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New US Congress Convenes
The 107th US Congress convened Wednesday with the Republican and Democratic parties more evenly divided in the Senate and House than in decades.
The new Congress will continue Republican control of both chambers that began in 1995. It will be the first time that Republicans will have had control of both Congress and the White House since January 1955, when Dwight Eisenhower was president.
The new Senate was divided 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats for the first time since 1881 while the new House was controlled by the Republican party by a margin of 9 seats only.
The Republicans hold 221 seats in the House against the 211 Democratic seats, plus two independents evenly divided between the two parties and one vacancy.
New York Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was the first presidential spouse to enter Congress, took her oath of office as her husband, President Bill Clinton, looked on.
Vice President Al Gore, who lost his White House bid to his Republican rival George W. Bush last month, administered the oath of office to the first lady and other senators elected in November.
Gore recognized the Senate Democratic leader, Senator Tom Daschle, as "the majority leader" and Senator Trent Lott, the top Republican, as "the minority leader".
Until January 20 when the new president is sworn in, Democrats will be the Senate majority because Gore will still be vice president and can preside over the Senate. Vice President-Elect Dick Cheney will take Gore's position on January 20 and hold the tie-breaking vote as president of the Senate.
"I believe very deeply that we all must respect, and wherever possible, help President-elect Bush because from the moment he takes his solemn oath a great responsibility will rest in his hands," Gore told the 38 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, all fellow Democrats, before the swearing-in ceremony.
The new Congress will begin focusing on Bush's agenda of cutting taxes, loosening federal strings on education and other issues.
Both chambers will meet in a joint session on Saturday for Congress' ceremonial task of reading the electoral votes that made George W. Bush the next president.
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