The Balancing Act brings relief to working Americans by making sure the Pentagon and the nation's biggest corporations pitch in and do their part to get our economy working again.

We join millions of other Americans, and the community of Newtown, in grief for the families of the children and adults killed on Friday. As parents, we cannot imagine the deep pain that such a tragedy leaves in its wake.

Republican lawmakers continue to blame working Americans for a crisis they didn't cause. Teachers, firefighters and autoworkers are not the reason for any state's budget problems.

The 113th Congress marks a pivotal moment for the progressive movement. Voters' overwhelming support for President Obama and for the most diverse, progressive Congress in history is a clear statement of what working Americans care about most.