WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement today on the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris:

“The inauguration of Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President marks a historic, critical transition from an administration defined by cruelty, corruption, and callousness to one of empathy, compassion and grace. In President Biden and Vice President Harris, we now have thoughtful leaders committed to progress and partnership. I look forward to working with them to advance bold, progressive policies that meet the scale and scope of the crises we face and honor the decisive mandate from the diverse movement that made this day possible.

“Vice President Harris’s historic ascension to the second-highest office in our country by way of record turnout and the most diverse electorate in U.S. history is a testament to the strength and organizing of our movement and a tribute to the tireless work Black women have done to preserve our democracy for generations. As a woman, a Black woman, a South Asian woman and a daughter of immigrants, Vice President Harris will bring a wealth of knowledge gleaned from her lived experience to key decision-making tables.

“As we give ourselves permission to be joyful and celebrate this extraordinary moment in history, we remain clear-eyed about the work that lies ahead.

“If our nation is to begin on a path toward an equitable, just recovery, undo the unmitigated harm of the last four years and upend the institutions of white supremacy that brought us to this moment, we must commit ourselves to the deep, systemic work.

“The task ahead is great, but necessary. I look forward to tackling it in close partnership with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the incoming administration.”

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