The following information is from a press release issued by the staff of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

Washington, DC – Today, marking the start of the 113^th Congress, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) was sworn in to his second term as Rhode Island’s junior senator.  The Oath of Office was administered by Vice President Joe Biden during a ceremony on the Senate Floor.  Whitehouse was accompanied by Rhode Island’s senior senator, Jack Reed.

“It has been my life’s honor to serve the people of Rhode Island in the United States Senate, and I thank them for putting their trust in me for another six years,” Whitehouse said.  “In the months and years ahead, I will continue the fights that I began during my first term: to support middle class families and the programs – like Social Security and Medicare – that they depend on; to boost our economy and create jobs; and to preserve our environment and combat the effects of climate change.  And through it all, I will continue to listen to Rhode Islanders at my community dinners and other events throughout the state, so I can better represent their interests and concerns in Washington.”

Whitehouse’s Senate seat was previously held by John O. Pastore, John Chafee, and Lincoln Chafee.  He was re-elected in November with 65 percent of the vote.

Video of Whitehouse’s swearing-in ceremony is available here.