Vice-president elect Pence on Thursday made a triumphant return to Capitol Hill, where he told Republican lawmakers they need to "buckle up and be ready to work extremely hard," according to lawmakers in the room.

Pence, who ran the House Republican conference just a few years ago, was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation in a closed-door meeting with his former colleagues. He is expected to play an outsized role in moving the Trump agenda, which includes repealing Obamacare, a longtime GOP goal.

Republicans said Thursday they will convene on Jan. 3 and remain in session to work on a repeal bill that could pass by using a budgetary tool known as reconciliation, which would allow a repeal bill to pass with just 51 votes in the Senate instead of the customary 60 votes.

"The exact time-frame is not spelled out," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. "But the indication is there will be work in preparation ... to have them ready to go by inauguration."

Repealing Obamacare, Meadows said, "is the first priority."

Republican lawmakers are excited by Pence's role in the administration, and his presence also helps assuage the fears of GOP lawmakers who have been skeptical of Trump or who refused to back his candidacy.

"He made it very clear today he will be in effect a liaison for members of the House," said Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo. "I think he's going to play a very critical role in this administration in terms of getting their priorities moving forward, but also hearing from us and what we need to be doing for the country."