ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The inaugural audience will be a lot smaller this year, but some Central Florida lawmakers will be in attendance.
As members of the 117th Congress, Democrat Representatives Darren Soto, Stephanie Murphy, and Val Demings are expected to be in attendance.
Congressman Darren Soto of Kissimmee said the nation’s Capitol was secure on the eve of the inauguration of the 46th president.
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“The Capitol is very secure. We have over 10,000 National guardsmen and women here. We thank them for their service. I was one of the last people out of the chamber during the armed insurrection,” Soto said. “Many folks were afraid. Was the federal government dissolving? Was democracy truly dead? And we are about to see the final act of that tomorrow.”
With more than 25,000 members of the national guard deployed in Washington D.C., Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Orlando said she will attend the ceremony, despite spending hours locked down during the capitol riots.
“I will do it despite what has happened over the last few weeks and the way the concern I’ve had to had for myself and colleagues because I live in a democracy and I will not be coiled by violence perpetrated by domestic terrorists,” Murphy said.
Both Soto and Murphy said after the inaugural, democrats in the house and senate will continue to move forward with an impeachment trial, while also juggling a new national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A lot of the issues where the distribution has been uneven has been a result of some localities inability and from a financial standpoint to distribute a vaccine and so we have the opportunity to provide state and local funding,” Murphy said.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said that he will be attending the inauguration as a guest of his wife, Congresswoman Val Demings.
Here is a timeline for the inauguration:
- 8:45 a.m.
- Church service at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
- 10:30 a.m.
- President-elect Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Bill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and Douglas Emhoff arrive at the United States Capitol
- 11:15 a.m.
- Biden, Dr. Biden, Harris, and Emhoff participate in the swearing-in ceremony
- Noon
- Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States
- 1:40 p.m.
- President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will review the readiness of military troops in a pass in review
- 2:25 p.m.
- President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tombo of the unknown soldier
- 3:15 p.m.
- Biden, Dr. Biden, Harris, and Emhoff receive a presidential escort to the White House
- 5:15 p.m.
- President Biden signs executive orders and other presidential actions
- 5:45 p.m.
- Biden swears in Day One Presidential appointees in a virtual ceremony
- 8:48 p.m.
- Biden, Dr. Biden, Harris, and Emhoff attend “Celebrating America” program
- 9:55 p.m.
- President Biden and Dr. Biden appear on the Blue Room Balcony