With the last-minute passage of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to stave off a government shutdown, the 114th Congress has come to an end. When Congress returns in January, it will be faced with a number of immediate challenges, including passing 11 of the 12 fiscal year 2017 (FY17) appropriations bills that fund federal government operations before the CR expires on April 28 and then quickly moving on to the same process for fiscal year 2018 (FY18), which must be completed by October 1, 2017. Congress will also have to reckon with an expected nomination to the Supreme Court, and the federal government is expected to run up against the debt limit sometime in the late spring or early summer. Needless to say, the first half of 2017 is going to be very busy in Washington.

However, before leaving town, Congress was able to come to an agreement on a number of bipartisan, bicameral agreements during the shortened lame duck session, including:

- Continuing Resolution Keeps Government Open Until April 28, 2017;

- Water Resources Development Act Passes, Authorizing 30 New Infrastructure Projects Nationwide;

- House and Senate Overwhelmingly Pass Final National Defense Authorization Act of the Obama Administration; and

- 21st Century Cures Passes Congress and is Signed into Law.

A number of legislative items either failed to make the cut or were purposefully held over until next year, including an energy bill proposed by House Republicans who elected to delay its consideration in order to put it before a presumably more receptive 115th Congress and Trump Administration.