U.S. President Barack Obama is headed back to Washington Sunday after a two-week vacation in Hawaii, his home state.

The political landscape in Washington has changed since Obama left for Hawaii. Republicans, following mid-term elections (when the president’s job is not up for a vote) are now in full control of both houses of Congress.

Many of the lawmakers are eager to begin chipping away at the president’s initiatives, especially the Affordable Care Act – commonly called Obamacare – which requires most all Americans to purchase health care insurance.

Many legislators also want to do away with Obama’s new immigration policy that provides a gateway to U.S. citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the country illegally.

As lawmakers settle into Washington this week following the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the president will go on the road with a three-day visit to several U.S. cities to highlight his policies Democrats say have contributed to America’s economic recovery.

That theme that will undoubtedly be a key element of his annual State of the Union address on January 20.

Analysts said President Obama has been energized by his end-of-the-year actions on immigration policy and Cuban relations. He has made it clear that he will use his veto power to block Republican attacks as he enters the last two years of his presidency.

On the international front, Obama is dealing with the unprecedented hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which Washington blames on Pyongyang. The president has issued an executive order authorizing expanded sanctions against North Korea. Pyongyang has denied involvement in the cyber-attack.

Some information for this report came from AP and Reuters.
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