Alabama lawmakers welcome Paul Ryan as House speaker

Alabama lawmakers welcomed the newly elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as he took over the post from outgoing speaker Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) Thursday morning.

Ryan won his Party’s nomination Wednesday afternoon before being elected speaker by the full House chamber Thursday morning.

Here’s what the Alabama delegation has to say about speaker Ryan:

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (AL-01):

Paul Ryan is a leading conservative thought leader who can unite the Republican Party and allow us to focus on advancing conservative solutions. With today’s leadership change, it is my hope the House will return to regular order and allow all Members to have a role in the legislative process.

Pleased to hear @SpeakerRyan commit to regular order and a focus on empowering all Members of Congress. That’s how the House should operate.

— Rep. Bradley Byrne (@RepByrne) October 29, 2015

U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (AL-02):

I’m pleased House Republicans have come together to support Paul Ryan for Speaker. I’m a conservative, so I want a bold leader who can unite Republicans and advance a conservative agenda. Paul Ryan is uniquely qualified to do that, so he has my support, and I hope he will be able to lay out a path to success despite a tough political environment. New leadership is a good thing sometimes, but it doesn’t mean everyone is going to start agreeing on every issue, every time. What’s important is to have a Speaker who will listen, be fair to all the Members, and follow through with commitments. No matter who is Speaker, my job is to look out for the interests of those I represent and to fight on their behalf in Washington.

Well said, @SpeakerRyan. Congratulations! https://t.co/46yZH75Gs2 — Rep. Martha Roby (@RepMarthaRoby) October 29, 2015

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03):

I believe that Paul Ryan is the right leader to become Speaker of the House. I thank him for putting the future of our country ahead of his own ambitions, and believe now is the time for conservatives in Congress to unite together in opposition to President Obama’s reckless policies like Obamacare and Planned Parenthood.

Prior to the nomination by House Republicans, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05) sent Ryan a letter asking him to agree to terms on immigration before it cast his vote. Upon Ryan’s agreement, Brooks said:

Based on Paul Ryan’s representations and my trust that Paul Ryan is a man of his word, I will vote for Paul Ryan for House Speaker on the House Floor if he is the Republican nominee.

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (AL-06):

Speaker Ryan has been granted the opportunity by a majority of his colleagues to lead the House. I believe he is capable. This has never been about the person or personality, but about process, about restoring regular order and having the House function as the Founders designed it to and as it should. We can restore constitutional governance, representative government, which is what we have all been elected to do. After hearing Speaker Ryan’s speech, I believe we have taken a major step forward. I look forward to working with Speaker Ryan and all of my colleagues as we pursue this goal.