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4526470
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Opening of 93rd Congress, January 3, 1973
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4526470
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document
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Opening of 93rd Congress, January 3, 1973
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Speeches
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U.S. House of Representatives. 3/4/1789-
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1973-01-31
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1973
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1973-01-01
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1973
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The original documents are located in Box D34, folder "Opening of 93rd Congress,
January 3, 1973" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
0/3/23
Mr. Speaker, Colleagues of the 93rd Congress:
It is a great honor to stand before you as a sort of surrogate for the
Speaker.
Of course, I am a little bit disappointed about losing this contest for
the Speakership, but after five defeats you learn to grit your teeth and smile.
First of all, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year - before somebody
gets up and tells us differently.
I also want to express my thanks to those who voted for me over on this
side of the aisle. Couldn't we have the same kind of minority solidarity for
the next two years?
Finally, I'd like to congratulate our distinguished Speaker and to assure
him that I'll support him -- one thousand percent!
As I look out over this historic chamber I see many old friends and
familiar faces -- but also many new ones. Fifteen percent of you have just
cast your first vote as Members of the House of Representatives of the United
States Congress.
It is to that group of welcome new colleagues that I particularly
GERA R. FORD say LIBRARY
a few words at this time.
Digitized from Box D34 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-2-
When I first came to Congress 24 years ago, I was under the handicap
of having defeated in the Republican primary a very senior member in the
Michigan delegation who naturally had many good friends in the House. I
happened to sit down beside one of them the very first day, introduced myself
and chattered away full of excitement and friendly spirit.
The senior member didn't say much, but finally he turned to me and
asked:
"Young man, do you know the definition of a Congressman? A Congressman
is the shortest distance between two years."
You will find, I hope, that we are a much friendlier bunch nowadays.
For one thing, a bloc of 68 votes -- 15 percent of the House - could be
decisive if all you new Members would stick together. But, of course, you
won't. You will vote according to your best judgment and the best interests
of the country and of your constituents, which is how it should be.
But may I urge you to counsel with your colleagues in one important
respect, and that is the consideration we all owe to the institution of the
House itself. The longer you work here the better you will understand what
I mean.
-3--
I'm sure that if my dear friend Hale Boggs were here he would say the
same thing more eloquently. And Nick Begich, though he had served only one
term, would have agreed. So I say this in a completely nonpartisan spirit.
This is truly the People's House, as Thomas Jefferson called it. It
comes as close to being a continuous sampling of public opinion as any part
of our government. Its powers are very great. Its traditions are very strong
and deeply rooted in the lessons of history. You have been entrusted by the
people who elected you - by those who voted for you and also by those who
voted against you or didn't vote at all -- to represent them in shaping laws
and making decisions that profoundly affect their lives and the future of their
children. This is a solemn responsibility and a high privilege.
The institutions of government are all under fire today, and among them
the House of Representatives. This is not unique to our times; Congress has
always been the target of humorists like Mark Twain and Will Rogers and
Presidents from George Washington forward have not been above blaming most
of the country's troubles on the legislative branch.
But I think it is fair to say that never before have we been under
closer scrutiny by the public than today, with all the advances in communications
-4-
and instant analysis -- and with the liberalization of our own rules and
procedures. So I urge you all, and particularly the new members, to bear
in mind that you represent the House itself, in all that you do. I for one
pray that we shall represent the House in this 93rd Congress with honor and
with pride.
One Member, above all, represents the House as an institution more than
the rest of us. The Speaker has been called the second most powerful official
of our government and the Speakership is an office of great dignity and power
demanding great diligence and ability. Only 49 Americans have occupied this
Speaker's chair.
We have just elected one of my oldest and dearest friends to this high
responsibility for the second time. He has shown himself to be a Speaker
of scrupulous honesty and fairness, a stanch champion of the rights and
privileges of all Members and of the great traditions of this body. I am
deeply honored to present to my colleagues of the 93rd Congress a fine friend,
a dedicated American and a distinguished son of Oklahoma, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, the Honorable Carl Albert.
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