After passing both chambers of Congress, the "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act" is now law after President Obama signed the legislation today. First Lady Michelle Obama had pushed for the legislation as a key component of her "Let's Move!" campaign to combat childhood obesity.

Speaking at a signing ceremony, the president and first lady explained why they believe this piece of legislation is pertinent to securing the future of American children. "When our kids [walk] into the lunchroom, we want to make sure that they're getting the healthy, balanced meals that they need," the president said. He added that American students need to "have enough energy" to be able to compete with top students abroad. Michelle Obama said the bill also was a matter of national security.

Tax-Cut Ball Gets Rolling

The tax-cut deal hammered out between President Obama and the Congressional Republican leadership this past week is expected to be the defining issue for much of the remainder of the lame duck session of Congress. The "Washington Post" describes the deal made up of four components: "an across-the-board extension of Bush-era tax cuts, additional jobless benefits, a payroll tax holiday and a $5 million threshold for inheritance taxes." A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll shows support for the package standing at 69 percent of all Americans.

While the plan as a whole is popular with the public, individual components have drawn fire from across the ideological spectrum. Some conservatives, such as former Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell, have come out against the extension of unemployment benefits.

Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, spoke for over eight and a half hours on the Senate floor last week during a filibuster in which he attacked the temporary continuation of the tax-rate cut for top earners and the relaxation of the inheritance tax. On the House side, the Democratic caucus last week held a non-binding voice vote in which the members rejected the proposal as is.

Despite this opposition, Congressional leaders in both the House and Senate expect the proposal to pass relatively unscathed. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) believes that House Democrats will try to amend the legislation to push for a more progressive estate-tax provision and said, "I think we will pass a bill."

The current legislation in the Senate calls for a 35 percent tax on inherited estates with the first $5 million of the estate exempt from the tax. House Democrats are aiming for a law in which there would be a 45-percent tax with only the first $3.5 million of the estate exempt.

President Obama met with former President Clinton to discuss tax cuts and to receive advice on how to proceed now that Republicans will soon control the House of Representatives. At a joint press conference following their talk, they said they are against individual characteristics of the plan in isolation, but they believe the total package is positive legislation and worth passing.

"On its own, I wouldn't support it because I don't think that my tax cut is the most economically efficient way to get the economy going again," said President Clinton said. "However, the agreement taken as a whole is, I believe, the best bipartisan agreement we can reach to help the largest number of Americans."

Virginia Judge Rules Individual Mandate Unconstitutional

In a ruling this week that is expected to have major implications for the future of the Affordable Care Act passed last year, U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson has ruled that the individual mandate included in the legislation is unconstitutional. Ruling in a lawsuit brought forth by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Justice Hudson wrote that the individual mandate provision "exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power."

Two previous rulings, one by U.S. District Judge Norman Moon in Virginia and another by U.S. District Court Judge George Steeh in Michigan, found that the individual mandate is constitutional. Hudson's decision did not rule against any other part of the law and did not rule against the implementation of the law.

In addition, Hudson believes that this issue will eventually reach the Supreme Court. On the official White House blog, Assistant to the President for Special Projects Stephanie Cutter wrote that the Administration "disagree[s] with the ruling issued today in Virginia, and the Department of Justice is considering its appeal options." She added that they "are pleased that Judge Hudson agrees that implementation of the law will continue uninterrupted."