(January 7, 2021) WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in accordance with the Constitution, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) voted to certify the election of Joseph R. Biden and Kamala D. Harris as the next President and Vice President of the United States of America. Courtney issued a statement after voting in a joint session of Congress to certify the state Electoral College results early this morning, following yesterday’s voting session that was interrupted when the U.S. Capitol was forced to be evacuated for the first time since 2001.
“While the whole world watched, early this morning the House and Senate voted in bipartisan fashion to emphatically certify the election of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States of America,” said Congressman Courtney. “I’m proud of all of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, who banded together to follow our Constitutional duty and uphold the voters’ decision on November 3rd, and who resisted the preposterous notion that Congress, not the people, has the power to select a president.
“Voting to certify an election is typically an event that draws little fanfare, but this year we were reminded in a violent, awful manner of how precious our democracy is. The Constitution isn’t a self-actuating document—our democracy requires participation, attention, and for the Congress to fulfill its Constitutional duties even when it’s hard, or when it’s not politically convenient. ‘A Republic, if you can keep it,’ said Franklin. Congress’s job, as outlined in the Constitution, is to count the electoral ballots delivered to us by the states, and to certify that each vote was cast by an electoral college voter. That’s what we did, and I was proud to join my colleagues in fulfilling our Constitutional duty today and upholding the will of American voters.”
