Congress officially certified President-elect Trump’s 2024 election victory on Monday, taking him one step closer to assuming the Oval Office at the end of this month.
Tellers for the Senate's vote counting were Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and those on the House side were Reps. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., and Joe Morelle, D-N.Y.
The 312 electoral college votes for Trump were counted and presented by the tellers, in addition to the 226 votes for Vice President Kamala Harris.
It was the final step before Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
Ahead of the certification process, both Harris and Vice President-elect JD Vance received bipartisan handshakes from House members as they entered the chamber.
Senators also shook hands with both Republicans and Democrats as they entered the joint session of Congress.
The orderly process is a stark contrast to the scene in the House chamber four years ago when rioters protesting the results of the 2020 election halted proceedings and forced lawmakers into hiding for several hours.
Harris presided over the certification of Trump’s win, after having lost to him in a November election that saw Republicans sweep the presidency and both houses of Congress.
Harris recorded a video message that was released prior to the certification, telling viewers, "The peaceful transfer of power is one of the most fundamental principles of American democracy. As much as any other principle, it is what distinguishes our system of government from monarchy or tyranny."
