The biggest lobbying fights to watch in 2016

[Commentary] 2016 might not provide the same levels of legislative and leadership drama on Capitol Hill -- no House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to kick around anymore, spending caps to argue over (for now), or shutdowns in the offing (at least until September). But lobbyists are gearing up for some tough fights, nonetheless, the contours of which are already taking shape:

• TPP, the sweeping trade deal reached in October between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations, is expected to be hotly contested, both from members of Congress and from a wide swath of interest groups. It will be the biggest showdown among lawmakers, interest groups and the White House in 2016.
• Mega-mergers: Merger and acquisition activity reached a record high in 2015, with a number of industry leaders announcing proposed combinations, including health insurers Aetna and Humana, and Anthem and Cigna; beer giants Anheuser Busch InBev and SABMiller; and Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications.