franken-hedAl Franken is ready to get to work in Washington. That was the senator-elect’s message at his first public appearance on Capitol Hill since the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled last week that he won the U.S. Senate contest.

“I am going to work day and night to make sure that our kids have a great future and that America’s best days lay ahead,” Franken said in a brief, mid-day appearance with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Franken pledged to focus his efforts on revitalizing the economy, overhauling the country’s health-care system, developing new energy sources and bolstering the nation’s schools.

“Minnesotans are very practical people,” he said. “They want to make sure that the work we do here in the Senate makes sense.”

Reid and Franken took no questions from reporters. Franken is slated to be sworn in as Minnesota’s junior senator tomorrow. He’ll become the legislative body’s 60th Democrat, giving the party a filibuster-proof majority.

“Much has been made about the expectations for Al Franken joining the Senate,” Reid said. “He of course is going to work hard for the people of Minnesota. They’ve gone far too long without full representation.”