Congress tones down the rhetoric after shootings

WASHINGTON — Born of bloodshed, a self-proclaimed Age of Civility dawned in Congress on Tuesday. Republicans and Democrats of the House spoke without angry shouts and debated legislation to repeal the nation's year-old health care law without rancor.

By unspoken agreement, manners mattered, although there were few overt references to the reason — the shooting rampage in Arizona 10 days ago that left six dead, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords wounded and lawmakers of both parties stunned.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said no directives had gone out to rank-and-file lawmakers cautioning them about their behavior as the House convened to debate a highly controversial bill.

"We expect the debate to ensue along policy lines," he said, suggesting one that did not stray from the merits of the legislation itself.

Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the second-ranking Democrat, agreed.

"My expectation is that members will heed their own advice, and will address the issues in a way that will deal with them on the merits," he said. In the past, he added, too much of the public debate was "about incitement rather than informing . about making people angry, disrespecting the ... point of view of the other side."

The change in tone was evident from the opening moments of the debate about a bill Republicans promised in last fall's campaign to make an early 2011 priority.

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., referred to the "job-destroying health care bill" that President Barack Obama won from a Democratic-controlled Congress last year. It was a small but notable change from "job-killing" — the term Republicans had invariably preferred before the shootings in Arizona.

A few moments later, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., took a moment to congratulate Republican Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas on his ascension to chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee. It was a post Conyers was forced to surrender when the GOP won a majority in last fall's elections.

A vote on the legislation is set for Wednesday. Its passage is not in doubt in a House now controlled by Republicans who voted against the health care bill a year ago, plus newcomers who campaigned on its repeal. Democrats are expected to vote overwhelmingly if not unanimously against the GOP measure.

The White House has said Obama will veto the bill if it reaches his desk, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. has vowed not to let it get that far.