[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 69-70]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     OPENING OF THE 108TH CONGRESS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, 35 of our colleagues have just sworn the 
oath of a United States Senator. I wish to congratulate all 35 of our 
colleagues, the 11 new Members and the 24 returning to this Chamber. I 
also want to welcome back to the Senate the rest of our esteemed 
colleagues, the former Members and the many friends that we have with 
us today, and family members--all who have joined us on what is truly a 
historic day as we convene the 108th Congress.
  The very special tradition that we have just witnessed dates back to 
that first Congress in 1789, when that oath was a very simple one 
sentence, the oath being:

       I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of 
     the United States.
  Those words in the version that we just heard recited--when you come 
down to the essence--are a truly sacred bond that we all share in this 
body, regardless of what status, what State, what party, or what rank 
and what creed we represent.
  Indeed, it is my hope that in this Congress we will be defined by 
achievement as well as a cooperative spirit.
  At this point in time, our Nation faces truly historic challenges--
winning the war against terror, boosting economic growth, job creation, 
addressing multiple health care challenges that now have become crises, 
and ensuring our agenda is inclusive of all Americans.
  I look forward to working with our colleagues both on our side of the 
aisle and on the other side of the aisle--in particular with my 
colleague from South Dakota, Senator Daschle--to ensure that we 
succeed. I am convinced that we will find, based on our own principles, 
common ground to bridge this aisle between us.
  As majority leader of the Senate, I pledge to serve this body, to 
serve the people of Tennessee, and to serve the American people to the 
best of my ability. I will remain guided by those same timeless 
principles of our founding documents. And, above all, I hope to enable 
this body to continue to contribute to the greatness of all Americans.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)

[[Page 70]]

  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The democratic leader.

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