Media

Washington Post - Amber Phillips

If you had told House Republican leaders in January that by December, Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) would be replaced by Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) -- oh, and they'd be celebrating passing a spending and tax break deal instead of facing a government shutdown -- they probably wouldn't have believed you.

Since this spring, lawmakers have been hard at work sharing ideas and crafting legislation to responsibly fund the government. In the House of Representatives, the process of fulfilling this critical function of government started with hearings and discussions in the 12 subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee. And this year—for the first time since 2009—all 12 funding bills were written, considered and passed out of full committee and six passed the entire House.

Washington Post - Juliet Eilperin

President Obama used his year-end press briefing Friday to outline a dogged strategy to advance his domestic and international agenda in 2016, including criminal justice reform and expanded free trade, even in the face of sharp Republican criticism and rising public concern about terrorist strikes on American soil.

Without question, there are occurrences of violence that have made many Americans feel on edge and question their safety and security. Certainly, the attacks in Paris shocked the world by reminding us of the heinous crimes and violence of which terrorists are capable. And a few weeks later, Americans were rudely awakened by the tragic, ISIL-inspired shooting in San Bernardino, California that claimed 14 innocent lives.