The work to be done in Washington

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Obama said he needed time to show positive change in the country, and that the work will be difficult: "There is no doubt that our road will be long, that our climb will be steep, but never forget that the true character of our nation is revealed not during times of comfort and ease, but by the right we do when the moment is hard."

Once the pomp of inauguration is done, Congress has a long and strategic list to get through. On "The Takeaway" with a look at that list is Todd Zwillich, reporter for "Capitol News Connection" in Washington.

Zwillich: "The most obvious sign is just how packed the schedule is just as soon as the pomp and circumstance is done with … you have House hearings scheduled for Wednesday noon, before the House even reconvenes officially. House committees will start processing and crunching the numbers on that big $825 billion-dollar stimulus …"

In addition to the stimulus package, the other big items front-and-center include the child healthcare initiative and Middle-East policy.

Zwillich says of the child healthcare bill: "The Senate will pass it … it’s likely to be one of the first if not the first bill that Obama signs into law as President."

"The Takeaway" is PRI’s new national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.

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