Inauguration Ticket Requests

Thank you for your interest in the Inauguration of the President of the United States, Barack Obama. The peaceful transfer of power in our country is a moving and patriotic event. I am so pleased that you want to be a part of it, and I wish that more Middle Tennesseans will have the chance to personally witness this historic event.

Unfortunately, each Member of Congress has been allotted only 177 standing tickets to view the swearing-in ceremony on the U.S. Capitol mall. I have made some decisions about how my tickets will be distributed, and I urge you to read the information below. Even if you do not receive a ticket to the swearing-in ceremony, there are likely to be numerous public events occurring during that week. Please contact my office to be added to the list. We will continue to provide you with information, as we receive it, right up until Inaugural Week.

Thanks again for your interest, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Regards,
Jim Cooper

INAUGURAL TICKET INFORMATION

- Due to high demand, each request will be limited to TWO tickets, and a strong preference will be given to those who did not receive tickets in 2008. In order to remain on the list, you must reply to this e-mail with the name and address of the second person in your party.

- Names will be drawn through a LOTTERY process to distribute a portion of the tickets.

- The deadline for inauguration ticket requests is December 1st .

- Tickets are non-transferable and must be picked up in person with a photo ID in Washington on January 20, 2013, the day before the ceremony. Please note that no tickets will be sent by mail or overnight delivery.

- Ticket notifications will be sent to you by December 14th.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We received over 4,000 requests for tickets in 2008. Please understand that, at this time, we cannot guarantee anyone a ticket. We will do our best to accommodate as many requests as possible, but it is likely that there will be many disappointments. We will coordinate with both of Tennessee's Senate offices to make sure as many people as possible get tickets.

All ticket holders should expect to stand for several hours in lines and during the ceremony. Additionally, the weather is cold and rainy in January, and it could snow. It is important to take the weather conditions into consideration.

In 2008, parts of the Mall were open to visitors so that those without tickets were able to view the ceremony. We have not heard if the Mall will be open again this year, but we will provide you with that information as soon as we receive it.

We encourage you to look for a hotel room now if you plan to visit Washington, DC during the Inaugural festivities. Lodging in Washington and the surrounding area has already started filling up. Please be aware that many hotels are only offering non-refundable rooms, and four-night minimum stays, so you may have to commit to a hotel room before you know if you will receive a ticket to the ceremony.

There are many sights to see in DC including monuments and museums. Check out Congressman Cooper's Guide to Visiting Washington D.C. for a list of some of the opportunities. You can also visit the official Inauguration website.

Thank you again for contacting us about the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Ambrose
(202) 225-4311