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Amy Klobuchar Sworn In As Minnesota's New U.S. Senator; Pledges to Fight for Change in Washington

January 4, 2007

(Washington, D.C.) As the 110th Congress convened today, Amy Klobuchar was sworn in as Minnesota’s new United States Senator. Klobuchar was joined at the swearing-in ceremony by family, friends and supporters from Minnesota, including former Vice President Walter F. Mondale.

Klobuchar said she brings to Washington the Minnesota values of hard work, fair play and responsibility, as well as a mandate to push for change and a new direction in Washington.

“The people of Minnesota and across America sent a message of change to Washington,” said Klobuchar. “From this day forward, our leaders in Washington must begin to deliver on that message. That’s why I’m here, and that’s what I’ll fight for.”

Klobuchar said that some of her first priorities as Senator will include:

- ethics reform to restrict the influence of powerful special interests in Congress;
- authorizing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs;
- a change of course in Iraq;
- greater support for homegrown renewable energy, including ethanol, biomass fuels and wind power; and
- tax relief for the middle class, including tax deductions for higher education.

“There are few things more precious in a democracy than the public’s trust in our government and our leaders,” Klobuchar said. “The people of Minnesota have put their trust in me. In everything I do as Senator, I will be guided by that trust. I’m coming to do the people’s work.”

As Senator, Klobuchar will serve on four committees: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and the Senate-House Joint Economic Committee.

Klobuchar is the first woman in Minnesota history to be elected to the U.S. Senate. She now occupies the Senate seat held most recently by Mark Dayton, who did not seek re-election. Earlier in history, this Senate seat was held by David Durenberger, Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy and Frank B. Kellogg.

In November, Klobuchar was elected to the Senate with a 20-point margin of victory over Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy.

For the previous eight years, Klobuchar was the elected Hennepin County Attorney, serving as chief prosecutor for Minnesota’s most populous county.