By TRISH TURNER, ABC News

(WASHINGTON) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday formally recognized Joe Biden as the incoming president six weeks after the November election.

Saying “the Electoral College has spoken,” McConnell, speaking on the Senate floor, said, “this morning, our country has officially a president-elect and a vice president-elect.”

 

BREAKING: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledges Joe Biden, Kamala Harris as president-elect and vice-president elect, weeks after the election.

“The Electoral College has spoken. So today I want to congratulate President-Elect Joe Biden.” https://t.co/NpXFYQCnV9 pic.twitter.com/3WWGDWbJUj

— ABC News (@ABC) December 15, 2020

 

“I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden,” McConnell said.

After going through a litany of what he said were President Donald Trump’s “many accomplishments,” he turned to Monday’s Electoral College vote.

“Many of us hoped that the presidential election would yield a different result, but our system of government has a process to determine who will be sworn in on January 20,” he said.

“The president-elect is no stranger to the Senate. He’s devoted himself to public service for many years,” McConnell continued, before turning to Kamala Harris’ historic win.

“I also want to congratulate the vice president-elect, our colleague from California, Senator Harris. Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the first time,” he said.

Shortly afterward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took the floor, saying, “for the sake of the country, President Trump should take his cue from Senator McConnell.

“Enough is enough,” he said.

“Republican senators and Republicans throughout the country” should follow McConnell’s lead and acknowledge Biden, Schumer said.

This is a developing story. Please check for updates.

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