Ryan, Johnson and Kelly React to Trump’s Inauguration
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan expressed the hope following the swearing-in of President Donald Trump that the “great weight” of the office he has assumed would “give way to a renewed effort” to work with both Democrats and Republicans to improve the lives of American families.
Ryan was among the lawmakers from both political parties who attended the inauguration of the nation’s 45th president. More than 60 Democratic members of Congress stayed home from today’s ceremonies.
Said Ryan in a statement, “Where [President Trump] makes an honest effort to do so, I’ll be waiting to work together towards those aims to the best of my ability. And if, or when, he decides to divide, denigrate, or disenfranchise groups of our fellow Americans, I will be the first one standing ready to fight those efforts.”
Ryan, who campaigned across Ohio for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also offered praise and final thanks to Barack Obama. The former president’s “thoughtful and transformative leadership coupled with his genuine passion for helping others has left our country far better off than when he first took office eight years ago,” he said.
“History will remember President Obama as one of the most consequential figures ever to occupy the Oval Office, and rightfully so,” Ryan added.
U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-6 Ohio, characterized Trump’s rise to the presidency as a “political phenomenon … not seen in our lifetimes.” The Nov. 8 election served as a reminder that American voters – and not “polls, pundits, and political elites” – “determine our elections,” Johnson, R-6 Ohio, said in a statement released by his office.
The new president — working with the House of Representatives and Senate, both under GOP control — has “an historic opportunity to really lead and make positive, lasting changes for the American people,” he continued.
“I’m hopeful that President Trump doesn’t view Congress as an inconvenient obstacle — because, we are ready for the hard work of governing, and I believe that he is as well,” Johnson said.
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also issued a statement congratulating Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
“I look forward to working with the new administration on a whole range of issues — from getting our economy moving and easing the middle-class squeeze to turning the tide on the epidemic of drug addiction, to restoring America’s leadership role in the world by rebuilding our military,” Portman said.
“In order to make progress on these issues, we must work together to address the challenges facing our country. If we do that, we can deliver results and make a real difference in the lives of Ohioans and all Americans,” he continued.
Before the swearing in, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3 Pa., hailed what he called the beginning of “a better and brighter era” for the country. With “a unified Republican government,” the opportunities and responsibilities are tremendous, he remarked, and he commended Trump’s desire to begin work right away “to correct our country’s course,” domestically and abroad.
“As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, where health care and tax reform remain our shared priorities, I look forward to working with him toward a future with lower, simpler taxes and more affordable and accessible health care insurance that is choice-filled and patient-centered,” he said.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
