Honolulu ( CNN ) His weeks-long stay in Hawaii largely uninterrupted by major news , President Barack Obama flies back to a redrawn Washington late Saturday prepared for a renewed economic push he hopes will set up a productive final presidential quarter . He faces an uphill battle : Newly powerful Republicans take control of both chambers of Congress next week , and the nation 's political attention will quickly turn to the next presidential contest as candidates declare their intentions in the next few months . Expecting to receive GOP-passed measures gutting his health care law , approving the Keystone XL pipeline , and undoing his executive actions , Obama has said he 's ready to wield veto power that 's largely been unused during his presidency . But his aides say Obama is hoping to avoid a year of reaction focused solely on rebutting the GOP . Instead , the White House says , he 'll look to present an affirmative agenda that builds upon the nation 's economic gains . On areas like tax reform and trade , Obama has said he 's open to working with Republicans , who made major gains in November 's elections and now control the Senate . But administration officials say they 're not under any illusions that Republicans in the next Congress will be more willing to work with Obama than those in the last . That means the go-it-alone strategy of last year , which relied on unilateral action to exact change , has n't been completely retired , officials say . In a bid to jump start the year 's governing — and exploit momentum following the raft of late-2014 executive actions — Obama next week will start a three-week preview period for his late-January State of the Union address . Obama 's chief speechwriter , Cody Keenan , was kept busy drafting the annual speech while along with Obama for his Hawaii vacation . The President will make targeted stops in Detroit , Phoenix and Tennessee next week to promote , respectively , advances in the American auto industry , housing gains , and his education platform . The White House said during Obama 's tour he would promote both executive actions and proposals for legislation . `` The President is eager to get to work , and looks forward to working with the new Congress on policies that will make sure middle class Americans are sharing in the economic recovery , '' said Eric Schultz , a White House spokesman . `` There are a number of issues we could make progress on , but the President is clear that he will not let this Congress undo important protections gained - particularly in areas of health care , Wall Street reform and the environment , '' Schultz said . Obama has only vetoed two measures in his six years in office , though White House officials expect that to change quickly as Republicans assume power on Capitol Hill . One of the first measures lawmakers will debate is a bill approving the controversial Keystone pipeline , which environmentalists oppose . The White House has suggested it would reject any measure from Congress approving the pipeline , since the review process in place at the State Department is still underway . Areas of compromise exist : both Republicans and Obama say they 're interested in overhauling the corporate tax structure and pushing through major trade deals with Europe and Asia . But those projects face opposition from Democrats , who worry they could favor large companies over working class Americans . `` We certainly hope they work with Congress instead of continuing to campaign against it , '' said Don Stewart , a spokesman for the incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell . `` But remember , the biggest hangup on things like trade has been the President 's own party . They oppose entitlement reform , trade , revenue neutral tax reform . '' Stewart said that could mean Obama is forced to spend negotiating time with both Republicans and Democrats — `` something he 's been reluctant to do . ''
President Don Stewart arrives back in Washington with the Obama under Republican control . Hill will soon start a three-week preview period for his State of the Union address . The President will make stops in Washington , Phoenix and Tennessee three-week .