WASHINGTON — For the fourth time in the last five Congresses, a freshman — this time Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah — was sworn in Wednesday to represent Utah's 2nd District in the U.S. House.
Matheson's wife and son and his mother, former Utah first lady Norma Matheson, watched the ceremony. Meanwhile, across the Capitol in the Senate, another first lady was making history.
Hillary Rodham Clinton was sworn in as a senator from New York, while President Clinton watched in the gallery. They, obviously, became the country's first president-senator couple, at least for 17 days, until President Clinton leaves office on Jan. 20.
Matheson is among 41 freshmen in the House, where Republicans hold control with a slim 221-212 margin. Two independents make up the total.
Sen. Clinton is among 11 freshmen in the Senate, where each party holds 50 seats. For 17 days, Vice President Al Gore holds the tie-breaking vote there, giving Democrats a short-term majority until Republican Dick Cheney becomes vice president.
Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle has said his party is unlikely to try to change Senate rules or pass controversial legislation in the short time that it controls the majority.
However, Daschle and Democrats are negotiating hard for equal representation on all Senate committees. But most Republicans, including Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who has been the Judiciary Committee chairman, argue they should have at least a one-seat majority on committees since they will hold the Senate majority.
Because House members are elected to two-year terms, the entire chamber was sworn in together Wednesday.
With that, Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, the longest-serving House member ever from Utah, began his 11th term. He is also expected to become chairman of the full House Resources Committee.
Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, began his third term. He has an outside shot at becoming chairman of a House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, if two members with more seniority obtain chairmanships on other committees.
In the Senate, Hatch was sworn in for his fifth six-year term. He is expected to continue as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman once Republicans regain the Senate majority on Jan. 20.
Hatch met Wednesday morning with Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft while an army of photographers recorded their greeting. They met in preparation for what could be tough confirmation hearings for Ashcroft before the Judiciary Committee.
Several Democrats say they question Ashcroft's commitment to enforce civil rights and abortion laws that he criticized as a senator.
Meanwhile, Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, is two years into his second six-year term. He is expected to become the Senate leader of the Joint Economic Committee, although the House leader will be its chairman for the next two years. He is also expected to continue as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch and chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions.
Also on Wednesday, the House was expected to adopt several minor new rules.
One of the new rules will ban naming public works projects after a sitting member of Congress. And the House will drop requirements to print several types of internal documents, such as reports and journals. Instead, rules will allow transmitting them electronically.
Matheson's swearing-in continues a trend in the past decade of almost always having a freshmen represent Utah's 2nd District. Incumbents in the district have continually run into political and personal trouble.
E-MAIL: lee@desnews.com