The newest members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation officially are taking their seats today. Recently elected U.S. Reps. Garret Graves and Ralph Abraham, both members of the GOP, will be sworn into office today, along with 56 other freshmen lawmakers from around the country. They will join a growing Republican majority in the House.
Graves holds the Baton Rouge-based 6th District seat vacated by Republican Bill Cassidy, who is moving up today and taking the oath of office as Louisiana’s newest U.S. senator. He defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu in December to win the seat, and he’ll join a new Republican majority taking control of that chamber.
Abraham takes over northeast Louisiana’s 5th District seat previously held by Republican Vance McAllister, who lost his re-election bid after a cheating scandal.
Republicans are assuming full control of Congress for the first time in eight years in a day of pomp, circumstance and raw politics beneath the Capitol Dome.
The Associated Press reports they planned to move swiftly today toward a veto showdown with President Barack Obama over the Keystone XL pipeline. They’ll attempt to showcase some unity despite a tea party-backed effort to unseat House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio. At least 10 Republicans have said they plan to challenge Boehner for the top House seat.
As mandated by the Constitution, Congress is to convene at noon today. In the Senate, with Vice President Joe Biden presiding, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky automatically will ascend to majority leader following his approval by rank-and-file Republicans last year. McConnell and Boehner both are to deliver remarks on their chamber’s floors as they positioned themselves for two years of clashes with Obama. Read the full story.
