WASHINGTON -- Jocelyn Birch Burdick was sworn in Wednesday as a member of the Senate to succeed her late husband, Sen. Quentin Burdick, D-N.D.
She was appointed to the vacancy by Gov. George Sinner and will serve until a special election is held for the remainder of Burdick's term -- probably in early December.
She is the third woman serving in the Senate.
The other two are Sens. Nancy Kassebaum, R-Kan., and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.
The Burdicks were married in 1960, a month after he won a special election to the Senate.
He served 32 years before his death last week and was chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Born in 1922, Mrs. Burdick was the great granddaughter of Matilda Joslyn Gage, a leading suffragette and feminist theologian.
She was officially welcomed to the Senate by Democratic leader George Mitchell of Maine and Republican leader Robert Dole of Kansas.
The oath was administered by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., the president pro tem of the Senate.
Burdick was accompanied down the center of the aisle to the presiding officer's desk by Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., who is retiring this year after one term and Rep. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., who is running for Conrad's seat.
