ceremonies on the East Front of the Capitol.(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 151 Cong. Rec. 267, 109th Cong. 1st Sess.
2. For other illustrations, see 147 Cong. Rec. 163, 107th Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 20, 2001; 143 Cong. Rec. 381, 105th Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 20, 1997; 139 Cong. Rec. 381, 103d Cong. 1st Sess.,
Jan. 20, 1993; 135 Cong. Rec. 324, 325, 101st Cong. 1st Sess.,
Jan. 20, 1989; and 131 Cong. Rec. 690, 99th Cong. 1st Sess.,
Jan. 21, 1985.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The SPEAKER pro tempore.(3) The Chair announces that
sitting Members are being delivered their official pins in order to
be seated on the platform. There are no extra seats available, so
former Members cannot join the procession. The same holds true for
children. They can neither go with the procession nor be seated on
the platform.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Michael K. Simpson (ID).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The area where Members of the House are to be seated is not
covered. Members should keep this fact in mind in deciding whether
to wear overcoats and hats.
The Sergeant-at-Arms will precede the procession bearing the
mace. The Clerk will escort the Members to the west front of the
Capitol. The procession will be led by the dean of the
[[Page 330]]
House, followed by the House leadership, committee chairmen,
ranking minority members, and then other Members in order of
seniority.
The House leadership, committee chairmen, and ranking minority
members shall retire to the holding room upon leaving the Chamber.
The Chair would encourage Members, as they gather in order of
seniority, to congregate by ``classes'' in the well.
Pursuant to House Resolution 9, the Members of the House will
now proceed to the west front to attend the inaugural ceremonies
for the President and the Vice President of the United States.
Upon completion of the ceremony, pursuant to House Resolution
9, 109th Congress, the House will stand adjourned.
Pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 2, 109th Congress, that
adjournment will be until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2005.
Thereupon, at 10 o'clock and 22 minutes a.m., the Members of
the House, preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Speaker,
proceeded to the west front of the Capitol.
Appointment of Speaker Pro Tempore
Sec. 25.9 The Speaker has designated the Dean of the House as Speaker
pro tempore to lead the House procession to the inauguration of the
President and the Vice President.
On Jan. 19, 1989,(1) the Speaker designated the Dean of
the House to act as Speaker pro tempore when the House convened just
prior to the inaugural ceremonies, as follows:(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 135 Cong. Rec. 244, 101st Cong. 1st Sess.
2. For other examples, see 131 Cong. Rec. 420, 99th Cong. 1st Sess.,
Jan. 3, 1985 (designating Jamie L. Whitten [MS] as Speaker pro
tempore on Inauguration Day); 127 Cong. Rec. 405, 97th Cong.
1st Sess., Jan. 19, 1981 (designating Jamie L. Whitten [MS] as
Speaker pro tempore on Inauguration Day); 119 Cong. Rec. 1555,
93d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 18, 1973 (designating Wright Patman
[TX] as Speaker pro tempore on Inauguration Day); and 115 Cong.
Rec. 1184, 91st Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 17, 1969 (designating
Emanuel Celler [NY] as Speaker pro tempore on Inauguration
Day).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE TO LEAD HOUSE ``PROCESSION''
IN INAUGURATION CEREMONY
The SPEAKER.(3) The Chair designates the Honorable
Jamie L. Whitten, of Mississippi, dean of the House, to act as
Speaker pro tempore on Friday, January 20, 1989, to lead the House
procession to the Inauguration of the President of the United
States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. James C. Wright, Jr. (TX).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clerk Authorized to Receive Messages
Sec. 25.10 The Clerk is authorized to receive messages from the
[[Page 331]]
President and the Senate, notwithstanding adjournment of the House,
prior to Inauguration Day.
Prior to the existence of such authority in the standing
rules,(1) the Clerk was routinely authorized to receive
message by unanimous consent. For example, on Jan. 17,
1969,(2) the Speaker(3) recognized Mr. Carl
Albert, of Oklahoma, who asked unanimous consent that the Clerk be
authorized to receive certain messages:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. See Rule II clause 2(h), House Rules and Manual Sec. 652 (2007).
2. 115 Cong. Rec. 1184, 91st Cong. 1st Sess.
3. John W. McCormack (MA).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MR. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
notwithstanding the adjournment of the House until Monday, January
20, 1969, the Clerk be authorized to receive messages from the
President and the Senate.
THE SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Oklahoma?
There was no objection.
Inaugural Ceremonies
Sec. 25.11 Ceremonies for the inauguration of the President and Vice
President.(1)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. For other examples of inauguration programs, see 151 Cong. Rec.
295-298, 109th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 2005 (second inaugural
of President Bush); 143 Cong. Rec. 470-473, 105th Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 21, 1997 (second inaugural of President Clinton);
139 Cong. Rec. 383-386, 103d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1993
(first inaugural of President Clinton); 135 Cong. Rec. 303-306,
101st Cong., 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1989 (inaugural of President
George H.W. Bush); 131 Cong. Rec. 630-633, 99th Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 21, 1985 (second inaugural of President Reagan);
127 Cong. Rec. 540-543, 97th Cong, 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1981
(first inaugural of President Reagan); 123 Cong. Rec. 1861-63,
95th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1977 (inaugural of President
Carter); 119 Cong. Rec. 1658-61, 93d Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20,
1973 (second inaugural of President Nixon); 115 Cong. Rec.
1289-92, 91st Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1969 (first inaugural
of President Nixon); 111 Cong. Rec. 984-986, 89th Cong. 1st
Sess., Jan. 20, 1965 (inaugural of President Johnson); and 107
Cong. Rec. 1010-1013, 87th Cong. 1st Sess., Jan. 20, 1961
(inaugural of President Kennedy).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Jan. 22, 2001,(2) the following proceedings took
place in the Senate:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. 147 Cong. Rec. 547-549, 107th Cong. 1st Sess.
Parliamentarian's Note: The Senate portion of the
Congressional Record carried the inaugural proceedings even
though the Senate was not in session during those proceedings.
The House customarily has not printed the proceedings, even
though it customarily remains in session for their duration.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 332]]
INAUGURAL CEREMONY
Mrs. [Kay Bailey] HUTCHISON [of Texas]. Mr. President, I ask
unanimous consent that the proceedings of Saturday's Inaugural
Ceremony be printed in today's Record.
There being no objection, the proceedings of the Inaugural
Ceremony were ordered to be printed in the Record, as
follows: -------------------
Inauguration Ceremony, Saturday, January 20, 2001, 11:47 a.m.
Members of the House of Representatives, Members of the
Senate, Justices of the Supreme Court, nominees to the Cabinet,
the Governors of the States, and the Mayor of the District of
Columbia, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other distinguished
guests assembled on the West Front.
Mr. Martin Paone, Senate Secretary for the Majority,
escorted Senator Clinton and Mrs. Gore, accompanied by Mrs.
Clegg Dodd, Mrs. Gephardt, and Mrs. Daschle, to the President's
platform.
Mrs. Elizabeth Letchworth, Senate Secretary for the
Minority, escorted Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Cheney, accompanied by
Mrs. McConnell (Elaine Chao), Mrs. Lott, Mrs. Hastert, and Mrs.
Armey, to the President's platform.
Mr. Jay Eagen, House CAO, Mr. Gary Sisco, Secretary of the
Senate, and Mr. Jeff Trandahl, Clerk of the House, escorted
President Clinton and Vice President Gore, accompanied by
Senator Dodd, Representative Gephardt, and Senator Daschle, to
the President's platform.
Ms. Lani Gerst, Executive Director, JCCIC, Mrs. Loretta
Symms, Senate Deputy Sergeant at Arms, and Ms. Kerri Hanley,
House Deputy Sergeant at Arms, escorted Vice President-elect
Cheney, accompanied by Senator Lott and Representative Armey,
to the President's platform.
Ms. Tamara Somerville, Chief of Staff, JCCIC, Mr. Jim
Ziglar, Senate Sergeant at Arms, and Mr. Bill Livingood, House
Sergeant at Arms, escorted President-elect Bush, accompanied by
Senator McConnell, Senator Dodd, Speaker Hastert, and Senator
Lott, to the President's platform.
Mr. [Mitch] McCONNELL [of Kentucky]. Everyone, please be
seated so we can begin.
Welcome to the 54th inauguration of the President and the
Vice President of the United States of America. Today we honor
the past in commemorating two centuries of inaugurations in
Washington, DC. As well, we embrace the future, this day
marking the first inauguration of the 21st century and the new
millennium.
America has now spanned four centuries, her promise still
shining bright--beginning and present--linked by timeless
ideals and faith. The enduring strength of our Constitution,
which brings us to the West Front of the Capitol today, attests
to the wisdom of America's founders and the heroism of
generations of Americans who fought wars and toiled in peace to
preserve this legacy of liberty. In becoming the 43rd President
of the United States, George W. Bush will assume the sacred
trust as guardian of our Constitution. Dick Cheney will be
sworn in as our new Vice President. Witnessed by the Congress,
Supreme Court, Governors, and Presidents past, the current
President will stand by as the new President peacefully takes
office. This is a triumph of our democratic Republic, a
ceremony befitting a great nation.
In his father's stead, the Rev. Franklin Graham is with us
today to lead the Nation in prayer. Please stand for the
invocation.
Reverend Graham.
[[Page 333]]
Reverend GRAHAM. Let us pray:
Blessed are You, O Lord our God. Yours, O God, is the
greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the
splendor, for everything in heaven and Earth is Yours. Yours, O
Lord, is the kingdom. You are exalted as head over all. Wealth
and honor come from You. You are the ruler of all things. In
Your hands are strength and power to exalt and to give strength
to all.
As President Lincoln once said, we have been the recipients
of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved
these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in
numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown,
but we have forgotten God. It behooves us then to humble
ourselves before the offended powers, to confess our national
sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
O Lord, as we come together on this historic and solemn
occasion to inaugurate once again a President and Vice
President, teach us afresh that power, wisdom, and salvation
come only from Your hand.
We pray, O Lord, for President-elect George W. Bush and
Vice President-elect Richard B. Cheney to whom You have
entrusted leadership of this Nation at this moment in history.
We pray that You will help them bring our country together so
that we may rise above partisan politics and seek the larger
vision of Your will for our Nation. Use them to bring
reconciliation between the races, healing to political wounds,
that we may truly become one nation under God.
Give our new President, and all who advise him, calmness in
the face of storms, encouragement in the face of frustration,
and humility in the face of success. Give them the wisdom to
know and to do what is right and the courage to say no to all
that is contrary to Your statutes and holy law.
Lord, we pray for their families, and especially their
wives, Laura Bush and Lynne Cheney, that they may sense Your
presence and know Your love.
Today we entrust to You President and Senator Clinton and
Vice President and Mrs. Gore. Lead them as they journey through
new doors of opportunity to serve others.
Now, O Lord, we dedicate this Presidential inaugural
ceremony to You. May this be the beginning of a new dawn for
America as we humble ourselves before You and acknowledge You
alone as our Lord, our Saviour, and our Redeemer.
We pray this in the name of the Father and of the Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mr. McCONNELL. Thank you, Reverend Graham.
It is my distinct pleasure to introduce the Dupont Manual
Choir of Louisville, KY.
(Performance by the Dupont Manual Choir of Louisville, KY.)
Mr. McCONNELL. I now call on Senator Christopher J. Dodd of
Connecticut to introduce the Chief Justice of the United
States.
Mr. DODD. Thank you, Senator McConnell.
President and Senator Clinton, Vice President and Mrs.
Gore, President-elect and Mrs. Bush, and fellow citizens, the
Vice President-elect will now take the oath of office. His
wife, Lynne, and their daughters, Elizabeth Cheney Perry and
Mary Cheney, will hold the family Bible. I have the honor and
privilege to now present the Chief Justice of the United States
Supreme Court, the Hon. William Hobbs Rehnquist, to administer
the oath of office to the Vice President-elect, Richard Bruce
Cheney.
(Applause.)
[[Page 334]]
Mr. Chief Justice REHNQUIST. Mr. Cheney, are you ready to
take the oath? -
Vice President-elect CHENEY. I am.
Mr. Chief Justice Rehnquist. Please raise your right hand
and repeat after me.
The Chief Justice of the United States, William Hobbs
Rehnquist, administered to the Vice President-elect the oath of
office prescribed by the Constitution, which he repeated, as
follows:
``I, Richard Bruce Cheney, do solemnly swear that I will
support and defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true
faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation
freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion,
and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the
office of which I am about to enter. So help me God.''
Mr. Chief Justice REHNQUIST. Congratulations.
(The Marine Band performed ``Hail Columbia.'')
(Applause.)
Mr. McCONNELL. Ladies and gentlemen, Staff Sergeant Alec T.
Maly of the United States Army Band will now perform an
American medley.
(Staff Sergeant Alec T. Maly sang a medley of American
music.)
Mr. McCONNELL. It is now my high honor to again present the
Chief Justice of the United States who will administer the
Presidential oath of office. Everyone, please stand.
(Applause.)
Mr. Chief Justice REHNQUIST. Governor Bush, are you ready
to take the oath?
President-elect BUSH. Yes, sir.
Mr. Chief Justice REHNQUIST. Please raise your right hand
and repeat after me.
The Chief Justice of the United States, William Hobbs
Rehnquist, administered to the President-elect the oath of
office prescribed by the Constitution, which he repeated, as
follows:
``I, George Walker Bush, do solemnly swear that I will
faithfully execute the office of President of the United States
and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and
defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.''
Mr. Chief Justice Rehnquist. Congratulations.
(Applause.)
Mr. McCONNELL. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the
United States, George W. Bush.
(Applause.)
(Herald Trumpets play ``Ruffles and Flourishes'' and ``Hail
to the Chief,'' and 21-gun salute.)
President BUSH. Thank you all.
Chief Justice Rehnquist, President Carter, President Bush--
--
(Laughter, applause.)
President Clinton, distinguished guests, and my fellow
citizens:
This peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history, yet
common in our country. With a simple oath, we affirm old
traditions and make new beginnings.
As I begin, I thank President Clinton for his service to
our Nation. -
(Applause.)
And I thank Vice President Gore for a contest conducted
with spirit and ended with grace.
(Applause.)
I am honored and humbled to stand here, where so many of
America's leaders have come before me and so many will follow.
We have a place, all of us, in a long story; a story we
continue, but whose end we will not see. It is the story of a
new world that became a friend and liberator of the old, the
story of a slave-holding society that became a servant of
freedom, the
[[Page 335]]
story of a power that went into the world to protect but not
possess, to defend but not to conquer. It is the American
story; a story of flawed and fallible people, united across the
generations by grand and enduring ideals.
The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American
promise: that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a
chance, that no insignificant person was ever born.
Americans are called to enact this promise in our lives and
in our laws. And though our Nation has sometimes halted, and
sometimes delayed, we must follow no other course.
Through much of the last century, America's faith in
freedom and democracy was a rock in a raging sea. Now it is a
seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations.
Our democratic faith is more than the creed of our country,
it is the inborn hope of our humanity; an ideal we carry but do
not own, a trust we bear and pass along. And even after nearly
225 years, we have a long way yet to travel.
While many of our citizens prosper, others doubt the
promise--even the justice--of our own country. The ambitions of
some Americans are limited by failing schools, and hidden
prejudice, and the circumstances of their birth. And sometimes
our differences run so deep, it seems we share a continent, but
not a country.
We do not accept this, and we will not allow it. Our unity,
our union, is the serious work of leaders and citizens in every
generation. And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build
a single nation of justice and opportunity.
(Applause.)
I know this is within our reach, because we are guided by a
power larger than ourselves who creates us equal in His image.
And we are confident in principles that unite and lead us
onward.
America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We
are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift
us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be
citizens. Every child must be taught these principles. Every
citizen must uphold them. And every immigrant, by embracing
these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.
(Applause.)
Today we affirm a new commitment to live out our Nation's
promise through civility, courage, compassion, and character.
America, at its best, matches a commitment to principle
with a concern for civility.
A civil society demands from each of us good will and
respect, fair dealing and forgiveness.
Some seem to believe that our politics can afford to be
petty because, in a time of peace, the stakes of our debates
appear small. But the stakes, for America, are never small. If
our country does not lead the cause of freedom, it will not be
led. If we do not turn the hearts of children toward knowledge
and character, we will lose their gifts and undermine their
idealism. If we permit our economy to drift and decline, the
vulnerable will suffer most.
We must live up to the calling we share. Civility is not a
tactic or a sentiment. It is the determined choice of trust
over cynicism, of community over chaos. And this commitment, if
we keep it, is a way to shared accomplishment.
America, at its best, is also courageous.
Our national courage has been clear in times of depression
and war, when defeating common dangers defined our common good.
Now we must choose if the example of our fathers and mothers
will inspire us or condemn us. We must show courage in a time
of blessing by confronting
[[Page 336]]
problems instead of passing them onto future generations.
(Applause.)
Together we will reclaim America's schools, before
ignorance and apathy claim more young lives. We will reform
Social Security and Medicare, sparing our children from
struggles we have the power to prevent. And we will reduce
taxes, to recover the momentum of our economy and reward the
efforts and enterprise of working Americans.
(Applause.)
We will build our defenses beyond challenge, lest weakness
invite challenge.
(Applause.)
We will confront weapons of mass destruction, so that a new
century is spared new horrors.
The enemies of liberty and our country should make no
mistake, America remains engaged in the world, by history and
by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We
will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose
without arrogance. We will meet aggression and bad faith with
resolve and strength. And to all nations, we will speak for the
values that gave our Nation birth.
(Applause.)
America, at its best, is compassionate.
In the quiet of American conscience, we know that deep,
persistent poverty is unworthy of our Nation's promise. And
whatever our views of its cause, we can agree that children at
risk are not at fault. Abandonment and abuse are not acts of
God; they are failures of love.
(Applause.)
And the proliferation of prisons, however necessary, is no
substitute for hope and order in our souls.
Where there is suffering, there is duty. Americans in need
are not strangers, they are citizens; not problems, but
priorities. And all of us are diminished when any are hopeless.
(Applause.)
Government has great responsibilities, for public safety
and public health, for civil rights and common schools. Yet
compassion is the work of a nation, not just a government. And
some needs and hurts are so deep, they will only respond to a
mentor's touch or a pastor's prayer. Church and charity,
synagogue and mosque lend our communities their humanity, and
they will have an honored place in our plans and in our laws.
(Applause.)
Many in our country do not know the pain of poverty. But we
can listen to those who do. And I can pledge our Nation to a
goal. When we see that wounded traveler on the road to Jericho,
we will not pass to the other side.
(Applause.)
America, at its best, is a place where personal
responsibility is valued and expected.
Encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats;
it is a call to conscience. And though it requires sacrifice,
it brings a deeper fulfillment. We find the fullness of life,
not only in options, but in commitments. And we find that
children and community are the commitments that set us free.
Our public interest depends on private character; on civic
duty and family bonds and basic fairness; on uncounted,
unhonored acts of decency which give direction to our freedom.
Sometimes in life we are called to do great things. But as a
saint of our times has said, every day we are called to do
small things with great love. The most important tasks of a
democracy are done by everyone.
I will live and lead by these principles: to advance my
convictions with civility; to pursue the public interest with
courage; to speak for
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greater justice and compassion; to call for responsibility, and
try to live it as well. In all these ways, I will bring the
values of our history to the care of our times.
What you do is as important as anything government does. I
ask you to seek a common good beyond your comfort; to defend
needed reforms against easy attacks; to serve your Nation,
beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens--
citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible
citizens building communities of service and a nation of
character.
(Applause.)
Americans are generous and strong and decent, not because
we believe in ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond
ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no
government program can replace it. When this spirit is present,
no wrong can stand against it.
(Applause.)
After the Declaration of Independence was signed, Virginia
statesman John Page wrote to Thomas Jefferson:
We know the race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the
Strong. Do you not think an Angel rides in the Whirlwind and
directs this Storm?
Much time has passed since Jefferson arrived for his
inauguration. The years and changes accumulate, but the themes
of this day he would know: our Nation's grand story of courage
and its simple dream of dignity. We are not the story's author,
who fills time and eternity with His purpose. Yet His purpose
is achieved in our duty; and our duty is fulfilled in service
to one another.
Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew
that purpose today: to make our country more just and generous;
to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life.
This work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still
rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm.
God bless you all, and God bless America.
(Applause.)
Mr. McCONNELL. Please stand now as Pastor Kribyjon H.
Caldwell will now deliver the benediction, and afterward,
please remain standing for the singing of our National Anthem,
after which the ceremony will be concluded. I call upon Senator
Dodd to organize the Presidential party after the ceremony has
ended to depart the platform.
Pastor Caldwell.
Pastor CALDWELL. Thank you, Senator McConnell.
Let us pray, please:
Almighty God, the supply and supplier of peace, prudent
policy, and nonpartisanship, we bless Your holy and righteous
name. Thank You, O God, for blessing us with forgiveness, with
faith, and with favor. Forgive us for choosing pride over
purpose. Forgive us for choosing popularity over principles.
And forgive us for choosing materialism over morals. Deliver us
from these and all other evils, and cast our sins into Your sea
of forgetfulness to be remembered no more. And Lord, not only
do we thank You for our forgiveness, we thank You for faith,
faith to believe that every child can learn and no child will
be left behind and no youth will be left out.
Thank You for blessing us with the faith to believe that
all of Your leaders can sit down and reason with one another so
that each American is blessed.
Thank You for blessing us with the faith to believe that
the walls of inequity can be torn down and the gaps between the
rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots, the uneducated
and the educated, can and will be closed.
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And, Lord, lastly, we thank You for favor. We thank You for
Your divine favor. Let Your favor be upon President Clinton and
the outgoing administration. May they go forth in spiritual
grace and civic greatness. And, of course, O Lord, let Your
divine favor be upon President George W. Bush and First Lady
Laura Welch Bush and their family. We decree and declare that
no weapon formed against them shall prosper. Let Your divine
favor be upon the Bush team and all Americans with the rising
of the Sun and the going down of the same. May we grow in our
willingness and ability to bless You and bless one another.
We respectfully submit this humble prayer in the name that
is above all other names, Jesus the Christ. Let all who agree
say ``Amen.''
(Staff Sergeant Maly performed the National Anthem with
accompaniment.)
(Applause.)
The inaugural ceremonies were concluded at 12:24 p.m.