The Democrats will take control of the Senate Wednesday afternoon after Vice President Kamala Harris sworn in three new members – including her own replacement.
Sens.-elect Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) Are sworn in after the inauguration, which begins at 12 noon. ET, a source familiar with the matter, tells The Post.
Ossoff and Warnock defeated incumbent Republicans Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in runoff elections that took control of the upper chamber of Congress.
The two Georgians were not sworn in with their colleagues as their runoff elections were held on January 5th, while the 117th Congress was sworn in on January 3rd.
Senator-elect Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), meanwhile, has been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the remainder of Harris’ tenure after being selected to run for the Democratic presidential ticket.
The outgoing California Secretary of State, who will become the first Hispanic Senator to represent the Golden State, will be sworn in with his new Democrats from Georgia.
In her capacity as Vice President, Harris will preside as President of the Senate, giving her one vote granted in the committee.
With an evenly split Senate, Harris becomes the groundbreaking vote that gives the Democrats an effective majority.
The incoming Vice President resigned her Senate seat on Monday afternoon before swearing in herself.
Ossoff, Warnock and Padilla will join the Senate at a critical moment. Simultaneously with the hearings to confirm President Biden’s cabinet candidates, the House will run for the second impeachment trial against President Donald Trump.
With the Democrats taking control of the House, Senate and Presidency, Congress will act quickly too to push through a number of items on the party’s legislative agenda, including another round of COVID-19 aid.
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