Madam Speaker: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the U.S. Speaker of the House

(January 16— January 22)

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Madam Speaker joined the King family, Members of Congress and voting rights leaders and activists to speak at the Deliver for Voting Rights Press Conference.

Tuesday, Madam Speaker met with The Honorable José Manuel Albares, Foreign Minister of Spain, and later met with The Honorable Santiago Andrés Cafiero, Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship. In the evening, Madam Speaker held a ceremonial swearing-in for newly-elected Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, of Florida’s 20th Congressional district.

Madam Speaker on Wednesday welcomed the Honorable Alen Simonyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia to the United States Capitol in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the United States -Armenian relationship.

On Thursday, Madam Speaker held her weekly press conference in the Rayburn Room in the Capitol as she and the Congress mark the end of President Biden’s first year in office. After it concluded, she signed S. 452, The Willie O’Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act with Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Mike Quigley.

Take a look at this week’s behind-the-scenes photos:

January 17

“While it may be true to them that the filibuster is an important custom, it is not the Constitution of the United States. We all want bipartisanship. We all strive for it. We have a responsibility to do so. But, when we cannot have it, we cannot confine our democracy to what might be bipartisanly possible.”

January 18

Madam Speaker: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the U.S. Speaker of the House

Madam Speaker: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the U.S. Speaker of the House

Following the ceremonial swearing-in, the Congressional Black Caucus traditionally initiates a second ceremony inducting a new Member into the caucus.

January 19

Madam Speaker: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the U.S. Speaker of the House

January 20

“Many of our Servicemembers were affected by being exposed to burn pits, and we have to have legislation passed. It will be expensive, but it is the price we must pay, that we owe our veterans to make sure they get the care and benefits that they deserve, those who were exposed to burn pits. And, from our standpoint, if you were there, you qualify. We don’t have to go through any torturous process to decide if somebody’s illness depended on something that they were exposed to.”

Despite being legally blind in one eye, Willie O’Ree in 1958 became the first Black player in the NHL, making game-changing contributions to hockey, inclusion and recreational opportunity.