coming up live on c-span2 a simulcast of washington journal previewing the opening day of the one hundred eighteenth congress. 11:30 eastern the u.s. senate officially ends the one hundred seventeenth congress followed by the opening of the next congress at noon including leaders remarks and the swearingen of senators. ♪♪ >> this is washington journal for january 3rd. a 5 hour program, the one hundred eighteenth congress gavels in today. usually the day is filled with organizational activities. house republicans, the main order of business will be

determining who will be house speaker. kevin mccarthy still short of votes. we have guests throughout the morning but we want to hear from you about the 118th congress and what the top domestic issue should be, the economy, healthcare, perhaps another issue you find important? call and let us know. democrats 202-748-8000, republicans 202-748-8001 and independents, 202-seven forty eight-eight thousand two. if you want to text us what you think that optimistic issue for the new congress should be you can do that at 202-748-8,003, you can post on our social media site, facebook, twitter, and instagram. folks at marist did a poll asking americans about the one hundred eighteenth congress and one of those sections was dealing with optimistic priorities. here's some of those results, 30 one% of us residents say inflation should be the top

priority for the new congress. preserving democracy 18%, immigration 11%, crime 9%, climate change 9%, healthcare 9%. abortion received 7%. gotten policy garnered 6%. the marist poll adds priorities different between parties, top 3 issues for democrats, preserving democracy at 29%, inflation a 20% and climate change at 17%. republicans site inflation at 41%, immigration at 23%, preserving democracy 11% as the top 3 issues for the new congress. you may have something off that list or another category altogether when it comes to the new priorities for the 118th congress, let us know, democrats 202-seven forty eight-eight thousand. republicans 202-748-8,000 one, independents, 202-seven forty-eight thousand two. you can text us at 202-748-8000. there will be a lot to watch

today as the one hundred eighteenth congress gets to work particularly on the house. to guide us what to watch for throughout the day is john mc heart. >> the twentieth amendment requires the new congress convened at noon on january 3rd, a year after the election. that is what is happening today at noon and here's what the congress will look like starting in the house. 222 republicans in the one hundred eighteenth congress, 212 democrats in the house. there is one vacant seat today because of the death of the democrat from virginia who died on november 28th. a special election is scheduled in february to fill his seat. in the house there will be 74 freshmen taking their seats for the first time. on on the senate side, 49 republicans, 48 democrats and 3 independents. those independents are expected to caucus with democrats giving

them the majority in the senate. overall in in the one hundred eighteenth congress, one hundred 49 women, 97 veterans, 18 members born outside the united states, 5 members with native american ancestry, youngest member of the new congress was born in 1997, the oldest member born in 1933. when it comes to what happens on the opening day of congress, let's start on the house side. on the house side there will be a call to order by the clerk and the pledge of allegiance to start the day starting at noon and a quorum call by the clerk of the house when members record their presence in the chamber. they have official voting cards they obtained yesterday or in recent days into the electronic voting machines and then comes the action our eyes will be on today, the election of the new speaker, candidates nominated by the leaders of their

respective parties, members voting by calling out the last name of their choice for speaker and the winner of that will need a majority of those voting for a candidate by name likely 218, that is the question today. that speaker election could go several rounds, several hours, could go several days. when it finally does end enter new speaker is elected there will be remarks by the speaker elect and the speaker elect will be sworn in by the dean of the house. that will be congressman howard rogers, the 40 sixth and current dean, the longest-serving member of the 118th congress. the oath of office will be taken by the newly elected members, reelected members, that gets administered by the new speaker and there's the adoption of various rules, the administered resolution announcement of speaker policies. that is expected to happen on this opening day. if that election goes many hours or many days it could be

a while before we get to those floor policies and announcements. in the senate it is expected to be more of a standard day. the order of business over there, the swearingen of the newly elected and reelected senators, the establishment of a quorum in the senate, the adoption of various resolutions and standing orders in the senate. an agreement then between leaders on a date when bills and resolutions can start to be introduced for action in the 118th congress, the election of the new president pro tem of the senate, the constitution instructs the senate to choose a president pro tem to preside over the senate in the absence of the vice president who is the president of the senate. pro tem's latin meaning for the time being signaling that position originally conceived to be a temporary replacement to lead the chamber and that will end the day in the senate.

that is expected to happen today but looking at the house side, it could take a lot longer. >> host: john will be here all morning to give information like that, things to look out for. stay close to our website, c-span.org, or c-span now. and follow along for the house and c-span2 for the senate. there will be reactions from facebook when it comes to the top to mr. issue. tom -- gun safety and women's rights restored. closing the southern border. and also adding to impeach and prosecute as many democrats as possible for what they have done to our great nation in two short years. scott from facebook saying stop the free trade of us companies sending jobs to slave labor countries like china. deb clock citing climate change

being an issue or one of the top priorities the one hundred eighteenth congress could tackle. you can check off that list, things to add to yourself to hundred 2-748-8000 for democrats, 202-748-8,000 one for republicans, 748-eight thousand two for independents. in november kevin mccarthy after the initial vote to become speaker of the house before launching his campaign to gain support from the caucus made these comments about what he saw as far as his future. >> the job will not be easy. the task is at a close majority. we have to work together. we want to work with anyone who wants to make america strong. we want to work with anybody on both sides of the aisle if we want to make america energy independent. parents a say in their kids education, secure our borders, stop defunding the police. we know there are challenges in this nation, listening to the american public.

regardless the size of the majority, one thing i have always learned, they don't hand gavels out in small, medium, and large, we get the right sized gavel. let's open up for questions. >> you think you will have the votes by january? >> if you look at the last two speakers, paul ryan at this time had 43, nancy pelosi had 32 votes and no one was running against her. we have our work cut out for us. we have a small majority, we have to listen to everybody. if you watch what we have done i thought it was productive last night. in our rules debate and what i propose to do is handle half of the rules. tomorrow, keep those opening through thanksgiving and we will get there. the american people expect us to govern, to keep our word and our commitment to america.

one thing i will say, i respect each and every one equally and we will find a way. >> host: that was in november when speaker designate started his campaign. that will be today when it comes to those actual votes to see if kevin mccarthy does become speaker. representative andy biggs who challenged the speaker has of this tweet as of yesterday evening saying after the market a's machine to smear my name mccarthy as well short of 218 threshold which are party requires new leadership and i will oppose mccarthy for house speaker. that will play out today. what are the priorities congress should focus on? let's start with joe in iowa, democrats line. as far as those priorities, what would you like to see? >> i would like to see them get their house in order in the senate in order and i would like to see all representative

senators old and new take the oath to the constitution and reaffirmation oath for the existing members and appreciate if they would single out the 14th amendment to hold them all accountable or get them on record before they try to hold another republican insurrection. >> host: let's hear from ken in waterbury, connecticut, independent line. >> caller: i am looking to see the freedom caucus get the people they want as speaker of the house today, steve scully's, donald trump, if donald trump got put in as speaker. >> why do you think those choices should become speaker? >> caller: they are willing to shake up washington and clean up the swamp. that is what the freedom caucus wants.

mccarthy -- anything they want to have him do. they got to do something to shake up the swamp and not have it like it has been in the past where they get elected by the people and don't say what they are going to do. they got to do something. >> host: a lot of where the action will be watched today when it comes to speaker elections. gave you the rundown, what to expect, that will be talking about that throughout the course of the morning, a top priority for congress as well when it comes to what you would like to see them focus on once the organizational and other things are put in place. the merit paul ask people about bipartisanship saying one of the questions, 74% of americans, up from 64% in february say it's more import for government officials to compromise to find solutions than to stand on principle with 24% saying that.

74% of americans prioritize compromise over principal matches the highest proportion of americans with this view in a decade. maybe when it comes to bipartisanship efforts, or compromise, something you would like to see as well play out in this new congress, that top priority. cincinnati, ohio, democrat line, hello. >> caller: good morning. what i would like to see them do is to start to rebuild the integrity that has been lost in this country. what has happened is we have a liar's result here. we have been run by lies for the past four years and lies, distrust, disunity, dissatisfaction, which leads to insurrection. not just one lie but infrastructure built on a

foundation of lies which is finally crumbling. the religious community bears much of the responsibility for the disunity because they have chosen to follow donald trump rather than to follow christ who detests lies and liars. >> host: since democrats have been in charge for two years did they take responsibly as well? >> caller: for the lies? >> host: for the problems you cite since they have been in control for two years? >> caller: the problems i am talking about spring from the lies that have been spread through this country, that is what i am talking about. the democrats are not perfect. i never claimed for the democrats to be perfect. but they do not run on consistency of lies.

>> host: that is tanya in cincinnati, ohio talking about the priorities you would like to see play out in this congress has the one hundred eighteenth takes place today. this is john in illinois, democrats line. you are on. >> caller: my comment is on the new congress. it shouldn't be kevin mccarthy because he can't step off of the plate, they found so much stuff on him, kevin mccarthy, if he can't do that and can't admit, he kissed the ring in miami, he shouldn't be one of the candidates. republicans, if you want to clean up the cartel swamp, start at the top, thank you. >> host: john in illinois, democrats line, fred paul says

he look forward to the limitation of proxy voting. like most americans, we show up to work every day, members of congress should as well. that's part of the rules package that is part of the debate today when it comes to what is considered. don simmons says one of the things he would like to see is the abolishment of the fbi. the issue of gun control, and countering the rise of domestic terrorism and immigration reform. those are priorities some of you are expressing on our facebook page. if you would like to let us know those priorities 202-748-8,000 for democrats, 748-8001 for republicans and take a look at the new congress, want to get seated later today, once the work of congress takes place you can expect to see ohio republican jim jordan as head of the judiciary committee. after the election he talked

about what that comedy would focus on when it comes to issues of the justice department under the current president. here's jim jordan. >> focus on how political our justice department has become. not just if they are political but they are, making decisions on a political basis, we will look at all that. >> the treatment of january 6th -- >> the umbrella of political operations at the justice department all the way to the -- came to us over a year ago, about a year ago regarding the school board issue. we are concerned about anything being done in a political fashion at the justice department because you got to step back. it is supposed to be in the greatest country ever equal treatment under the law. when you have a justice department that is not following that fundamental principle that sets our country apart from all others, that is a major problem. >> the generous 6 insurrection 7 wrongly imprisoned? >> all i said is we are going

to look at the politics of the justice department based on the fact we had 14 different, more than 14 whistleblowers talk to us, that is what we will focus on. >> host: this is stephen, hello. >> caller: what was the topic? i've got my tv off. >> host: your priorities for the 118th congress. >> caller: my priority is this. i believe in politics, regardless if it is republican, democrat, independent, they will never win a presidency, they will never dominate and have that but with democrats and republicans, here's my thing. for this congress, i want division because that is what it has always been.

when one party pushes, let's say republicans have the house like they do now and democrats have the senate and vice versa, we could switch powers on each side, whatever party has the power and they are split half-and-half in congress, one has power over the other, the division for me is fine because we will never get anything done. it has always been like that. with this new house, potential republican house speaker, he is no good. he always tried to -- the way he plays politics to get the power, undeniable he is in it for himself. >> host: why are you fine with nothing getting done? >> caller: because it has always been like that. when republicans finally get somebody in power on one side or the other or both, they like to do things democrats were

always trying to do when they had the power when it was split and they keep everything down, especially when they had control of the senate, democrats have power on the house of representatives side, the senate, the republicans always turn it down when there are bills or budgets, ad infinitum. i just prefer division, the way it is right now. we will see another 8, 10, 16 more years how that goes but in the end? >> host: let's hear from joe in north carolina, democrats line. >> caller: my priority is this. like the lady before me who mentioned lies. there are so many lies with this country.

in the back of every courtroom behind every judge it says in god we trust, every dollar bill says in god we trust. i believe in god. do these people believe in god? or in money they trust? >> host: how does that apply to the one hundred eighteenth congress? >> caller: it applies to the one hundred eighteenth congress because they are part of the country. they are making the rules for this country. right? let me say one more thing and i will hang up. albert einstein, a genius, i think, one of his quotes in this country is this. racism is an abomination created by the whites. this is what a genius said.

>> host: that is joe in north carolina. we will go on as far as the first hour is concerned, the top domestic issue when it comes to the workings of the new congress, 202-748-8000 for democrats, 202-748-8001 for republicans, 202-748-8002 for independents to a text us if you wish it 748-8003. on our social media site as well, leading up to the events of the day, new york democrat hakim jeffries it will take the position of house minority leader and one of the last speeches given by nancy pelosi, the current speaker, who talked about what she -- what her role would be in the upcoming congress. here's a portion of that. >> as speaker of the house i had awesome power. has a now transitioning to a

different role, i expect to have strong influence but not on my members, just in terms of encouraging more women, for example, to run, to talk about civics and health. it used to be a requirement. now it is an elective and most people are not familiar. i have to see what that path is. the speaker of the house is a very big job and just wrapping it up will take time. the library of congress, the papers, the historian, the capital of the congress and the rest of that. i think the most overwhelming thing i will be doing forever is saying thank you to my members, thank you to the

intellectual resources that helped us with policy, thank you to those who helped us politically to obtain our majorities and strengths in the congress. i think my life will be about accountability to the record, the history, and thank you to those who made all that possible. >> host: that is nancy pelosi, one of the last press conferences she gave as speaker of the house, member of congress, and influence going into the 118th congress. you can talk about domestic priorities congress has focused on. call us on the lines, post on social media site and text us at 202-748-8003. in arizona, republican line, stacy, good morning. >> reporter: i'm calling because of elections, not that the elections were wrong but in arizona we had an issue where

all of the systems went down in a certain area. the problem we had is that was a very elderly population. they wanted these people to drive anywhere from 20 to 50 miles one way to go vote. that became an issue. the person who won the election, the governor, was in charge of the election, the overall system. that should be a conflict of interest. i would like to see something like that change so that if you are running for office, you can't be in charge of that. >> host: what do you think of the 118th congress, what should it priority be? >> caller: it should be a priority to look over the elections so it looks at everything from the up and up. because people are questioning the elections.

there are so many people involved in the elections i think people would have commented on it. >> host: from cincinnati, ohio. >> caller: i wanted to make a comment. i think congress needs to see what happened at the bills and bengals game last night when demar hamlin put down the reaction that they had where the teams came together in prayer and concern. that is what we all need right now is to be more concerned about human beings, and show kindness and compassion. that is what i wanted to say. for people who didn't get to say that. i think everyone needs to see

how those teams, both sides came together. they weren't concerned who was going to win the game or whether they finished the game. they were concerned about a person and that is what we all need. >> guest: so much of the focus today will be on the speaker election in the house. the latest headline from the hill newspaper, one of the newspapers of capitol hill, mccarthy struggles to win support for speaker with hours until the floor showdown noting kevin mccarthy is yet to lock up votes to secure the gap or saying he made some late concessions to his right flank but those who declared their opposition to him are not wavering. trying to get a sense of what kevin mccarthy is thinking right now, reporters have been staking out capitol hill and

caught up with him, tape -- haley talbot with msnbc, here's the video she took yesterday walking through the capital with kevin mccarthy. >> do you have the votes for speaker tomorrow? do you have the votes for speaker tomorrow? >> we will have a good day. good to see you. >> i hope you all have a very nice new year's. >> guest: kevin mccarthy on capitol hill, he has moved into the speaker's offices on capitol hill even though he's yet to be elected speaker, the scene outside his office is full of reporters and members coming and going. jamie dupree, longtime capitol

hill reporter with a picture of reporters waiting outside his office trying to ask questions and nathaniel reed with a video of members coming and going as kevin mccarthy tried to meet with various members to shore up their votes. matt gaetz, republican from florida, lauren boebert, and the reports as of this moment that kevin mccarthy has yet to secure those votes needed. 's his biggest challenge, and the biggs of arizona announced his opposition to kevin mccarthy that he was running for speaker and it was andy biggs who talked to steve bannon about what he is thinking going into this. >> that he needs to close this

before tomorrow at noon. no principal, take what you need, take all the furniture out or whatever. i've got to be speaker. is that where we stand in negotiations? >> yeah, that is what i am seeing. he is in total bargaining mode. we don't know what is going to happen tomorrow other than the first ballot, he doesn't get it. that is where we sit as you and i talked what happens after that? he may lose a whole bunch more. more ballots and he is done. >> guest: andy biggs talking about the speaker's race. here's more on the history of balloting if it goes, more than one ballot for speaker, 127

speaker elections since 1789 only 14 have gone to more than one aleck. in 1923, frederick gillett, republican of massachusetts was elected on the ninth ballot, final 3 terms as speaker, longest elections for speaker occurred in 1855 when balloting lasted for two months, 133 ballots cast before nathaniel banks of massachusetts was elected speaker. not expected to be 133 ballots today but it could go hours and some say even days. here is the process that will happen on the house floor when the speaker vote occurs. the speaker not required to be a member of the house although all speakers have been members of the house since the first speaker. summative jewels not serving in the hoe d got votes over

the years, most recently the last vote in 2,020 one. all candidates have to be nominated by a member of the house, members calling up a last name of their choice when that member is called upon and members can vote for any individual. a person must receive a majority of votes cast for a person by name. i will delve into that me. that doesn't mean the individual has to receive 218 votes of the house to win the speakership, some members could choose not to vote for a specific name and just answer present, voting not for a person but that they were in the chamber, that would lower the threshold needed to win the speakership but we will see if that happens. if no candidate receives the majority of votes cast rollcall is repeated and repeated again. all eyes on the speaker's race today.

>> host: noon is when you can see these things happen on outside, you can follow on c-span, on the senate side, c-span2. if you want to follow on our apps, c-span now, our website is available, c-span.org if you want to follow the goings-on when it comes to the events of today. mary in arizona talking about the top to missed issues of the new congress, go ahead. >> reporter: thanks for taking my call. i wanted to say following up on the arizona elections, i did work primary and general is registration clerk, the journal was a complete mess. we were sabotaged from the very beginning, worked hard to get people, we lost a lot so we have to work on that. i am hoping what we see from this 118th congress is they work for the american people, we don't feel we are being represented at this time and

there is a lot to do. they've got to get together. this is a big issue. the speaker of the house, let's get it done. >> host: what are your thoughts as far as the speaker's race is concerned? is kevin mccarthy someone you could support? >> no. i'm a legislative district person and we don't see the work getting done by mccarthy and we don't feel we are being represented. there is too much at stake. he is compromising out. he has been compromising the hallway. it's being used against us on the democratic side but the republicans are taking a stand and we are not sending up fo rinos anymore. it started in 2007 and the fight is still going on. the republican in name only are still strong and we are trying

to get them out of there to get the true republicans work done. >> host: let's hear from our independent line, charlie in massachusetts. >> caller: i disagree with the woman before, mccarthy is part of the swamp. i am sorry. he has got to negotiate with the guys from either side, you know? the far left, the far right. >> host: you are saying he shouldn't be speaker or he should the speaker? >> guest: >> caller: he should be speaker because there's no one else out there. are democrats allowed to vote for speaker or only the republicans? >> host: kevin mccarthy has to win support and that includes most of the republicans, he will need to gain that.

>> caller: if he could get 10 votes, the democrats would like him to be speaker because he doesn't want to change anything. you wants to keep things the same as they are, doesn't want to change anything. >> host: what would you say should be the priority of this congress? >> caller: it is the border, it is too much, we can't afford it. we've got diseases, fentanyl and everything else. it has to be controlled. we've got to slow it down and get control of it. we should allow people in but it can't be a free for all. i am a little nervous, thank you so much. >> host: let's hear from stan in florida, your next. >> caller: you will see why republicans can't govern.

jim jordan, mark gaetz, all you got to do is do one thing wrong and they will vote against you. he will be the weakest speaker ever. he will be like paul ryan and the other guys all quit because they couldn't take it. he will be so weak. making all these concessions to marjorie taylor green, they will loan him. he wouldn't be speaker if not for florida because our great leader here, a new district, much stronger to the republicans than it was to the democrats. he took the one that was there and changed it to his own liking. such a great governor didn't expand medicare, nothing for the poor, a great speaker, he will get $100 million from anybody going to his inauguration. he's against the teachers unions, he is going to be so

weak. if he doesn't do what they say they will vote against him. nancy pelosi knew how to with her people, don't know if kevin does. >> host: 202-748-8000 for democrats, 8,000 one for a publicans, 8,002 for independents. some of your texting us, james in indiana saying the top domestic issue for the new congress is stop pointing the finger and fix the southern border. stan from burton, michigan, the country needs more power in petitions or referendums, congress is too beholden to moneyed interests. from murrell in wisconsin saying the biggest concern he has is the greed, lying and hate related to citizens united that drives the short-term thinking among lawmakers in this country. let's hear from benjamin in brooklyn, new york, independent line. >> reporter: i feel like one of the big issues we should

grapple this year in congress is willing back the executive branch. the recent ruling in the supreme court against the epa is as good a time as ever. during past administrations we complained about the executive branch exercising powers which don't belong to the executive branch. i guarantee if we don't deal with it this term the next president will be much worse. >> host: benjamin is talking about the top domestic issue for the new congress. we will continue on with this theme through the morning. give us a call, text, or tweet us or post on our facebook page, giving you plenty of information to watch out for is the events take place today. >> guest: i want to dive into the demographics of the new congress. the new congress by the numbers. i start with a record number of

women serving a new congress, one hundred 49 women in the new congress, one hundred 6 of them democrats, 42 republicans, 25 serving in the senate, 124 serving in the house, 22 members of the freshman class are women, one new republican woman joining the senate, 42 republican women total as we said, one more than the previous record set by the 117th congress. when it comes to the 118th congress, 300 will 19 members of the 535 members are white, 60 are black, 55 are hispanic or latino, 18 asian, five middle eastern and five indigenous americans. when it comes to numbers of congress born outside his country, 18 members of the new

congress were born outside this country, immigrated to the united states come at 13 of them democrats, 5 republicans, they come from countries including mexico and india, south korea, them in an republic, cuba, japan, taiwan, somalia, ukraine, guatemala and peru and another stat we focus on is the number of veterans serving in each congress, at this time around 97 veterans surveyed in this new congress, that is up 6 from 117th congress, 72 of those veterans serving in this congress are republican, 25 are democrats and 7 of them are female veterans and there's plenty of ways to break down the one hundred eighteenth congress, running through some of made we will run through more of them through the day but they all get seated coming up here in a little less then 2 and a half hours. >> host: we've got those 4 and a half hours to get more

information but thank you, appreciate it. to let you know about workings of the congress, a lot of information to watch out for, call and let us know about the top domestic priority you would like to see congress focus on in the course of the morning as well. in arkansas our republican line. james, hello. >> caller: good morning. i am so happy to hear they can just nominate anyone. i would like for everybody to wake up and look at newt gingrich. this man here has been added a long time and i have seen nothing but truth for the american people with him. >> host: why do you think he

would work at this time? why is he the man for the job right now? >> caller: there is so much division in the ranks of the republicans, they need somebody that can really put it together. that is all i got to say. i think new would be the man. i wish everybody would take a good look at that. it is special that they can nominate somebody that is not there and they need somebody who is levelheaded. >> host: mira joins us from arizona, independent line. >> good morning. i thought i read someone mentioned trump as someone that

could be the speaker of the house and i agree, he loves our country, he knows how to whip people in line. he is capable of turning this mess around. >> host: even under the current slate of investigations he is under he could make a good speaker of the house? >> caller: yes because the doj will be investigated by jordan. he is not a criminal. everybody knows that. >> host: a lot of arizonans calling. let's hear from dan in florida, republican line. >> i am for trump but i don't think he will be elected. mccarthy would probably get the

speakership eventually but it doesn't matter because everything the house passes is not going to get past, the only power they have is the power to investigate. until october when they get to passing the budget. they have power to investigate but no power to indict, only to refer to biden's department of justice and nothing will happen after that, but they do have the power to impeach and they should impeach one person after another over and over to tie up the senate to keep the senate from confirming biden's nominations for judicial appointments and then come october when it comes to passing a new budget they should let the government shutdown and pass a balanced budget, defund all the 3 letter

executive agencies as much as they can without sending the country into chaos, but they should do like speaker gingrich did and pass a balanced budget and let the government shutdown to force the senate and biden, we got to keep the country going and they will eventually pass it. >> host: if you're advocating gridlock on one hand and then saying keep the country going on the other? >> every time congress passes something we lose more money and more of our right so gridlock is a good thing. >> host: dan in florida, let's hear from another republican, this is dead in connecticut. you are on. >> caller: there is a problem with kevin mccarthy as speaker.

all over the hunter biden story which people know were compromised and now you see -- behind closed doors, they've got to control the money for the fbi and all these twitter firewalls -- files, there's a lot of corruption going on here from both sides. i think kevin mccarthy is like that. >> host: cindy on facebook talked about those domestic priorities, she says put the brakes on marxist policies, stop buying dirty oil from foreign dictators, open our spigots and close the border, stephanie hilton, facebook, saying do we need to spend money investigating the origins of covid? seems like a waste. you can make that on your list of priorities for the one hundred eighteenth congress,

202-748-8,000 for democrats, 202-748-8001 for republicans, 748-8,002 for independents, text us at 202-748-8000. >> guest: the folks in leadership positions, we start on the senate side, it should seem very familiar to c-span viewers. in the 118th congress the president of the senate is the vice president of the united states, kamala harris, majority leader will be chuck schumer, democrat from new york i'm his number 2, the majority whip dick durbin, democrat from illinois. on the republican side, on the minority side, mitch mcconnell, republican of kentucky, and the minority whip, john thune of south dakota. when change when it comes to the senate leadership is in the president pro tem of the senate, patty murray in the 118th congress, democrat from

washington, replacing patrick lady who retired after the 117th congress, patrick lady sworn into office 48 years ago today and is a former member of congress. he has 4 more hours in that job before officially being a former member of congress. the house side is where leadership changes. as we've been talking about all morning to be determined by that floor vote we will be watching after the house gavels in at noon. the rest of the leadership positions, the majority leader dependent on what happens in the speaker's race, but from what we expect, it will be steve scalise as majority leader in the house, minority whipill be tom everett, republican from minnesota. minority leader in the house, hakeem jeffries, democrat from

nework replacing nancy pelosi, led democrats for two decades. stepping down from leadership, and the number 2 on the minority side, the minority whip, catherine clark, the democrat from massachusetts. members of congress on the house and senate will be in the leadership position. those in leadership positions are paid more than the average member of congress. if you're interested in the salaries of folks taking their jobs today, the speaker of the house gets paid $233,500 a year, majority and minority leaders of each party get paid one thousand $400 a year and then your rank and file senators and republicans get paid one hundred $74,000 year. they were paid $174,000 a year since 2,009, last time there was a pay raise for member of congress.

in 1789, a $6 a day perdiem for a member of congress but got up to $5000 a year in 1874. in 1987 it was $89,500 a year and the big jump from the 80s to the mid-2,000s was $169,300 a year. these folks set to take these jobs today that is how much they are getting paid. >> host: let's go to beverly in maine. >> caller: this is a difficult time in the united states of america. i think someone coming from massachusetts, they are not afraid like elizabeth warren to speak up and protect the

properties and rights of people like elizabeth warren did with the consumer protection agency, this mccarthy man is a dangerous person and the way he owns everything down there. there are a lot of secrets these people need to cover up for and he's one of the people who wants to cover up for them, that goes off of what i was going to talk about and we need to pay attention. hold banks accountable, stop corporate takeover and doesn't matter if they are democrat or republican. is corrupt all the way down the line, very sad but that is all i have to say. >> host: on the republican on line, you are next. >> caller: i would like to see his congress passed legislation such as a budget.

i would like to see immigration reform. people want to pay taxes more power to them but they've got to get that stuff sorted out. >> host: akal are letting us know about top domestic priorities as congress gets to work on the one hundred eighteenth congress later today. a lot of things to watch out for as we told you throughout the morning. one of the people you are going to see in the new congress is house minority leader hakeem jeffries elected after the november elections and after the top leadership for democrats to step down, one of the first speeches he made, he talked about his priorities and what he looks forward to our the house minority leader, here is hakeem jeffries. >> historic over performance related to the contrast that we successfully articulated to the american people. democrats deliver for everyday

americans versus extreme maga republicans. democrats believe in reproductive freedom and a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions. republicans are extreme on abortion care. want to oppose a nationwide ban criminalize abortion care for tens of millions of women throughout this country. democrats believe in social security and medicare. republicans are extreme on social security and medicare. want to blow it up, detonate it in five years and perhaps even default on our debt so they can destroy social security and medicare and hold the american people and our economy hostage, extreme maga republicans and of

course democrats believe in democracy, this incredible project here in america that has been with us for north of 245 years. the greatest democracy in history of the world versus republicans, many of whom don't believe in democracy anymore. clear contrast between democrats who deliver and extreme maga republicans. i'm confident and optimistic as we move into the next congress, ready to work together to find common ground to solve problems for everyday americans whenever and wherever possible, but prepared to seize the majority in 2024. >> host: representative hakeem jeffries who will be the minority leader as of today. you will see a lot of him and his team as congress starts its work. tracy hale saying the top issue for congress is to improve conditions for everyday average employees and their families,

improving of conditions for the disabled and elderly some of whom pay taxes all are working years, we don't need revenge taxes, backsliding, attempt to discredit one another, the work of congress needs to be progress. steve saying when it comes to congress, to address the needs of the people first, the border security, crime and physical response ability, but donors social agenda put the rest of the world on hold, america is fiscally sound and unified again. the social media postings, cctv in michigan, democrats line, go ahead. >> good morning. when republicans talk about shutting down the government, if i was president biden, i would include the military and that. of the government is shut down we have no military and china can take us over. thank you. >> host: helen is up next, independent line. >> happy new year to everyone.

the economy, immigration, healthcare, women's rights, i am a senior, been here for 65 years. i came here as a baby from colombia. i have traveled all over the world and i'm very upset at what i am seeing. the republican party has drastically changed where i no longer recognize it. they no longer care about the issues affecting us, the american people. social security is very important to me. i will not allow any party to take that which i worked so hard for. my social security and my medicare, that i will fight tooth and nail for and i don't see mccarthy doing that for us. he has proven time and again that he has no leadership and he is bargaining, bargain-basement bargaining. you don't bargain.

if you are going to deliver for the american people you say this is what i am going to do and i haven't heard him say anything about what he's going to do to improve americans lives. we have issues. >> host: one more call from ohio. >> it seems we have one illegal vote but just went on, we had a $1.7 trillion bill run through stuff like a turkey with a lot of illegal things, people that were no longer in office, they did not have a quorum, and they voted it through as they ran out the door and were no longer officials, they didn't have a quorum, it got to be rescinded. we can't afford this stuff. i will hang up and listen to your answer. >> host: rich in ohio. four hours to go in this

special edition of the program as we lead up to noon when the start of activity is expected to begin. you will have a chance to call in and talk to various guests and get your thoughts there as well. john mcardle has information on things to look out for through the course of the day. >> one thing to watch out for is the speaker vote, finding out a little more about what is going to happen when that takes place, key house leadership aide is going to be the one who will nominate kevin mccarthy, republican conference chair, number 4 in-house republican leadership, 15 minutes ago this morning saying i'm honored to nominate kevin mccarthy on behalf of the gop congress to serve the 118th congress and the new republican majority, so much focus on members of

congress this morning. what they are saying, especially republican members. this is chadporgorom, quoting scott parry, who came out against kevin mccarthy appearing on fox this morning. saying kevin mccarthy has known for months that he doesn't have the 218 votes needed for the speakership he dragged the conference and congress and the country to the brink. he also quoted one of those freshman members of congress taking their seat her seat today, michigan congress and elect john james, republican saying the gop squandered its majority in 2016 and could do it again. .. if members don't bridge the fractures over mccarthy in the speakers vote. those are some of the comments, we will be watching what folks continue to say over the next four hours until the house

covens in. -- house gavels in. mitch that would be mitch mcconnell, the minority leader in the senate. here's his statements at one of those today press conferences on capitol hill. >> do you support kevin mccarthy to be speaker k of the house? t >> absolutely. i am pulling for kevin. i hope he makes it. >> host: mitch mcconnell late last year and we will see what happens today at noon. again that speakers vote one of the first actions that will take place in the house. >> in our next hour watches the in bits oftalk about the 118th congress of what to expect today much of which john has been talking about. molly reynolds and bob kyu sack of the hill joining us and you can ask them questions about what to expect.

this as special coverage of the one at 18 congress continues on "washington journal." that conversation coming up next. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the new 118 congress convenes today at noon eastern for the first time in two years they will return to washington as a divided government. republicans will the house ofn representatives while democrats retain control of the senate by a slim majority. the new incoming members are younger with an average age of 47 compared to the average age of 58 in a previous session. the newve congress will be more diverse with a record number of women serving including more women of caller. follow the process as 118th congress gavels into session,, holds the election for new speakergr of the house and new members take the oath of office. new congress new leaders. watch the opening day of the 118th congress today at noon

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>> be up-to-date and the lateste in publishing with booktv's podcast "about books" with current nonfiction book releases plus bestseller list as well as industry news and trends through insider interviews. your can find "about books" on c-span now,t are free mobile app or wherec- you get your podcast. >> "washington journal" continues trauma joining for conversation on this 118th congress day to make a guest joining us molly reynolds with the brookings institution. she is the senior fellow and then we have pop to sack of the hill, their editor t in chief ad both are you thanks for giving us your time today. really appreciate it. mr. cusack, the hill has a headline when it comes to today it speaker macarthur reaching that moment of truth s. res. election is concerned.

for all the things you're watching for what is a most particular thing watching for in this election? >> guest: i think it's goingth to be a battle of wills today because it looks like for the first time in 100 years were going to goin to the second balt at least and maybe multiple ballots and maybe this goes on for several days. the conservatives really have not i think they've done, conservators who are against the cartel done a pretty good negotiating job because there's not really spelled out exactly what they want in exchange for supporting mccarthy. so mccarthy has been making concessions like on the motion vacate the threshold which is a significant concession. still doesn't have the votes though. this is going to be one where there's going to be pressure i think on either mccarthy or the mccarthy critics to back down. it is a game of chicken. >> host: molly reynolds with the game of chicken involved what does it mean for the party as a whole especially on this starting allstate when you're trying to get things done?

>> guest: it's telling. like we've seen other examples historically of times when the a speaker gone past the first ballot but there are a couple things unusual about today and the configuration. one of them is that generally historically when a speaker has had trouble getting votes l members of his own party the -- it we have the sort of more foreme or radical faction the republican party who's really digging in their heels against mr. mccarthy. and so as bob was saying it's much harder to kind of bargain with a faction like that when they don't have kind of concrete policy asks that are achievable under divided government, that they don't necessarily have kind of lines they have drawn an city to give us of this, then we will vote for you. it really makes it hard for the

party to get its feet under it and get started in the new congress. >> host: and kevin mccarthy given those concessions much like a concession to get them out of office if need be or least if the ticks off enough republicans to do so. >> guest: i think obviously these thresholds for them motion to vacate which is a motion that is available for members to try and remove aer speaker, like tht threshold is important but i think what the fight over the threshold tells us is even if mccarthy ultimately is elected speaker, whether it's with five votes threshold for offering a motion to vacate or whether obeah single-member can offer a motion to vacate, that tells us a lotot about howard it's goingo be for mr. mccarthy. and anyone else whoel become speaker to govern the house republican conference. >> host: mr. cusick have we ever seen anybody go into this knowing what he facesgo and his ability simply to control or at

least control the party and a caucus as well? what is he faced as molly talked about? >> guest: not in my lifetime. this is highly unusual. this is going to be a historic day looks like. could be a very long day and two mollies point . as for soe criticism aimed at mccarthy has something to do with the rules package and inside baseball but more has to do with ideology. a lot of conservatives only some in the house think. mccarthy doesn't have and will not talking not just five, there's probably two to three dozen who are skeptical of mccarthy. wey seen that in prior votes behind closed doors but we'll see the public votes today. it's his past record on spending. that is really frustrated many in the republican party that spending is out of p control and there's no comment during the trump administration when they had the house and the senate and the white house they really didn't do anything on cutting spending. this is something mccarthy can't go back in time. he's really stuck at a think yes

to play the long game and say listen, there's really no other viable person who cans beat me right now as far as getting the votes, getting more votes, but who can get to the 218 magic number? somema of these hard-core republicans are against mccarthy, they are not the ones to back down. they will stand up and that's what's frustrating to a lot of the other republicans of course because then they get the media attention and right now mccarthy is just stuck, we've seen the poverty a group of nine writing this letter opposing mccarthy, five and never mccarthy's out there. when comes to math were talkingi mathth earlier. it counts against him tragic it is andhe is going to be i think some of it is going to be momentum. politics is all about momentum enemy start to see they start at a as far as who is voting and they go down the list and it looks like based upon the alphabetical order that andy biggs is running against kevin

mccarthy i could be the first person who doesn't vote alphabetically for mccarthy on theal republican side. all the democrats i i think gg to unite behind jeffreys. i think that would be 100%. , give us a call if you want to talk to to expect today. 202-748-8000 for democrats. 202-748-8001 for republicans and 202-748-8002 for independents. textus at 202-748-8003. >> guest: the house will convene at noon. there will be a prayer, the pledge of allegiance. the will be a quorum call. members are supposed to register the present and in the first vote before move on to swing in the members, to i voting under rules package is the vote for speaker.th and the way the vote for speaker works is that every members and name is called and then they vote by voice either for a

member by name or they can vote president, or they can also simply not show up. and we talk about the math, the number of folks who vote present or choose not to producer in the vote, that affects the dominator, the bottom number out of which mr.r. mccarthy or another candidate would have to get a numerical majority to win. if they get all the way through that first vote and there is no one who has a numerical majority of members voting for a candidate by name, then would move on to subsequent votes for speaker. they can if they wish adjourn. i would take either unanimous consent or a majority vote. there's been some reportingvo about whether mr. mccarthy and his allies would prefer to keep everyone in the house chamber on the floor to kind of fight this out in public versus trying to get a motion to adjourn to go

behind closed doors, set into the house republican conference, reportingse at least now mr. mccarthy thinks it's too his advantage to have five public as opposed to behind closed doors. but they really can't move on to other business until they have elected speaker, one of the papers reported it would be a death blow ifde they did adjourn any of time for people to commiserate tragic yeah, as bob was saying, back in end of last you house republican conference took a vote behindd closed doo, who do want to number for speaker, then there was kind of more opposition to mr. mccarthypo that i think we are expecting to see today. i think there'swe some folks who voted against mccarthy privately in conference, we expect to vote for him publicly on the floor today and so obviously those dynamics could come back if they adjourned and tried to negotiate a term of one of those republicans who are

posing matt rosen dale of michigan, bob goodlatte virginia, others as well. bob cusack because you want congress what a republicans supporting mccarthy nap resting to sway those who are not, and is or potential for any change over the? >> guest: i think their strategy has to be over all minimized the defections. so you have some defections picky of those five or never mccarthyist witch of other people like scott perry, dan bishop from north carolina. you've got other people who have suggested it could be no and i think minimizing so that they look like the small percentage of rebels that are blocking the republican takeover of the house and mccarthy has been say listen, if we can't get the speaker, well then we can't fight crime. we can't do hearings on border, another think that conservatives want like under biden. swift to get the speaker. i agree because i think it's probably better for mccarthy to do the public because he been

doing a lot of the talks in private over the holidays. not gotten anywhere. i think the pressures got to be for mccarthy allies to get on these guys to back down but they will also have to say face pic they will have to get something out of it and maybe it is going to threshold from the five to just one and, of course, if that happens and then you give a no comment vote in thehe speaker, i mean that reallyke would weaken mccarthy to the point where there would be speculation he would go and h we seen it before with threats, john boehner, mark meadows. this has little bit of history, speaking of history he's gone for the speakership before. do you think isp learned lessos this round versus last time? >> guest: yeah, he made a major gast and about hurting. there were other issueste especially because he's not been as conservative as some conservatives want. paul ryan and john boehner were viewed as more conservative as

speaker than they did attract criticism for not being conservative enough. this is a real fight him mccarthy has been playing very closer to him because he thought that would get him, not getting the speakership, and then trump held out his endorsement of mccarthy, not for his election turkey in dorsett but then he waited a while before he endorseded mccarthy for speaker. we have been talking to memories but how much trump has been involved. there's been some involvement but this is not i don't think even a call from the former president to these five members is going to do much. this is house intrigued. this is outside president of politics and that's why this is a problem, molly reynolds people say why should we care about house intrigue particularly help place out. what would you tell the? >> guest: i would tell them even if the house of representatives has basic

responsibilities of governing this country, and when i think about some of the votes that is going to be hardest for mr. mccarthy or someone else who is elected speaker to kind of get over the finish line, it will be on things like votes to keep the government open, things on increasing the debt limit sometime later this year. and so the degree to which house republican conference intrigue and politics matters to the rest of us i think it really does come down to how it affects the ability of the house to fulfill its basic constitutional government responsibility. >> host: again 202-748-8000 for democrats. republicans 202-748-8001, and independents 202-748-8002. two just joining us molly reynolds from the brookings institution and also bob cusack the editor in chief of the hill. james and california first off a republican line in san diego. james good morning. go ahead.

>> caller: i have a question for both of your guests and he goes like this. this could become a self-destruction issue for the republicans basedss upon the democrats nominating someone, the whole block of the democratic party vote for it. they get 12 or 15 rinos to vote with within and that s the republican party in total as far as the house of representatives becausehe the speakeres of the house controls who comes to the floor, what bills are brought to the floor. therefore, nothing that republicans want to start off with whatever come to the floor. please answer that question. >> host: an area we've heard before. >> guest: anything is possible but 12 republicans vote for a democrat come this is kind of a shirt andnd skins issue. in kevin mccarthy justki like nancy pelosi didn't want republican vote. it was republican who was pleased, read was left congress was willing to vote for nancy pelosi because she changed the rules and away he liked.

she didn't want his vote, okay? there is a a possibility demos especially if there's a lot of round rounds and a lot of fatigue that the moderates could join up with the democrats. i don't think the moderate republicans of the will vote for a democrat. v they would have to go, there have been other proposals. remember the speaker does not need to be a member. fred upton who just retired has been floated, i just all see that as a reasonable possibilit possibility. >> guest: the caller is right that this is something we had seen sketched out. in addition to what bob said i would also point out that 12, 15 more pragmatism republicans you can imagine maybe doing something like this. it doesn't really help them get to their preferred outcome, which is mr. macarthur being elected speaker. going on record and saying i might be willing to vote for fred upton or vote for someone else like that, really detracts

from the campaign. they have kind of branded themselves as only kevin so it really detracts from theth messaging. for that reason as well in we are veryke unlikely that te as for his republicans themselves, if for some reason speaker mccarthy doesn't have the votes come who was the most likely republican? >> guest: servant the name gifford floatable strictly isthn steve scalise who is the number two republican, very popular among republican conference. i think it would be questions about whether some of these folks have branded themselves as only kevin mccarthy until the end would, when they might switch allegiance. a lot of it will come down to exactly what did thewo numbers look like after the first though, how many votes does mccarthy lose on the first ballot, if they take a second vote immediately, do you see folks saying okay i made my point know we will vote for mcafee. you see more focused affecting? it's very hard to know what will

happen but a lot of that will shape howap it all old to my ghost. >> host: what's the ability of steve scalise to cost the breaches of these various factions? >> guest: well, he's got to tell a delicate lineon and i do think if we move on from kevin mccarthy at some point and that is a big gift but if we do, and steve scalise has got to unite it is going to be the one. i would thinkif in that situatin mccarthy would probably leave congress. that's how the stakes are for kevin mccarthy. i don't think he would accept ha lower position. another name to watch as patrick mchenry whose incoming house financial services committee chairman. he's been a member of leadershi leadership. he he's respected by the house republican conference but again can still leasepu or mchenry, faced 11 issue. i think the problemey is that te move on from mccarthy, the mccarthy critics can't just say well know, i don't want him, i don't want her, i do want him, i want -- at some point to have to accept a second choice if we

get to that. >> host: let's hear from sue, sue in california republican life for our guests. good morning. you are up.ue go ahead and. >> caller: good morning. i just have a question about people getting caught in lies and still hold office. i don't understand it. i think somebody, i mean look, the republican party can just keep that person just because -- i but i don't understand fight santos automatically place will he get caught in his life and he just smiles and says fine, my bad but i'm still going to have a say in what goes on. there maybe should be a republican standing by to get rid of these people that are just bald-faced line. i mean, completely bald-faced lying. as a something we could do about that? , one of the other storylines to watch up-to-date george santos and new york. >> guest: what are called s

referring to is represented santos of new york pictures and wide reporting over thes past several weeks about various things about which he appears to fly during his campaign come his resume, his background. under the sort of rules and the constitution and supreme court's interpretation of the constitution, the house can't really just refused to seat mr. santos. he's of the age required by the constitution to serve and there's a supreme court case that says the house can refuse to see tim for anything other than just constitutional violations that are required for service in congress. the house could see them and then choose to expel them. thatxp would take a two-thirds majority. so that's pretty unlikely. we could see sort of subsequent investigations of him my house ethicscs committee. that is a possibility but ultimately as with many scandals involving members of congress,

the most likely way that mr. santos would end up in congress is either under sufficient pressure from his own party to do so or if his constituents voted out of office in two years. so that's kind of where we are with that story. >> host: mr. cures act, with reportedly his allegiance to kevin mccarthy plus the margin ofot votes that the house has, house republicans have chances are they're not going to call for his ouster, not anytime soon. they need his vote and he is for mccarthy. but i don't think george santos is going tohi be a life or in, whether it's ethics investigation or whether there's some l questions about where he got his campaign donations. these coulds. be criminal, and there are investigations ongoing and at some point whether he gets a primary challenge and/or the general election, it's going to be tough for him to stay in congress. i think even for the next two years to serve out his full term

because he's taking so much heat for thehe many lies, what's the likelihood he ends up on committee work or anything other than largest voting on the floor? >> guest: that popped in my head, will they see them on committees? i think that, i think have to take it one step at a time. mccarthy wants to be speaker and i would imagine would put them on a committee but not a a high-profile committee maybe. >> host: let'sni hear from vivian in tennessee, democrats like. >> caller: good morning, happy new year everyone. the republicans started off already with allies. how can we teach our children about our congress and senators when with adults at the line? and alas, when republicans set up in full, they didn't vote for anything for the people. i watched the congress and watch the senate. they vote no, no, no to everything. and it'ss ridiculous.

people sit up there and put people up there to vote against their own interest. there is poor white people that need that money, paid medicare and everything, butut they set p some folks in the republicans who don't care about them. i'm lookingca at you and i know you hear me and in telling the truth. we need god in heaven to straighten out your heart to help the peopleig of america. thank you. have a good day. >> host: go ahead try to one of the things that the caller picks up on that bob also was discussing earlier is the degree to which part of the predicament we find ourselvesed in today wih this speakership election does involve the degree to which some of the folks or holdouts against kevin mccarthy do really seem toto be motivated less by specic achievable policy concerns in the current congress, and more this idea that being hold out against mccarthy gets them attention, gets them on tv. that's a bigger pathology in the

current congress. and i think it's a real challenge for those members on both sides of the aisle who come to washington who want to legislate. how did he getla that work done when they have colleagues who sort of motivation for seeking election is more around congress is a good gig, congress gets me on tv, congress gets me a national reputation. that's certainly a some new studies congress and evolution in the chamber with you over time. it's manifesting itself today in speakership vote but he it dk it's a real challenge for this congress and for congress going forward, i will ask both of you with the republicans talk about the oversight works plans for them but legislatively what are they focused on and what could they get through not only the democrats in house buthr also te senate? >> guest: that's a big question. one of the top issues that focus on as a should is a top issue that voter say is inflation. they want to get rid of the 87,000 irs agents that were

included in the democratser inflation reduction act. they want to focusio on energy. permitting reform is a version of energy legislation that could get through the house and senate something joe manchin was kind of pushed in the upper chamber, didn't get through. one of the things you will see bipartisanship no matter how thh speaker vote goes is a farm bill. that is a big issue for this year. usually it is bipartisan. doesn't mean there's not controversial parts of it, whether that's snapped, food stamps, big bone of on the parties that are not on the farm bill but a lot of food provisions in there. but beyond that they have to raise the debt limit. there's some things theyt. haveo do or risk economic collapse. that will be very hard for house republicans to pass raising the debt limit when these conservatives won't vote for mccarthy. they are not credible for any debt limit increase but it's going to havewi to get through e house one wayay or the other. this could be very bumpy and remember, mccarthy even if he

gets it he is up against the senator gives up against the white house and they're trying to get ready for 2024, and so the republicans need a strong speaker. it remains to be seen when this whole thing is over whether they will have strong speaker. >> guest: one on the flask point bob was making, historically most of the time when we seen really nasty fight for the speakership it's been during periods of where having the gala, having the power really means you have the ability to steer your party with your co-partisans in the senate and co-parties in the white house to real policy change. that's not what is on the table on the horizon for this congress. that's sort of what historical note. in terms of republican's agenda we have a g sense of the least whether planning to go initially in the rules package, should we get there today, should we get there tomorrow. there is kind of an initial list

of votes they intend to take the first vote would be on as bob mentioned an a energy bill to expand oil and gas leasing. they would be a bill to extend funding, couple votes to immigration in the border, a couple related to abortion. with some sense of kind of at least a messaging perspective, none of those measures are really likely to go anywhere. we know where m they would likeo stick the flag initially on their agenda. >> guest: on the 87,000 irs agents i really think that's the issue that could threaten a government shutdown or problems raising the debt limit because of these mccarthy critics, and others, are adamant about getting rid of that part of act.tion reduction dan coats not going to go for that. but over the last couple of months to us and other publications, house republicans are saying we need to use our leverage to get rid of that, and

they think iris is not a private agency, that they can win that pr battle. >> host: let's hear from keith and wisconsin, republican bind. go ahead please. >> caller: good morning pedro come to you and to your two gets into all of america. i remember not too long ago when can't speak of the house nancy pelosi was bent president trump ripping up his state of the union speech. now, you don't have u to be a member of congress to be speaker of the house and i would think it would be such sweet irony to see speaker of the house donald trump ripping up joe biden's next date of the union speech. happyid new year. >> guest: that would be quite a sight. we have seen it was a volatile night when debts each was shred and obviously that's glows in the hope trump not the best of friends. it's interesting when george w. bush was helicoptered out, nancy pelosi said she felt like an and

let come off her chest. and i think come sorely during the trump administration she longed for the days of the bush administration. trump as speaker has been talked about. he's not interested. he's running for president. that would bes an interesting flip but he can't get the votes either. there have beenou serious talks years ago republicans went to ran for president against him trump in 2016 and. [talking over each other] to him about becoming speaker. again yout never know. it's always been a of congress that's been a speaker but you don't have to be. >> host: from the main indet line, jerry. >> caller: good morning. i don't know if you have addressed this question already. so how does the scenario of new members not being sworn in affect the vote? if you're not sworn in as members, can they legally vote in this scenario for speaker? thank you. >> guest: anyone who is a member elect of the house of new

members are returning members do vote for speaker before the swearing in. that's the order of operations. just how the house works. it has been interesting to kind of watch on the republican side, there are a handful of members elect who have come out as being against mr. mccarthy. there are several, , bob mentiod before, there are kind of five never mccarthy votes. another nine members who signed a letter over the weekend indicating that mccarthy had not gone far enough in the concessions to get their support. so if the folks on that letter our members elect, so we see folks who have been served a day in congress yet certainly playing a role in the speakership race. >> host: from william in massachusetts independent line. >> caller: good morning. happy new year. i have a question.

i see a list of reps that might vote againste mccarthy, and i notice that three are from arizona. maybe the other went from each date -- y3 from one state? it just seems a little strange. maybe you could explain it. s thank you. >> guest: well, let's see, the three from arizona i'm going to guess isro cozaar, crane and, of course, biggs. but as far as different states is just a matter of do you want to mccarthy to be speaker? are you trying too angle for rules changes? i don't think it's so much a a state thing. it's more hey, we need a conservative who will spin, take on this white house and do things that other speakers have done but there's a reason why speakers have done the things that done in the past and having talked to former leadership and when paul ryan come on is that we will have a new day, trying to be a new house, will do things very differently, things are not really done that differently.

>> guest: from watching other things related to for instance, there is a republican party over the past four, eight years, that has been a place where there's been a fair amount of kind of radicalism within the republicaf party. in that sense it's not surprising to me that would be a state delegation that generate a couple of these folks who are pretty vocal mccarthy opponents but there's no particular regional dimension to very much of this. >> host: mall the riddles e specific institution government fellow. pop bob to setho with hill edn chief to refocus on house. let's focus on a separate house was in republican hands. what's the senate party for the next two years? >> guest: sure. while we have been talking about the house shifting to republicans, democrats have actually strengthen their hands little bit in the senate for the next two years. we're moving out of the world of a 50-50 tide senate and into a

straight majority for democrats in the senate. that stance stands to hen the senate, help president biden terms of confirming nominees both to the federal judiciary and to executive branch appointments. we know that theex senate has bn able to do that sometimes with the tie-breaking vote from vice president harris for the past two years have little breathing room with a 51 votes. the fact that committees and the senate will no longer be evenly divided between democrats and republicans also make it easier for them to get a vote, nominees out of committee and onto the floor. legislatively, because they will be needing to contend with the republican-controlled house, we are not expecting certainly nothing new what we saw over the last two years under unified government, very productive congress. but it do think i'm some of these things like keeping the government open and raising the debt limit the senate will obviously be a major player.

>> host: mr. cusack, she talked about balance of power. raffaello warnick reelected, kyrsten sinema going to be an independent. what do those shifts mean internally and also whate doest mean for joe manchin, we saw him be a key player in trying to get things done arks how do those things factor in? >> guest: sinema and mention of a significant amount of power. there's a question whether joe manchin is going toou be independent. both cinema and matching it to do so with a run for reelection. sinema is very likely to face up primary challenge so we don't know exactly, come chess and sd if she's goingle to run. joe manchin i interviewed him for c-span newsmakers after his last election win against patrick morrissey who is a former house eight and other west virginia, very tough race. mansion said that took a lot out of him. he won by a few points. it's going be very difficult even though joe manchin's populist agenda week but for difficult for him to win reelection in a presidential

election. i think the balance of power, you're going to see some more campaign maneuvers because both sinema imagine we'll be thinking more okay, i'mh up in this cyc, and then the palace and sent soe will be less on the senate floor, it's ready who republicans recruit to run in 2024. they recruited some candidates who did quite poorly. warnock beat herschel walker did not run a good campaign one of the worst campaigns icing and he still can relatively close. so i think you're seeing about an republican party between mitch mcconnell and donald trump, of who's going to recruit, who's going to run into 124. and remember the republican map, the map in 20243 republican friendly. so if they can get some solid candidates, they are facing a lot of democrats in red states. a lot of republicans think the senate republicans kind of blew their chance you. they will get another chance in 2024 anglesey who wins that primary challenge and struggle between mitch mcconnell and

donald trump, and those two are never going to get along. >> host: dimension mitch mcconnell. he sits appear with president biden tomorrow. tall about the talk about the politics tragedies always been a backer of infrastructure and the ribbon some major needs especially a particular bridge in kentucky. so he is going to appear with the president. it's interesting, there's tension between kevin mccarthy and mitch mcconnell. we've seen that on various legislation including the last fiscal package they got past late last month. so overall, mccarthy, mcconnell has that he is pulling for mccarthy what you don't think mccarthy gets exposed in the house.y. by he wants him to win. i think would rather work with kevin mccarthy and certainly and he bakes. this republican partyan and republicans have said this recent including newtan gingric, they are a little bit in disarray and got to get the stuff in order starting today,

otherwise the democrats will sit back today announced and just, they are going to enjoy the spectacle. nancy pelosi got the votes before they went -- she had trouble becoming speaker for the second time. well, she was able to get them before they wentle to the house floor. this seems like a different situation. >> guest: the last point about the comparison to the pelosi speaker ship and 2018, is really telling which is when she needed to shore up support for speakership, she needed to make concessions both notably a promise that she would step down from being speaker t after two more terms, but she really had room to maneuver because there were concrete things than members of her caucus were asking for and they said if you give us this thing will vote for you. that's just bye and day 21 are now. we are still unclear in many cases where the concessions, that mccarthy is mix of car and whether there are other concessions he could make that could get him the vote he needs.

>> host: georgia, democrats like you are on. good morning. >> caller: oh, good morning. i'm so glad i got a chance to come on. i'm 85 and i'm deaf, and a news junkie. my first, i'm a democrat since jimmy carter. i really do not represent north georgia in any way. i resent, represent our local democratic party. we are outnumbered four to one. in this little county in north georgia. oki, i have been the local treasurer for our local party and tell my deafness made it difficult. okay. last night i wrote down a list, but, about the speaker of the house. heaven help us if kevin

mccarthy should be third in line to the presidency. he's lost all hope. he lost all evidence of eating integrity. the man has no integrity. he doesn't care what happens to the citizens of the united states. but i do have a list of people, but i do understand they do not have to be current elected representatives. >> host: who would you like to see instead of kevin mccarthy? >> caller: instead of kevin mccarthy, i would likee to see -- oh, goodness, yeah, that's my 85-year-old monk, that's okay. thank you. >> caller: i do not like his

father but oh, , gosh, no need o refer -- the culture of the january 6 committee. >> host: liz cheney, okay. that's another scenario we've heard as far as plant the reality i don't think will happen. >> guest: as we're talking about there is no requirement that the speaker of the house be an elected number ofe the house of representatives. like bob i think it's really unlikely we would see someone else fill that role. it would be a huge break from historical precedent. it's not entirely clear to me that anyone who could get the votes from outside the team would really want to do the job. and so i think it's pretty unlikely.pr but the fact we even talking about this, that we even entertained the idea that the person is going to be the speaker of the house could come from outside the chamber. again, this reflects how remarkable this moment is. it's that unprecedented historically. again raising ofen the times whn a speaker has a trouble getting

elected even on the floor is gone to multiple ballots. we haven't seen that in 100 years but there's very little new under the sun in american politics. but again it just illustrates kind of the moment we are in. >> host: robert and texas republican line. >> caller: good morning. i'm glad to get you. and ie. just want to elaborate n what the young lady just did earlier elizabeth jane should be our speaker of the house. first of all, she would bring the republican party back in line. and secondly, she would actually govern. and to further on the other gentleman early, donald trump can't govern because he doesn't know about the government. yes, we need elizabeth cheney and 213 democrats would gladly vote for her. we need is five courageous republicans to support her. >> host: that's robert in texas. bob cusack eventually we will see of out. >> guest: the political danger for anyone voting for speaker,

should they decide to vote somebody else can even like if you're a democrat well, i like liz cheney, , she's great on the january 6th commission. well, i mean, if you vote for a republican and you likely would get primaried. you have to consider those type of things. liz cheney is certainly i a presidential bid. we don't know if you underwent as republican. she's going to dodge the question, , or as an independent but she wants to make sure that donald trump, i don't think she thinks she can become the next president, you never know, but she just wantswa to prevent dond trump from being president again. that is a number one priority. the other thing i want to mention, on january 6 is kevin mccarthy former mentor bill thomas wright covered as ways and means committee chairman, never close, they represent the same district in bakersfield. thomas has gone public with his criticism of mccarthy and his handling of january 6th and discontinued that. that is very interesting because they used to be very, very

close, now they're not. >> host: talk about theno whiteness for a bit pick up into how this will play out in the house we will see but as president biden now faces a divided government what does that mean going forward as far as antigen is concerned, , bob cusack? >> guest: of the question of of course joe biden is going to run. i think it would be more orderly for the democratic party if he does run, but some democrats and if you look at polls, less than half of democrats want biden to run some of them cite his age. but biden has struck deals before. what is the biden presents going to be? if you think about okay yes, it was ais disappointing night for republicans but they did when the house and the said is still close and is winnable. so in 2024th the white house and the house certainly and the senate are all up for grabs again, and republicans that's why they're like we really need

to unite and get ready for the next cycle. but it's going to be very interesting to see i think president biden, the white house come chuck schumer are going to try to play this divide and conquer again, it mcconnell on some bills, not every bill, reject a lot of the house-passed bill. remember, even if mccarthyy is speaker he wants to boot democrats off committees. that has to go to a vote. that's even, , there's some republican members i think 11 who voted to kick off congresswoman green off committees.. so maybe they don't want to kick off the democrats off committee. and again every vote is going to be tough for house republicans no matter the speakers. >> host: molly reynolds. >> guest: thinking about the biden administration and joe biden personally, i do think once they were going to see come once the house is able to get organized, so again they can't really start committeega operations intel there's a speaker and rules package, but once they get to that point i think we will see really aggressive oversight from house committees. so one of the other concessions that was made to some of

mccarthy's detractors was this, i promise to stand up a select subcommittee, basically on the weaponization of government.. so it will be within the judiciary committees looking at things like the fbi. so again something we've heard a lot from republicans. that will be i think just a major focus of where their energy is in the house, because of the challenges of getting anything done legislatively under a divided government. >> host: nancy in indiana, democrat's line. good morning. thanks for joining us. go ahead. >> caller: i am calling from red state indiana, columbus. so two things briefly. ms. reynolds noted earlier about just a desire to get attention, and i would like to echo that. i think a lot of the behavior of now it is pretty much

republicans is attention-getting, and also just raw power. and i think this has been fed by a lot of things in media, but particularly fox news and now even more radical right-wing outlets just feed to this immaturity where truth doesn't matter at all that matters is winning and getting attention. and i wondered if, so the second thing, i wonder if your guests would comment on is any hope for return to the fairness doctrine? because i i can't personally a way out of this until there's some kind of standards for truth telling and what can be aired on public airwaves, which of course battle system is publicly taxpayer-funded and supported. it's a different kind of an structure that we all support, and i'm tired of hearing just

complete lies. and, of course, santos is ten of the epitome of where we have ended up. thank you and i will take my answer off the phone. >> host: that is nancy in indiana. >> guest: i do think the media environment plays a big role in what we are seeing, not just in the house today, and if we talked about it in the context of the speakership battle just more generally in canada challenges that the u.s. congress faces in the current moment, like the caller, it's hard to see sort of have a get out of that given the kind of current media environment and the incentives facing members of congress. in many cases they behave the way they do because they think it is politically beneficial to them so it'ss a little hard to know kind of how we get out of that but it is true the media five as part of how we got where we are. >> guest: i think republicans certainly have talked about the

fairness doctrine a lot in the past, but aut sponsor oversight plan they are going to be going after tech companies. they're going to be going after hunter biden, the role of media and social media and department of justice something jim jordan will be the judiciary committee chair who supports kevin mccarthy, used to be kind of a never mccarthy person. even though he has these allies he'she struggling but it is something that oversight i think is going to do most important for house republicans. and also i think it's important for them not to go too far and not to overreach with oversight, and there some concern there's going to be a lot of hunter biden and not enough on bread-and-butter issues like inflation and the economy energy. that's the struggle str greatest among house republicans. so they know that if, the script didn't go well for house republicans are a were expecting a red wave as a mccarthy okay, he would lose five or ten votes like he was still have a comfortable majority. they are not there yet and now

this is as then a majority as youas can get. it's basically flipped from nancy pelosi nancycy pelosi, shs been around a long time and she was speaker twice and she knows how to do the job and get the votes. it's just been tougher for kevin mccarthy, and some of these republicans have not been like democrats who kind of okay, yes, if you give me this, nancy pelosi, i will vote for you. that's not how it's going down. very unusual. >> host: from bill in florida,, independently. good morning. you are next. >> caller: oh, wonderful.. hey, you guys have thrown around terms like agenda and ideology and, at a don't like to upgrade you but the talk that we don't know how to get -- fighting the fairness doctrine thing, we are, maybe it's not unprecedented time but we have a wonderful opportunity here. i'm independent and i'm in

florida which is, anyway, so many of the politicians run, maybe even most of them say we've got to change things in washington. well, this this is the opp, these branded independents who actually live up to it and say listen, we've got to change the rules. no more, i understand that politics is largely almost a dirty word that we have to make compromises, all right, but it's not about ideology and agenda. it's about ideal, and these guys campaigned on the promise that we are going to up to these ideals of the what's right. but we know what's right. we've got to stop assigning people to committees based on who is playing their policy gained the best way. no, no. get back to the original where, you know, i know even if the

original and we had a lot of politics played in that, but ideals mattered more earlier on in the country than they do now. ideals don't take a number one priority and if we don't get individuals to start living up to the ideals of what a republic should be, then we are going -- >> host: thank you very much. thank you for calling. >> guest: are a lot of freshmen, very few people getyo elected on the campaign trail by saying i'm for the status quo. that usually doesn't work. they want to be outsiders. they come to washington, if they're successful and that is a big if, that's very hard especially taken on any comic. then comelo to washington, the want to get in the ways and means committee, , your freshme, you're not going to. i want to go energy plan. we have the energy committee chairman who's working on a plane. there's lot of frustration and it has boiled up with kind of social media and the media in

general, and the last ten years have been very, very volatile. it didn't start with trump. when you go back and long time ago when i first came to washington in 1998, the parties were at odds. with newt gingrich versus president clinton. they passed balanced-budget act in 1997 which made sweeping changes to the budget as well as the medicare because medicare was headed for bankruptcy. those type of sweeping bipartisan deals, we have not seen at in a long time. we have seen the affordable care act has to along party lines. there has been other stuff but the biggest bills usually have been in recent years especially those two completely partisan. >> guest: certainly we've moved away from his time to wash and wear the was a bipartisan consensus rather deficit reduction answer the idea that everyone is going to have to bear some of the pain to get there. you have to both increase taxes and cut medicare, and we've moved past that and you kind of

see this embodied in the republican house rules package, that there arese a number of provisions that are targeted around cutting spending but don't say anything about having to imposeny the same fiscal discipline on tax cuts. that is kind of baked into the fabric of even the rules, the proposed rules at this point. but i think that bob is right, no one runs for congress think they want to keep things the way that they are. but it is a real challenge for new members. one of the sort of more interesting things that republicans decided at the end of last year was that they do appear to intend to keep what we are now calling committee project funding, earmarks around. so if they are able to pass some spending bills come the idea that those who continue have targeted spending for communities in them, which is i

think the way many rank-and-file particularly house members are now feeling i have a little bit more of a stake in the logistic process, that will be interesting to watch. i doo think something as we talked about sort of what is likely to change, there are also some things that are likely to be around for the present congress, let's a hear from of your in florida, a republican line. hello. >> caller: i served in the three wars, vietnam, the gulf war and the cold war of korea so i've been around and i expect -- respect my american flag. carthy and the republican party got to get together, okay? because the bickering that republicans have got to stop. two, if mccarthy has a meeting with joe, he got to remember the democrat party says things and does something totally opposite. they are not trustworthy.

the democrat party spends more money than we had in the bank, and that's very upsetting. let's look att the energy crisis that we had. joe biden doesn't care about the american people. he doesn't care about the borders. we know that. so we needt. to get together as republicans and tell him hey, listen, whoever is telling you to do things need to stop. i think we need to bring back the tea party, have third party. it might just work out real good.t but the republicans got to learn what the democrats work as a team, not against each other, thank you, caller. >> guest: the call to mention between kevin mccarthy and president joe biden. president biden had a successful election but his numbers are still in the '40s. as image amb lot of democrats don't want him to run again. it's not like he is the

strongest president but certainly democrats have the upper hand. they're coming off a successful election. mccarthy and biden basically have no relationship. they have just started to try to talk to each other. they didn't talk much in the last congress. they've have to talk a lot now, and that's were mccarthy is going to be under tremendous pressure if he becomes speaker because he's going up against chuck schumer who knows how to win political battles in this town, as well as the bully white house, and that's tremendous. and then you're the 2024th backdrop where you're going to have republicans more than just trump announcing, the would be a crowded field on the republican side and they will be likely criticizing anything coming out of washington because you don't become presidentec by embracing washington. on the outsider, i do like what they're doing and i'm going to do differently. so whoever the speaker is is going to be under tremendous pressure. >> host: one more call sandy in silver spring, maryland. >> caller: i just would like to know how can anyone vote for

a kevin mccarthy? he is such an empty suit. he looks you straight in the face, ndi and lies. that's all he knows how to do. it's unbelievable that he would even be considered. he's got as much backbone as, i don't know, a snake. and as far as ms. stefanik, the write up in the post, boy, she's another snake but we all knew that. have a great day and let's have liz cheney be the new speaker of the house. goodbye, that he stand in maryland. so we talked aboutho it but we will end as we started come things are watching for today. .. as you see more and more republicans and we are talking beyond the five, this goes to a second nala, we will see more

but how many are we dealing with? are we dealing with 36 or 40 or 20? to >> so to be public and remember, the members have to think, okay, kevin mccarthy could become the speaker and there could be some revenge served here if he does become speaker. they're going to remember that. so if you want favors from kevin mccarthy down the road, earmarks, he's going to remember how you voted on this. >> and the change between the first ballot and as we're expecting a second ballot. kind of where those folks go. and on bob's point about, you know, if mccarthy does get elected you don't necessarily want to be on your bad side and you probably don't want to be on the bad side of the vast majority of the members of congress who are voting for him and including ones who chair powerful committees.

if it matters to some of these holdouts, and what they want done and i think that's exactly what their motives are a little bit of a question. if they have things they want done out of congress, the more they hold out against mccarthy. >> two are joining us, molly reynolds, with the brookings institute. find her book at brookings.edu, and bob, to both of you, thank you for joining us. happy new year. >> we'll continue on, three hours to go until the new congress comes in and we're going to take your calls until then. if you want to call about what you think top priorities for this new congress should be, 202-748-8,000. democrats, 8001, and independents, 8002. and we'll take the calls when washington journal continues. n "washington journal" continues.

>> ♪♪ >> middle and high school students it's time to get out your phones and start recording for your chance to win $100,000 in total cash prizes with a grand prize of $5,000. by entering the student cam video documentary contest. for this year's competition we're asking students to picture yourself as a newly elected member of congress and tell us what your top priority would be and why. create a five to six-minute video showing opposing and supporting points of view. be bold with your documentary and don't be afraid to take risks. deadline, january 20, 2023. for tips how to get started visit our website at student cam.org. >> if you're enjoying book tv then sign up for our

newsletter, using the qr code on the screen. to receive the upcoming programs and author discussions and more. book tv every sunday on c-span2 or anytime online at book tv.org. television for serious readers. ♪♪ >> the new 118th congress convenes today at noon eastern. for the first time in two years, they'll return to washington as a divided government. republicans will control the house of representatives while democrats retain control of the senate by a slim majority. the new incoming members are younger with an average age of 47 compared to the average age of 58 in the previous session. the new congress will also be more diverse with a record number of women surveyed including more women of color. and the process as the 118th congress holds election for the new speaker of the house and new members take the oath of office. new congress, new leaders.

watch the opening day of the 118th congress today at noon eastern, live on c-span pan c-span2, also on c-span now, our free mobile video app and online at c-span.org. >> washington journal continues. >> again, this program will go until noon today. just after noon the starting process of the 118th congress as our guests talked about previously. lots going on in the house side and activity on the senate side, too. stay close by watching the house on c-span. you can watch the senate on c-span2 and follow along on our app at c-span now and follow along with the website at c-span.org. as we talk about the 118th congress we want to ask you what you think their top priority should be moving forward, whether it be matters of the economy or immigration, or health care, or what have you. you can call and let us know. democrats 202-748-8000.

republicans, 748-8001 and independents 202-748-8002. you can text us, too, 202-748-8003. as you heard our guests talk about one of the things to watch out in the house today is that speaker election, where kevin mccarthy of california facing a vote on whether he will become speaker of the house and one of those challengers to that effort was arizona republican andy biggs running as a challenger and he called a press conference last month for some things he focused on, including matters of immigration. here is andy biggs. >> in august of 2021 i was the first member of congress to introduce articles of impeachment against secretary mayorkas and now that we have the majority in the house of representatives i expect our party to pursue impeachment next congress. secretary mayorkas has committed crimes and

misdemeanors. and first, has failed to maintain optional control of the border as required under the law. secure fences act of 2006 the secretary to achieve and maintain control of the border. defines as prevention of all unlawful entries into the united states, including entries by terrorists, other, unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics and other contraband, closed quote. that is his duty and obligation. and his policies are opposite of control. and a chief said under oath that the biden administration's border policies have quote, no consequences, quosed quote, for illegal aliens arriving in our country. as a result, more than four million illegal aliens have been apprehended under secretary mayorkas' leadership. this number does not include

unor unknown got-aways. his failure to maintain operational control at the border is allowing deadly, illegal drugs, such as fentanyl to come into the country, now the leading cause of americans ages 18 to 45. his fail why your to maintain operational control at the border is a national security threat as well. because potential terror threats are entering the country. immigration norths at the border apprehended nearly 100 illegal aliens on the federal watch list in fiscal year 2022. second, he may have lied to congress when he said he was maintaining operational control. and they showed the definition the one i read earlier, and secretary mayorkas doubled down that he felt the border was secure. third, second mayorkas is failing to detain illegal aliens as required by law, instead releasing illegal aliens into the country. the law is clear, illegal

aliens shall be detained, but secretary mayorkas released more than one million illegal aliens into the country. most of these released illegal aliens will never be heard from again. we don't know where they are, what they're doing, that's unacceptable. fourth he's abusing the narrow authority that congress gave to him to parole aliens into the united states. the act allows secretary to parole aliens in the united states only case by case for urgent humanitarian much reasons or benefit. but he's using parole in a categorical generic matter not on a case by case basis. i expect the house judiciary committee to open in impeachment inquiry and formally investigate secretary mayorkas and finally to proceed to impeach him. >> representative andy biggs, for some who want him to become speaker of the house, we'll see

that play out today as the 118th congress goes ahead. what are the top priorities that they should focus on. caroline, tell us what you think. >> well, you know, i think -- well, good morning. i think there are a number of problems that are hampering both parties. you know, if they could just get to the middle ground and do some consensus work, like, say, for instance on immigration. it's not a democratic problem and it's not a republican problem. it's a u.s. problem. and what people fail to understand, there's a lot of mechanics behind the scene that's preventing a comprehensive immigration law. so, say, for instance, instead of spending all of this money trying to detain people and deport people, we already have about four million or so illegals who entered the

country illegally, which is upsetting the people who say they stand in line and they wait their turn, as opposed to the people who come in illegally. so, if i was sitting in that seat, my proposal would be, hey, look, these people are already here. some of them are very hard workers, and if people understood what these people go through to get to the united states, they must be running from something. sometimes the impact of u.s. policies, working in their country where there's a lot of fraud and abuse of money. but if these people are here and they're working legitimately and doing jobs americans don't want to do then i say make these people visible, have them pay a fine, allow them to work and then the other part of it is, part about citizenship, i do not believe there should be a straight path to citizenship, actually people who come in illegally, should

be permanently barred from getting citizenship. >> okay. that's caroline in washington d.c. thank you for your thoughts. dave in illinois, republican line, you're next. >> hi, good morning. thanks for taking my phone call. can you hear me? >> you're on. yeah, we can. >> great. okay. so here is the situation with all these speakership things that are going on. the point of leveraging mccarthy in this vote is to make him do the proper investigations and have the proper committee assignments. he can't softball and capitulate because that's what the new congress is concerned about. the whole point of replacing liz cheney with harriet hagerman was because lynne cheney's dad, dick cheney started the iraq war and every congressman, including congressman mike pence and bob

may and tom daley lied about it and committed treason by outing valerie. >> and when mentioning the speech, grandfather and great-grandfather. she forget to mention her father. and this is leverage against mccarthy works. so what does everybody want? we want our investigations. did joe biden's family get in bed with russia and china, our enemies. that's treason. and so, there is no capitulation, this is a nation of laws, they have to be followed, and that's the point of the election. >> okay. >> and everybody is-- well, everybody's blaming donald trump for-- granted he doesn't always read speeches perfectly, but here is the deal, the dodd ruling caused zero tolerance abortion to be on the balance, if the

supreme court waited until january you would have had 20 more members in the house. >> that's dave in illinois. again, a collection of calls that we'll take throughout the course of the day on your top priorities for congress. 118th congress and joining us throughout the course of the day, john mccardle with information you need as you watch what happens and what plays out today. mr. mccardle, go ahead. >> the speaker fight is the story of the day at the start of the 118th congress and the story of the day 100 years ago back in 1923. that was the last time a speaker fight went beyond the first battle. and jamie dupuis, a long time copingal reporter doesn't go back 100 years, but sending this tweet this morning, showing the headlines from the new york times from 1923 headed into the opening day in congress. took nine ballots and several

days to elect gillette in 1923. we don't know how long it's going today, but all of the congressional reporting pretty much focused on what's going to happen at noon when the house gavels in. it's punch bowl news this morning. with their look at inside the speaker's fight. noting that this is the 16th anniversary of kevin mccarthy being sworn into congress himself. they report mccarthy and top aides remain optimistic given enough time they can beat back roughly dozen hard line conservatives that are threatening his candidacy and mccarthy telling reporters on monday that he will be exciting and good and he didn't elaborate and why. the story notes privately some lawmakers expressing some concern. the punch bowl story quoting one unnamed close ally of kevin mccarthy giving him just a 5% chance of winning the

speakership, saying they don't believe he should stay on the floor for more than two rounds of votes before boughing out if it comes to that. their look inside the race. in terms of what we know on the record, stefanik tweeting that she will be the one to officially nominate kevin mccarthy, the conference chair, number four in republican leadership in the house and she will be the one making that official announcement. also, this morning, we heard from congressman scott perry. he's the chairman of the conservative house freedom caucus, one of those key blocks that could keep kevin mccarthy from winning the speakership. he sent out a letter, the text of it on the left there, on your screen. it reads in part that we've worked in good faith for months to change the status quo at nearly every turn and sidelined or resisted by mccarthy and any perceived progress has often been vague or contained

loopholes that further amplified our concerns at the sincerity of his promises. that letter that was released today ending by saying kevin mccarthy had an opportunity to be speaker of the house and he rejected it. scott perry, the chairman of the house freedom caucus. jake sherman, again punch bowl news with a series of tweets this morning about the negotiating that's even going on as of right now, ahead of the speaker fight. this is his tweet, three tweets this morning saying that kevin mccarthy asked the house freedom caucus to present their offer to the house republican conference in that closed door meeting that took place this morning. kevin mccarthy did not see the offer as viable. a look inside that offer from jake sherman. they said that offer from the freedom caucus was asking for subcommittee chairs for the freedom caucus, specific committee assignments for more than a dozen freedom caucus members and the ability to control a new church committee

designed at looking at government abuse and wanting that committee to have a budget to be bigger than the select january 6th committee and then critically, conservatives, led by perry, wanted amnesty. they wanted no retaliation after this entire negotiation with mccarthy and the goal, he writes, is to show how steep their asks were last night and today. so that's kind of the inside negotiating. that's continuing to happen. i should note on the senate side when it comes to republicans, a lot less drama this morning. it's mitch mcconnell who is set to be minority leader in the senate once again. allison from abc news this morning with a tweet about mitch mcconnell about to become the longest serving senate party leader in history surpassing the record held by

mike mansfield and no dramatic when it comes to leadership in the senate for republicans. >> from michigan, hello. >> yes, my question is going to be 118th congress is, i'm not asking or requesting that they look at eliminating the 35% to 21% tax cut with no accountability and a 39.6 to 37% tax cut that was done here a few years ago. you have the heritage foundation on there, you have american enterprise, you have brookings, you have the book reviews, but no one ever talks about the 35% to 21% that the corporations weren't asking for and i'm a retired senior executive and the 39.6 -- i'm not asking to eliminate it, but the 118th congress should have some kind of credibility or some accountability for those kind of numbers rather than worry about medicare. most of us have been paying into medicare and still paying the medicare advantage and

supplements, but need some accountability for the 35%-- and c-span need to put people on who are going to talk about 35% to 29% corporations weren't asking for and maybe some adjustment and accountability. you don't have to eliminate it. let's go tory in chattanooga, tennessee, hi. >> i have a question, the republicans have been accusing the department of justice and the fbi and the white house of weaponizing their government agencies. well, if the republicans do a sort of investigate the investigators type inquiry and if they attack the justice department and the fbi and the prosecutors and the white house, wouldn't they be actively obstructing justice in an ongoing criminal investigation? wouldn't that be actively trying to obstruct the

investigations that are criminal investigations against not only the ex-president's staff, all of his allies and all of his allies in congress, but wouldn't that be an open and blatant obstruction of justice? please discuss that, thank you. >> from alice in colorado, republican line, you're next up, hi. >> good morning. i'm a republican, but i've voted democrat. i have three points. the first point is i do think that the house of representatives should nominate andy biggs as speaker. i think the border is my main concern. number two is kevin mccarthy, i never liked him. i always thought he was kind of not sincere. i mean, it's hard because i don't really know the background, but then on january 6th, he was begging the president to call off the people and i really admired him for doing that, but then he

backed down again and i thought-- i listened to all of the january 6th, however, most of my republican friend didn't and they have their opinion. i kind of listen to everything. so that's where i am. number three, the third point -- thank you for listening -- when nancy pelosi ripped up ex-president donald trump's state of the union speech i lost a lot of respect for her and i absolutely do not respect ex-president donald trump, now with his trading cards and his coffee table book, he just isn't qualified to be president, but thank you so much. >> in colorado, a shot at the capitol dome there. we've been showing you shots of perspectives of capitol hill including on the house side. again, a lot of the focus will be taking place, particularly on that house side as the determination of who will become speaker of the house plays out today in the 118th congress, formally they will start their process around noon. up until then, they'll come in

and do a session around 10:00 to gavel out and finish up work there. and then we'll go to the senate side. they'll do the same around 11:30 and then noon is when you can expect the house to come in to start their work, that first order of business after a couple of other things to determine who will be speaker. this is joanna in florida. independent line. >> good morning, can you hear me? >> you're on, go ahead. >> okay. good morning. i'm one of maybe millions that i would say, if not more, across the united states and, you know, including florida, that are being ripped to shreds and dehumanized and abused by the predatory student loan system that we have, you know, here in the united states and i'm a part of alan collins student loan justice and we've

just finished fighting for the passage of two bills, one in the house and the other one in the senate trying to get our bankruptcy rights restored. of course, you know, i would agree with alan and many others feel that, you know, our bankruptcy rights should never have been stripped of these loans and now we're currently trying to get more members and we would greatly appreciate more members. you go to student loan justice.org and you've got to have free twitter account and some support in doing our daily actions. right now, we're currently sitting back and, you know, watching to see what's going to happen, but we expect to pick up the effort and the effort, again, is to get our bankruptcy rights restored. >> okay. you mentioned that.

let' hear from lola in missouri, democrats line, hi. >> good morning. i'm 86 and i have never seen such a mess as there is in washington right now. they need to stop the safer program, what they call it here, where they're paying people to sit at home and do nothing, but collect money and we need to put open trade schools for kids that are in high school and train them to do things, and bring our big -- our companies back to this country and put us in number one again. it's-- we're right now down to about number 40 on the list because of the mess in washington and we need to go after biden. i know i'm on a democratic line, but he has caused treason in this country and treason and pelosi, they need-- biden and pelosi and some of

the other ones should be in jail for treason. we need to get this country straightened out and the republicans got to stop their arguing and get some balls and get to work. >> okay. from grant in illinois. republican line, hi. >> yeah, i would say my top domestic issue right now especially for republicans, i'm republican, to actually legislate, to try and legislation. we have just want to have investigations, investigate this and investigate that and that's not how to win over independents and in the future. the house freedom caucus is trying to take hostage every other moderate republican, congress person who wants to say let's actually put something forward on the table and let's put a plan on the table and i actually interned in d.c. this past summer and believe me i saw all of those house freedom caucus interns, never wanted to talk to a moderate republican intern

because that's what their bosses would do. they wouldn't talk to moderate republican congressmen on the floor, and it's just crazy that they talk rino this, rino. they see any democratic cooperation as unacceptable. there's no way to have bipartisanship. >> that's grant in illinois. we've focused in the house and on the senate with the retirement of patrick leahy of vermont, the washington state democratic senator patty murray be president pro tem over issues on the senate and we had an opportunity to talk to her. >> senator patty murray, you and the 118th congress will serve as the senate president pro tem. how did you get this position? >> well, basically by being here long enough. but it is a position of importance in the senate. it is the senate-- senators who resides over the

senate in the absence of the vice-president, which is most of the time. and i see this as an amazing role and an amazing opportunity and i'm really looking forward to it. >> what are your responsibilities? >> there are some mundane things, signing bills for one things, although not mundane in the reality of what happens to them. signing bills, presiding over the senate. i can give that responsibility to her senators, but i have to designate them to do that. some submit-- and overseeing how the senate works and moves forward. >> you're third in line to the president. >> yeah, which is sort of a big step, yes. >> yes, what does that entail for security, security detail? >> i will and that's a change for me. but i understand the importance and that we have succession in place if that should happen. >> what did they tell you about the succession, a brochure or--

>> no brochure. trying to give me as much background as i can should that ever occur i'm ready for it. i think we also hope that day never happens. will you have to not attend earn is events because you are the president pro tem and third in line to the presidency? >> no, i'll have good detailed security. i'm not worried about that. they do the kind of planning they need to do and i'm looking forward to that. >> you're also the first woman to serve in this role? >> and what do you think of this? >> i remember when i came to the senate there were two women in the senate before me, the year i won, all of a sudden six, it was a big deal, year of the woman and remembering that, this isn't about me being president pro tem isn't about me, it's saying to young girls, go out and work hard and dream your dreams and you can and will be able to do big things. it's always been about being able to say to other young girls, if i did this, you can

because we need their potential in this country. >> any thoughts about using that platform to reach out to young girls? >> oh, i do that all the time anyway, but this will give me another opportunity to do that. >> you also will be continuing to serve in leadership as well as chairing the health committee as well. >> i'll be chairing the senate appropriations committee. >> appropriations committee. excuse me. that's a lot on your plate. >> it is, but i'm not one to sit back and take extra time for things. i love working, love diving in and solving problems and working with other senators to do what we need to be able to do to make this country a great place for families. >> what is on your legislative agenda for the 118th congress? >> you know, the 118th congress is going to be really important. we've come through a lot of gaps in this country, a lot of change. and i think people are looking for stability and that someone is doing the job to be done so

kids can go to school, there's enough money for rent and housing and tackle these and try to solve these problems. i've come into this. and paul ryan and i wrote a budget agreement when no one thought it was possible. i've worked with my republican counterpart in the education committee to rewrite no child left behind when the-- what people usually just did complain about it i said, no, let's fix it. and i think going into the 118th there's a lot that people are concerned about, worried about, both here in the senate and across the country. i want to work with my counterparts to really try and be transparent and solve those problems and show people we can work together. >> we'll have a republican-controlled house. how do you think it's going to work between the two bodies? >> well, i always found that you don't go in saying it, you go in saying how do we do this. certainly, the house will have issues they have to work out about their own leadership and decide for themselves, what their goals are.

but you know, it takes me back to when i worked with paul ryan, when the government was shutting down and we couldn't come up with a budget agreement and everybody thought we were just going to be in trouble forever and i remember calling paul when he was in his position in the house and i was in the senate and saying, let's sit down and have breakfast and talk to each other. let's get to know each other. what do you need, what do we need. i think that's how we have to look at next year, instead of coming in as adversaries, believe me, we are on a lot of issues, but where do we have common ground. who would you like to have breakfast with in the 118th congress. >> first is my ranking member, senator collins, in the vice chair, republican, and rosa delora and the four of us will be writing the spending bills for the country. that's a pretty big deal when you think about it. >> four women. >> four women who will be writing this. i think that's a tremendous opportunity. i have found that women come to this job generally going, mou

can we make sure our families are okay. so, we kind of start with that basis and say what do we need to fund to make sure that our families are okay. i think it's great opportunities. >> with four women writing the spending bills, do you think that the congress can avoid an am any bus package? >> you know what? that's the goal. that's the goal. >> it's a challenge because there are so many disagreements. we have big country. we're very diverse. people come with a lot of opinions. i hope that we can use this time to show that we can work together in a timely fashion to get things done so people can absorb it and see what's in it. i think that one of our problems is the word omnibus or funding agreement. most people in this country have no idea that that means how much of a pell grant their student would get. whether or not there's child care for the families, whether or not we do research on agriculture so we can grow our own food. how to make sure that there's

water in this country. and those investments. across the board are what the appropriations committee does. we need to do a better chance for translating that. >> and when do you start, first day of the 118th congress. >> obviously, we have to give our committee members assigned and takes a while and do the organization, but i'm already talking to susan collins about how we can work together and what kind of a timeline peck we can put in place. >> what are you looking forward the most. >> dive into every part of our country and how we work and learning all of that, but i also am really looking forward to the opportunity to translate what we do here in congress to everyday average families so they understand what are we grappling with, what are the differences and how do we get to a common point and most importantly what it means to them. >> when you were standing up

there on the senate floor as the president pro tem sitting on that chair for the first time as a woman, what do you think you'll be feeling? what will be going through your head? >> oh, many different levels from, wow, far, far cry from where i've come, but also, really important, from where i came from. you know, i got into politics just because i got mad because the state legislature wasn't funding a pre-school program i thought was important. and i had a state legislator look at me and say, you can't make a difference, you're just a mom in tennis shoes. and i want to say to all the moms and dads in tennis shoes or whatever they're wearing, you can make a difference, too. >> if they're wearing tennis shoes. >> of course. >> senator murray, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> senator patty murray, incoming president pro tem. and some things that will play out in the senate. matthew from kentucky independent line, priorities

the domestic issues for the new congress, go ahead. >> i'm not sure how much hope there is that this will happen, but i think the number one domestic issue in the country today is the power of the supreme court to constitutionally review legislation. you don't find that power anywhere in the constitution. it was a power grab by the supreme court back in marbury v madison and i think it's time that the congress and the president pass some legislation that explicitly overturns that precedent and says that power review legislation does not exist so we can keep moving forward. thank you. >> and john in north carolina, democrats line. >> good morning, happy new year to you. >> thank you, go ahead. >> okay. my problem, what i see is, congress needs to get on a page that it's supposed to be on, to to the work of the people and will of the people. stop with all of this garbage

that's going on with mccarthy and the republicans because half of them need to be ousted anyway. basically, marjorie taylor greene, lauren bow bert. grassley, gates. those are going to be the people who are going to be the problem. mccarthy if he wants to be speaker, do your job like you're supposed to do it. get trump out of everything because he's still got his little fingers in-- on everything. we need to get to the work of the people. hakeem jeffries is going to be a great leader. now, with that problem comes another set of problems because when mccarthy, if he is elected and he gets in as speaker of the house, the problem is him and jeffries are going to have to talk about everything. if mccarthy cannot become speaker, you let mccarthy talk to at least five democrats, make a deal, get stuff done,

tell those other idiots who are over there acting foolish, well, we're not going to support you, we're not going to support-- i'll make a deal with the democrats and we can keep this country going because we have a short time and a short time frame before the next elections come through. >> okay. that's john there in north carolina calling on our line for democrats, one of the issues and seems that you'll see play out, especially with the seating of the new congress is the idea how congress functions under divided government. it was a recent poll by the pew research, doing a research september poll with the headline, the public having modest expectations. talking about that, mr. dorothy, political research, thank you for your time. thank you for having me. >> what prompted you to ask the question? >> well, we tried to get the public's pulse after every

election to see how they feel about the results and see how they feel about the future of the country. in this case, as you note, the expectations in this case are pretty modest as they were interestingly after the 2018 election, which also resulted in divided government. so, only about a third say both sides are going to be able to get their programs through. >> if you break down the actual numbers, those who say they're going to be successful under president biden, 33% versus 65%, those saying that those will be unsuccessful, it changes the various factions that you highlight. break that down for us. >> yeah, what you see is democrats, you know, know this case, the democrats a little bit more optimistic about the president, as you'd expect. and republicans less so. and you know, this is, again, the mirror image of what we saw in 2018 regarding president

trump after that midterm election. >> and you know, as well as most viewers of this program, that congress has functioned under divided government before whether it's congress or the houses of the presidency and you asked about the improvement in partisan relations, taking a look at this year over previous. what did you find out? >> well, there's a lot of pessimism about the relationship between republicans and democrats in washington and we've done a lot of work on partisan polarization, it's at record levels in the country since we've been measuring it and only 8% now expect relations between republicans and democrats in washington to get better and 64% say they're about the same which i think from the republican's perspective is not very good and then 38% say that they'll get worse. >> and then you go back to 2018 when 9% said it would get better. and 11% saying it would get

better and put those into perspective. >> i think this showing long enduring pessimism in this country not just in washington, that americans don't see partisan relations getting better and don't expect them to go through. >> one of the things you take a look at is the parties themselves, and asking republicans and democrats how they feel about their party, if they're optimistic or pessimistic about it. and we're showing people the graph on the page. when it comes to this year, republicans saying it's 65% feeling optimistic about the future of the party versus 33% saying pessimistic. and 78% pessimistic. would you attribute this to what's going to happen in the house or other factors. >> this survey was conducted right after the election before the kind of turmoil that we see in the house leadership right now, house republican leadership so it's hard to know how republicans would feel about the future of the party

today whether that would have an impact or not, and democrats as well. and you do see a little more pessimism today on both sides among democrats and republicans in the lake than in the past although large majority are optimistic about the future of their party. >> because you watch this quite frequently, mr. doherty, what are you watching not only in washington, but public opinion what people think of washington. >> right, exactly, does this just mean that americans look at congress as a dysfunctional institution? i mean, one of the important findings of our survey is that this long-term pessimism about the fate of the country and satisfied with national conditions, that hasn't changed for more than a year, the public is not in a very optimistic mood as this congress is getting ready, getting started. >> from pew research, if you

want to see other polling, including a look at modest expectations to washington's return to divided government. go to pewresearch.org. mr. dorothy, thanks for your your-- mr. doherty, thanks for your time. >> thank you. >> and on the line, we're talking about priorities for the new congress. >> thank you, i'm a second time caller. i just have to say the news on channel 12 in long island that the native american indian remains, their dead bodies, a law that was there to protect further taking apart their graves, has been struck down by the democrats up in, you know, the lady up there in albany, in new york, struck that law down. that my mind is shattered. my heart is broke. my soul feels like it's going into quick sand here. we say the words diversity. we say the words democracy. we say the words, unity and

what do i see on the third day of the new year that native american indians' dead bodies are not going to be honored or respected we'll just keep digging into the earth regardless? if that's not travesty. >> if that's not bury my heart at wounded knee. maybe we need along with black lives matter movement maybe we need native american indians deaths matter. >> and pat, go ahead. >> yes, this morning, i believe the top domestic issue for the u.s. congress this session is cannabis and i say cannabis, not trying to cherry pick between hemp, which is legal federally and in all 50 states, but inclusive of the label/word marijuana which has bipartisan support by the populist.

the policy should be give americans what they want, legalization of cannabis, which include two words, hemp and marijuana. >> and this is on the democrats line. hi. >> i'm a first time caller, and appreciate you letting me on. and keep it simple i agree with the previous caller and what i have to say protect democracy, boycott trumpism, thank you. >> darryl in kentucky, republican line. >> good morning there. my comment here here for the new congress here. i think kevin mccarthy would be the best person for the speaker of the house. the rest of the democrats, all a bunch of crooks in there and they're spending a lot more money today, two years ago, this country is suffering

really bad. we're spending exactly $31 trillion. 31 trillion. who pays that off? ladies and gentlemen, we do. they're spending our money and our money needs to be stopped spending. kevin mccarthy should be the speaker of the house and they need to stop all of this spending. >> do you think that the priority of mr. mccarthy to control spending or at least take it as an issue. >> i think we need-- he needs to stop all of the spending and just too much spending of money right now. we're spent here about $1.7 billion, give money, 480 some billion to ukraine and 800 something billion dollars to the border patrol and we're spending more money and the spending needs to be stopped. it's on the people that we're left in the house, and get--

and work for us, not for joe biden. >> that's darryl in kentucky. had a lot of things playing out today. we're asking you about domestic issues for the congress, but technical things and things you should be watching for in the new congress. with that, here is john mccardle. >> the thing we're watching for it this speaker's race and want today give you the latest kevin mccarthy and house speaker race update in the past 15 minutes or so. what happened here at 9:30, house republicans and members-elect to the freshman house republicans as well, met in a conference room in the basement of the capitol to try to hash out this speaker fight before it goes to the floor at noon when the house gavels in. scott mcfarland is a reporter for nbc news and here is a video he took of kevin mccarthy walking to that meeting just before 9:30. >> [inaudible conversations]

>> senator mccarthy, have you got the votes yet? [inaudible conversations] >> they're saying he's going to have a good day today. plenty of reporters posted outside that meeting room, including robert costa of cbs news talking about that meeting room in the basement of the capitol, hc-5 is what it's referred to as. he said many new members don't know where hc-5 is. they'll get to know it. the majority basement meeting room is there perhaps best known for the john boehner meetings and members walked into the meeting, marjorie taylor greene says she'll speak in support of kevin mccarthy and urging critics to back

down, given the concessions on the table as a win. matt gaetz of florida saying he's still a no and silent after asking about other options he's eyeing. just repeating he's a no. and one more from punch bowl news and maxco hen is a reporter saying steve scalise is expected to be majority leader, but who knows what could happen if kevin mccarthy isn't speaker. steve scalise saying that republicans will elect kevin mccarthy as speaker. and he didn't answer when asked if he would step in if mccarthy doesn't have the vote. and paul cane of the washington post notes none of the house g.o.p. leadership name plates have officially actually been installed at this point, not even tom emmer as the majority whip on the first floor. those name plates aren't there

because right now, we're not exactly sure how this will all play out and who will have which office. >> stick with us, as we go throughout the morning, john will bring you that kind of information to help you, as you watch it play out. at 10:00 the house will come in for a pro forma session, we will go to it and then we'll come back and take your calls, actual work of the 118th congress not taking place until this afternoon starting at noon. robert in schenectady, new york. independent line. i'm going to piggy back on katherine. my relatives go back to the nation, and unless you get the developers out, the native americans are still being destroyed. only 90% of the original population in existence and the developers are taking over their reservations and so is big oil, so, until you get that money out of politics, we're

continuing the genocide that was started hundreds of years ago. so, big money, developers, big oil, all of that and i'll even say big solar, any and all of it has to be taken out of politics and has to be taken out now. they're still fighting on the front line. they're disproportionately represented in the military and out there doing the dirty work and these politicians sit back and reap the reward. take big money out of politics and take it out now. >> democrats line from phoenix, arizona and we'll hear from john. >> hi, for calling you, my most important domestic issue to me right now is tran-- on the right trying to take rights away, detransition them in texas. i understand it's a statewide issue, but pertains to congress and how they want to act on it. i'm tired of it. this country was founded upon the ideas of pursuit of

happiness. right? i'm just tired of it. >> okay. that's john there in phoenix, arizona. again, a lot to watch out for as you watch what happens in the 118th congress during the course of the morning we've asked reporters to join us to kind of give us their latest and their take on what to expect. one of those reporters joining us now, eric of bloomberg, he's their congressional reporter, joining us from capitol hill. >> thank you for having me. >> when you look at ultimately what the numbers will show us later on today. what are you seeing and how much concern does speaker mccarthy have. >> i wouldn't call him speaker, he's far from it right now. mccarthy is addressing members of his conference in a closed door meeting going through rules changes he's made in order to get the freedom caucus members on board, but we saw a scathing statement from freedom caucus scott perry in the last hour, saying he is not prepared to support mccarthy and he had additional demands not met,

including placing specific conservatives on committees, specific votes on a balanced budget and having votes on ear marks, and two-thirds majority vote to have ear marks, and you need to remember the majority of the republican conference endorsed keeping ear marks and there there's majority against it. and mccarthy did not agree to the demands, his group numbers between nine and 18 or more who are against mccarthy at this point are not prepared to go along. so it looks like we're headed to a first ballot which will fail the first time in 100 years unless things change in the next few hours. >> what's the expectation, if things, if those continual votes take place, what's the expectation that some will come over and eventually support him? >> well, thing is, there's five very stallworth members, like matt gaetz, even today they will not support mccarthy, even if you flipped most of those

freedom caucus members such as mr. perry outlining, it's not clear that the five hard core opponents, now, who really seemed to also hold some personal animosity towards mccarthy would come over. either a choice for mccarthy to hold the vote on the floor and try to wrangle members on the floor to try to adjourn the house and go into a closed door meeting, but in the past, at least in 1850's, it took, you know, a month to unravel this. so we may be in for a bit of a stalemate today and lasting into the week if they don't get it resolved quickly. >> and you talked about that. what happens if this is held in limbo with the other activities of congress, putting the committees together and work of committees and agenda, what happens to that? >> it's all stalled. under the standing precedent of the house the speaker has to be chosen and until that's done. members can't be sworn in and they won't be sworn in before voting for speaker.

they have to vote for speaker first. >> everything will be stalled. and why there was the omnibus in september, and they have to get the committees set up and processing. for us at bloomberg, the impact how weak of a speaker will mccarthy be, and what happens when it comes to debt funding and debt ceiling in the fall. and we could see something in july. >> would the lack of making concessions what they were asking for for the amount they were asking for? how would you characterize. >> the level. they're asking for things unpopular in the caucus broadly and wonder if mccarthy concedes to these demands and then further concessions and prostrate before the freedom

caucus and a tool of whatever they want? >> had a lot of different factions expressing displeasure for mccarthy, is there a common denomination why? >> and they feel he didn't stand for something, he's said things to moderates and they're looking for conservative principles. moderates, however, are worried about, you know, ceding to the freedom caw cause -- caucus and if it comes back to bite them. and looking at 2024, going too far to the right could cost him seats and bring dakts back in power. >> what do the democrats say. >> they're all going to vote for hakeem jeffries majority leader minority leader, and for

the house-- and they're going to say it's a chaos and can't govern. and a heyday, if mccarthy can't get elected the first ballot about their message. >> what could see see as far as george santos today? >> it looks like once the speak ser elected he will be sworn in. no sign he's going to be blocked. it's been ruled unconstitutional to be blocked as a member, but he's facing a litany of investigations on new york and brazil on the check kiting allegations. the story of his career is by no means set yet. >> so, as far as the committees or anything like that, what's the usual-- for someone in someone in his position if there ever, if he's on committee or assignment he'll get, has that been a factor and scenario in the past? >> and that's up to the

speaker, if mccarthy felt political pressure he could deny him committees and that's happened in the past to controversial members of the house. it's not clear if he's making commitment to santos if he's going for his vote to keep him on certain committees. >> before we let you go. what is the one thing that you're watching in particular. what are you watching? >> my eyes are on steve scalise. if mccarthy doesn't, everyone likes him, and keep my eyes on steve scalise. >> and he has the tools to bridges. >> i think he's a skilled politician. >> and if you want to see erik wassan's writing.

>> thank you. >> normally we would say goodbye to you, but for the next few hours we'll move on in the seating of the 118th congress and take your calls and what you think you think the top domestic priority for congress should be. if you want to call us and let us know, 202-748-8000 for democrats, 8001 for republicans, and 8002 for independents. 202-748-8003 text and post on facebook and if you want to post on twitter, you can do so at c-span wj. what we can expect to take place in the next minute or so, the congress or at least the house side will come forward for a pro forma session, and say the pledge of allegiance, and prayer, and this will a prelude to later this morning

when congress will come back out and move from the 117th congress to the 118th congress. we suggest you stay close to c-span if you have the ability to watch and watch other means as well. watch on our-- if you watch on your commuter c-span.org. or you can lls also follow along on our app, c-span now. the house of representatives set to come in for a pro forma session and we will take that session and when it's done, back to your calls. nsible fors caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ... if you want to follow along on the house side today if you have the ability to watch on c-span you can watch on your computer at c-span.org. and you can also follow along on our app at c-span now.

again, the house of representatives is set to come into a pro forma session and when it is done we will go back to your calls.

>> would you prayy with me? wholly gutted you had we commend the efforts and accomplishments of the 117th congress. the members, officers, staff, administration, capitol police, and all who have endured long hours of heartfelt and intense labor now lay their contributions before you for your blessing. receive the work of our hands that by your hand, our nation would be upheld in the pursuit of a more perfect union. bless the outcomes of heated debate and passionate arguments that by your righteousness what is right in your eyes would prevail. and think about both the profound and the mundane moments of these last two years come that we would be assured that your grace plan has been advanced, whether because of or efforts. hear our prayer, o lord, for

this pass congress that the words of our mouse and the meditations of our hearts will have been acceptable in your site, our rock and our redeemer. we prayed this in your sovereign name. amen. >> pursuant to section six of house resolution 1529 the journal of the last days proceedings is approved. a pledge of allegiance we led by the gentleman from california mr. peter's. >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> the chair legs before the house the following communication. the honorable speaker house of representatives, this letter is to inform you of my intended to resign my seat in congress

effective december 31, 2022. it is been an honor and privileged to serve with you and represent the good people of the 18th congressional district of pennsylvania. sign sincerely, mike doyle. >> andrew glass 5d of rule 20 the chair chair announces to the house that in light of the resignation from the judgment of north killen and mr. butterfield and the gentleman from pennsylvania mr. doyle, the whole member of the house is 429. the chair announces the speakers appointment pursuant to section two of the civil rights commission amendment act of 1994, 42 usc 1975 and the order of the house of january 4, 2021 of the following individual on the part of the house to the commission on civil rights for a term expiring december 15, 2028. spirit mr. jones of white plains, new york. >> pursuant to cause 12 a of the one the ticklers the house in

recess subject to the call of the chair. >> again that's just one of the steps needed on this day before we move into the 118th congress your house in recess subject to the call of the cheer as you just heard about noon today or just before then took another gaveling in and then the proceedings will take place at noon. again watch for that the plant on c-span. betty and texas republican line thanks a wedding. good morning. go ahead. >> caller: yes. i'm calling to stay that i'm absolutely against speaker kevin mccarthy becoming speaker. and the reason i say that is he as speaker did nothing, when he

allowed pelosi, speaker pelosi to select the people that were goings to be on her, participating in her hearing on the insurrection hearings that she was holding. and what was so deceitful is he allowed her to select only, all the anti-trump rino republicans to be part of that hearing. >> host: kevin mccarthy initially put a slate of people out. the speaker rejected some of those ended return kevin mccarthy decided that no members of the republicans will survive the committee and with nancy pelosi herself who selected those two republicans. >> caller: and this is something that i've been trying toin tell everyone that i witnessed. on the date of the attack on the capitol, i was sitting at home

and i was on facebook. and i happen to see this posting by a john sullivan. and when a i first saw it i thought what's going on? and this john sullivan was recording a live in the capital during the attack. >> host: okay. we'll leave it there. some ofnc the people from facebk posting this morning as far as priorities for the 118th congress. richard hagerty says less investigations and more work for the american people. admin frosts is going to kill should be the top domestic issue for thek. new congress. we need more gun safety legislation to stop domestic terror attacks. muriel strand with climate chaos and nuclear weapons treaties us for as priorities are concerned. let's hear from derek in pennsylvania independent line. >> caller: yes. my problem is democrats should -- kevin mccarthy should not be house speaker b is no control

to control his congress. second, we need to do gun control which a terrible right now. too many young kids are being killed and all we were about is who's doing this, is doing that by joe biden's son, kids. i'm worried about the kids. okay.t: eric is in california, democrat's line. hello. >> caller:r: it's not eric, it's ad. my biggest concern is with everybody in the global situation. same thing that why the supreme court says tomato is a vegetable. it's all about money and read. take care of money and the great problem inhumanity, i don't think we have much of a chance of anything.

the greed has to stop. i don't know if the congress or legislature can do anything about it, but i don't know. i think we're in for a big problem if we don't solve the greed problem. >> host: okay. let's hear from craig in oklahoma, republican line. >> caller: thank you. appreciate the good work you all do on c-span. yeah, my top domestic issue is what kind of country are we going to have? a lot of people looking at this going what's the big deal? where the going back and forth? and my general analysis is this. it truly conflict world war ii, there were interventionists and there were isolationists. now, this is about america first or globalists. republicans. and i think people have to decide, kevin mccarthy is more of an american first view. i think we have to decide are going to take care of our people

or are going to be more of a globalg list country? i believe in capitalism but i think it should be with a conscience. so if companies make money overseas that's fine but not at the expense of american jobs. that makes them more of an american first person. but that's the real struggle going on right now. mccarthy is america first. there are some peopleir who are more globalists, they don't like the america first too much so there's a balance being, a a t going on rightfi now and it's as profound as interventionists and isolationists in world war ii. i hope that we are more america first. think we need to follow the constitution, and i think that we do need to take care of our hard-working people here in america. that's whyhy more america first. but he understands the globalists, too. i understand some of that. we can make money overseas. i want our companies to prosper but not at the expense of americans. >> host: a craig in tulsa,

oklahoma, republican one. we willd continue on with your calls come what you think is a top domestic issue of the 118th congress. details about that seeding of the 118 congress of the morning with more pictures of john mcardle. >> host: an update on where we are right now ahead of this speaker floor fight that's going to happen when the house gavels in at noon. house republicans are meeting in conference in the basement of the capital, and they're trying to hash out how this speaker vote voters going to plant. i've tweaked this morning from just a couple of minutes ago, plenty of reporters checking in on member sources in the room. monty rogers think behind those closed doors in the basement of the capital or carthage s voice and his animated as o he tees off onn his opponents and details all the concessions that he's made and that hasn't been good enough. that. >> to make sources in the room. i earned this job is what he said, his opponents have yet to speak but it is apparently an

open mic and play of the speakers are expected. again they have until noon that's one house will gallon for the 118th congress took in the 118th congress i want to focus on somebody 74 members of the freshman class in the house, starting with the one that is probably most well-known and not for good reasons, that's george santos, republican from new york. essene and puts it he is set to be sworn in amid mounting scrutiny and condemnation. political with a story about some of the republican leaders who h have condemned george sans in the wake of some of the lies that been exposed about his resume. one of those, the outgoing republican kevin brady of the ways and means committee, a longtime member of the ways and means committee, kevin brady saying he would not be on any committee that i t lead, saying that it's time for him to step

aside. back home in new york where george santos is from, elise stefanik remaining silent on santos. that's a headline from the times union newspaper out of new york. and the headline noting she is rallying the republicansnd for unity. republican seen every vote of course in that very closely divided house. democratic members of congress though not so inclined to stay quiet about george santos. hakeem jeffries point out specifically. george santos and him being seated in the house in the 118th congress saying that the new republicans are set to seek george santos. it's one of the many reasons why we must take back the house, calling him at serial fraudste. one of the tweet from ted lieu, the democrat frombl california, catch me if you can is one of my favorite movies. super excited to meet george santos on the house floor. would you like me to ask george santos when i see him, the

democratic congressman asks his followers. one more story about george santos and oneth more call him, that from tom, the democrat who george santos beat in new york picky as a column in the "new york times" about george santos being seated. thiset is just the first paragrh of that caller. today's my last is a member of congress and george santos isne about to bee sworn in and take the seat that i helfer secures big he will take an oath to bear true faith to the constitution take this obligation without any purpose of evasion. i lost track of how many evasionsns and lies mr. santos s told about himself, his finances and his history and his relationships with our stretch of long island in northeast queens. when you stated it will diminish our congress, diminish our country and my constituents. writing about george santos in the "new york times." when it comesan to george santo, his problems may not be over

yet. the hill newspaper noting that brazilian authorities now are reopening a criminal fraud case against george santos from more than a decade ago and looking for his response and dave informed u.s. government that they have reopened that case. santos reportedly entered a small clothing store in in ty outside of rio de janeiro tour de force 20th birthday back in 2008 and spent $700 using a stolen checkbook and the fake name, according to court records. that's just one of the freshman being seated today. here's a couple of the facts are some of the of the freshman house members that are being seated today including back a balance. she is a democrat who won the race in vermont at large house secrets to become the first woman to represent the state in congress, and vermont being the last of the 50 states to elect or appoint a woman to congress. she is a teacher, parent and now

a member of congress. one of the number that is being seated today is the youngest member of the house and that's maxwell frost born in 1997, the first member ofth generation z n congress. the average age of newly elected house members is 46th pick the average age of the newest elected note of the senate just a little bit older at age 50. >> , , let's hear from martin in allen park michigan independent line. >> caller: imo for protecting the border and ourer country first. mitch mcconnell, lindsey graham and mccarthy are rinos and need to be disposed of as well as the rest of the rinos. america does need to be first it when you do take care of home and our veterans before we take

care of anybody else. biden administration is running amok and destroying the constitution. thank you. >> host: from kevin asking you to chose what you think the top priority in the new congress should be. democrats light in fort lauderdale, florida, this is kevin. hello. >> caller: good morning. i'm a first-time caller, thanks for taking me. i'm going to be popping popcorn is my first reason i can watch this steel cage match the republicans are going to stage between themselves. but looking forward beyond that, they have promised impeachments and hearings, et cetera, and i wonder if the vote to impeach an official such as like the secretary of dhs, something like that, is the senate obligated to hold a trial? can they just ignore this or delay it somehow, or can they just have a two-hour hearing and dispense with it and say nice

try, power, we're not going to deal with it? thank you. >> host: perry up in south dakota, republican line. hello. >> caller: i think the republicans should stick very close together in the house because it is the one thing that we have in washington, d.c. right now, to change what's going on as far as expenditures. we should refer back to our constitutional principles, and our foundational principles and a correct is coming up out of that to be, to do a lot of work in washington, d.c. they should not fight amongst themselves. let's get it on to take care of this a good country, because we're trying, i think we're trying to spend us into a bigger hole that we can't get out of. i mean, spending money and the

border, all those people are going to need help and is going to cost this country a lot for them tod come up to be taxpayers in this country. i just feel that we need to be proper and be correct in what we do, and refer back to our foundational principles, which i think comes right straight up out of the good book, the bible. and that's are important for this country right now. thank you very much. >> host: perry in south dakota. the opening day of new congress, almost like -- people on the steps come some taking pictures. a lot of activity only leading up toa activity towards the non hour where we will see the work start, and s john has been telling all morning, the first priority is that of the speaker and who will be that speaker. other things as well. things that will have to be

approved. again watch planet c-span, c-span.org. you can follow along at our c-span now app. let's go to scott in palm springs, california. good morning under independent line. go ahead. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. good morning and thank you for taking my first time call. first and foremost, we have to have god in our every movement, every move we make, god has to come first as we saw last night in the nfl. the man was hurt and almost died. everybody came together, said prayers, and now the man is alive. and we need to have term limits. there's too many people that are too old to be doing what they are doing, and things are not getting done. we need a new movement of younger generations to come forward to help america.

not help other countries fight wars. we are fighting our own war at our own borders trying to keep people out, or at least waiting for the right to do with the need to do to come to america to be free. now, that's not going to be ten years, not five years. there has to be a system to where people can come to our borders, or wherever they're coming from, and have a system that is fair and fast and done right. we must protect america, okay. that's scott there in california. joining us as many as you will as you see what's playing out as pictures being taken on the steps of the capitol here all part of a lot of activity taking place at the capitol building today we had been showing you various perspectives. a lot of on the house side but

the senate also comes into play in this 118th congress peer joining us to talk a little of the news on the senate is a punchbowl news andrew desiderio, senior congressional reporter. thanks for joining us we pay attention to health medicine has activity today. what can we expect on the senate side? >> guest: it will be more came on the senate side to be honest with you. they will swear in the newly elected and reelected senators. it will do some housekeeping resolutions and then theyce will probably adjourn for three weeks. but the big moment that i am watching for ise mitch mcconnell big speech in the noon hour when he officially surpasses mike mansfield as a longest-serving senate party leader in history. he has led senate republicans since 2007 as both majority and minority leader. i'm told he will pay tribute to the late mike mansfield who was a democrat for montana producer the senate majority leader from 1961-1977. mitch mcconnell 1977.

mitch mcconnell breaks his record today and he will definitely a lot to celebrate on the senate side, unlike on house at where we are seeing more of the chaos. >> host: has mitch mcconnell expressly said what he thinks about what will happen on the house, particularly the fate of kevin mccarthy? >> guest: selook, mcconnell has kept pretty quiet about the house speakers race try to not get involved. he has expressed support for mccarthy. most senate republicans have done so as well but they've largely try to stay out of it, recognizing that this is really a matter for the house republican conference to settle themselves. >> host: the house being led by democratic majority, this is a day for chuck schumer as well. talk about the new makeup of the senate, and what that. means for the senate majority leader. >> guest: chuck schumer senate majorityt leader has little bit more breathing room as of today. instead of a 50 $.50 he will have 51-49 senate because the state of pennsylvania flipped

from democrat, or from republican extubated democrat when john fetterman one in november. that gives him some space to do certain legislation or put nominations on the floor that might be objectionable to moderates like joe manchin and kyrsten sinema of course but beyond that it won't function much differently than what we have seen in the last couple of years, other than chuckan schumr having one critical book is. >> host: what the new makeup then, talk about the committee psychically about the legislator side of what does it mean for the committee's with this new makeup? >> guest: it means the democrats will have outright majorities on most of the f majr committees, given that the last few years when a 50-50 senate pick me up a large committees like judiciary, foreign relations, for example, were split even at 50-50 and it was hardat to get legislation and nominations to the floor that were deadlocked in terms of republicans and democrats

voting, voting as a block in opposite ways. but this time it will be easier for democrats to get stuff to the floor. i won't have to do what is called a discharge boat and it will be a lot easier for democrats to manage the floor that way with an outright majority on committees. >> host: whatts has chuck schumer scope that as an agenda? >> guest: it's going to be a year focused on nominations i think. chuck schumer has touted the fact that the senate has been historically speedy in terms of confirming judicial nominees. they are trying to make up some of that pace that they lost him when mitch mcconnell l the senate and donald trump was president went of course we saw the confirmation of many more conservative judges and justices on the supreme court of course. donald trump at street nominees and mitch mcconnell was essman and getting themjo confirmed. but be on that i think it will be mostly a year for the administration on focusing on and permitting many ofen the things that of past and the last

couple years including the inflation reduction act, the chips and science act, things like that that were critical for president biden in the first couple of years. and as we transition into a presidential campaign season in 2024. >> host: as chuck schumer highlighted what outreach will look like in the senate from the speaker yet to be determined, at least what outlook ore at which will look like once that is determined. >> guest: we asked in this late last year before thed senae adjourned for christmas, and he said he's looking forward to meeting with kevin mccarthy f kevin mccarthy does end up becoming speaker of the house of course an obvious that is a big if right now but he said he thinks kevin mccarthy if he does become speaker will not govern the way the house freedom caucus the more conservative members wanting to govern. chuck schumer said he thinks it's his since kevin mccarthy will govern more as a middle of the road sort of a moderate in terms of working with democrats on potential spending deals, debt limit increases, more aid

for ukraine, for example. obviously that is chuck schumerr opinion but he seems to be optimistic about the typeses of things they could get done. he would rather have democratic majority in the house to work with but thatvi is his you. >> host: mr. desiderio come you make and kyrsten sinema. with her become an independent what does it mean as far as her, she and senator joe manchin about the sway them over the senate? we saw the play out at manys before at least in joe manchin. what happens now? >> guest: they have a little less sway given the democrats now have an outright majority, but they can still take legislation, can take nominations. one of the more interesting aspects of the last two years was a chuck schumer needed every single one of his democratic caucus members to beat on board for everything the water to pass. now they can afford to lose one or i guess no more than one vote on these matters. the senate is not going to get rid of the filibuster it obviously manchin and sinema both want to preserve the filibuster so that second happen

but it does give them a little bit more breathing room and allows for manchin and cinema to sort of break from their party when they want to, and if they both break from the party together and all republic is our posted something as well then you will see it won't get through. they still have a lot of leverage but a little bit less leveraged and he did last two years. rd senatorsme new come to the senate side. who are. the ones to watch, in your opinion? >> guest: look, the swearing in of j. d. vance will be very significant. he will eclipse josh hawley as the youngest republicann senator i believe at 388 years old. he will also join josh hawley and a action of the senate republican conference that is more nationalist, foreign policy especially, opposing more aid to ukraine, come wanted to focus more on china and taiwan. and, of course, opposing the current republican leadership in the senate. b josh hawley did not support mitch mcconnell as a leader when mitch mcconnell had that

challenge to his leadership post late last year. but it think j. d. vance and his elevation into the senate would be significant especially because he onal something visual break from a man is replacing, rob portman, who was viewed as more moderate member, by person dealing maker in the seine and, of course, one of if not the strongest supported of ukraine in all of congress. >> host: andrew desiderio report for punchbowl news, senior congressional reporter. you can see his work at punch bowl dot news. mr. desiderio, thanks for your time today. >> guest: thanks for having me. >> host: back to your calls. lisa and west virginia republican line. thanks for waiting. good morning. go ahead, good morning, thank you. first of all let me start off, i appreciate you bring up t joe manchin because he is our senator here, and personally he's killing us. he hasst sold the west virginia out one too many times.

i'm glad you mentioned him to give me that chance to actually state that. then i would likenc to say that everybody that you guys have been interviewing has talked about chuck schumer, mitch mcconnell. all of these people that are going against our country. mccarthy is one of the biggest rinos in d.c. for us as republicans, he's another liz cheney, only he's at the congress level. he is doing nothing good for us, and i don't know why the american people cannot open their eyes and see what's going on in d.c. then people are killing us. and i cannot believe that nobody is standing up and doing what's right for we the people. >> host: when you say kevin mccarthy is not doing anything for the american people, what do

you mean by that? giving a specific. >> caller: to begin with, he goes against everything that everybody on the republican side wants. he sides with the democrats to pacify them. enough. we are the people here. he is supposed to be representing us, and that's what the establishment in d.c. is supposed to be doing. and theyy are not. they are doing everything they can against us. kevin mccarthy himself is sharing an apartment with a democratic lobbyist. now, where does that put him? >> host: lets you fromm chris in new york, independent line. >> caller: well, to go on top of that phone call, i would say i wish everyone would stop being obstructionist. that's what has been for the last seven years. it would be nice to turn over a

new leaf. you think kevin mccarthy would see that it's really hurting him to do that. and 22 years ago we were all one nation, and nownt we are all spt and it breaks my heart. iim just wish people would just start, stop stabbing each other in the back and start getting work done in washington. i know everybody says that every year, but that's just my wish for the new year. thank you. >> host: f redington pennsylvania democrat'sst line. >> caller: hello. first of all i just want to say that i am very happy to see john fetterman swung into the u.s. senate as a proud pennsylvania one thing that i am just really hoping that can happen this new congress is just more bipartisanship because the split congress now and, and a republican house and democrat. i justan really hope that both

sides can k come together and actually get work done for the american people and not put politics and their types of use ahead of the american people. thank you. >> host: we've got about an hour and a half to go in this program, talked about the 118th congress. we are asking you during the course of that time what's the top domestic issue when it comes to the new congress. you can tell us on the lines, 202-748-8000 for democrats. 202-748-8001 for republicans, independents 202-748-8002. text us ife you wish at 202-748-8003 andd the social media sites are available to you as well. with more information but wo watch for today here's john mcardle. >> pedro, future speaker update from just about the past 15 minutes or so. as abusive and watching with us all morning long know, for about the last hour republicans have

been leading house republicans have been meeting and a basement room and the capital trying to hash out this speaker fight ahead of the new gaveling end of congress and that for vote on speaker. kevin mccarthy doesn't seem to have the votes of the moment and this meeting today that started at 9:30 was his last ditch effort to bring the conference together we don't know the results that we know it got at least 15 minuteses ago. this is melanie of seeing and plenty reporters outside that meeting room texting with sources in the room. reporting things are getting heated in that meeting. mccarthy swore his speech dropping a got damn it has made clear he would negotiate no more. mccarthy also said opponents came to him with personal asks last night. lauren boebert the republican of colorado yelled in response to his speech, bs, but not in the full term isgo how she said it.

members of congress tweeting as a coming into the meeting and talking to reporters as well, is another one of those interviews. my new barrage of seeing and talking to dan crenshaw the public of texas who teed off this point on the block of hardliners seeking mccarthy's ouster. he called them enemies and narcissists. they are in his net. they made it clear that they prefer a democrat agenda and the republican agenda. this is from jake sherman from just about 15 minutes ago as well. during his speech mccarthy told house republicans that he knows there will be more than five republicans will vote against them on the first ballot, essentially admitting that he knows he will not win the first ballot for speakership, and so we'll see what happens from there. paul kane said something to watch, paul kane "washington post" congressional reporter.in he says watch who receives more votes, mccarthy or hakeem jeffries on the first ballot with potential at dozens of

maybe even two dozen republican defectors. jeffries could lead after the first round. he wouldn't become speaker if that happened if you would still be short 218 vote majority but as paul kane puts it would be deeply embarrassing to kevin mccarthy. and then another member besides kevin mccarthy we've been talking about this morning, george santos representative elect santos of new york who lies about his resumes, exposed by the "new york times", a lot of screwy going into today, calls even from some republicans for him to step aside and supplanting of reporters watching for him on capitol hill today. scott mcfarlandio of cbs news tweets a full report about him. george santos approached his office in the long worth house office building where press and cameras had gathered and thene turned around and went the other direction upon seeing the press and michael gold in country for said he finally found george

santos walking through the basement tunnels ofs the capita. george santos told michael gold he would vote for kevin mccarthy to matter how many ballots it would take in that speakers vote but he wouldn't answer any other questions posed byhi the reported, saying that's the first time that is answered any questions from that reporter. and then just some feeds from around capitol hill today. this is one other freshman member of congress, derek, a republican representing wisconsin's third district. he arrived at the capitol hill on his harley davidson, and the reporter who caught up with him noting that the question everybody is asking is about that speakers of race when asked about the disagreements within thehete republican conference, r speaker turkeys that the gop is full of the first speakers. the freshman congress been saying he called the republican party a monolithic they all get up andca do the same thing.

i'm not trying to degrade them or anything but that's what the democrats do. lawrence andrea congressional reporter catching up with that freshman member of congress. it's getting busy on capitol hill. we will try to keep you updated on all of it. >> host: thank you, thank you, thank you. you mentioned george santos. it was on a sunday shows yesterday, or sunday texas republican kevin brady leaving congress and leaving as ranking member was asked about george santos and the impact on the gop. is what he had to say. >> solo, i think this is troubling in so many ways. certainly he has lied repeatedly at the end of the day though this is a decision whether he resigns or stays, that needs to be made between he and the voters who elected him. hell certainly will have to consider resigning. he's got two choices. i don't know this young man. he doesn't need my advice but one come can try to politically write it up. we've seen that happen in washington, d.c., or he can take

the tougher choice, which is i think look, all in every ally that is made, apologize to everyonehi and anyone for as log as it takes but secondly you have to change your life. there's a real problem here. we are a country of second chances and when people are willing to turn the life around and own up to this, do what it takes to earn respect and trust again, we are willing to do that. so i'm hopeful he chooses the right path. >> looking for a yes or no on this. you have chaired committees and the past. if you're cherry acumen he was slated to serve on would you feel comfortable having him as a member? >> well, , right now he would nt be on a committee that i lead, and, frankly, he's got to take some huge steps that he wants to regain trust and respect in his district. into the day he will make that decision. >> host: again representative kevin brady from the sunday shows talking about george santos. again something you will see play out ont the house side

today. our program continues until noon. you can continue calling in with your thoughts on top priorities for the new congress. april in michigan republican line. your next up. hello. >> caller: hello, good morning. can you hear me? >> host: yes, we can.ou >> caller: yes. i would support kevin mccarthy or whoever would be dominated speaker of the house if they have and must have the courage to investigate and get these corrupt individuals under oath and have actual oversight committee hearings and investigations. instead of these near muppet show investigations that we've been subjected to, concerning

like the corruption of the 2020 election with the unconstitutional election laws that were changed and were ruled unconstitutional by pennsylvania and wisconsin judges, which led tors these illegal mail in balls and ballot boxes, which led to these mirror coup of the elections of 2020 and midterms 2022, which lead to the, like, basically a coup of our january 6 protesters inciting them to trespass so they could charge them with insurrection

and taking -- >> host: you major point. let's go to terri, democrat's line. >> caller: good morning. can you hear me? >> host: you are on, okay, yeah. i've got my popcorn ready because i'm watching this speakership, and i hope, i hope they don't vote for mccarthy,, he loses. at a think perfect replacement would be, would be liz cheney. all the democrats i'm sure would vote for her, and i'm sure there's a handful of moderate republicans that could go a long period that would be perfect, why do you agree with liz cheney particularly? >> caller: because the republicans to her out of the party because she stood for principal. because they attackedsp our capital and she wanted to get to the bottom, and these republicans out there, they

don't want to do that. they want too see why a, but i give liz cheney kudos for standing up and finding out the truth, do you think liz cheney ssn were cheated on the committee agrees with you politically or at least on policy position? do thinks she agrees trip for. no. me and listing on opposite sides of the panel shia principles. she stood up for them. republicans right now, they are not that they're talking about oh, this administration, he was so taken after, but excuse me, i remember bill clinton and although scandals they had, you know, tea party vince foster, china gate. they wereti after him all the w. i'm sorry if, you know, if this guy, he's prettyhi bad, if i wod have took classified documents home, i i wouldn't be talkingo

you right now. you would beem talking to me answering, would you accept my collect call from leavenworth? >> host: edward from keyport new jersey, independent line. >> caller: very well, thank you. so for domestic issue for the new congress, it's hilarious that everyday i hear these republicans calling up and everyone is crying about we've got to say the babies addicted to want to give anyone maternal care for her to go to do ano care g for orphans. you don't want to increase firefighters pay. you don't want to pay for emts positions. these republicans are calling up everyday screaming about where giving all the money to immigrants, getting all the money to other country but every time when it comes to giving money to homeland or anybody is you can't do it. so if there's domestic issues i want them to focus on the bread-and-butter issues of america, not just tinfoil wackiness that these people are concentrating on.

i'm going to t go with the last caller with liz cheney. i think it takes more to be a patriot than to wave the flag, and she stood up for what this country is in the system that we have, and the party if they need to save face and if they will be viable for the future the need to embrace people like her. and look, like i'm, you know, the fact i would even her name would come out of my mouth is, if i to go back ten ten yeat would be, you know, it's silly. but yeah, that's about it. like you said -- >> host: let's hear from charlotte in walden new york republican line. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. happy new year. i really don't want mccarthy to be the house speaker. i believe he has a lot of baggage and i think he is too much on the democratic side. i think steve scalise would be a

better choice.fa he's much more moderate. he's an open-minded person. and i agree with lisa about different things. >> host: when you say kevin mccarthy is one of the democratic side, exactly how? >> caller: because he'sde not stand for conservative principles. he's just trying to make everybody happy and he's on two sites, too wishy-washy for me, you know? pro supporter, okay. yeah, he's been downn loblaw blb law, so why don't we start of the nation and america would put money in an get the wall built, something there because we can't keep having these people come into our country. we're going to go broke. me, i believe in humanitarian effort but they are not being humane with this paper anyway, i digress. it would be my did it credit issue that the close of order and steve scalise should be the

speaker of the house because he's got much more we the people in mind. to me mccarthy is power over people. >> host: okay. that's charlotte there in new york, not a supporter of kevin mccarthy for someone who is, representative marjorie taylor green, republican representative is in from georgia. he was in november after the initial vote that put mccarthy, kevin mccarthy on the path to potentially becoming speaker. she spoke and was asked about support. here's a portion of what she had to say. >> with the condition that our country is, the republicans have to show theea american people tt we are the party that can lead. so as we had our vote today, , i want to remind everyone that nancy pelosi lost by 32 votes and her conference two years ago, and she had no challenger. underwaterer might everyone tha, that paul ryan lost by 43 votes

when he was challenged by daniel webster some years back. this iser normal, productive and it's is healthy, and i'm sure that our conference when we come together to elect our speaker on january 3, i know that we will be unified and that we will come together and get this done. i would also like to point out the way that i i look at thiss our republican conference and who we have as a leader and speaker of the house is also extremely important going into 2024. kevin mccarthy has set fund-raising record after fundraising record, and a wiccan raise more money than kevin mccarthy as we support candidates and we will have to keep the house, when the senate and take back the white house in 2024 picks of something that is important as well. >> host: that was november. today is the day and cleared a different situation from her,, o we are, justhere about an hour and 15 minutes until the the house is expeo

gavel in constrained work on 118th congress and work on the speakers race as well. as we told you that and we've been telling about all morning. if you want to call and let us know what you think about the top domestic priority that you think congress should pursue, do so at 202-748-8000, that's for democrats. 202-748-800101 for republicans, and 202-748-8002 for independents. if you want to text us, it's 202-748-8003. jason is in florida, north palm beach, florida, democrat's line. jason, goas ahead. >> caller: i was just watching you covered and wanted to correct the record on the report that was covering george santos. the op-ed with some congressman tom. he didn't lose to george santos. actually retired and ran for governor, some guy zimmerman

actually lost the seat to santa's. but i wanted to say i agree with congressman matt gaetz when it comes to kevin mccarthy. >> host: let's hear from terry in maine, independent line. >> caller: how are you? >> host: fine thank you. go ahead. >> caller: i kind of what report something that's been going under the radar for the last few months and it would actually make the whole speakership thing kind of a moot point. there is a scotus case --, let me stop you right there, only because with some action going on p we will take to. >> washington is broken. and he saido as much in one of his most recent correspondence. interestingly enough, over the 14 years that he has been in leadership he's an almost virtually nothing to change it. and under pressure from a group of members who have said that we are not any longer going to accept the status quo, we have

been able to force, to force some rules of changes to make things better. even so, even so, we gave, and look, we've been working t on ts since last summer. i worked personally on it since last summer when went to the leader and said i anticipate this moment, we would like to avoid this moment so let's start working on all these issues right now. issues that will work for the american people. because the american people don't care who the speaker is. thesu american people care that they're paying five dollars for a dozen eggs. they care that they can't afford their energy bills. they care about, they could have a white open border and rampant crime in the community. they don't care about this. so how are we going to fix this if we keep doing the same things and getting the same outcomes? so in the summer time we were rebuffed. i went back in the fall. not really interested in talking. once we get a very slim majority after we were told there was going to be this huge red wave,

well then the conversation got a little interesting. but even so, even so whatan do u want? what you want what we said you're the guy who wants to be speaker. tell us if you want to earn our vote how we'rere going to transform this place so that there's a different outcome for the american people? tell us how you're going to do that. yet nothing. so finally he said put something down. i want to know what you want pics we w did in the beginning f december and s even at that poi, even at that point there were people that said i will not vote for kevin mccarthy. yet i'm still working to try and avoid this moment that we are at right now, the whole time. the whole time. and so that's when questioned you to ask yourself instead of saying to these folks are standing with me, why have you brought us to this point? we surely haven't come alone. there's one person thatan coulde changed all this, right? so we send a letter, you see the letter, you see was in and we start working on some things,

and in trueness and fairness, some things i think on their germaneness in single subject i think we got to a decent place but it was like pulling teeth and it took three weeks. and of the other stuff is being worked on during that period of time.he and some of the issues for people, the rules that all the speaker, the most powerful person on the side of the building accountable that thomas jefferson wrote that stood for over 200 years, that speaker from some democrats and republicans war, world war, majorities,ose large majorities, somehow whatever thomas jefferson wrote is not good enough now. it's not good enough now. well, it is good enough now, they are we still can't get to this point so now we're at the 11th hour and we think we want to avoid this so we will put a deal together to get 218 votes, including some of the people that headset i will never vote for kevin. look, that's asi tall order at this point. we take it to him.

we list the things, and by the way, he requested he said hootie want on these committees? who do you want? okay, we will give you the names of who,ve there's a peril to dog that upfront but we waited till last that, okay, we'll try our last best and final offer. and then he comes out and says it's a personal wish list. he requested that from us. he requested that. now, we so we can get you to 218 with this. he stood up and he shook our hands and he said, i can't do it, i won't do it. and here we are, and who we are. >> so i said from the beginning that my hardline was the motion to vacate single-member motion to vacate. you cannot demand more responsibly in less accountability. and kevin mccarthy was taking the path of nancy pelosi and following her precedent with the motion to vacate. we were just told when we left this door we will give you a

single member motion to vacate. just today. that was the starting point for negotiations. that was the starting point to everything that we are wanting to transform the way washington d.c. operates. if you go to the american people and ask them if congress is doing a good job, if they like the way things are run in washington, d.c., you are probably goinges to get a big hl no. we like to change the way things are done here. we can offer up a personal wish list. we were told to provide a list of what members need to be seated on what committees, and we did exactly that. and then there were amazing items that were listed as well for border security, for term limits. just bring the bill to the floor so we can have a vote on term limits. that's what the majority of americans want to seeme in congress. we said that any amendment that reduces the national debt needs to be made in order.

this is not a personal wish list list. this is not something that is unreasonable. this is just for the american people. this is a fair for the american people here and tonight we are being sworn at instead of being sworn in. >> and wee could've had at this salt months ago. i have been working every day to unify the republican party for the american people. and yesterday we had a deal that was not s a selfish deal in any way, for kevin mccarthy to give him the gap on the first ballot, and he eagerly dismissed us. >> those of us who will not be voting for kevin mccarthy today take no joy in this discomfort that this moment has brought, but if you want to drain the swamp you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise. i am a florida man and i know of what i speak.

we offered kevin mccarthy terms last evening that he rejected. we've thought about in a first court of the 118 congress on term limits or he refused if we wanted a budget from the republican study committee that balances on the floor in the first quarter. he refused. we wanted the border plan that the texas delegation put together on the floor. he refused. and it is true that we struggle with trust with mr. mccarthy because time and again his viewpoints comet his positions, they shift like sands underneath you. even kevin mccarthy on mentor recently said that the lies always change. and mr. mccarthy is not only responsive to pressure from the right. time and again he has failed to achieve the goals that we seek on spending and on the fight for months with an asking mr. mccarthy for his battle plan. how do we ensure that we stand up for folks in the military who feel like they're being purged? adventure that if there's a passage of a far built it

includes things like work requirements? and all we got was a handful of howdy and a mouthful of much obliged. so we do not want to be here at this moment. we would prefer to have a unity of purpose but we will not continue to allow t the unit pay to run this town without a fight. there's very little difference between nancy pelosi and her california delegation made that seeks the gavel, everyone i change because of thispl town is broken and this is a person who acknowledged in mr. mccarthy that the town is broken and he has been a part of that process for many years as a member of the leadership it will take some questions. clarify something recent remarks. are you saying because we took things to the levittown writer for the speakers vote he is unqualified to be speaker? in other words, speaker eslinger would've worked out this a long time ago? premise that we did not take this to the brink. for many months we've been presenting these ideas too mr.

mccarthy, and we have strong along, and only, only on new year's eve did we see changes to the rules. what's interesting about the meeting we just had is our colleagues probably set up a rule changes that many of us have been fighting for to ensure we had an opportunity to read the bills before voting on them so we did not get log rolled with multiple piece of legislation put together that don't have the same subject so we had germanic a rules things like national defense authorization act wouldn't be amended on on a water infrastructure bill and we did not get timely responses for mr. mccarthy. we did not get substantive responses for mr. mccarthy because i think he thought that just byhy going on, your network and others, , that he would browbeat us into submission to the swamp. we're not going to do that. >> so just to be clear, none of which are from there for mccarthy was enough to get your support? >> every thing i heard harden my results of this tent desperately needs change and if it's a few of us have to stand in a breach just forcibly willing to do so

for as long as it takes. >> has he offered single-member -- [inaudible] >> never mccarthy personally did not and not in that meeting. staff brought it to our attention. that they're willing to go there. it is still up in opportunity by kevin mccarthy and and i wao make it very clear we offered a deal. there were personnel request because personnel is vital in absence of trust. personnel is policy. we made the deal. the deal was rejected, and as it stands i will not be voting for kevin mccarthy as speaker. >> do off your committees because based on that conversation that happened in there? >> we were threatened by my committee chairmen to be on armed service committee mr. rogers that if we did not vote for mr. mccarthy we would be removed from committees. .. don't have an ability to ensure there is -- behind the

agenda and energy behind our oversight that committees don' to participate in a puppet show where we pass a bunch of messaging bills, send them to the senate, watch them die from pale to use leverage and don't hold the biden administer ration accountable. i don't want to relive the benghazi experience where it is just theater pretending to be oversight. we can do better than that and that is our purpose. >> are there not enough vote -- there are three of you. >> you will see very shortly. >> how many times - all the votes? >> unless something dramatic changes, if you vote for somebody else in the first ballot and nothing changes on the second or third, what is going to compel you to change? >> what needs to change? >> we just outlined some of the things. this meeting wasn't about

trying to inform people about what it takes to get to 218 and ask what you want. this was about the beat down and a simulated unity in the room which really doesn't exist. >> are you trying to beat them into submission? is that what he was trying to do? >> when you are threatened with being kicked off your committees if you don't vote as you are ordered to, we have people telling us to take orders. i can only speak for myself but i suspect my colleagues here have the same sentiment, i don't take orders from anyone, my orders come from my district and my constituents. >> you said if something changes. will you eventually -- >> we took an offer to him last night with things that are completely within his purview. and he rejected it summarily. >> is that offer or someone

else? what changes? >> if you wants to accept the offer we are happy with the discussion but he hasn't accepted the offer. >> what specifically did you ask for? >> mitch outlined some things, balanced budgets, the texas border plan, the term limits legislation that is broadly popular through the country, those were three features. on earmarks we believe there should be individual votes on earmarks. that was rejected by mr. mccarthy and if there's going to be an amendment on the floor in a republican house we think it ought to be made in order. if it cuts spending and reduces the debt. we don't view these things as wild and crazy demands. they are in line with what most of the people want who live outside the 202 area code. >> is that how far you're willing to go?

>> the only way there is a speaker jefferies's if republicans cover for it and are complicit with democrats. i am going to vote for andy biggs. there are 221 alternatives. thank you all very much. >> republican main street caucus leadership kelly armstrong and dusty jackson, we will take your questions. there is real work to get done. we need to secure the border, address inflation, return fiscal sanity to this town. none of that can happen as long as we have 10 or 15 members holding back this progress. our group is a group of 70 to 80 pragmatic conservatives who want to make progress on the border and spending. you already heard frustration was rising in the room because 10% of the conference thinks they get to tell the other 90%

when we get to start work. we remain unified. kevin mccarthy is the right guy to lead the conference, the right guy to be speaker of the house. >> the american people are frustrated. they see one party democrat rule for the past two years and don't like it which is why they elected a republican majority in the house. it is time to step up and lead. the individuals opposing mccarthy half moved the goalposts time and again. in the beginning they mentioned they have presented rules my ideas to the speaker elect back in the summer. we didn't have the house in the summer. there is no point negotiating with something you don't have yet. and he waited. that was the right decision. but now they keep moving the goalposts. at the end of the day this is where we are. we want leader mccarthy to be the next speaker of the house. you have a vast majority of

this conference that is unwilling to budge from that position. >> there's a small group of members in our conference who have a unique and enviable political position, they win when they lose. they lose to the senate they will blame the swamp. if they lose to republicans they will blame the establishment and they will continue down that path without having to respond to having to govern. we are going to test that theory today and might test it tomorrow or the day after because the vast majority of our congress believes kevin mccarthy is the right person to deliver on our agenda and push back on the biden administration and help us to gain and rego our majority. that's the point and we will continue to move down that path because we will find out where we are. we are not doing this because we think it is better for kevin or dusty or kelly but better for our constituents and the american people. nobody cares about this inside baseball crap.

>> you talked about mccarthy working this out of the summer. but that said, is that a concern that this should have been worked out at some point and that does undercut the potential to leave the republican conference? >> mccarthy has made for mentis concessions to the small minority of individuals, a litany of things some of which are very good, rule changes, some are questionable. the motion to vacate, the majority of the members do not want to single individual to make that motion and it was a discussion around a variety of numbers. should be a cordova conference, 50 members, it ended up at 5, not every but he was happy with a 5-member motion to vacate but at the end of the day that is where we are. he's made so many concessions and last night at the 11th hour, another list if we can have people in these comedies, we might be willing to get you to the 218, where does it end?

at what point do you stop and say wait a minute. i am the one who is trying to move the conference forward and you don't get to dictate what the rest of the conference does. >> i heard scott parry say he doesn't take orders from anybody, he's not the only one. >> you have two perspectives on kevin mccarthy becoming speaker of the house, you heard from the main street caucus on capitol hill. that was included with dusty johnson of south dakota. pennsylvania republican scott perry, colorado, florida republican matt gaetz with a different view on kevin mccarthy and this was an example of what you will see play out in less than an hour from now as votes are cast to determine who will be speaker of the house. stay with c-span. if you watch on our main channel c-span you can watch the house, the senate, c-span2, our apps is c-span now.

we've been asking what the top priority should be for the new congress. thank you for holding on. this is shauna in ohio. go ahead. >> caller: listening to the two the just got up and speaking, i am a democrat. i've been a democrat since bill clinton. i will tell you i have never been so fearful in my life to watch the democratic party lose all to the destruction of the united states of america. i'm a single mother and grandmother. everybody forgets we the people have a duty and that is to stop tierney. >> we have worked for a long time. i've been leader for four years. i came into this position with 200 members. we are sitting in the majority. we put forth the commitment to america. there's times we argue with our own members if they are looking

on the get positions for themselves, not the country. the last 2 months we work together as a conference to develop the rules that empower all members. we are not empowering certain members. last night i was presented the only way to have 215 votes if i provided certain members with certain positions, certain gavels, to have certain budgets and they came to the position where matt gaetz said i don't care if we have a plurality and then it hurts the new frontline members not to get reelected. that's not about america. i will always fight to put the american people first. not a few individuals who want something for themselves so we may have a battle on the floor but the battle is for the conference, that is fine. >> the problem is they can't get there. so what about the 10th vote? it doesn't move. >> i have a record for the

longest speech ever on the floor. i don't have a problem getting the most votes for speaker. i don't see how a few people, maybe 5, maybe 20, because they want a gavel they can turn by the conferences themselves, that would be interesting to me. that's not what constituents voted for. >> your impression of the republican majority? >> host: kevin mccarthy, an hour from now, we will see him talk about what happens when he takes votes, and how many votes it would take to get that if it does happen. a lot to watch out for today in congress and watching it all for us so you can watch it as well, john mcardle. >> guest: i was watching some of the tweets about the members that were leaving, the republican converse starting at

9:30 this morning, jim jordan apparently told reporters that he is going to get the votes referring to kevin mccarthy. there was a cbs news tweet at 11:05, 6 minutes ago showing a shot of jim jordan with a separate group of reporters. we are 45 minutes away, it might be helpful to go over what happens when the house gavels in and what happens when house gavels in, it will be cheryl johnson, the clerk of the house who will be in charge of the house, she will running the house at the start of the one hundred ehtnth congress, there will be a call to order by the clerk, prayer, pledge, quorum call inhe first action, first official vote is the vote for sak of the house. speaker of the house not requed to be a member of the house but all candidates have to be mited by member of

the house. members and members elect call out their vote by calling out the last name of their choice when their namisalled in alphabetical order. members can vote foan individual and a person must receive a majorit of the votes cast by members for a person by name. just to delve into that, doesn't mean the individual has to receive 218 votes to win the speakership. some members could choose not to vote for an individual and could just say present, just saying they were in the chamber but not voting for an individual and that would lower the threshold needed for the votes for speaker. if no candidate receives a majority of votes cast the rollcall is repeated. cheryl johnson, clerk of the house, will be in charge of that, theoretically repeat the rollcall vote until somebody gets the majority, there she

is, cheryl johnson in charge, as politico notes, don't expect the session to get drawn out late into the night. the politico story on this, a senior fellow in government affairs at georgetown university speaking about the history of these vote saying there's only been in appetite for 3 or 4 votes before members want to adjourn and get off the floor and wheel and deal a little bit to see if they can come to a conclusion here. if that happens this could take not just hours but perhaps days and just a reminder the last time we had a speaker vote go beyond the first ballot it has been one hundred years at this point, it was back in 1923 when it took 9 ballots for frederick gillett of massachusetts to be elected speaker of the house.

we will see how long this goes. >> stay close to c-span for these proceedings. let's hear from miles in colorado, independent line, good morning. >> i just want to say one of my top priorities is we need to fix the way american suburbs are planted maybe that begins by congress passing laws and incentivizing infrastructure that is walkable, friendly where you don't need a car to get around so much and you can use light rail but we have to go to the extremes of reconstructing the suburbs and might have to tear them apart and might have to, excuse me, might have to build the cities again. >> host: president biden and the senate minority leader mitch mcconnell, participate in any event tomorrow, about

infrastructure, done bipartisan work on the infrastructure bill. let's hear from bonnie. bonnie is in west virginia. republican line. go ahead. >> caller: good morning. why i am calling for was because the lady that called in before me from west virginia had talked about joe manchin. to be honest with you, to be honest with you, i was a democrat, switched to republican, i voted for joe manchin and i would again. i think he is a great senator for west virginia. on the other thing that i am against is the way that my president, trump, was treated.

i think he was one of the greatest presidents that america ever had in office. >> host: in washington state, democrat line, good morning. >> caller: i believe strongly the most important issue for our country today or this congress is to a lemonade or at least increase the debt ceiling. i have a great fear that the republican clown car in charge of the house repudiate the full faith and credit of the united states and we will go into a global depression. thank you. >> host: independent line, lori calling from north carolina. >> caller: are used to be a republican and switched the independent party a year and a half ago because of kevin mccarthy. year and a half ago are called the office when our border was

being invaded and asked, spoke with one of his aides and asked why kevin mccarthy did not declare a border invasion under article 4 section 4 of the constitution and his aide who was supposed to be a constitutional person had no idea that he could do that under article 4 section 4, that they were more concerned about the pandemic issues. i am a never kevin mccarthy person. i would love to see louis gomer or chip roy take the speakership. because of kevin mccarthy i became an independent. >> host: mill joining us on the republican line. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. looking at kevin mccarthy, not that i think i know all of

january 10, 2022, in regards to resignation of one of the best presidents this country has ever seen, donald trump. i got -- a list that i could go down. we had the january 6th defendants, he never said anything regard that would help their situation. he said nothing. quiet as a church bomb. border security, billions of dollars for border security in foreign nations. house majority leader, house majority leader and california, donner class, on the west coast that has some sort of say in how things are run throughout the state. and cursing allowed i believe it was on the floor.

when a person is being defeated or when a person is being defeated dayton to get violent and seems to be that not might be the case but seems to be that is what i see in kevin mccarthy for him to have to use such language he knows he's -- >> host: let's hear from paul in north carolina, democrats line. >> caller: this is an amazing little conversation. i hear all the republicans spouting their normal lines they have been told about the terrible biden administration although they have no specifics but won't listen to the good stuff that has been happening. they are living in their own false reality these days. if they had any sense about what is good for the country they would be out there saying let's find out and prosecute this false president who went out and seditious lady decided

that he couldn't stand not being elected and we need to prosecute him because he started an insurrection. the republicans ought to have shame. they ought to be ashamed. i can't imagine how they call themselves patriots. we are having this silly conversation about kevin mccarthy who was a trumper to the end and they want to compare him to nancy pelosi. that is completely laughable. they are laughable. republicans are the laughingstock of the united states of america. >> host: that is paul in north carolina. 40 minutes until the house is scheduled to come in and work on the 118th congress, the speaker of the house after today, if that is determined

today, one of the people following that, the washington examiner, thanks for your time. we heard from speaker mccarthy. lengthy will go to become speaker. what was the take away from this conference meeting that took place earlier today. >> reporter: several described it as chaotic. leader mccarthy getting into it with members of the freedom caucus and he acknowledged the votes aren't there. unlikely to get there on the first ballot although allies are still confident he will eventually get there. the caucus is holding strong in their position they won't support him with non-freedom caucus members, i talked to two sources potentially voting for jim jordan on the second ballot. it will be interesting to see how things play out, not like something we've seen before. >> host: one of the things centered around was a series of asks from the house freedom caucus compared to what kevin

mccarthy responded to. elaborate on what they were looking for and why kevin mccarthy turned that back? >> had a brief meeting with matt gaetz and chairman scott perry, they went into a brief meeting, in advance of the speaker vote and certain investigative authority, during that meeting, he gave them the vast majority of what they asked for. they are holding strong and both sides seem doug in. >> host: kevin mccarthy saying he holds the record for the longest speech, he will go for repeating, what does this look like in the next 40 minutes or so? >> this could be long especially the way the procedure works, to secure the clerk in charge, they need to

pass a motion to adjourn. can't imagine the democrats where it only benefits them are going to help them out on the vote. whether they get the vote to have recess to further discuss the path forward is in question. >> host: you talked to a couple people saying in light of what we have seen in the last hour some would say there is a path for the speaker. who are those people and what are they basing it on? >> more moderate members of the caucus say there could be a path that conservatives will realize moderates aren't going to cave, they will not get portions of the rules package left. i talked to one moderate members saying this will hold their vote on the rules package if it isn't kevin for speaker. we will see how it plays out because both sides are saying they are in it. >> host: as far as the work of congress is concerned, is it on hold and behind the scenes

people are willing to go until they can't decide on a speaker? >> if there is a speaker today, it could happen on thursday but still and clear who's going to lead these committees but things are on pause with a lot of priorities right now. >> host: kevin mccarthy was moving stuff into the speakers chamber, if that's the case what was the strategy behind that? >> they had to vacate his previous office. the plaque isn't up yet so they are near but not sure if it is going to be for the long-haul. depends how things play out. >> host: what have fellow members of congress said about george santos? >> i talked to some members who have concerns that he needs to

come clean with things. there are statements calling for ethics investigations. how he never gets things going forward he has a yes on mccarthy, we haven't heard him way in much on that. he will be an interesting first few months for him. were him. >> host: is the consensus given what we learned today to -- >> there are concerns on the democrat side on handling certain classified matters and being involved in those briefings the right now there's so much focus on the speaker's race they are trying to figure the path forward. >> host: washingtonexaminer.com, the website if you want to see her work, thank you for your time today. half an hour to go, we start proceedings of the one hundred eighteenth congress, up until that time we will take your calls. particularly on what you think

the top priority, domestic issue congress should focus on? 202-748-8,000 for democrats, 202-748-8,000 one for republicans and independents, 748-8002. you can text us at 202-seven forty eight-eight thousand. in california republican lines, this is jim, good morning. >> caller: you talking to me? >> host: if your jim in marietta county. >> caller: that's me. i see them get on the podium, stating constituents of america voted them in. we voted the republicans in, almost got the senate, we did it, we want change. that's the reason we voted them in. i'm sick and tired of them stepping up and saying they voted us into do this, they voters are soon to do that. mccarthy, i'm from california, mccarthy hasn't done a thing

for the people of california. that is why it is a democrat state instead of a republican state. they don't put money where they are supposed to put it. mccarthy has never done anything for california people. he's helped newsom every chance he's got. he worked with nancy pelosi every chance he gets. he worked with chef -- adam schiff. let's change it. we are sick ofrinos. mccarthy was there the whole time this was going on all the way back. he's done nothing up to this date. >> host: tony in pennsylvania, go ahead. >> caller: i just wanted to know why we have an issue with paying off student debt relief for our american people?

they can give trillions of dollars to another country and i don't know why it was opposed by so many. america first, we need help, we should receive it. >> host: michelle in staten island, democrats line. >> caller: happy new year and thank you for taking my call. my top domestic issue would be the border. this new year's eve in new york city, two police officers were attacked and looking into it, what may be an attack by what do you call that? terrorists. they are letting so many people in the border and they are not being responsible. that's not good.

i want to make a comment. somebody said they were comparing mccarthy to nancy pelosi. that is a laughing matter. how could you do that? nancy was the best, the best of the best, we will never have another nancy. >> host: let's hear from sean, you are next up. >> reporter: >> caller: about the equal justice for all. >> host: looks like the senate is coming in for procedural work, we will go to them. work. let's go to them.

0 host: >> host: the senate coming in to adjourn the work of the 117th congress, a pro forma kind of thing and they are preparing to go into the work of the 118th congress. the senate is involved in the day's activities of the work starting in the new congress but the house side is being paid more attention to today, your to optimistic priority when it comes to the work of congress and the things it should be focused on as the new congress kicks off, 748-8,000 for democrats, republicans 202-748-8,000 one and independents, 202-seven forty eight-eight thousand two. you can reach out to us via text, 202-748-8003. sacrament to, california, independent line. >> caller: i want to say this

fiasco with the republicans, the speaker, really unimportant because they are never going to do anything. they only represent the corporations to cut the taxes on the corporations. he is nothing like nancy pelosi and the democrats are the only one putting in legislation to help middle-class and working people. if the voters ever figure that out, we will start having areas like we have in california where we have figured that out and newsom is putting in laws so all these gas companies can't gouge us. gas prices have gone down, way down and also i can get a dozen eggs at the dollar tree for one dollar and a quarter. so these republicans and fox, they make up these stories about all these problems, there is no surge at the border.

those people are lined up politely, waiting to get in because we sent criminals down there from la, new york and whatever back to their countries and stirred up things, again because down there are forced to get out of their own country. we should go down there and help those countries straighten out their crime problem. >> guest: we believe that there. >> less than 30 minutes before the congress gavels in. we are watching members of congress comment on it and put out official statements on it. dan bishop, republican from north carolina elected in a special election in 2019 tweeted out i came to a broken just functional congress, advancing the long-standing pecking order, one notch has no prospect of doing that and many don't want to change it.

kevin mccarthy is not the right choice to be speaker. he perpetuated the washington status quo that makes his body one of the most unpopular institutions in the country. this is not about personal differences or who has earned the position. it's about serving the american people. i will not support the status quo. count dan bishop as a no on kevin mccarthy when the speaker vote happens. when it comes to a former member of congress, justin amash left at the end of the one hundred sixteenth congress, former republican, this was his tweet early this morning, i'm not a current member of congress but i do know what is at stake, i gladly served as speaker of house for one term to show the kind of legislative body we can have if someone at the top cares about involving every representative in the work of legislating, former republican became an independent.

a few other notes for viewers about the speaker's race but on the house side, this story from the whole story, the longest-serving woman in congressional history when she's officially sworn in in 30 minutes. this tweet that senator lindsey graham of south dakota, south carolina, is tweeting, focusing on the war in ukraine, to suggest america should lessen its aid to ukraine at this time would be repeating the mistakes of the past. i agree other nations can and should do more but that's not an excuse to stop doing what is right and smart for our own national security. also, victory by ukraine over russia resets the world in all the right ways. after all the atrocities of war crimes putin is still standing. every other bad actor will be

off to the races, victory for ukraine. that is from lindsey graham this morning and one other tweet to show viewers this morning, taking a look at the official congressional pin that members will be wearing in the 118th congress. that distinctive green color on the pin that members will wear on their lapels or their clothing, the pin that allows them to move past security in congressional offices, let folks on capitol hill know that a member is coming through. ed o'keefe of cbs news took a picture of that congressional pin and all those members start wearing those pins after they get sworn in at different times. >> host: 24 minutes from now we will take this program up to the deck at the house is set to come in. senate as well. you can watch the senate on c-span2, the house on c-span, follow along on c-span now.

north carolina on the democrats line. >> caller: good morning and happy new year. this is an interesting way to pose this. domestic issue that is happening in canada but it will come into the united states. canada handling sales purchases, transfers that have taken effect, drug decriminalization, british colombia, this is occurring january 30th one so you have two markets that have to be watched because now there is a black market for individuals wanting to get handguns. the further north word push of guns from mexico or united states going into canada and drugs, i am not for drugs but

the decriminalization of drugs will pose an issue, transnational issue congress needs to take a much bigger approach if they want to keep the border safe. >> host: our intrepid c-span photographer in and around capitol hill this morning, this is the scene outside george santos's office, republican of new york, we talked plenty about the situation, you heard about his background but that is where his office location is. he will see him play out, especially if he's sworn in later today. lynn in houston, texas, republican line, good morning. >> caller: thank you for taking my call and happy new year to america. i want to say first of all i want to echo the words of the gentleman who called from

california about representative mccarthy. he has been there for a very long time and i know he's a great fundraiser. i am a republican but it is time for change and we want meaningful change this time, not just lip service. regarding like optimistic issue, hands down the spending and inflation. i remember my first house cost me in 1976 $18,000 in a nice suburb. let me put that in perspective for young people who are being robbed, your future being stolen away from you. the second thing is the border. i live in texas. i live in houston, texas. if you would like to come down here i will take you to some schools in my school district where i pay taxes and an absorbent amount of taxes for people here who are illegal and entire schools in my district

are nothing but hispanic. another thing that's got to change is the way washington does business. like matt gaetz said, you can't put an alligator in charge of draining the swamp. >> host: about the speaker's race. are you concerned about public perception where the republican party is in the decision they have to make, the infighting going on in the party? >> caller: that is a red herring. i think if they get in there and do something and makes meaningful changes, then people in this country will applaud them. that's a red herring to raise that issue and also we've got to look into these agencies that have conspired with the government that is coming out from twitter. this is very dangerous. >> host: we will go to paul in

new york. >> caller: a couple things come to mind. i watched matt gaetz and lauren boebert up there. i worked in past administrations, and conference chairman, it has been pitched that they are working to put the former 40 fifth president's name into contention. i think today is going to get very ugly. one thing democrats are very good at and republicans aren't good at is handling things behind closed doors and not airing their grievances so have all he. not sure this is a good look. >> host: from daniel, democrats line, orlando, florida. >> happy new year. a couple things that stand out to me that i think the new congress for the next two years and moving forward need to

focus on is the drug addiction crisis. one of the greatest and in my opinion most ignored health crises that hit this country the past couple decades. we need greater investments into resources and opportunities for people to get back on their feet and rebuild their future weather is investing in community centers or amnesty for drug crimes. we need to find ways to support individuals who have been burdened by addiction. what really comes to mind is gun control. we see time and again, people getting killed in supermarkets and schools. it seems the issue continues to get ignored time and again. as someone who spoke from texas made me think of the shooting in unvalde and it seems like it was kind of ignored especially by governor abbott which i hope congress keeps in mind that human lives that they are

supposed to represent are being lost. >> host: daniel in florida, earlier when matt gaetz was speaking in front of cameras, mentioned he would vote for andy biggs as far as speaker, back in november representative biggs, republican of arizona spoke about the things he was concerned with particularly when it came to immigration. here's part of his comments from november. >> august 2021 i was first introduce articles of impeachment against secretary mayorkas. now that we have a majority in the house of representatives i expect our party to pursue impeachment next congress. secretary mayorkas has committed high crimes and misdemeanors. 's conduct is not incompetent, it's not negligent, it is willful and intentional. he failed to maintain operational control of the border as required under the law. the secure fence act of 2,006 requires the secretary to

achieve and maintain operational control at the border. he defines operational control is the prevention of unlawful entries into the united states including entries by terrorists. other unlawful aliens, instrument of terrorism, narcotics and other contraband. that his duty and obligation. instead the policies he has enacted produced the exact opposite of operational control. current border patrol chief raul ortiz said border policies have no consequences of illegal aliens arriving in our country. as a result more than 4 million illegal aliens have been apprehended under secretary mayorkas's leadership. this number does not include known or unknown got aways. 's failure to maintain operational control is allowing deadly illegal drugs such as fentanyl to come into the country. fentanyl is now the leading

cause of death for americans age 18 to 45. 's failure to maintain operational control of the border is creating a national security threat because terror threats are entering the country. immigration authorities at the border apprehended nearly one hundred illegal aliens on the terror watch list in fiscal year 2,022. second, he may have lied to congress when he testified that he was maintaining operational control of the border. congressman ship roy of texas showed in this definition, the one i read to you earlier, secretary mayorkas doubled down that he felt the border was secure. third secretary mayorkas detained illegal aliens as required by law, he is simply releasing illegal aliens into the country.

the law is clear, illegal aliens shall be detained but secretary mayorkas has released 1 million illegal aliens into the country. most of these released illegal aliens will never be heard from again. we don't know where they are or what they are doing. that is unacceptable. he is abusing the narrow authority congress gave to him to parole aliens into the united states. the immigration and nationality act allows the secretary to parole agencies on a case-by-case basis where urgent humanitarian reasons or significant benefit. mayorkas is using parole in a categorical generic manner and not a case-by-case basis. i spoke the house judiciary committee to open and impeachment inquiry, formally investigate secretary mayorkas and proceed to impeach. >> host: part of the duty of the vice president is proceed over actions of the senate from time to time. security for vice president kamala harris is expected to arrive on capitol hill. things you will see as things play out today. 15 minutes, the house and senate expect to come into do

the work of the one hundred eighteenth congress. that is the outside of congress, people show up including the vice president with more on what to expect today. >> guest: the big story is that speaker vote. one of the reporters we are following all morning at the house republicans conference in that meeting room in the capital is jake sherman of punch bowl news, one of the better source reporters on capitol hill when it comes to the republican congress. these are his observations after that meeting that took place this morning, mccarthy went into that meeting seemingly to highlight the challenge he believed he has with negotiating with the house freedom caucus, the group of conservative republicans who have been his biggest opposition.

he was successful in highlighting the opposition. he says mccarthy will lose on the first ballot of the speaker vote. it's not clear mccarthy could win on any subsequent ballot and the gap between the vast majority of house republicans and the house freedom caucus is widening very fast, very very fast so one of those reporters on capitol hill giving his take a few minutes before the speaker's vote will happen. a few minutes ago we showed you the scene at the end of the 117th congress and the senate. patrick lahey closed the 117th congress and a picture of him in the chair closing out the senate sine die after being sworn in 1975, 48 years in congress.

that's one of the scenes from today and one or when it comes to the 118th congress, karen to multi-with this tweet a moment ago, a big day ahead for this network as it always is on opening day avenue congress, very big day for c-span. hope you stay with us all day to cover it. >> host: thanks for the information. we will stick around until the house and senate come in. let's hear from aiden in indiana corrupt online. >> caller: thanks for taking my call. my big domestic issue more often than not is the debt and the economy and inflation. it is out of control. the debt is now at $30 trillion. the amount of money we are pumping into this economy and just spending and spending, no end to it which my senator, one of my senators, todd young who many of us call the duke of

spendingberg has been a disaster, he voted for a lot of these spending bills, our governor is not much better. we need to get our spending under control. we cannot spend ourselves into debt. i'm a young guy and from what she said earlier, the one woman, the border crisis is a disaster. i would gladly show people how bad the border is with all the illegal crossings coming in. it is a disaster. we need to secure the border and the economy is a total disaster. we were in a recession, the white house denied it, changed the definition and in terms of who i would rather have as speaker i don't think mccarthy is a good choice, he's much like mitch mcconnell, they don't get anything done and i would say regardless what side you're on, democrat, republican, libertarian, independent, you get the government you deserve and this

congress is not going to get anything done. >> host: let's hear from cindy, independent line. >> caller: i want to make a comment about people, that is claiming democrats were responsible for january 6th when mitch mcconnell and kevin mccarthy made a comment claiming -- it was -- i'm nervous, trump was behind all this and he should be taken out of office and also trump wanting to pardon the people involved in we have hannity under oath said he knew trump did not win the election. as far as the national debt is anybody aware tax cuts to the rich cost us $4 trillion, trump cut $7 trillion on the national debt. >> host: as far as priorities for the new congress what would

you specify? >> they need to admit there's spending on both sides had not blame one person for it because it has been going on for years. obama paid down the national debt and trump got it back in again. >> host: democrats line in washington state. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. i agree the most important issue for me would be immigration reform. i believe we need to make sure daca, people need a path to citizenship and we need more funding to process asylum-seekers. asylum-seekers are legal. we need everything from border patrol to judges to process those asylum-seekers and if our economy is going to grow we

need those immigrants who are willing to work and we are not replacing our population, our birthrate has been dropping and i believe past immigrants have been responsible for the success of our economy and why we've done so well. >> host: let's hear from republican line, north carolina. just about to finish the 117th congress, go ahead. >> caller: i want to say the border under control, somebody needs to treat the fentanyl thing as a war on china and the department of education, indoctrinating our children and donald trump has my vote for speaker of the house. get rid of the department of education indoctrinating our children and hitler said if you control the next generation, controlled children you control the next generation and that is what the democrats are trying

to do. we need to get this under control before we lose our country. >> host: here's what we are waiting for the next couple minutes, we expect the house and senate to come in, the 117th congress and start the 118th congress, we've seen the senate do that so they will start work on their side. you can watch the proceedings play out if you're interested in seeing what will happen on the house aside. our main channel, c-span, we are taking calls until that point. in virginia, carlos, independent line. >> caller: my to mystic issues different from most people. we need the addition of another party in our country. we have the republicans, the democrats and independents but we must include themaga, they have a message but the way they deliver it hurts a lot of people because republicans are forced to call republican line because there's no other way for them to call.

they may not identify themselves as amaga, republicans do not attack law enforcement officers, republicans do not violate the constitution and republicans are not racist. republicans stand up for what is morally and legally right when one of the members does something like the one who lied about being jewish and all that. we need to give republicans the opportunity to differentiate themselves between them and amagas. otherwise all the domestic issues, deficit, border security, drugs from overseas can the economy, we will yell at each other. when the amaga people, they have the right to spew their hate but understand they are not republicans, true republicans like the great senator dole and mccain and from utah and all those people. >> host: we are waiting for the

has to come in. brad in georgia, democrats line, good morning. >> caller: happy new year. my pressing issue that doesn't bode well is restoration of civility and the quorum and that's not off to a great start today. that's my comment. my question is for john in the control room. they keep talking about how they flipped the house. i would like him to take a look how many democrats actually lost, how many lost to redistricting, and what the school board actually reflects. i think they are pushing a message and creating a situation that is not what it says. you can do the simple math to count the change but i don't think that's the whole story so i will get off and let another caller get on. >> host: arlene in florida. >> my back injury is a blessing

in disguise because i'm lying here with ice on it and enjoying the show but my main concern is how communism and marxism has infiltrated our country. you can see it. you can see it and it is very disheartening. >> host: as promised, the work of the one hundred seventeenth congress just about to end in the house side, we take you to them now. >> house will be in order. pursuant to the twentieth amendment to the constitution, the chair declares the second session of the 117th congress adjourned sine die. >> host: that was the conclusion of the 117th

congress which means in the next few moments or starting when it does, the one hundred eighteenth congress will start its work. you can continue to watch that on c-span, our main channel, followed along on our website, c-span.org, the senate side you can follow along with what is going on on that side on c-span2 and follow along on the website and the apps as well. that is it for ourrogram today as far as our coverage of the one hundred eighteenth congress's opening day. you can continue to follow along as though speaker fight manifests itself and plays out, you can follow along and check out everything on our apps and the main channel. that's it for our program, another addition of washington journal comes your wayomorrow at 7:00 am. see you then.

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