Democrats settle into power in the Senate

New Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Democrats stepped into their new role as the chamber's majority party with ease late on Wednesday morning, following a brief series of introductions, a swearing-in ceremony for the new Senate president pro tempore, and a few minutes of congratulatory speeches.

The new-look U.S. Senate was gaveled to order at 11 a.m. The Democrats, who hold a fragile one-seat majority, are in control for the first time since January 1995 when the GOP took over both houses of Congress following the 1994 midterm elections.

Sens. Tom Daschle and Robert Byrd of West Virginia were recognized as the new Democratic leaders, completing the power switch initiated when Jim Jeffords of Vermont announced two weeks ago that he would leave the Republican Party to become an independent.

INTERACTIVE The Senate's switch from Republican to Democratic control will be a low-key affair short on ceremony, but long on behind-the-scenes discussions. Here's how it will happen.    ON THE SCENE John King: Power shakeup in the Senate and other political news  CNN ACCESS Lieberman: In Senate, 'nothing happens smoothly' Thompson: GOP needs 'some accommodation'    IN-DEPTH Senate power shift    VIDEO CNN's Bill Schneider analyzes the recent history of partisan control over the U.S. Senate (June 6) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Watch the formal handover and hear from new majority leader Sen. Tom Daschle and former majority leader Sen. Trent Lott (June 6) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Incoming Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle told CNN this morning the parties should 'work together to find middle ground.' (June 6) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Wolf Blizter interviews Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura on the U.S. Senate power switch (June 5) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jonathan Karl reports on the transition of power in the U.S. Senate (June 5) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    MESSAGE BOARD Congressional divide    ALSO Senators consider organizing resolution after shake-up Smiles, handshakes on the Senate floor Will McCain be next to jump ship? TIME.com: Welcome to the New Washington

The day began with new Senate Majority Whip Harry Reid of Nevada taking the chair following a brief invocation to recognize Daschle as the Senate's new majority leader.

Daschle, in turn, moved to appoint Byrd the new Senate president pro tempore, replacing 98-year-old Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

Once Byrd received the oath of office from Reid, he assumed the president's chair and gave the floor to Daschle who gave his first speech as majority leader.

Daschle replaces longtime Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, who now becomes Senate minority leader.

The South Dakota Democrat said he was humbled by his new position, and mindful that his duty was maintain an air of productivity and civility in the closely divided chamber.

"Polarizing positions are an indulgence," he said, "an indulgence we cannot afford."

"The noise you sometimes hear [here] is the noise of democracy," he said. "It is a beautiful sound, though it may not always be the sound you want to hear."

Lott, following Daschle on the floor, pledged his aide when appropriate.

"I know, Sen. Daschle, that the weight of this job will be as heavy as the weight on Atlas when he carried the world on his shoulders," Lott said. "I hope I can help sometimes to make that burden a little lighter."

Daschle, surveying the new landscape before him earlier in the day, admitted there are still fundamental disagreements between Democrats and Republicans. But, he said, the two parties must work out their differences.

"My message will be, let's find a way to work together, to find middle ground on the array of issues we all care about -- whether it's education, patients' bill of rights, prescription drug benefits, energy policy, hate crimes," he told CNN.

"There are a lot of things that we can do together, and I'm hopeful that we can find a way and that we can demonstrate that this is a new day," Daschle said.

The shift in power officially took place at the end of business Tuesday, following Sen. Jeffords' formal exit from the Republican Party.

Democrats now have a 50-49 edge.

As a show of good faith to his Republican colleagues, Daschle introduced a resolution calling for Thurmond to be named Senate "president pro tempore emeritus."

Daschle also said Democrats and Republicans would continue to share presiding duties in the chamber, part of the power-sharing agreement reached when the Senate was split 50-50.

Reid replaces Sen. Don Nickles, R-Oklahoma, as majority whip, the No. 2 man in the Senate.

Majority Whip Harry Reid of Nevada administers the oath of office to new Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Byrd of West Virginia.

With 30 minutes of ceremony and pleasantries behind them, Senate lawmakers moved on to their ongoing consideration of President Bush's prized bill to overhaul the public education system.

Negotiations were to continue later in the day on the two parties' efforts to reach common ground on an organizing resolution that set membership ratios for each of the Senate's committees.

With the Democrats' ascension to power, they will now enjoy majorities on all of the panels, although the details are still being negotiated. The Democrats support a resolution that calls for a one-seat majority on committees.