the seat held for 46 years by the late Ted Kennedy. Photo: AP
By MEREDITH SHINER | 2/4/10 5:18 PM EST
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) was sworn in Thursday evening on the Senate floor, officially taking the seat held for 46 years by the late Ted Kennedy.
Brown, who won a Jan. 19 special election and broke the Democrats filibuster-proof 60 seats, was given the oath of office by Vice President Joe Biden.
Brown arrived in Washington on Thursday, just hours after his election was certified in Massachusetts, and he was welcomed by Republicans as the magic 41st GOP senator.
Before his swearing in, the former state legislator was greeted at the Russell Senate Office Building by a pool of reporters and cameras, holding the media off as he reached into the back of his vehicle to retrieve his certification papers.
“It’s exciting,” Brown said to the crowd. “I’m humbled and honored to represent the people of Massachusetts. Now it’s time to get to work."
Thursday also marked the final day of service for Sen. Paul Kirk, the Democrat charged with completing Kennedy's term. Kirk, who said he has worked closely with Brown to ease the transition between offices, gave farewell remarks on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon, reflecting on Kennedy's legacy.
"It was my special gift to have had Senator Kennedy's trust and friendship since signing on as a member of his Senate staff some 40 years ago," Kirk said. "But following his death, to be encouraged by his family — his devoted wife, Vicki, and his children Kara, Ted Jr., and Patrick —- to consider an appointment to succeed the man whom they so loved and who achieved so much in this body is a humbling honor for which no words of thanks are adequate."
