Capitol Hill has seen a burst of bipartisan deal-making and legislating in recent days as newly empowered Republicans try to show voters they can govern responsibly when they’re in charge.

What do-nothing Congress? Under new leadership, the Capitol is in deal-making mode: http://t.co/KfkLNk22uN pic.twitter.com/u2ltnaUqIT

— The Hill (@thehill) April 18, 2015

After a bumpy start, GOP leaders seem to have found their footing — passing a historic $200 billion Medicare reform package, striking big, bipartisan deals on Iran, education and trade, and preparing to pass a GOP budget for the first time in a decade.
Now comes the hard part: keeping the momentum.

Deadlines to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank’s charter, raise the federal borrowing limit, renew the Patriot Act and replenish the highway fund are fast-approaching, and none of the issues will be simple to sort out.

For now, GOP leaders are in a hopeful mood.