US President Barack Obama's first act in office was to institute new limits on lobbyists in his White House and to freeze the salaries of his highly-paid political aides.

Obama says families are tightening their belts and so should Washington.

The pay freeze will hold salaries at their current levels for the roughly 100 White House employees who make over 100-thousand dollars a year.

Obama's also putting in place strict new rules on former lobbyists who work in government.

Barack Obama, US President, said, "If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied during the previous two years. When you leave government, you will not be able to lobby my administration for as long as I am president."

Obama called the rules tighter than under any other administration in history.

Barack Obama, US President, said, "And, I will, I hope, do something to make government trustworthy in the eyes of the American people in the days, and weeks, months and years to come. That's a pretty good place to start. Thank you very much."

In a brief ceremony after Obama signed several executive orders, Vice President Joe Biden swore in the new president's senior staff.

Later in the day, the president and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed visitors who included inauguration volunteers, random guests, and those selected by internet lottery.

It was part of themes of an open and accessible White House that returned the power to voters.

(CCTV January 22, 2009)