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At their annual retreat yesterday in Baltimore, House Republicans talked about how they'll proceed. NPR's Audie Cornish reports.
AUDIE CORNISH: There were plenty of reminders of the past week's events at this retreat, starting with the large numbers of police and security posted at the meeting hotel. Congressman Peter Roskam of Illinois said the solemn tone was especially pronounced among the 80-plus lawmakers in the freshman class.
PETER ROSKAM: There is a seriousness of purpose that has come with their presence. There's no hubris, there's no triumphalism, there's no chest thumping. These are people who have come to accomplish something.
CORNISH: This time, though, Republicans were playing down their newfound power. Here's GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
ERIC CANTOR: We as Republicans do not control this federal government; the other party does.
CORNISH: Another one of the weekend speakers who had a hand in that earlier takeover, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, reiterated the point.
HALEY BARBOUR: There was a time in 1995 when a lot of people in America seemed to think that we were running the government. In fact, there were some Republicans in Congress who seemed to think we were running the government. I could remember the statement somebody made that Bill Clinton was irrelevant. Well, the Democrats control the Senate, they control the presidency, so we're not running the government. We're not going to be able to, but we can try to stop bad things.
CORNISH: But many Republicans vow to vote against the higher limit in their campaigns. So the GOP is moving carefully, says Florida Congressman Tom Rooney.
TOM ROONEY: Right now, I think everybody's sending a cautionary tone that we're worried about making the vote. That's not what the election was about last November. So, if we can case this vote in a way that sort of also shows our seriousness for getting the debt under control, I think it will be good for our party and good for the country.
CORNISH: Speaking of tone, everyone is talking about toning down the debates in Washington across the board in the aftermath of the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords. Senate Democrat Mark Udall and others are proposing to end the usual partisan divide in the seating of the members for the State of the Union address later this month. Republican Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy says it's an idea worth considering.
KEVIN MCCARTHY: I think the action that you're seeing, where members are now saying, hey yeah, why don't we sit next to one another, we are all one House - that's the action that you'll see. And it doesn't take a call from somebody, 'cause nobody hasn't(ph). I think you're going to find that people are willing to do it and wanting to do it and not because someone's out telling them to do it.
CORNISH: Audie Cornish, NPR News, Baltimore.