8 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 21, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
‘A new day in America’: Queens reps
mark a new era at Biden inaugural
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
aacevedo@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e United States of America welcomed
a new administration on Wednesday, Jan.
20, in an Inauguration Day unlike any
other, for numerous reasons. As President
Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala
Harris were sworn in at the nation’s
Capitol — where just two weeks prior a
deadly insurrection took place — Queens
offi cials refl ected on the day.
“I congratulate Joe Biden on becoming
the 46th president of the United States,
and I cannot wait to partner with him and
our new Vice President Kamala Harris to
address the many critical issues impacting
With the purchase of glasses,
contact lens e l.
2 Boxes of Lenses Frames & Lenses
DESIGNER FRAMES
PLUS FREE 2ND PAIR
* $200 minimum purchase on first pair of designer
frames. Second pair frame from select group with
Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this
location only. Not valid with any other offers, sales,
vision plans or packages.
Offer ends 2/28/21
offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present
prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only.
Offer ends: 2/28/21
������������������������������brand clear sphericalLenses/*Contact
lens fitting additional. Not valid for Toric lenses. Not valid with
any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must
present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only.
Some restrictions apply, see store for details.
Offer ends: 2/28/21
Select frames with clear plastic, single vision lensas
vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase.
Offer valid at this location only. Some restrictions apply,
see store for details
Offer ends: 2/28/21
JANUARY SALES
9 FLEX SPENDING 9
USE IT OR LOSE IT!
SUNGLASSES
SALE
our country,” said Congresswoman
Grace Meng. “As I have said, I look forward
to opening a new chapter in our history
with the Biden-Harris administration.
It will be an era that promises to be
one of healing, hope, and opportunity for
the American people.”
Meng, who has spoken candidly about
the attacks on the Capitol, praised Biden’s
agenda with immediate actions to combat
the pandemic, address immigration,
expand health care, among many other
issues.
“Better days are ahead under President
Biden’s leadership, and I look forward to
working with him and his administration
to improve the lives of my constituents
in Queens and Americans everywhere,”
Meng added.
Wednesday’s inauguration was scaled
down in comparison to previous inaugurations,
not only because of COVID-19
precautions, but also due to the Capitol
attacks by pro-Trump insurrectionists on
Jan. 6.
Following a rally former President
Donald Trump held at the White House,
where he continued to deny the results of
the election, hundreds of pro-Trump supporters
attacked the Capitol, threatening
the lives of former Vice President Mike
Pence and other lawmakers as they certifi
ed the Electoral College votes.
Five people, including one Capitol
police offi cer, died. Hundreds have since
been arrested and are awaiting trial.
Th e following day, Queens elected offi -
cials began to call for Trump’s removal
from offi ce.
In anticipation of the inauguration,
there had been heightened security at the
Capitol, including 25,000 National Guard
troops who underwent additional vetting
aft er some army veterans and law enforcement
offi cers were found to be among the
Capitol insurrectionists.
On Wednesday morning, Trump left
the White House before the inaugural ceremonies,
again breaking with tradition by
not welcoming the new administration.
He left aft er 8 a.m. with former fi rst lady
Melania Trump on Air Force One toward
his home in Florida, according to Reuters.
Before he left , he spoke about his administration’s
accomplishments and told a
small group of attendees, “we’ll be back
in some form.” Trump leaves the White
House being the fi rst president in history
to be impeached twice by Congress, and
an impending trial in the Senate.
Before Inauguration Day, Congressman
Tom Suozzi shared a short video on
Twitter from inside the Capitol building.
He said he arrived early, took his COVID
test but was struck by how “eerie” and
quiet things were there.
“I wanted to come here and really refl ect
on what a great honor it is for me to be in
this position, and the great responsibility
that I have,” said Suozzi. “I guess a lot of
us have not allowed ourselves to be excited
at all about the inauguration yet, but
I’m letting myself enjoy it a little bit and
still have the same concerns that everybody
else does that things go smoothly.”
Th e following day, as offi cials gathered
at the National Mall before the day’s ceremonies,
Suozzi shared another video at
the Capitol with fellow Congress members
captioned “A new day in America.”
He said that although he “wouldn’t let
himself get excited,” he is now “really
happy.”
“President Joe Biden is exactly the person
we need right now at this time in
American history. Th e country is divided
and has been through a trauma,” Suozzi
said. “Joe Biden will bridge our divide and
work to heal our nation. He can and he
will bring us together because he knows
the politics, he knows the policy, and he
knows the people.”
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez said
she is “ready to usher in a new era where
we move this country forward.”
“Th ere is so much to do, let’s celebrate
today and get to work,” Velazquez wrote
in a tweet.
“We all worked hard to get to THIS
Inauguration Day,” Congresswoman
Carolyn Maloney wrote in a tweet
Wednesday morning. “I want to especially
thank all the Biden-Harris and Dem
volunteers who helped make today happen.”
Congressman Gregory Meeks said the
inauguration of President Biden and Vice
President Harris is “signifi cant for many
reasons, not least of which is the message
it sends to the world.”
“America is not defi ned by the last 4
years,” he wrote in a tweet. “As we turn the
page, I’m eager to work with this administration
to repair our global standing.”
By noon on Wednesday, Biden was
sworn in as the 46th president of the
United States. He assumes a country reeling
from political divide, a frail economy,
and a raging pandemic that has killed
more than 400,000 people in the United
States.
“Th rough a crucible for the ages,
America has been tested anew, and
America has risen to the challenge,” Biden
said. “Today we celebrate the triumph not
of a candidate but of a cause: the cause of
democracy … At this hour, my friends,
democracy has prevailed.”
Biden, the oldest man to serve as president
at 78 years old, thanked his predecessors
from both parties, and emphasized
unity in order to overcome the obstacles
the nation currently faces.
“With unity, we could do great things
and right wrongs,” he said. “We can make
America once again, a leading force for
good in the world.”
Vice President Harris is now the fi rst
Black person, fi rst woman and fi rst Asian
American to serve as second in command.
She was sworn in by U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the fi rst
Puerto Rican member in the Supreme
Court.
Th e ceremony included performances
from Lady Gaga, who sang the national
anthem, Jennifer Lopez and Garth
Brooks, as well as poet Amanda Gorman,
who made history as the youngest woman
to recite a poem at the inauguration.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez congratulated President Biden and
Vice President Harris in a tweet following
the ceremony.
“A historic day. Congratulations to our
new President @JoeBiden and our new
Vice President @KamalaHarris,” Ocasio-
Cortez wrote. “Now we must begin creating
justice, healing our planet, and
improving the material conditions for all
people. Th e work is on all of us to organize
and build a better future.”
Photo via Twitter/@RepTomSuozzi
Rep. Tom Suozzi in front of the Capitol building
before the start of the inauguration ceremony.
Photo via Twitter/@RepMaloney
Rep. Carolyn Maloney arrives at the inauguration.
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
