Madam Speaker, thank you for your kind words, and thank you for your service to this institution.  Secondly I want to welcome all of our new members and their families on what is a very special day.  All of us who've been here remember very vividly that first day that we served here and I think any of us can tell you that you'll never forget today.  My own family is here as well: I think you've just met Debbie, and next to Debbie are Lindsay and Tricia, our two daughters--welcome, we're glad that you're here.  Ten of my eleven brothers and sisters, and sister in laws and brother-in-laws are here as well, and my poor brother Greg who runs a restaurant down in Georgia was unable to be here but I wanted to acknowledge him.  I also want to acknowledge some of my close friends that are here from the other side of the Capitol.  You know Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader is here and two of my best buds, Richard Burr from North Carolina and Saxby Chambliss from Georgia, along with you know my buddy Latham.  Thank you for being here.  Gentlemen, I appreciate it.

I am honored and humbled to represent a great, hard-working community in Congress.  The people of Ohio’s Eighth Congressional District continue to afford me the privilege to serve, for which I am deeply grateful.

We gather here today at a time of great challenges.  Nearly one in ten of our neighbors is out of work.  Health care costs are still rising for American families.  Our spending has caught up with us, and our debt soon will eclipse the entire size of our national economy.  Hard work and tough decisions will be required of the 112th Congress.  No longer can we fall short.  No longer can we kick the can down the road.  The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin to carry out their instructions.

In the Catholic faith, we enter into a season of service by having ashes marked on our head.  The ashes remind us that life in all of its forms is very fragile – our time on this Earth, fleeting.  But as the ashes are delivered, we hear those humbling words: ‘Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’

The American people have humbled us.  They have refreshed our memories as to just how temporary the privilege of serving is.  They have reminded us that everything here is on loan from them.  That includes this gavel, which I accept cheerfully and gratefully, knowing that I am but its caretaker.  After all, this is the people’s House.  This is their Congress.  It’s about them, not about us.  What they want is a government that is honest, accountable and responsive to their needs.  A government that respects individual liberty, honors our heritage, and bows before the public that it serves.

Let’s start with the rules package that the House will consider today.  If passed, it will change how this institution operates, with an emphasis on real transparency, greater accountability, and a renewed focus on our Constitution.  Our aim will be to give the government back to the people.  In seeking this goal, we will part with some of the rituals that have come to characterize this institution under majorities both Republican and Democrat alike.  We will dispense with the conventional wisdom that bigger bills are always better; that fast legislating is good legislating; allowing amendments and open debate makes the legislative process ‘less efficient’ than our forefathers had intended.

These misconceptions have been the basis for the rituals of a modern Washington.  They, in my opinion have not been served well to the American people.  Today, mindful of the lessons of the past, we open a new chapter.

Legislators and the public will have three days to read a bill before it comes to a vote.  Legislation will be more focused, properly scrutinized, and constitutionally sound.  Committees, once bloated, will be smaller, with a renewed mission, including oversight.  Old rules that have made it easy to increase spending will be replaced by new reforms that make it easier to cut spending.  And we will start by cutting Congress’ own budget. 

But above all else, we will welcome the battle of ideas, encourage it, engage in it – openly, honestly, and respectfully.  As the chamber closest to the people, the House works best when it is allowed to work its will.  And I ask members of this body to join me in recognizing this common truth.

And to my colleagues in the majority, my message is this: we will honor our Pledge to America, built on a process of listening to the American people, and we will stand firm on our Constitutional principles that built our party, and built a great nation.  We will do these things, however, in a manner that restores and respects the time-honored right of the minority to an honest debate, a fair and open process.

And to my friends in the minority, I offer a commitment.  Openness – once a tradition of this institution, but increasingly scarce in recent decades, will be the new standard.  There were no open rules in the House in the last Congress.  In this one, there will be many.  And with this restored openness, however, will come a restored responsibility.  You will not have the right to willfully disrupt the proceedings of the People's House.  But you will always have the right to a robust debate in open process that allows you to represent your constituents. . .to make your case, offer alternatives, and be heard. 

In time I believe this framework will allow the House to be a place where the people’s will is done.  It will also, I hope, rebuild trust amongst us and the people we serve, and in so doing, provide a guidepost for those who follow us in the service of our nation.

To our new members – Democrat and Republican alike – as you take the oath today, I know you will do so mindful of this shared goal, and know that constituents have placed much trust in you.  As Speaker, I feel part of my job is to help each of you do your job well, regardless of your political party.  My hope is that every new Member – and indeed, every Member – will be comfortable with approaching me with regard to matters of the House.

We will not always get it right, and we will not always agree on what is right.  There is a great deal of scar tissue that has been built up on both sides of the aisle.  We cannot ignore that, nor should we.  My belief has always been that we can disagree without being disagreeable.  That’s why it is critical this institution operate in a manner that permits a free exchange of ideas, and resolves our honest differences through a fair debate and vote.  We may have different – sometimes, very different – ideas about how to go achieving the common good; it is why we serve.

Let us now move forward humble in our demeanor, steady in our principles, dedicated to proving worthy of the trust and confidence that has been placed in each of us.  If we brace ourselves to do our duty, and do what we say we're going to do, I don't think there's together anything that we can't accomplish again on behalf of the people we serve.  More than a country, America is an idea, and it is our job to pass that  posterity of blessings that have been bestowed on us to those generations that follow us.

I want to wish you all the very best.  Welcome to the people’s House.  Welcome to the 112th Congress.

“Madam Speaker, thank you for your kind words, and thank you for your service.  I’d like to welcome our new colleagues and their families.  My own family is here as well: my wife, Debbie, our daughters, Lindsay and Tricia; my brothers and sisters, brothers-and-sisters-in-law, and their children.

“I am honored and humbled to represent a great, hard-working community in Congress.  The people of Ohio’s Eighth Congressional District continue to afford me the privilege to serve, for which I am deeply grateful.

“We gather here today at a time of great challenges.  Nearly one in ten of our neighbors are looking for work.  Health care costs are still rising for families and small businesses.  Our spending has caught up with us, and our debt will soon eclipse the size of our entire economy.  Hard work and tough decisions will be required of the 112th Congress.  No longer can we fall short.  No longer can we kick the can down the road.  The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin carrying out their instructions.

“In the Catholic faith, we enter into a season of service by having ashes marked on our foreheads.  The ashes remind us that life in all its forms is fragile – our time on this Earth, fleeting.  As the ashes are delivered, we hear those humbling words: ‘Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’

“The American people have humbled us.  They have refreshed our memories as to just how temporary the privilege to serve is.  They have reminded us that everything here is on loan from them.  That includes this gavel, which I accept cheerfully and gratefully, knowing I am but its caretaker.  After all, this is the people’s House.  This is their Congress.  It’s about them, not us.  What they want is a government that is honest, accountable and responsive to their needs.  A government that respects individual liberty, honors our heritage, and bows before the public it serves.

“Let’s start with the rules package the House will consider today.  If passed, it will change how this institution operates, with an emphasis on real transparency, greater accountability, and a renewed focus on the Constitution.  Our aim will be to give government back to the people.  In seeking this goal, we will part with some of the rituals that have come to characterize this institution under majorities Republican and Democratic alike.  We will dispense with the conventional wisdom that bigger bills are always better; that fast legislating is good legislating; that allowing additional amendments and open debate makes the legislative process ‘less efficient’ than our forefathers intended.

“These misconceptions have been the basis for the rituals of modern Washington.  The American people have not been well served by them.  Today, mindful of the lessons of the past, we open a new chapter.

“Legislators and the public will have three days to read bills before they come to a vote.  Legislation will be more focused, properly scrutinized, and constitutionally sound.  Committees, once bloated, will be smaller, with a renewed mission, including oversight.  Old rules that have made it easy to increase spending will be replaced by new reforms that make it easier to cut spending.  We will start by cutting Congress’ own budget. 

“Above all else, we will welcome the battle of ideas, encourage it, and engage in it – openly, honestly, and respectfully.  As the chamber closest to the people, the House works best when it is allowed to work its will.  I ask all members of this body to join me in recognizing this common truth.

“To my colleagues in the majority, my message is this: we will honor our Pledge to America, built through a process of listening to the people, and we will stand firm on the Constitutional principles that built our party, and built a nation.  We will do these things, however, in a manner that restores and respects the time-honored right of the minority to an honest debate and a fair, open process.

“To my friends in the minority, I offer a commitment.  Openness – once a tradition of this institution, but increasingly scarce in recent decades, will be the new standard.  There were no open rules in the House in the last Congress.  In this one, there will be many.  With this restored openness, however, will come a restored responsibility.  You will not have the right to willfully disrupt the proceedings of the People's House.  But you will always have the right to a robust debate in open process that allows you to represent your constituents. . .to make your case, offer alternatives, and be heard. 

“In time, this framework will, I believe, restore the House of Representatives as a place where the people’s will is done.  It will also, I hope, help rebuild trust among us and the people we serve, and in so doing, provide a guidepost for those who follow us in the service of our nation.

“To our new members – Democratic and Republican – as you take the oath today, I know you will do so mindful of this shared goal, and the trust placed in you by your constituents.  As Speaker, I view part of my job as helping each of you do your job well, regardless of party.  My hope is that every new Member – and indeed, every Member – will be comfortable approaching me with matters of the House.

“We will not always get it right.  We will not always agree on what is right.  A great deal of scar tissue has built up on both sides of the aisle.  We cannot ignore that, nor should we.  My belief has always been, we can disagree without being disagreeable to each other.  That’s why it is critical this institution operate in a manner that permits a free exchange of ideas, and resolves our honest differences through a fair debate and a fair vote.  We may have different – sometimes, very different – ideas for how to go about achieving the common good, but it is our shared goal.  It is why we serve.

“Let us now move forward humble in our demeanor, steady in our principles, and dedicated to proving worthy of the trust and confidence that has been placed in us.  If we brace ourselves to do our duty, and to do what we say we are going to do, there is no telling what together we can accomplish for the good of this great and honorable nation.  More than a country, America is an idea, and it is our job to pass on to our posterity the blessings bestowed to us.

“I wish you all the very best.  Welcome to the people’s House.  Welcome to the 112th Congress.”