i'm sumi somaskanda. welcome to the programme. republican congressman mikejohnson is re—elected as speaker of the us house of representatives. he will lead the 119th us congress, sworn in friday with the smallest republican majority in nearly a century. because of that narrow majority, mrjohnson could only afford to lose one republican vote for the speakership. he fell short in a first round of voting when three republicans chose members other thanjohnson. but after a closed—door meeting, two switched their vote tojohnson, leading to this moment on the house floor. the honourable mike johnson the honourable mikejohnson of the state of louisiana, having received the majority of the votes cast, is duly elected speaker of the house of representatives for the 119th congress. 218 voters were needed to for mrjohnson to win the speakership. and 218 is the number he received. some hard—right republicans were unhappy withjohnson�*s leadership and threatened to prolong the process. but in his acceptance speech, mrjohnson pledged to unite

the party around what he called president—elect donald trump's "common sense agenda". after four years after four yea rs of after four years of high inflation probably have a big agenda, we have a lot to do and we can do it in a bipartisan fashion. we can fight high inflation we must. we will give relief to americans and we will extend the trump tax cuts. what we are proposing it wasjust extend the trump tax cuts. what we are proposing it was just simply, extend the trump tax cuts. what we are proposing it wasjust simply, as president trump likes to say, a return to common sense, and he's exactly right. that message resonated across the country for i am very think personally that this bodyis am very think personally that this body is filled with many women that are committed to that change, to return to common sense postal we can do this together. we showed. it is our responsibility to do so. trump supported johnson's bid to remain house speaker. he congratulated johnson in a post online, calling it an "unprecedented vote of confidence". on the house floor, minority leader hakeem jeffries congratulated speakerjohnson, acknowledged donald trump's election win and drew a contrast with the election denialism from 2020.

one should love america when you win and when _ one should love america when you win and when you lose. that's the patriotic— and when you lose. that's the patriotic thing to do and that's the america _ patriotic thing to do and that's the america that house democrats will fi-ht america that house democrats will fight hard — america that house democrats will fight hard to preserve, because we love this _ fight hard to preserve, because we love this country. america! is bigger than anyone campaign, anyone _ is bigger than anyone campaign, anyone election or any one individual. after the vote, i spoke to congresswoman anna paulina luna, a republican from florida. congresswoman, thank you so much for joining us today for what do you think the vote for speakerjohnson today showed us about this congress? you know, ithink today showed us about this congress? you know, i think that everyone is ready to get back to work. as you saw, president trump was really able to bring home those fun of it for johnson and frankly i think that people want to deliver on what we promised the american people we would be delivering on? we want lawyer

—— lower taxes, close the border but also people are tired of the foreign policy debacle the biden—harris administration because so president trump being back in office and certified as mud is a pre—big deal. one of the holdouts, let's say, in the beginning was congressman chip roy, when this vote for started, and a thin ice on camera you in the chamber speaking to him. can you give us a sense of what you said to him and what the messaging was to try to get some of those who were perhaps sceptical about his speakership again for mikejohnson, speakership again for mike johnson, what speakership again for mikejohnson, what you sent them to convince him? look, i've known chip roy for a couple years now and so his entire thing is he wants to ensure that if we are going to raise the debt ceiling, that there are certain savings for the american people, and that we are notjust savings for the american people, and that we are not just voting ourselves into more deficit, and i think that is something that especially as a new mum, if you have children, grandchildren, that is something that is at the front of your mind about especially making these decisions, and so he is anticipating he will be instrumental in those reconciliation negotiations

but also chip at the end of that he also wants to show he is a team player and wants to support president trump agenda. i was asking what he was looking for and he ended voting for speakerjohnson stop at the debt did rise during the first trump administration. you confident that cutting spending and that deficit as well is something that can be done now in the second trump term? ~ .,, can be done now in the second trump term? ~ . ., ,~ can be done now in the second trump term? . ., ., term? most certainly and i say that because of internal— term? most certainly and i say that because of internal discussions - term? most certainly and i say that| because of internal discussions with the white house, and that's what they want to do, that's what president trump appointed elon musk and viv as the head of those but also, congress, for the first time is being held accountable by an admin assertion that has the juggernaut, the house, the senate and the white house, and lifecycle i was one of the 20 to negotiate the house rules that would love for president trump's agenda to come forward through congress in the rules committee. as you saw last time, there was of obstructionist within the republican party that

were blocking the agenda, senate that has been flushed out, we'll see what happens with this reconciliation, but i have faith as triple deliver on every thing is promised on the campaign trail. fine promised on the campaign trail. one ofthe promised on the campaign trail. one of the demands from these capital members who were holdouts... they want to make sure that members can offer amendments for example, stop putting bills on the floor that violate the rule, they have time to read and debate, and they don't want speakerjohnson to rely on democrats to pass bills. do you think you will do that? i to pass bills. do you think you will do that? ~ , do that? i think so. i spoke to mike, speaker— do that? i think so. i spoke to mike, speakerjohnson, - do that? i think so. i spoke to mike, speakerjohnson, and l do that? i think so. i spoke to mike, speakerjohnson, and i| mike, speakerjohnson, and i thought, are we going to have maga make back and he said, i will prove it to you. make back and he said, i will prove it to ou. ~ . , ., it to you. what did he share with ou, it to you. what did he share with you, president _ it to you. what did he share with you, president trump? - it to you. what did he share with you, president trump? i- it to you. what did he share with you, president trump? i have i you, president trump? i have not talked to present _ you, president trump? i have not talked to present up _ you, president trump? i have not talked to present up to _ you, president trump? i have not talked to present up to the - you, president trump? i have not talked to present up to the biblel talked to present up to the bible tell you come last time i saw him, he was more than happy to have a unified republican congress and i can also tell you that from the get—go i would say after i helped to host the presidential town hall in

north carolina, he knew he was going to win, so i think he is counting down the days, lookjust like we all are, for his swearing in stop i have you connected those who are been more sceptical today and rigidly do you think that tells us anything about how difficult might be to get some of that agenda president trump has set out passed through congress could yellow no, because a lot of these people actually campaign on these people actually campaign on the same , ' . ., these people actually campaign on thesame ' .., the same stuff in the election cycle and so peeple _ the same stuff in the election cycle and so people that _ the same stuff in the election cycle and so people that were _ the same stuff in the election cycle and so people that were concernedj and so people that were concerned about the deficit which everyone should be concerned about the deficit, it's pretty crazy, you cannot go to the bank and say, i am out of cash, raise my limit, that does not work for normal people, why should a work of the federal government? these people want to secure the border, prevent economic collapse, and so i think all of these people will play ball for stuff for me personally i can tell you that i am one of the younger members of congress and iowa's think about the future generations being really the ones they're going to be footing the bill, and so i that lens

and perspective, especially with president trump having such young appointees to administration, understands that as well, so i'm excited for an aggressive president trumpjust on foreign excited for an aggressive president trump just on foreign policy but savings, american energy independence and really bringing down some of this crazy inflation. that was the republican majority perspective. with congress sworn in and the speaker vote concluded, democrats begin the session in the minority. i spoke with congresswoman pramila jayapal, a democrat from washington, about her party's priorities. congresswoman, thank you again for joining us on bbc news tonight. republicans after this vote today, they are ready to govern and that their ability to get speakerjohnson through on one pallet shows that. do you agree could yellow look, let's see what they do but you agree could yellow look, let's see what they do— see what they do but i think they did learn from _ see what they do but i think they did learn from the _ see what they do but i think they did learn from the fact _ see what they do but i think they did learn from the fact that - see what they do but i think they did learn from the fact that they | did learn from the fact that they had to go 15 rounds kevin mccarthy and it was such a mess, and so i think one thing they learned is they need to have an alternative, and i think there was no clear alternative

to mikejohnson, so it was a little touch and go. i will note that nine republicans either voted no or held their votes until the end, and that is the exact number that is in the new rules package to get rid of the speaker in a motion to vacate, so i do think they were still sending a message and i think it's going to continue to be difficult for republicans to govern without democrats stepping in and hopefully making it a more inclusive and bipartisan process. but let's see. if they can do it on their own, they will. y ., if they can do it on their own, they will. ,., ,, , . if they can do it on their own, they will. i. , ., ,., will. do you believe there are some ”romisin will. do you believe there are some promising areas _ will. do you believe there are some promising areas of— will. do you believe there are some promising areas of bipartisan - will. do you believe there are some promising areas of bipartisan workl promising areas of bipartisan work that can be done in this specific congress? it that can be done in this specific congress?— congress? it is very difficult to know what _ congress? it is very difficult to know what is _ congress? it is very difficult to know what is said _ congress? it is very difficult to know what is said but - congress? it is very difficult to know what is said but is - congress? it is very difficult to know what is said but is a - congress? it is very difficult to know what is said but is a lie l congress? it is very difficult to | know what is said but is a lie or not going to be the case. if donald trump actually wanted to raise wages, which he has said he wants to do, of course that would be something that democrats would want to work on. if they really wanted to

take on corporate monopolies, as others have said they want to do, that would be something to work on. if they wanted to work on humane immigration policy that expands legal pathways for immigrants to come to this country, that would be something we would want to do, but i just have a colour me curious at this point. i don't really know if thatis this point. i don't really know if that is what they're going to earth that is what they're going to earth thatis that is what they're going to earth that is just what they are sayin