Thursday: The 113th Congress arrives

At noon today, the 112th Congress ends, and the 113th Congress begins.

After a bipartisan prayer service in the morning, the House meets at 11 a.m., and members of the 113th Congress will be sworn into office.

This first session of the new Congress will see the election of the Speaker of the House. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) is a virtual lock to be elected Speaker again, even though that seemed slightly less certain in the middle of the week when conservatives balked at passing the Senate's fiscal-cliff bill.

Once elected, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will hand him the gavel, and Boehner will make opening remarks to the House. Once Boehner is himself sworn in, he will swear in the entire House.

Soon after, the House will debate and approve the rules for the 113th House, which are contained in the resolution H.Res. 5.

In the Senate, Vice President Biden will take the chair at noon, and will preside over the ceremony of swearing in the new Senate.

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