January 1997: First Month in Office

CTH being sworn in with Al Gore.jpg

Lilibet Hagel holds the Bible as Vice President Al Gore swore in her husband on January 7, 1997.

How does a U.S. Senator fill up a day? A month? Easily. Through schedules, photos, and other items from the career of U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (1997-2009), learn about the varied work of a U.S. Senator one month at a time. Some months kick off a new president. Others bring tragedy or controversy. Still others show the normal rhythm of politicians at work. 

These documents are a sample of the items in the U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Archives. Discover this material by searching our Archives & Special Collections database and visiting us in Criss Library.

CREDITS: Exhibit curated by Hagel Archivist Lori Schwartz, 2016. Hagel Fellow Darby Reiners helped select items.

Swearing-In and First Days in Office

Committee Service

Hagel served on both the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations ("FRC" throughout the Hagel Papers) and the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs for his entire twelve years in office, 1997 to 2009. He was a member of the Special Committee on Aging for all of his first term, and then switched to the Select Committee on Intelligence for his second term. In addition, he served on Labor and Human Resources, Energy and Natural Resources, and Budget for part of his first term, and on the Rules and Administration Committee his last four years in office, 2005 to 2008.

The Media

Other Firsts