Politics & Government

Mark Sanford Sworn In As Congressman

Oath administered by House Speaker John Boehner.

The journey back to public life for Mark Sanford was made complete today when he was sworn into Congress

Sanford was sworn in by House Speaker John Boehner in the Capital Building in Washington, DC. He spoke briefly after the ceremony and was joined on the House floor by members of the Congressional delegation.

"I stand before you with a whole new appreciation, indeed for a god of second chances and how in the events of our life, up our down, how we can be redefined as human beings," Sanford said, in part.

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View the entire speech HERE.

Sanford previously served three terms in the House from 1995-2001 and will pick up his tenure, putting him in the top half of lawmakers in terms of seniority.

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However, Sanford is not expected to land a seat on any of the major committees, at least according to a story in Bloomberg

Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas told Bloomberg, “If you come halfway through (the term), some of the slots are already filled."

Sessions indicated that Sanford might be a good fit on the Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation panel. In his previous stint, Sanford was on the Foreign Affairs Committee, then called the International Relations panel. The former governor was also on the Government Reform and Oversight panel, the Joint Economic Committee and the Science Committee.

But the extra-marital affair that cost Sanford his marriage and nearly the governship is still on the minds of some members of the House cautious. 

Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), told Bloomberg, “I imagine he’s going to get some shots here and there, but I think he probably expects that.”

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