MICHELE NORRIS, host:
A small community indeed, Robert, but how long until today's formalities and all those expressions of goodwill give way to the rough and tumble of politics?
ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
Yeah, pretty soon. You know, today there are all the children and grandchildren of members on the floor. This was family friendly day at the House of Representatives.
But after that vote on repealing health care, the House Republicans' plan between now and President Obama's State of the Union message to propose some cuts to federal spending and some cuts in federal regulations. And they say they expect to hear the president respond to them with counter proposals that they consider serious and that would then be the basis of real negotiations.
NORRIS: OK. That's what they expect. What happens if that doesn't happen?
SIEGEL: Well, you know, we can expect some legislation to be bottled up for a while, but not for too long because there's a deadline they're all facing for some kind of accommodation. Around March or April, the national debt should exceed the current limit of $14.3 trillion. And they'll have to vote to extend that debt limit. Democrats are warning that not to do so would be tantamount to the U.S. defaulting on its debts. Senior Republicans, you know, tend to share that view, but they point to a lot of newly elected Tea Party endorsed members who intend to drive a very, very hard bargain before they agree to that.
NORRIS: Whenever you see a shift in power, there's a certain amount of posturing that goes on. How hard a bargain can they drive?
SIEGEL: Here's an example. Elsewhere in the program you'll hear Senator Mike Lee, the Utah freshman, say what he thinks would be a sign of good faith. That would be passage of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution this year. That's for him to consider voting to extend the debt ceiling. That's not very likely.
NORRIS: That's my co-host Robert Siegel reporting from the Capitol on the first day of the 112th Congress. Quite a day up there. Thank you, Robert.
SIEGEL: Thank you, Michele. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.