The payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance benefits are once again set to expire by the end of February and this time, lawmakers are hoping to have a civil debate about how to reach a deal on a long term extension. Our Washington Bureau reporter Erin Billups has more now on part two of the fight.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During his State of the Union address, President Obama put Congress on notice. There will be no repeat of December's fight over the payroll tax and unemployment insurance extensions.

"No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay," Obama said.

The 20 member conference committee met publicly for the first time Tuesday, all expressing similar sentiments.

"Let's put aside our differences for the greater," said Committee Vice Chair Max Baucus of Montana.

They hope to have recommendations in by February 17th, well before February 29th when the current short term extension of the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance and the Medicare doc-fix are set to expire.

"We're willing to do the work if anyone else is willing to join us," New York Representative Tom Reed said.

Many are looking to this committee as a barometer of whether lawmakers are really trying to put the brinksmanship of 2011 behind them. Democrats warning their colleagues on the right that strategy won't work in an election year.

"The payroll tax debate last year shows this strategy has its limits. Don't be surprised if election politics of 2012 may push republicans to cooperate with this president more than they might be planning to," New York Senator Charles Schumer said.

But quick passage of long term extensions will be a heavy lift. Republican conferees point to what they say is the crux of the problem.

"They want the payroll tax holiday and when I say they, I mean the democrats, but they don't want to pay for it," said North Carolina Representative Renee Ellmers.

With the president making taxes for the wealthy a priority, democrats argue there is a way to pay for the extensions.

"Fairness calls on us to ask those that have done the very best in the last years and decades to contribute a little more towards fiscal responsibility," said Michigan Representative Sander Levin.

Something republicans have said off the bat is not going to happen.

"Such an idea is clearly not sound economic policy and simply cannot pass in the House," Georgia Representative Tom Price said.

While they all say they want to turn a new leaf in the new year, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to put the differences from the past year behind them.

The committee meets again next Wednesday.