<p> Washington Insider</p><p>The 114th Congress begins: Monday was the start of the new Congress; new members of Congress were sworn in on Tuesday. Now that the legislative session has begun, the Republican-controlled Congress will try to move bills quickly. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/114th-congress-opens-tea-party-rebellion-white-house-fight</p><p>Jeb Bush leads all Republicans going into 2016: As candidates begin to consider whether or not to run for president, polls show Jeb Bush in the lead for Republicans. Hillary Clinton leads the field for Democrats. Look for candidates to begin making official announcements in the next few months. http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/28/politics/bush-leads-gop-field-poll/index.html</p><p>Speaker John Boehner retains speaker position but not unanimously:After another rebellion, Speaker John Boehner was reelected to the top position in the House. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-boehner-re-elected-as-speaker-of-the-house/</p><p>White House threatens to veto the Keystone XL Pipeline: Last year, President Barack Obama signaled that he would veto the Keystone XL Pipeline. Many political pundits believed that the statement was a politically motivated decision. Recently, the president has doubled down on his threats. http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/06/politics/keystone-obama-veto/index.html U.S. and Cuba to end the trade embargo: The U.S. will now be able to export goods to Cuba for the first time in over 50 years due to President Barack Obama’s major shift in U.S. policy towards Cuba, a move that has been questioned by both parties in Congress. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/report-cuba-frees-american-alan-gross-after- 5-years-detention-on-spy-charges/2014/12/17/a2840518-85f5-11e4-a702-fa31ff4ae98e_story.html</p><p>GOP to move forward on workweek bill: Republicans started the 114th Congress by fulfilling a campaign promise they have made over the last few years: reforming the Affordable Care Act. The House and Senate have moved forward with a workweek bill that would incentives companies to offer healthcare to employees who work 40 hours rather than30. Many Republicans believe the bill will restore previously cut work hours. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/workweek-bill-is-first-gop-senate-test-on-obamacare- 114052.html?hp=rc1_4</p><p>Democrats signal a shift in transportation policy to a new gas tax: In recent years, Congress has tried to find a way to fix the U.S.’s aging infrastructure, specifically roads and bridges. Congress has been seeing a shift in policy as members have begun to show support for a gas tax. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/gas-tax-senate-dick-durbin-114049.html?hp=b1_l2 </p>