Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King is ready to return to official House business after marking the shootings in Tucson, Arizona, from the Hawkeye State.

"I expect we will vote to repeal Obamacare next week," the conservative Iowan said of the House GOP, which had planned to bring a vote to the House floor this week to repeal last year's comprehensive health care reform bill. Agenda items were swiftly scrubbed from this week's calendar in the wake of Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' wounding over the weekend from the shooting spree.

King said he was impressed with and proud of his state's legislature earlier this week - and was in the chamber when Iowans observed a moment of silence at the direction of President Obama on Monday. The Republican said he spent some time with Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell, who served alongside him in the state Senate, as well.

King said the shootings have been on the minds of many of his constituents and associates.

"Wherever I go, people tell me to be careful, watch out," he said, explaining that he could be a more vulnerable member in ways because he's never shied away from confrontation when it comes to political rhetoric.

"By the same token, this is an anomaly," he said, stressing that he hopes officials don't go overboard or overcorrect security measures. He believes security measures may need some improvement, but that they don't need to be broadcasted through the media.

"To some degree, we overreacted to Sept. 11th," he said, explaining that some reactionary security measures may have been too stringent and unnecessary.

He still firmly believes that dealing with the health care bill is the appropriate way to start the session.

"I'm delighted to see my language come to the floor," King said, referring to the repeal bill he introduced with Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann.

The congressman realizes that President Obama wouldn't sign the bill and there is great difficulty in getting the Senate Democratic leadership to send such a bill to the floor of the upper chamber.

Nevertheless, he said, "I think we would have the votes in the Senate to repeal Obamacare."

King suggested that some Democrats, especially those who may have to face the voters again for re-election efforts in 2012 may be interested in repeal, and he trusts that those Democrats may be hoping for ways to get the bill to the floor.

At the same time, he warned, the GOP-controlled House is not interested in funding health care reform as it moves into the implementation stage, and that may take precedence in the battle over the issue. The repeal vote is, to King, the first step in the process toward dismantling the bill.

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