By MICHAEL FALCONE ( @michaelpfalcone )

NOTABLES

• TODAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE: President Obama huddles with Congressional leaders at the White House this morning, for the first time since the GOP-led Congress got to work, reports ABC's MARY BRUCE. They are expected to discuss a range of issues on the legislative agenda, as well as areas where they may be able to compromise and get something done. Setting the tone, the White House late yesterday issued several more veto threats, bringing the tally for the year now up to five. But the president also signed the first bill of this Congress yesterday, reauthorizing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program.

• WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSED CYBER SAFEGUARDS MEAN FOR YOU: Following recent high-profile hack attacks on U.S. companies, President Obama wants new protections for American consumers. On a visit to the Federal Trade Commission yesterday, Obama unveiled several pieces of proposed legislation he said will boost cyber-security, improve consumer privacy and prevent identity theft. The measures are expected to be included in his State of the Union address next week. "This is a direct threat to the economic security of American families, and we've got to stop it," Obama said of cyber-crime. "If we're going to be connected, then we have to be protected." Congress will need to act on the proposals, and require Republican support. ABC's DEVIN DWYER highlights how Obama's proposed measures might impact you. http://abcn.ws/1y528Ja

THE ROUNDTABLE

ABC's RICK KLEIN: One of the biggest advantages Republicans might hold in 2016 - maybe their biggest potential built-in advantage against Hillary Clinton - is generational. Much has been made of the deep and youthful GOP bench, primed for action. That's what makes the presidential news so far so confounding, and possibly troubling, for Republicans. Those making the most noise have been there and done that and gotten grayer in the meantime. What's more, Paul Ryan is out just as Mitt Romney is moving in, and Jeb Bush is threatening to crowd out his fellow Floridian, Marco Rubio. Then there's Rick Santorum, and Mike Huckabee, and George Pataki … As The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol Tweeted: "Jeb, Mitt and Huck all last held public office before the iPhone."

ABC's SHUSHANNAH WALSHE: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gives his fifth State of the State address this afternoon and the speech will be in the shadow of his likely presidential ambitions and also the financial problems that have hit the state. Of course, he will have to answer to those issues, not just in the Garden State, but on the 2016 campaign trail if he joins it. Christie's office has sent out a sneak peak at what he is likely to cover in his speech, which stresses his "five-year record of reform and accomplishment in contrast to the challenges New Jersey was facing when he first took office in 2010." He will cover his "record of getting things done" in the state, as well as working with Democrats, something he has already been pushing as his reason he can win over blue states in a general election. He will also touch on pension and benefits reform, the unemployment rate, amongst other economic measures, he sees not as trials, but successes. They have even released a video in advance of the speech and yes it looks like a campaign video: http://bit.ly/1yf6jjY

THE BUZZ

with ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI

WHITE HOUSE ADMITS IT 'SHOULD HAVE SENT SOMEONE WITH A HIGHER PROFILE' TO PARIS RALLY. In a rare admission, the White House said it made a mistake in not sending a higher-level official to represent the U.S. at the unity rally in Paris on Sunday, in the wake of last week's terror attacks. "I think it's fair to say that we should have sent someone with a higher profile to be there," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Monday. Had circumstances been different, Earnest said, President Obama would have liked the opportunity to be there, reports ABC's MARY BRUCE. Instead, the U.S. was represented at the rally by Ambassador to France Jane Hartley. Meanwhile, Obama spent a quiet weekend at the White House, just blocks from a similar rally held in Washington. http://abcn.ws/1w9XXWS

HERE ARE 53 POLITICAL PRISONERS CUBA HAS RELEASED. The Obama administration has confirmed reports that Cuba has released all 53 political prisoners that it promised to free as part of the deal to re-establish diplomatic relations with the U.S. "The Cuban Government has notified us that they have completed the release of the 53 political prisoners that they had committed to free. We welcome this very positive development and are pleased that the Cuban government followed through on this commitment," National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement. ABC NEWS obtained the full list. http://bit.ly/1ASm5VF

PAUL RYAN WILL NOT RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016. Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for vice president in 2012, announced Monday he will not run for president in 2016, but will remain focused on his new "dream job," ABC's JOHN PARKINSON writes. "After giving it a lot of thought, I've decided not to run for president," Ryan, R-Wisconsin, wrote in a statement. "Our work at the House Ways and Means Committee over the next few years will be crucial to moving America forward, and my job as Chairman deserves undivided attention." Ryan, an eight-term Republican, concluded his statement: "I want to thank everyone who encouraged me to run. Their words and continued support have been deeply humbling." http://abcn.ws/1BVjTeI

WHO'S TWEETING?

@PhilipRucker: Today's A1: Romney moves to reassemble campaign team for 'almost certain' 2016 bid, w/ @costareports @ktumulty http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romney-moves-to-reassemble-campaign-apparatus-for-2016/2015/01/12/d968592e-9a88-11e4-96cc-e858eba91ced_story.html?hpid=z1 …

@maggiepolitico: Romney is freezing staff that was scattering, but it's not clear the full band comes back together http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/mitt-romney-2016-114199.html …

@adamsmithtimes: Romney may run but faces a different Florida http://fw.to/2zGkBnU

@sppeoples: Tim Pawlenty says chances of Romney run are better than 50-50 based on weekend conversation. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/paul-ryan-mitt-romney-moves-closer-16-campaign-28185527 …

@bpolitics: Mitt and Ann Romney were all about Jeb Bush, until they weren't: http://bloom.bg/1su0fF1