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After passing a 2-day extension of the existing continuing resolution (CR), which funded the federal government through December 11, Congress passed a fiscal year (FY) 2015 omnibus spending bill on December 13 and avoided a government shutdown.
On December 15, the Washington State Joint SR 530 Landslide Commission released its final report in response to the tragic March 2014 Oso landslide that destroyed homes and roads and claimed 43 lives.
On December 12, the Senate passed a group of public lands bills as part of the 2015 defense authorization that include expansions of wilderness and park lands as well as changes to energy, mining, and logging policy on public lands.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on December 2 to assess a bipartisan climate bill that would lower emissions of short-lived climate pollutants.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti released a report on December 8 that proposes new, stricter building codes aimed at the structures mostly likely to collapse in an earthquake.