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5 January 2011
Last updated at 12:20 ET
The 112th US Congress has been called to order, starting a new legislative session in which resurgent Republicans aim to cut the size of the US government and its spending.
The new Congress is being sworn in two months after mid-term elections which saw President Obama's Democrats suffer heavy losses to the opposition.
Republican John Boehner is set to take over the key role of House speaker.
A BBC correspondent says the stage is now set for ideological battle.
Shortly after 1200 local time in Washington (1700GMT), the clerk called the House to order as the Senate was convening.
The Republicans control the House for the first time in more than four years, while the Democrats have only a slim lead in the Senate.
The BBC's Paul Adams, in Washington, says there are tough fights ahead as the president, determined to press ahead with his reform agenda, locks horns with a Republican Party emboldened by its successes in November.
Republican leaders have vowed to slash spending by as much as $100bn, scrap "job-killing" government regulations, overhaul the tax code, crack down on undocumented immigration, cut diplomatic and foreign aid funds, and investigate the administration.
As soon as next week, the Republicans will launch what is being seen as a symbolic move to repeal President Obama's most ambitious legislative effort so far: the reform of America's healthcare system.
The move is expected to pass in the House, but fail in the Senate, but will be followed by a protracted attempt to pick the reform to pieces, our correspondent says.
Add to this a series of bitter debates over spending and how to control the country's budget deficits, and the scene is set for a tempestuous political season, our correspondent adds.
'Play to their base' On Thursday, the Republicans will have the US Constitution read aloud in the House chamber, a gesture in line with many conservatives' view that Democrats have overstepped their authority in passing sweeping regulations.
The Republican Party seized control of the House in the November mid-term elections thanks in part to the anti-government Tea Party movement, which sprang to life in 2009 in protest against Mr Obama's economic stimulus effort and bid to reform healthcare.
Speaking as he flew back from holiday in Hawaii on Tuesday, Mr Obama said he expected Republicans "to play to their base for a certain period of time".
He added: "I'm pretty confident that they're going to recognise that our job is to govern and make sure that we are delivering jobs for the American people and that we're creating a competitive economy for the 21st Century; not just for this generation but the next one."
But AB Stoddard, a columnist with the congressional newspaper, The Hill, told the BBC Congress was more polarised than ever.
"We have a different makeup in a new Congress controlled on the House side by Republicans, a lot more conservative, Tea Party backed freshmen coming in.
"They are not in the mood to help President Obama and the Democrats with any of their initiatives, so the dynamic will shift dramatically."
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The new Congress is being sworn in two months after mid-term elections which saw President Obama's Democrats suffer heavy losses to the opposition.
Republican John Boehner is set to take over the key role of House speaker.
A BBC correspondent says the stage is now set for ideological battle.
Shortly after 1200 local time in Washington (1700GMT), the clerk called the House to order as the Senate was convening.
The Republicans control the House for the first time in more than four years, while the Democrats have only a slim lead in the Senate.
The BBC's Paul Adams, in Washington, says there are tough fights ahead as the president, determined to press ahead with his reform agenda, locks horns with a Republican Party emboldened by its successes in November.
Republican leaders have vowed to slash spending by as much as $100bn, scrap "job-killing" government regulations, overhaul the tax code, crack down on undocumented immigration, cut diplomatic and foreign aid funds, and investigate the administration.
As soon as next week, the Republicans will launch what is being seen as a symbolic move to repeal President Obama's most ambitious legislative effort so far: the reform of America's healthcare system.
The move is expected to pass in the House, but fail in the Senate, but will be followed by a protracted attempt to pick the reform to pieces, our correspondent says.
Add to this a series of bitter debates over spending and how to control the country's budget deficits, and the scene is set for a tempestuous political season, our correspondent adds.
'Play to their base' On Thursday, the Republicans will have the US Constitution read aloud in the House chamber, a gesture in line with many conservatives' view that Democrats have overstepped their authority in passing sweeping regulations.
The Republican Party seized control of the House in the November mid-term elections thanks in part to the anti-government Tea Party movement, which sprang to life in 2009 in protest against Mr Obama's economic stimulus effort and bid to reform healthcare.
Speaking as he flew back from holiday in Hawaii on Tuesday, Mr Obama said he expected Republicans "to play to their base for a certain period of time".
He added: "I'm pretty confident that they're going to recognise that our job is to govern and make sure that we are delivering jobs for the American people and that we're creating a competitive economy for the 21st Century; not just for this generation but the next one."
But AB Stoddard, a columnist with the congressional newspaper, The Hill, told the BBC Congress was more polarised than ever.
"We have a different makeup in a new Congress controlled on the House side by Republicans, a lot more conservative, Tea Party backed freshmen coming in.
"They are not in the mood to help President Obama and the Democrats with any of their initiatives, so the dynamic will shift dramatically."
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business Consulting