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The 116th Congress was sworn in on Thursday, and its diverse new members broke historic barriers on representation.
Thursday’s swearing-in also ushered a number of individual historic firsts into power.
Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) became the first Muslim women in Congress. Tlaib, who is also the first Palestinian-American woman in the national legislature, wore a thobe ― a traditional Palestinian dress ― at the swearing-in for all House members and planned to use the Quran for a later, individual swearing-in ceremony. Omar, who is also the first Somali-American elected to Congress, wore a hijab ― a first on the House floor, which previously banned lawmakers from donning headwear.
After a record wave of LGBTQ candidates ran in 2018, several broke barriers with their wins in November ― including former Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who made history Thursday as the first openly bisexual person to be sworn in to the Senate.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, wore white on Thursday in honor of the suffragists who fought for women’s right to vote.
And Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) ― the country’s first Native American women in Congress ― hugged and wiped away tears on the House floor after their swearing-in.
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