As the House devolved into chaos Tuesday over the future of the speakership, the mood in the Senate was decidedly more buoyant as California Democrat Laphonza Butler was sworn in to replace the late Dianne Feinstein, who died last week.
Butler entered the chamber to cheers from her family in the gallery, surrounded by Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., as she was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This is a historic moment for the Senate, for California and for the entire country,” Schumer said from the floor following the swearing-in. “Sen. Butler is only the third Black woman in American history to serve in the United States Senate. She’s the first openly lesbian senator from California, and she’s the first openly LGBTQ senator of color to serve in this body. Today, the Senate takes another step toward fully reflecting our vibrant democracy.”
