Two months after defeating (D) Mary Burke in the November mid-term, Gov. Scott Walker officially begins his second term as the Governor of Wisconsin.

Gov. Walker was sworn in Monday morning in front of a packed house at the State Capital building in Madison.

Here is an excerpt from his address:

“Now, we have a grand vision for the future—a dream of freedom and prosperity for all who live here in the great state of Wisconsin.

We will help our fellow citizens—regardless of mobility or income, station or status in life—to achieve the education and skills needed to succeed in their chosen occupations.  This will not only help fill positions open today, but will build confidence in employers that they can create new jobs and find qualified workers to fill them.

We will ensure every child—regardless of background or birthright—has access to a quality education.  For many, like my sons and me, it is in a traditional public school.  For others, it may be in a charter, a private, a virtual or even a home school environment.  Regardless, we will empower families to make the choice that is right for their sons and daughters.

We will reduce the size and scope of government to match the will of the people.  State agencies will be merged to make them more effective, more efficient, and more accountable to the public.  We will continue to weed out waste, fraud, and abuse.  Budgets will be set based on the taxpayers’ ability to pay and not on the government’s ability to spend.

We will build the needed infrastructure to support a thriving economy.  A transportation system to assist major industries, like manufacturing, agriculture, forest products, and tourism is a key part of this infrastructure.  So is broadband internet access to connect every part of the state to the global economy and cost effective and reliable sources of power to fuel our growing economy.

Overall, everyone in this state should have an opportunity to live their piece of the American Dream—right here in Wisconsin.”

Gov. Walker faces a number of issues in his second term, including a $2.2 billion budget shortfall.

He does have a Republican majority in both the State Senate and the Assembly, which means pushing his agenda should not come with many hurdles.