Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (H.R. 2642) – Finalized and signed by President Obama on Feb. 7, 2014, this new $956 billion version of the Farm Bill replaces direct crop payments with an insurance program and trims $8 billion from food stamps over the next decade.

Prohibiting In-Flight Voice Communications on Mobile Wireless Devices Act of 2013 (H.R. 3676) – This act prohibits individuals from using a voice communication mobile device during airline flights, with the exception of flight personnel and federal law enforcement acting in an official capacity. A congressional committee submitted a report on the bill on Feb. 11, but it has not yet been voted on by the House or the Senate.

To establish requirements for the screening, testing or treatment of an airman for a sleep disorder, and for other purposes (H.R. 3578) – Another bill responding to recent issues concerning airline safety, this bill would create a new FAA policy requiring all pilots with a body mass index (BMI) or 40 or more to receive additional screening and evaluation by a board-certified sleep specialist. This bill passed the House on Feb. 11 and is presently in the Senate.

Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 1944) – This bill would provide American citizens with the means to protect their private property from private developers who use political ties to invoke the power of eminent domain. If a state or political subdivision of a state uses its eminent domain power to transfer private property to other private parties for the purpose of economic development, the state would be ineligible for federal economic funds for two fiscal years. Furthermore, the agency would no longer be permitted to use eminent domain for economic development purposes. This bill is currently in the House pending a vote.

Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (H.R. 3370) – Among its mandates, this bill would give flood insurance policyholders a variety of options to pay for and even reduce premiums via higher deductibles and monthly payments, and expands mitigation options. It places a cap on annual premium growth rates, which could result in thousands of dollars in annual savings for some homeowners. Furthermore, FEMA may not change the setback requirements for property owners who rebuilt to code after storms like Hurricane Katrina. The bill, designed to ensure insurance remains affordable and available for those who need it, is currently being reviewed in the House.

A resolution commending the Seattle Seahawks for winning Super Bowl XKVIII and the 12th Man for their Critical Support (S.Res. 358) – We joke that some activities would require “an act of Congress,” and apparently this simple resolution to congratulate this year’s Super Bowl winners is one of them. It was introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and agreed to on Feb. 12, 2014.

The final tally of bills introduced by both parties in both houses in 2013? Republicans 2,958 versus Democrats 3,632.

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (H.R. 3457) – We finally have a federal budget bill passed by Congress and awaiting the President’s signature. The $1.1 trillion spending bill funds the operations of virtually every federal agency and program. The agencies responsible for implementing the new health care and Wall Street regulations saw decreases to their budgets, but not devastatingly so. The Head Start early childhood education received funding to keep it running, and disabled veterans and surviving spouses of military members were exempted from pension cuts passed in December. The bill also spared further cuts in the Pentagon’s budget following last year’s $34 billion sequestration reductions. Furthermore, Democratic Rep. Jose Serrano (NY) was able to save a Depression-era post office in his Bronx district from being sold.

Exchange Information Disclosure Act (H.R. 3362) – The House passed a bill that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit regular reports detailing web traffic at the healthcare.gov exchange. Mandatory information would include a state-by-state breakdown of the number of unique website visits, the number of individuals who create an account, the number of individuals who enrolled in a qualified health plan or Medicaid, as well as a detailed description of the problems identified with website functionality, actions taken to address these problems, identity of the contractors involved in remedying these issues, how these actions are being paid for, and the federal officials overseeing the effort. The bill, which was co-sponsored by nine Republicans, has been passed by the House and is currently up for consideration in the Senate.

Poison Center Network Act (H.R. 3527) – Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow grant funds to be used to research, improve, and enhance the communications and response capability of poison control centers throughout the U.S. Proposed enhancements include creating a nationwide poison control toll-free phone number, conducting a campaign to advertise the new toll-free number, and conducting a national media campaign to educate the public and health care providers about poison prevention and the availability of poison control centers in local communities. The bill, which was co-sponsored by five Democrats and four Republicans, has passed both the House and the Senate and has been sent to the President for signing.

A resolution congratulating the Florida State University football team for winning the 2014 Bowl Championship Series national championship (S.Res. 331) – This was a “simple resolution” introduced and agreed to on January 13, 2014. The resolution was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida (R).

However, we finally have an approved federal budget for the next two years, saving us from yet another year-end cliffhanger in 2013.

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (H.J. Res. 59) – Also known as the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014. In a move demonstrating co-author Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) ability to run as a relatively bipartisan presidential candidate in 2016, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 is designed to replace sequester cuts with savings from spending reductions scheduled in the future. The deal also sets the budget cap for fiscal year 2014 at $1.012 trillion and in 2015 at $1.014 trillion. The bill will require federal civilian and military employees to contribute more to their pensions; and for companies with pension plans insured by taxpayer dollars, it will increase premiums. The bill also levies new airline fees on travelers. However, the deal does not include an extension of the long-term unemployment benefits that expired on Dec. 28, 2013 – a measure sought by many Democrats.

Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013 (H.R. 3350) – Not to be confused with previous versions (S. 1617, If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep It and H.R. 3522, Employee Health Care Protection Act of 2013), this act would permit a health insurance company to continue offering health insurance policies for sale in the individual market to help people meet the mandate for minimum essential health coverage. The Act was passed in the House in November 2013 but has not passed the Senate.

TSA Loose Change Act (H.R. 1075) – Over the past two years, airline passengers have left behind a total of about $500,000 at airport security checkpoints. This Act would direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (who is in charge of the Transportation Security Administration) to transfer unclaimed money recovered at airport security checkpoints to nonprofit organizations. These organizations would provide places of rest and recuperation at airports for members of the Armed Forces and their families, as well as other purposes. Currently this money is diverted to help pay for civil aviation security. The Act passed the House on Dec. 3, 2013 and is pending in the Senate.

Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 (H.R. 2642)

Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (S. 954)

The farm bill is a five-year bill that sets the budget of multiple agriculture and nutrition programs designed to expand new opportunities and create a reliable safety net for farmers and ranchers, including a strong crop insurance program. Most of the debate is focused on an issue that does not specifically pertain to farming – the nation’s food stamp program. The House wants to reduce funding for the SNAP program by $39.0 billion over a 10-year window, while the Senate is supporting a $3.9 billion reduction. Both the Senate and the House have passed their own versions of the farm bill, but they have not been able to agree on a compromise.

Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2013 (S. 1271) – Directs the President to establish guidelines to measure and monitor U.S. foreign assistance. The legislation would make foreign assistance information publicly available on a country-by-country and program-by program basis. The committees assigned to this bill sent it to Congress for consideration on Nov. 14.

Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2013  (H.R. 061) – Known as the Data Act, this legislation would make the Treasury Department responsible for maintaining a publicly accessible website detailing spending data for all federal funds. The Act would establish government-wide financial data standards for federal funds with the goal of consolidating and reducing the amount of financial reporting currently required. This transparency should detect and remediate waste, fraud and abuse in federal spending. The Act was passed by the House on Nov. 18 and headed to the Senate.

Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act (H.R. 1965) – The purpose of this legislation is to reduce the red tape required for onshore energy permitting and leasing to facilitate oil shale development for American energy security. The bill would reform the leasing process for onshore oil and natural gas projects on federal lands to eliminate unnecessary delays. The Act was passed by the House on Nov. 20 and headed to the Senate.