Gov. Tate Reeves speaks at inauguration
Gov. Tate Reeves speaks after taking the oath of office.
THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE,GOVERNOR BRYANT, GOVERNORBARBOUR, THANK YOU FOR BEINGHERE.SPEAKER GUNN, SPEAKER PRO TEM,MEMBERS OF THE MISSISSIPPILEGISLATURE, FRIENDS, FAMILY,AND MY FELLOW MISSISSIPPIANS, ISMY GREATEST HONOR TO STANDBEFORE YOU TODAY AND TAKE THISSACRED OATH.I WAS JUST 29 YEARS OLD WHEN IFIRST TOOK AN OATH IN THISCAPITOL TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OFTHIS GREAT STATE.THE LAST SENTENCE OF THAT BOTHHIT ME HARD ON THAT DATE, ANDDRIVES ME STILL TODAY, "SO HELPME, GOD."BUT CALLED TO ACTION OF THE OATHOF OFFICE IS NOT A COMMITMENT TOBE PERFECT.IT IS A COMMITMENT TO SEEK THEGUIDANCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD TOCOMPENSATE FOR OUR HUMANFRAILTY.OUR FOREBEARS IN MISSISSIPPIGOVERNMENT WERE NOT PERFECT, BUTTHEY PERFECTLY SCRIPTED THISOATH, AND AS YOUR GOVERNOR, YOUHAVE MY COMMITMENT TO SEEK GOD’SGUIDANCE AND GOD’S WILL IN ALLTHAT I DO.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: WE BEGAN THISCELEBRATION ON SUNDAY IN THECHURCH WHERE WE HAVE WORSHIPSINCE WE WERE STUDENTS INCOLLEGE.AND TO START THIS CELEBRATION,WE PRAYED NOT THAT WE WOULD BEPERFECT, BUT THAT WE WOULD BEFAITHFUL.I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEWMOMENTS TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THEROAD AHEAD OF US AND ABOUT WHATIS BEHIND US.2019 WAS A TOUGH CAMPAIGN HERE.SOME WOULD SAY IT WAS A FULLCONTACT CAMPAIGN.BUT THAT CAMPAIGN IS OVER.CAMPAIGNS BY NECESSITY HIGHLIGHTDIFFERENCES.GOVERNING IS ABOUT COMINGTOGETHER.HERE IS MY PROMISE.THIS WILL BE AN ADMINISTRATIONFOR ALL MISSISSIPPI, FOR ALLMISSISSIPPI.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: NOW, THAT IS OURTHEME HERE TODAY, AND THAT WILLBE OUR MOTTO.THAT MEANS OUR TWO PRIORITIESWILL BE DEFENDING THE LOVINGCULTURE THAT UNDERPINS OURQUALITY OF LIFE AND GROWING THEECONOMY THAT LIFTS ALL OF OURFAMILIES.A CULTURE OF LOVE AND KINSHIPHAS KNITTED MISSISSIPPI FAMILIESTOGETHER AND TIED THEM TO EACHOTHER FOR AGES.IT IS WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL IN AFAST-PACED AND TRANSIENT WORLD.I WILL DEFEND OF THAT CULTUREAGAINST THE EROSION THAT PHRASESOCIETIES, AND I WILL WORK TOMAKE SURE OUR STATE GOVERNMENT’SFUNCTIONS REFLECT THE LOVE WEHAVE FOR EACH OTHER.THAT WILL MEAN TAKING CARE OFFOSTER KIDS.THAT WILL MEAN GIVINGSPECIAL-NEEDS KIDS THE SPECIALHELP THEY NEED.AND YES, IT WILL MEAN CLEANINGUP CORRECTIONS TO PROVIDE FORTHE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS ANDTHE HUMAN DIGNITY OF ALL WITHINTHE SYSTEM.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: IT WILL MEAN MAKINGSURE STATE GOVERNMENT IS NOTCAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAN ITSOLVES.AND OF COURSE, THE VERY BEST WAYTO SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR FAMILIESIS TO GET THEM GREAT JOBS.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: A GROWING, VIBRANTECONOMY SOLVES MORE PROBLEMSTHAN ANY GOVERNMENT GIVEAWAYEVER COULD.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: A GOVERNMENTPROGRAM HELPS FOR A MONTH, BUT AGOOD PAYING CAREER HELPS THEFAMILY FOR GENERATIONS.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: IT IS MY MISSION TOSPEND EVERY SINGLE DAY CREATINGA CLIMATE WHERE GOOD CAREERS AREPLENTIFUL, WITH EVERYMISSISSIPPIAN PREPARED TO PURSUETHEM.TO DO THIS, WE MUST RAISE OUREYE LINE AND OUR EXPECTATIONS.IT MUST NOT BE OUR AMBITIONDECENTLY KEEP UP WITH ARKANSASOR ALABAMA.IT MUST BE OUR GOAL TO COMPETEFOR THE VERY BEST JOBS IN ALLTHE WORLD.WE CAN DO IT.IT STARTS WITH WORKFORCETRAINING.I AM COMMITTED TO A HISTORY-MAKING INCREASE IN WORKFORCETRAINING IN OUR STATE, ASKILLS--BASED SYSTEM THAT WILLBE THE ENVY OF THE NATION.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: I AM COMMITTED TOELEVATING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.THAT MEANS A PAY RAISE FOR EVERYTEACHER AND A NEW MISSION TOGIVE US MORE NATIONAL BOARD-CERTIFIED TEACHERS PER CAPITATHAN ANY STATE IN THE NATION.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: NOW, YOU WILLNOTE THAT I DID NOT SAY MORETHAN ANYONE IN THE MIDSOUTH.I DID NOT SAY NUMBER ONE IN THESOUTHEAST.I SAID NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: IT IS A GOAL WE CANACHIEVE, AND ONE WORTHACHIEVING.WE HAVE DONE IT BEFORE, AND WECAN DO IT AGAIN.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: WHILE WE REBUILD OFWAY WE TRAIN OUR WORKFORCE FROMKINDERGARTEN BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL,WE WILL TRAVEL THE WORLD TO FINDTHE JOB CREATORS WHO WANTTO BE OUR PARTNERS.WE WILL COMB OUR STATE TO FINDTHE COMPANIES THAT WANT TO GROW.WE WILL LOWER BARRIERS TOINNOVATION.WE WILL DO EVERYTHING AND IPOWER TO MAKE SURE-- IN OURPOWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ISTHE EASIEST PLACE IN AMERICA TOSTART AND TO GROW A BUSINESS.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: NOW, YOU HAVE HEARDGOVERNORS TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITYAS LONG AS WE HAVE HADGOVERNORS.BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW FOR ME,IT IS NOT JUST A MATTER OFPOLITICS.IT IS NOT JUST A MATTER OFPOLICIES.IT’S PERSONAL.MY DAD IS JOINING ME IN THISCHAMBER TODAY, AND THAT IS MORETHAN FITTING.I WOULD NEVER HAVE MADE IT INTOANY CHAMBER WITHOUT HIM OR MYMOM AND MY BROTHER.MY DAD THREW UP AS ONE OF 11KIDS IN A TWO-ROOM HOUSE INMISSISSIPPI.IF YOU LOOK AT MY DAD’SCIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WOULD NEVERHAVE GUESSED WHAT HE WOULD’VEACCOMPLISHED.BUT THEN HE STARTED WORKING ONAIR CONDITIONERS.HE WORKED HARD AND GREW ANDBUILT AND GRINDED, UNTIL HE WASONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED PEOPLEIN HIS FIELD AND THE ENTIRESTATE OF MISSISSIPPI.HIS SKILLS AND HIS CHARACTERCHANGED HIS LIFE, AND THATCHANGED MINE.IT MUST BE THE MISSION OF OURGOVERNMENT TO OPEN THE DOORS OFGENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO MOREPEOPLE IN OUR STATE.NORTH AND SOUTH, MAN AND WOMAN,BLACK AND WHITE.WHEN WE GRADUATED FROM MILLSAPS,WE BOTH HAD OPPORTUNITIES TOWORK IN OTHER STATES.I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE, PEOPLETEND TO LIKE HER BETTER, SO SHEHAD MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN IDID.[LAUGHTER]GOV.
REEVES: WE WERE WAY TOOYOUNG TO BE WISE, BUT WE DIDMAKE ONE WISE DECISION THAT HASSHAPED OUR LIVES EVER SINCE.TOGETHER, AS A YOUNG COUPLE, WEDECIDED TO STAND OUR GROUND INSOCIETY.WE DECIDED ----STAND OUR GROUNDIN MISSISSIPPI.WE DECIDED --[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: WE DECIDED WE WOULDGET MARRIED.WE DECIDED TO PURSUE MISSISSIPPICAREERS.WE DECIDED WE WOULD RAISEMISSISSIPPI KIDS.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: AND THEN WE DECIDEDWE WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO MAKEMISSISSIPPI BETTER.I HAVE NEVER REGRETTED IT.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: AND LET’S GIVE AROUND OF APPLAUSE TO ELEE FORALL SHE HAS PUT UP WITH.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: NO SURPRISE SHEGETS THE LARGEST APPLAUSE OF THEDAY.[LAUGHTER]GOV.
REEVES: WE HAVE NEVERREGRETTED THOSE DECISIONS, ANDNOW, AS GOVERNOR, I WILL SPARENO EFFORT TO FINISH THE JOB WESTARTED.AS STATE TREASURER, I RODESHOTGUN ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTMISSIONS WITH THE GREATESTSALESMAN MISSISSIPPI HAS EVERKNOWN.AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I GOT TOWALK SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH AGREAT THIS YEAR WHO CAN RELATETO EVERY PERSON IN MISSISSIPPI,GOVERNOR BARBOUR, AND GOVERNORBRYANT, YOU HAVE PREPARED MEWELL, AND I THANK YOU.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: THE GREATESTPREPARATION YOU GAVE ME WAS THEUNDERSTANDING THAT NO GOVERNORDOES THIS JOB ALONE.LEADERSHIP IS AN ATTITUDE OFCOMMON PURPOSE.IT IS THE PRODUCT OF SOLIDARITY.IT COMES ONLY WHEN WE ALL BEGINCARRYING ABOUT EACH OTHER MORETHAN OURSELVES.THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP REQUIRESA SENSE OF MISSION, NOT JUST FOROUR GOVERNOR AND NOT JUST FOROUR LEGISLATURE, BUT A SENSE OFMISSION FOR ALL MISSISSIPPI.I AM ASKING YOU TODAY TO JOIN MEIN THAT MISSION.WE MUST CARE ABOUT EACH OTHERENOUGH TO OVERCOME OURDIFFERENCES.WE MUST BE FAITHFUL TO EACHOTHER ENOUGH TO OUTLAST OURSHORTCOMINGS.CAN WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO EACHOTHER ENOUGH TO RAISE OUREXPECTATIONS.WEWHEN I TOOK THAT FIRST OATH OFOFFICE IN 2003, I DID NOT KNOWHOW LONG MY SERVICE WOULD LAST.ALL I KNEW IS THAT YOU, THEPEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPI, HADDEMONSTRATED A FAITH IN ME THATI MIGHT NEVER BE ABLE TO MEET.I HAVE NEVER UNDERESTIMATED YOURTRUST.I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THE OATHTO PURSUE SERVICE WITH THE HELPOF OUR GOD.AND I WILL WAKE UP EVERY DAYWORKING TO BRING US TOGETHER, TOMAKE OUR STATE BE ALL THAT CANBE, WORK THAT WILL BE DONE BYALL OF MISSISSIPPI FOR ALL OFMISSISSIPPI.[APPLAUSE]GOV.
REEVES: THANK YOU FOR YOURSUPPORT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOURPRAYERS.GOD BLESS YOU, GOD BLESS YOURFAMILY’S, AND MAY GOD BLESS THEGREAT STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.[APPLAUSE]
