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Sessions to Recuse Himself from Potential Russia Investigations

Responding to charges that he may have potentially misled Congress during his confirmation hearing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced March 2 that he will recuse himself from any potential Justice Department investigations into Russian interference in the November presidential election.

During his press conference, he stated that he responded correctly to the hearing question about possible contacts with Russian officials during the campaign and noted that he met with the Russian ambassador and ambassadors from other nations in his capacity as a Senator, not an official from the Trump campaign. At the same time, the Attorney General stated that, based on the advice of senior Justice Department staff, he will recuse himself from any potential DOJ investigations of Russian involvement in the presidential election.

Attorney General Nominee Confirmed

After a very contentious debate on the Senate floor, the chamber voted to confirm Wednesday evening Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) as the next Attorney General of the United States by a vote of 52-47. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) was the only Democrat to vote in favor of Sessions. Senator Sessions abstained from voting for himself.

The Senate now turns to the nomination of Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) as Secretary of HHS.

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Leadership for 115th

This week the Senate Appropriations Committee finalized its subcommittee rosters and leadership. Senator Patty Murray will serve as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education in addition to serving on the Subcommittees for Defense; Energy and Water Development; Homeland Security; Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. A full roster is listed below.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

 John Hoeven (R-N.D.), chairman

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Susan Collins (R-Maine)

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

 

Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), ranking member

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

John Tester (D-Mont.)

Tom Udall (D-N.M.)

Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.)

 

 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman

Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)

Susan Collins (R-Maine)

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

John Boozman (R-Ark.)

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

James Lankford (R-Okla.)

John Kennedy (R-La.)

 

Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking member

Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

Chris Coons (D-Del.)

Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

 

 Department of Defense

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Susan Collins (R-Maine)

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

Steve Daines (R-Mont.)

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

 

Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), vice chairman

Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

Jon Tester (D-Mont.)

Tom Udall (D-N.M.)

Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)

 

Energy and Water Development

 Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

Susan Collins (R-Maine)

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

John Hoeven (R-N.D.)

John Kennedy (R-La.)

 

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), ranking member

Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Jon Tester (D-Mont.)

Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)

Tom Udall (D-N.M.)

Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)

Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)

Chris Coons (D-Del.)

 

Financial Services and General Government

 Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

John Boozman (R-Ark.)

James Lankford (R-Okla.)

Steve Daines (R-Mont.)

 

Chris Coons (D-Del.), ranking member

Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

 

Department of Homeland Security

 John Boozman (R-Ark.), chairman

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)

John Hoeven (R-N.D.)

James Lankford (R-Okla.)

John Kennedy (R-La.)

 

Jon Tester (D-Mont.), ranking member

Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)

Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.)

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

 

Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), chairman

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

John Hoeven (R-N.D.)

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Steve Daines (R-Mont.)

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

 

Tom Udall (D-N.M.), ranking member

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

Jon Tester (D-Mont.)

Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)

Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

 

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairman

Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

James Lankford (R-Okla.)

John Kennedy (R-La.)

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

 

Patty Murray (D-Wash.), ranking member

Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)

Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)

Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)

Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.)

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

 

Legislative Branch

James Lankford (R-Okla.), chairman

John Kennedy (R-La.)

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

 

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), ranking member

Chris Van Hollen (D-Hawaii)

 

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)

John Hoeven (R-N.D.)

Susan Collins (R-Maine)

John Boozman (R-Ark.)

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

 

Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), ranking member

Jon Tester (D-Mont.)

Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Jack Reed (D-R.I.)

Tom Udall (D-N.M.)

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.)

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

 

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chairman

Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

John Boozman (R-Ark.)

Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)

James Lankford (R-Okla.)

Steve Daines (R-Mont.)

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

 

Patrick Leahy (R-Vt.), ranking member

Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)

Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)

Chris Coons (D-Del.)

Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

 

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairman

Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

John Boozman (R-Ark.)

Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

Steve Daines (R-Mont.)

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

John Hoeven (R-N.D.)

 

Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member

Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)

Chris Coons (D-Del.)

Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

Collins to Stay on at NIH

As previously reported, the Trump Administration has asked approximately 50 members of the current Obama Administration

NIH indicated today that the resignation letter that NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., submitted to the incoming Administration has been returned, and he is being held over into the next administration. At this point, President-elect Trump’s transition team has not yet publicly announced whether Dr. Collins will serve in the role permanently or until a new director is in place.

Flake Issues Annual “Waste Book”

Earlier this week, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) released his annual “waste book,” a list of 50 examples of federal spending which he believes are wasteful. As in the past, this year’s list includes plenty of activities supported by research agencies.

The document is available here.