WASHINGTON and CONCORD, N.H. – On Wednesday, Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn into office – Biden became the 46th President and Harris, the 49th Vice President of the United States. Several of Manchester’s elected officials released statements regarding his inauguration, which can be found below.
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
I hope Joe Biden’s message to Americans today echoes in communities across the nation: a brighter future is on the horizon and the way forward is together. The last year alone has been brutal for Granite Staters and all American families, with the coronavirus taking the lives of more than 400,000 and putting millions of Americans out of work. Getting to the other side of this crisis and helping people rebuild will require a whole of government approach. It demands a leader who will put people over politics and country over party. That leader is President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
In addition to fighting through the pandemic and economic fallout it created, we have immense tasks ahead to undo the damage of the last four years. No longer will the United States shirk its responsibility as a leader on climate change. We will stand by our allies and stand up to our adversaries. The strength of our economy will be measured by the success of main street, not Wall Street. Our nation will uphold immigration policies that reflect our moral values. The well-being of working families struggling to afford health care or college will come ahead of tax breaks for the super wealthy. The future Joe Biden wants to build for the United States isn’t divided by party lines for Democrats or Republicans; it is for all Americans.
Joe Biden ran for office in response to the violence and vitriol we saw on the streets of Charlottesville, and in the aftermath of the horrific insurrection at the Capitol, his determination to heal these divides has never been more urgently needed. With a partner like Kamala Harris, who sealed her name in history today as the first woman and woman of color to become Vice President, my hope for tomorrow has never been stronger. Like President Biden, I too believe in the strength and resilience of the American people. Despite the chaos that sought to undermine our democracy, there are more of us who want to save it than tear it down. There are better days ahead and we will reach them together.
U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
At this crossroads in our nation’s history, President Joe Biden called on all of us to recommit to our shared values to build a stronger country where all Americans may thrive. As he reminded us, there is no challenge that Americans can’t conquer when we work together.
I am ready to get to work with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to serve all Americans. Together, we can and must begin recovering from this devastating virus that has taken more than 400,000 Americans and left so many people struggling. Like President Biden, I believe that we can and will write the next great chapter in our American story: a thriving, more just America with a seat for everyone at the table.
Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Today we begin a new and historic chapter in the story of America with the inauguration of Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris. I join my fellow Americans in celebrating this moment, while reflecting on the magnitude of the challenges that we must now face together as one nation.”
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris enter office at a time unlike any in our modern memory. A deadly pandemic still rages, with a death toll over 400,000 of our fellow Americans. Our economy remains on the brink, with millions still out of work and small businesses forced to close. And the very foundation of our democracy has been shaken. But I am confident that the American people will meet this moment and that we will begin the process of healing and rebuilding under the leadership of President Biden. His experience, character, and compassion will help unite our country with a common purpose and deliver meaningful results for all Americans.”
I was also honored to witness Kamala Harris being sworn into office as someone who made history today by becoming the first woman and person of color to become Vice President. I know her strength and leadership will not only guide us for the next four years, but continue to inspire Americans of all backgrounds to fully realize their potential for generations to come.
I look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration in a bipartisan fashion to get to work for the American people. Together, I know we can move this country forward without leaving anyone behind by fighting to lower prescription drug costs, expand access to health care, protect our democracy, raise wages, address climate change, and treat everyone equally before the law. I join a hopeful nation in wishing for the success of this Administration and of our country.”
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R-Newfields)
I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration, and look forward to opening lines of communication with the President and his Administration in the days and weeks ahead so that New Hampshire has a seat at the table,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “This is an incredibly important and uncertain time for our country, where polarization and divisions run deep. I join the people of New Hampshire in rooting for the success of the United States of America under President Biden.