Blunt takes oath of office

U.S. Sen.-Elect Roy Blunt on Jan. 5 took the oath of office administered by Vice President Joe Biden in Washington D.C., to become Missouri's 45th federal senator.

Blunt was elected in November to take the seat that was held by Christopher "Kit" Bond since 1986. He joins Sen. Claire McCaskill to represent Missouri's interests in the U.S. Senate.

In a statement released following his swearing-in ceremony, Blunt presented a number of questions facing Missouri constituents.

"The moment we face is a moment where people really want to know: Where are the private sector jobs? Why is the government spending so much money? And are we going to live in a country where the government is bigger than the people, or where the people are bigger than the government?

"I am going to do everything I can to ensure that we live in a country where the people are bigger than the government, and I will continue my conversation with Missourians to be sure that we continue to fight for jobs and common sense solutions to the problems we face," he said in the statement.

The current salary for all senators is $174,000, with the exception of the speaker, $223,500, and the majority and minority leaders, $193,400, according to the Senate Web site.

Blunt, a Republican, took 54.3 percent, or 1,051,495, of the votes to defeat his opponent, Democrat Robin Carnahan, in the November general election.

Blunt served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996-2008, and was elected house majority whip and Republican Whip three times, according to his Senate Web site.[[In-content Ad]]