'World News' Political Insights: Congress Returns to New Normal

Jan. 16, 2011— -- It's time for Congress to get back to its new normal -- where everything has changed, except that it hasn't really.

Lawmakers this week return to Washington for their first substantive actions in the aftermath of last weekend's Tucson shooting. The tragedy had particular resonance on Capitol Hill, with the knowledge that one of their own was targeted for who she is.

For all the debate over the tone of political rhetoric prompted by the shooting, don't look for any significant changes to the agenda being pursued by newly empowered Republicans.

Yet something has changed in the minds of Washington lawmakers -- and it's likely to color the way they talk about their actions, if not the actions themselves, in the weeks and months to come.

Words matter now in the debate over policy. In an era where it's become commonplace to throw around terms and accusations, in a sound-bite race to the bottom, the public and the press will be paying attention like never before to inflammatory statements.

The episode is an early leadership challenge to House Speaker John Boehner, who's had to cope with the fallout of a terrible crisis before he's had the chance to establish any kind of legislative record. He took over the speakership, of course, on the power of the tea party movement -- where anger drove votes and delivered a huge boost to Republicans just two months ago.

GOP leaders recognize that there will now be increased scrutiny on their words. But -- still eager to deliver for an energized party base -- they're determined not to let that influence their actions.

That means the effort to repeal President Obama's health care law will proceed this week instead of last. The bill's sharp, if clunky, title -- "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act" -- will remain intact.

From Boehner's perspective, it's important to establish his leadership -- both with his own members and with Democrats -- before the president grabs the spotlight again, with the State of the Union address scheduled for Jan. 25.