Hagel likely to be nominated for Defense Secretary next week  —  Multiple sources on Capitol Hill and in key special-interest groups involved in national security issues say they have been told to be prepared for a Chuck Hagel nomination for Defense Secretary, either as early as Monday or perhaps more likely Tuesday of next week.

Obama must engage Congress  —  Texans would have been hit with the biggest tax increase in the history of our country if Congress failed to act on the American Taxpayer Relief Act in the early hours of 2013.  The question I faced was, “Would Texans be better off with a massive tax increase?”

Cornyn: Partial Government Shutdown May Be Needed to Restore Fiscal Sanity  —  WASHINGTON - The following article, authored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Finance and Judiciary Committees, was published today in the Houston Chronicle:  —  Obama Must Engage Congress

The Outrageous Sandy Outrage  —  House Speaker John Boehner is getting all sorts of grief these days, but there's one decision for which taxpayers should thank him: putting the brakes on a $60 billion relief bill for the victims of Hurricane Sandy that has become cover for Congress to revive earmarks and the pork machine.