PLATTSBURGH — New North Country Congressman William Owens was sworn into office today and met with the president.

The Democrat is expected to face his first major test Saturday when he casts his vote on the controversial House health-care reform bill.

Owens was sworn in at noon at the Capitol building despite the results of his election not yet being certified.

But Owens’s major challenger, Conservative Party candidate Douglas Hoffman, conceded the race on election night as the margin is nearly 4,000 votes.

Owens told his new colleagues in Congress that he was honored to be joining them and pledged to help them in “our continuing effort to build a better, stronger America.”

Owens thanked his wife, Jane, his three children, Jenna, Tara and Brendan, and his three grandchildren, Caroline, Tommy and Tess for their support throughout the campaign.

“I also want to thank the people of New York’s 23rd Congressional District, whose work I begin today,” Owens said.

“Conscious of the challenges that face us, I am eager to join my colleagues in finding bipartisan solutions to health care, energy, our farm crisis and our struggling economy.”

Later in the afternoon, Owens went to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama.

The history of the moment moved many of Owens’s supporters.

“I think Plattsburgh and the North Country is going to benefit greatly at both the state and federal level from having Bill as our congressman,” Clinton County Democratic Party Chairman Martin Mannix said.

The much-anticipated vote on health-care reform today is expected to be close and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was reportedly looking for Owens to get sworn in immediately so he could vote.

Owens said Friday that he plans on supporting the Democratic-backed bill.

“This legislation will reform the insurance industry and provide increased access to affordable health care without taxing health-care benefits, cutting Medicare benefits or raising taxes on the middle class, and that is exactly the direction we need to go,” Owens said in a statement.

“There are still changes I would like to make, including raising the payroll exemption for small businesses, but like I said last week, there is a fundamental need for reform and we must act with a sense of urgency. This plan will reign in costs, strengthen the middle class and protect our economy from additional debt down the road.”