Harris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States
On 20 January 2021 Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president, the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the office. The Vice President of the United States presides over the Senate, casts tie-breaking votes, and carries delegated White House portfolios. In the causal graph this event strengthens Democratic Resilience, a driver that strengthens Having a say in government — an improving welfare path.
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On 20 January 2021 Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president, the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the office.
Context
Biden was president. Neighbouring ARP tie-break is March.
ARP 5 March 2021 is a child instrument. 20 January 2025 is the end of the term.
The Vice President of the United States presides over the Senate, casts tie-breaking votes, and carries delegated White House portfolios. She does not write House bills, CBP operational orders, or Federal Reserve rate decisions. A vice president is not co-author of every presidential statute.
Why it matters
The path is democratic resilience and social cohesion: a completed historic rotation into the vice presidency is a dated representation-and-succession instrument.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
Kamala Harris
PersonDirect responsibility
responsibility level 0.55 · verified
Voters elected the ticket. Congress counted. She took the oath. Biden headed the executive.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactHarris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States
- strengthensDriverDemocratic Resilience
- strengthensIndicators (3)Having a say in government
impact weight 0.4 · Effect from 20 January 2021 · verified
A completed peaceful inauguration after 2020 is a dated transfer instrument.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.28 (weight 0.4 × strength 0.7)
Observed
29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)
Worse than normalTwo readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).
20212023 Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.18 (weight 0.4 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.53 score from 0 to 1 · 0.34 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.17 score from 0 to 1 to 0.53 score from 0 to 1.
Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.18 (weight 0.4 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
- FactHarris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States
- strengthensDriverSocial Cohesion
- strengthensIndicators (2)Having a say in government
impact weight 0.35 · Effect from 20 January 2021 · verified
A completed first woman/Black/Asian-American vice presidency is a dated representation instrument.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.16 (weight 0.35 × strength 0.45)
Observed
29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)
Worse than normalTwo readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).
20212023 Above normal = better
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.16 (weight 0.35 × strength 0.45)
Observed
43.9 Score · 43.9 above the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal26 readings, 1996–2024: rose from 43 Score to 43.9 Score.
Normal is zero · any amount = worse
Evidence
The sources behind this fact and its verification state.
- 1.Reuters — Kamala Harris sworn in as US vice presidentReuters · High credibility · verified
- 2.archived Biden White Housebidenwhitehouse.archives.gov · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish
The White House carries the official instrument or communique. Reuters records the same dated act independently.
Established: 20 January 2021 oath, independently reported.
Not established: that every later Biden order was hers, or a unique later turnout coefficient from the Mall.
Congress counted. She took the oath. Biden headed the executive.. A later repeal, court stay, or successor order would be a different Fact with a different date. That pair identifies Harris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States, not a later speech about Harris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States.
Co-authors and later implementers named in Context remain on the file. If a later repeal, stay, or successor instrument exists, it needs its own date and its own row. The contribution described on this Person row is limited to Voters elected the ticket. Congress counted. She took the oath. Biden headed the executive. That limit is the alternative to treating office-holding as authorship of every later series.
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorKamala Harris
- contributed toFactHarris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States
- strengthensDrivers (2)Democratic Resilience
- strengthensIndicatorHaving a say in government
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). Harris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/us-harris-vp-2021
https://factrail.ai/facts/us-harris-vp-2021
Accessed 16 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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