Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the joint session of Congress Monday, to certify the 2024 presidential election results, marking a significant step in the transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump.
Harris and running mate Tim Walz lost to Trump and JD Vance in November's presidential elections.
The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 clarified the vice president’s ceremonial role in presiding over the joint session and raised the threshold for challenging a state’s electors to 20% of members in each chamber.
Harris described her role in the certification process as a “sacred obligation,” guided by her love of country, loyalty to the Constitution, and faith in the American people.
In a video clip of the event going viral online, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson appears to smirk as Harris read the official results of the election. Another viral clip on Monday, shows an awkward moment on Friday, when Harris was swearing in Deb Fischer(R-NE), among other senators, for her third term. After the two shook hands and Harris thanked the Republican for all her work, the vice president then turned to Fischer’s husband Bruce to shake his hand which he appeared to refused to do.
Monday's certification of the 2024 presidential election results marks the final step in the electoral process, with President-elect Trump set to be inaugurated on January 20, 2025.
The event was held under heavy security, with the Capitol complex designated as a “National Special Security Event” due to concerns about potential violence by unhinged far-left extremists