THREAD

Hold up, wait a minute! I thought Nancy Pelosi is already Speaker of the House. What's this election about tomorrow?

Don't worry, your boys Vincent and Jules here to the rescue with yet another long, boring-ass Congressional lesson!

1/Every two years, Congress begins the first of a two-year legislative session. This year will be the 117th Congress. Everything starts over - new bill numbers, and some Committee assignments.

Did I tell you @LaurenUnderwood will be on the powerful Appropriations Committee?

2/Tomorrow, those Committee assignments will be official. The House will be in session at 10AM, adjourn to close the 116th Session, and begin the new session at noon. Two things will happen - the new Members will be sworn in, and the leadership will be elected.

3/Elections for Speaker, Majority/Minority Leader + Whips will happen. ANYONE who is a Member of Congress can be elected Speaker and leadership, but it has always been a party-line vote. Sometimes, a member will vote present.

Well there was an exception.

4/And you know it had to be a Democrat. Former Rep. Jim Traficant (D-OH), infamous for his "beam me up" one-minute speeches, voted for Republican Dennis Hastert for Speaker. In response, Traficant was stripped of his seniority and Committee assignments.

5/Right now, the Democrats have 222 seats. You need at least 218 votes to be elected Speaker. You cannot lose any more than FOUR votes (assuming everyone shows up for the first day). The Republicans have 211 seats.

That's a mighty thin margin of error.

6/There will, inevitably, be someone or two who will vote present, or against the Speaker. Depending on who does it, there will be repercussions. So what if Pelosi loses? Who will be the Speaker?

Kevin McCarthy. The Republican.

7/For those who don't know? The Speaker is number three in line for the Presidency. President, Vice-President and Speaker.

This isn't some exercise that affects the House. It affects the nation.

After the Speaker is elected, the House votes on their rules.

8/Typically, these things happen without note or consequence. It is rumored that this will be Speaker Pelosi's last term in Congress.

The greatest Speaker in the history of this nation.

Congress should rename the Rayburn HOB after her right now.

9/For those who sleep on Speaker Pelosi, she has:

- Served as a Member of Congress since 1987
- Passed the Affordable Care Act
- Passed Frank-Dodd Financial Reform
- Passed the Economic Stimulus in 2008
- Passed the loan to save the auto industry

- Passed the repeal of Don't ask, don't tell
- Passed the "Dreamers" Act
- Passed CHIP (child health care)
- Passed the Fair Sentencing Act.
- Impeached a President
- Passed cap-and-trade
- Led the most efficient Congress ever

- First woman as Minority Leader
- First woman to lead a Party
- Held the longest speech - over 8 hours - on the floor to protect the DREAM Act and immigrants
- Barred *Trump* from the SOTU until the Budget was decided

- Has been married over 40 years
- First Grandmother Speaker of the House
- Raised over $500M for Democratic Candidates
- Was a House intern with her colleague, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

FIN/Speaker Pelosi is the penultimate public servant.

The so-called "debate" regarding her re-election as Speaker, which is going to happen, is ridiculous and dilatory.

FIN/FIN Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega, OUT!