"I want to make clear that we extend and intend to try to find common ground whenever and wherever possible on behalf of the American people. Not as Democrats, not as Republicans, not as Independents, but as Americans.

But I also want to make clear that we will never compromise our principles. House Democrats will always put

American values over autocracy

Benevolence over bigotry

The Constitution over cult

Democracy over demagogues

Economic opportunity over extremism

Freedom over fascism

Governing over gaslighting

Hopefulness over hatred

Inclusion over isolation

Justice over judicial overreach

Knowledge over kangaroo courts

Liberty over limitation

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Maturity over Mar-a-Lago

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Maturity over Mar-a-Lago

Normalcy over negativity

Opportunity over obstruction

People over politics

Quality of life issues over QAnon

Reason over racism

Substance over slander Triumph over tyranny

Understanding over ugliness

Voting rights over voter suppression

Working families over the well connected

Xenia over xenophobia

Yes, we can over you can't do it

Zealous representation over zero sum confrontation

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Video: Leader Jeffries Speech Upon the Election of the Speaker of the House

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From Our Archives

Hakeem Jeffries, After the Impeachment:

The Obama years started Reconstruction III. “We are in a backlash movement right now,” affirmed Jeffries in 2020 at the Brookings Institution.

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Jeffries' Historic Attainment in Context

During Reconstruction I, In 1870, Senator Hiram Revels of Mississippi and Rep. Joseph Rainey of South Carolina became the first African Americans to serve in Congress, After North Carolina Rep. George White's departure from the House of Representatives in March 1901, no African American served in the U.S. Congress until 1929 when Oscar DePriest was elected to represent Chicago’s South Side. During his three terms, DePriest was the only African American serving in Congress.

During Reconstruction II, The Congressional Black Congress was formed in 1971 with 13 members and included the first female Black member, Shirley Chisholm.

During Reconstruction III, Republicans have more members in the current Congress than Democrats, 222 to 213. The Democrat’s leader, Rep. Hakeem Sekou Jeffries, is therefore, the House minority leader. Jeffries is the first Black to lead a major political party in Congress.

He follows Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi, who was the first woman to lead a major political party in Congress. While Democrats were in the majority in Congress, she was known as the Speaker of the House and assumed its power.

If Democrats win control of the House in the 2024 elections and Biden-Harris are re-elected, Harris will retain her position as second in line to the presidency and Jeffries will be third.