By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-05 19:28:01 | Updated at 2025-01-07 10:38:44
1 day ago
A massive winter storm moving across the United States will not keep the US Congress from meeting on Monday to formally certify Republican Donald Trump’s election as president, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday.
“The Electoral Count Act requires this on January 6 at 1pm – so, whether we’re in a blizzard or not we’re going to be in that chamber making sure this is done,” Johnson told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures in an interview.
Johnson said he hoped there would be full attendance despite the storm and that he had encouraged lawmakers to stay in the city.
Forecasts called for heavy snow and high winds from the Central Plains to the mid-Atlantic states, the National Weather Service said. Severe weather advisories were issued across the eastern half of the country, including blizzard warnings in parts of Kansas.
In Washington, mixed snow and sleet accumulations were expected to be between three and seven inches (7 to 18cm), promising a difficult commute and possible closings of schools, government and businesses.
Bad winter weather can wreak havoc in the Washington metropolitan area, which has seen mild winters in recent decades and has at times been unprepared for accumulations of snow or ice.
