The Senate is on hiatus until after President Obama's second inauguration, but they have plenty to think about.
Obama has nominated his choices for secretary of defense and director of the CIA, but they'll need to make it past Senate confirmation first, and legislators on both sides of the aisle will have tough questions.
Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator, is up for the Defense Department post, replacing Leon Panetta, who is retiring.
But Republicans have concerns about Hagel's commitment to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and they've voiced concerns that he wavers on Israeli security.
From the left, gay rights groups take issue with some of Hagel's homophobic comments in the past, though he has apologized for them in the intervening years. Barney Frank had publically opposed Hagel's confirmation, a move that puts him in line with several Republican Senators for perhaps the first time ever.
The Republican gay rights group the Log Cabin Republicans also opposes Hagel, but they have little sway among Democrats or even in the LGBT community.
John Brennan, Obama's pick to lead the CIA, is less controversial, but he'll need to defend himself against allegations of torture occurring on his watch, most likely from Democrats, though former POW John McCain may join in as well.
In the end, it is unlikely that any Democrats will oppose either confirmation, especially not right before a big budget fight at the beginning of a sitting president's second term.
Likely there will be a lot of show and bluster, but both appointments could become pawns in the coming battle over the debt ceiling and sequestration.
Frank might be part of the confirmation hearings, as he is gunning for appointment as interim senator from Massachusetts once John Kerry leaves to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.
But that won't happen until Clinton can testify on Benghazi before the Senate, which won't be until after the inauguration.
In other Senate news, actress and Kentucky native Ashley Judd still hasn't decided whether she'll challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for his seat in 2014.
McConnell has held the seat since 1985, and his support is strong in the very red state, so a celebrity might be the only one capable of toppling him.
Judd could also wait until 2016 and challenge Kentucky's other senator, Rand Paul.
Paul is less entrenched in local politics, and Judd would benefit from the bump Democrats typically get during years with a presidential election.
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