In 2014, the rise of the Islamic State (IS) and the diplomatic dance with Iran dominated Congress while the civil war in Syria entered its fourth year.
The White House pulled out all the stops early in the year to prevent lawmakers from passing new sanctions legislation that the administration worried could scupper the nuclear talks. Labeling sanctions champions as warmongers may have bought negotiators some time, but their failure to reach a deal empowers the incoming Republican Senate to put its stamp on the talks in 2015.
