Last week the lame duck session of the 113^th Congress began with a number of key items on its agenda including judicial, departmental and ambassadorial nominations; completion of the Fiscal Year ’15 appropriations; defense reauthorization, Keystone pipeline and tax-extenders. The House and Senate Republican leaders are trying to determine which items to clear during the lame duck session and which ones to carry over until next year when they will control both the House and Senate.