14 JANUARY 21, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Queens reps mark a new era at Biden inaugural
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
The United States of America welcomed
a new presidential 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 our country,”
Congresswoman Grace Meng said. “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 certified the Electoral College
votes.
Five people, including one Capitol police
offi cer, died. Hundreds have since
been arrested and are awaiting trial.
The 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, with 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,” Suozzi said.
“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.”
The following day, as officials
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. The 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.”
“There 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.
“Through 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.
The 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. The work is on all of us to
organize and build a better future.”
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Rep. Carolyn Maloney arrives at the inauguration.
Photo via Twitter/@RepMaloney
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link