“That’s why I’m the majority leader and you’re the minority whip,” House Democratic leader Steny H. Hoyer said to Republican whip Steve Scalise on the House floor Friday, just one of the ways Hoyer welcomed his new floor sparring partner to the fray.

The comment was the most pointed and somewhat personal but far from the only political insult the No. 2 party leaders traded during their first colloquy together.

The colloquy is a House tradition in which the majority leader and minority whip dialogue on the floor about the upcoming floor schedule and then big policy issues facing Congress.

Hoyer of Maryland, now back in the majority leader role after eight years as minority whip, has a new political opponent, Scalise of Louisiana, to face off with on the floor. His former colloquy foe, Kevin McCarthy, has moved up to the top Republican spot of minority leader.

The colloquy occurs weekly when the House is in session, following the conclusion of the week’s legislative business, and is set up to preview the floor schedule for the following week. (For that reason, the colloquy does not occur in weeks the House will be on recess the following week.)