Scott Brown sworn in as U.S. Senator

BOSTON (AP) - Scott Brown is now officially a U.S. senator.

The Massachusetts Republican was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday at a Capitol Hill ceremony. Brown took over the seat held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, who died in August of brain cancer.

The little-known former Massachusetts state senator rocked the nation with his upset victory last month over a favored Democrat and put this year's midterm elections in play for a possible GOP takeover of Congress.

Brown's arrival ends the Democrats' Senate supermajority and gives the GOP 41 votes they can use to block President Barack Obama's agenda.

Brown has promised to be an independent voice, telling Republican leaders recently they won't always be able to count on his vote.