111th U.S. Congress Opens as Senate and House Swear in New Members

The 111^th U.S. Congress has officially opened with the Senate welcoming nine new members while the House seated 54 new members.

One obvious absentee from the Senate floor was Roland Burris, the man tapped to fill Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat by embattle Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Senate Democrats had vowed to block Burris from taking the seat despite being a Democrat himself and when he arrived on Tuesday to be sworn in he was turned away.

Democrats had said they would not recognize any appointments made by Blagojevich who is now in the middle of a bribery scandal that leave shim facing impeachment. After being refused entry into the Senate Burris spoke with reporters outside noting, “I presented my credentials to the secretary of the Senate, and was advised that my credentials were not in order.”

Along with the Burris controversy the Senate was also missing a representative from Minnesota as the battle for the seat continues between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman. That race is currently being challenged by Coleman who has disputed official certification that Franken won by 225 votes.

The Senate currently has 56 Democrats seated, not counting Minnesota while Republicans have 41 seats. There are two independents holding seats in the Senate.

In the House of Representatives the Democrats have 256 seats while Republicans hold 178 seats. There is currently one vacant seat.

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