The federal budget is almost certain to be the central battleground between President Obama and the new Republican Congress in 2015.

The GOP has vowed to use control of the House and Senate to slash the size of government, with entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security a potential target for cuts.

But Obama has made clear he will use his veto pen against the GOP, forcing Republicans to tread carefully as they seek to avoid government shutdowns and recapture the White House in 2016.

Here are the dates to watch as the conflict unfolds. 

Source: Rebecca Shabad, thehill.com