Jul. 7--WASHINGTON -- With his hand on a Bible that belonged to the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, Al Franken today was sworn into the U.S. Senate.

He was walked down the aisle by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota and former Vice President Walter Mondale, also a former Democratic Senate member from Minnesota. It is the ritual for senators-elect to be escorted by the member from their delegation.

Before the oath, Klobuchar introduced Franken to the Senate in brief remarks, recalling his work as a comic, his upbringing in St. Louis Park, and compared his energy and passion to that of Wellstone.

"Despite a little delay... it's been 246 days since Election day... Al Franken now joins me in representing the state of Minnesota," Klobuchar said.

Vice President Joe Biden administered the short solemn oath of office.

The oath read: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."

And with that, he begame Minnesota's junior senator.