There are both mandatory and  several politically-motivated high priority items. Obviously, all of these issues have implications for the 2014 mid-term elections, and that does not make for an easy legislative session.Congress is facing its first deadline of the New Year, 15 January, which is when the current funding for the federal government expires. Congressional negotiators are working on a new continuing resolution (CR) that will provide $1.012 trillion in funding through the end of the fiscal year, 30 September. Reportedly, there are about three dozen items left to finalize before a deal is struck among the negotiators. It will then have to be unveiled for a vote in both Houses.After the CR, it will be two weeks before the debt c...

TAGS – Biofuels, Energy