Congress Ratifies Trump's Win In Peaceful Session, Unlike '21

Congress quickly and smoothly certified President-elect Donald Trump's election victory Monday, a sharp contrast to four years earlier when a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol and temporarily halted the confirmation of President Biden's win.

- By Kristina Peterson, Katy Stech Ferek and Xavier Martinez

Unlike in 2021, when the proceedings stretched out over two days, no objections were raised. No angry crowd gathered and no lawmakers were evacuated. The proceedings wrapped up in well under an hour. But tensions over the violence of that day, which led to Trump's second impeachment, continued to simmer.

Lawmakers went ahead with their duties despite a snowstorm that hit Washington and closed schools and many businesses. Federal law requires Congress to convene for a joint session on Jan. 6 after a presidential election to count and ratify the 538 Electoral College votes certified by the 50 states and District of Columbia.

Shortly before 1 p.m., Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, walked onto the House floor in her role as president of the Senate, charged Monday with presiding over the certification of the election she lost. As senators poured in and greeted House colleagues, the din of the packed chamber rose to a loud buzz.

Congressional pages brought in the states' election certificates in leather boxes and staffers sliced through the envelopes with letter openers. Lawmakers read out the results of each state's election one by one, affirming that they were accurate.

Harris, standing next to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.), gave the final result: "The votes for president of the United States are as follows. Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes. Kamala D. Harris of the state of California has received 226 votes." Republicans cheered the conclusion of the certification, rising to their feet and snapping selfies with Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump, who was at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, called the certification "a big moment in history. MAGA!" in a post on social media.