RICHARD BURR

The Senate has passed landmark bipartisan legislation to protect same-sex marriages.

The Senate is set to vote Tuesday on legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, putting Congress one step closer to ensuring that such unions are enshrined in federal law.

Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) is leading former North Carolina state Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley (D) in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), according to a new survey from Emerson College Polling and The Hill. Half of very likely voters in North Carolina say they’re backing Budd for the Senate seat, compared…

The Kentucky Republican, a fierce critic of the pandemic response, is in line to chair Senate health panel if GOP wins control.

Native American groups in Alabama and North Carolina are hoping that two outgoing U.S. senators can help them achieve something that's been elusive so far: federal recognition as tribes.

The two major-party candidates seeking to succeed retiring North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr have parried over topics like abortion and inflation for what is likely their only televised debate.

North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Ted Budd is leaning into his support for abortion restrictions and his allegiance to former President Donald Trump as Democrats fight for an elusive victory in the Southern swing state.

Dr. Anthony Fauci walked back President Biden's statement that the COVID-19 pandemic is over, which the president said in a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday.

The US Chamber of Commerce estimates that a shutdown of the nation's railroads would cost $2 billion a day.

The documents reveal Burr had nonpublic information when he abruptly sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock and bought T-bills before the market tanked.

The Los Angeles Times, which sought the release of the warrant in court, had pushed for more information after the Justice Department released a heavily redacted search warrant and accompanying affidavit in June.

In early primaries, Republican voters continue to side with nominees who, should they win, will probably have more loyalty to the former president than Mitch McConnell, creating potential headaches down the road for the long-serving Senate GOP leader.

Former President Donald Trump’s influence was enough to elevate his Senate candidate to victory in North Carolina on Tuesday.

Former President Donald Trump’s winning streak in U.S. Senate primaries is on the line Tuesday as voters in five states cast their ballots in midterm elections.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and visiting U.S. lawmakers have reaffirmed their commitment to working together under a longstanding alliance at a time of heightened global tensions and threats from China and North Korea.

China says its military has staged exercises to reinforce its threat to use force to bring Taiwan under its control, as U.S. lawmakers visiting Taiwan made a pointed and public declaration of support for the self-governing island democracy while issuing a warning to China.

A delegation of six U.S. lawmakers has arrived in Taiwan on a visit that has already been denounced by China.

When Ted Budd won a surprise endorsement from former President Donald Trump last year, he was a little-known congressman running for a Senate seat in North Carolina against some of the state’s most recognizable Republicans, including a former governor.

The Biden administration has announced that federal student loan payments will remain paused through Aug. 31, extending a freeze that began in 2020 but was set to end after this month.

Biden officials previously said helping vaccinate the world is critical to protect Americans.

Home-district projects for members of Congress are back, sprinkled across the government-wide $1.5 trillion bill that President Joe Biden signed recently.

A Senate committee has approved a bipartisan blueprint to overhaul the nation’s public health system, applying the lessons of COVID-19 to future outbreaks through a new chain of command, a stronger medical supply chain, and clearer crisis communications.

Pressure is building for Congress to pass legislation that would curtail lawmakers’ ability to speculate on the stock market.

President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the powerful Food and Drug Administration has stalled in the narrowly divided Senate.

A federal watchdog says the government's main health agency is failing to meet its responsibilities for leading the national response to public health emergencies including the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather disasters and even potential bioterrorist attacks.

As support grows for a ban on stock trades by members, the White House says Biden's position is that the question should be left to Congress to decide.

Sens. Jon Ossoff and Josh Hawley introduced competing bills to ban members of Congress and their immediate family members from trading stocks while in office.

The Senate has passed a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Emmett Till, the Chicago teenager murdered by white supremacists in the 1950s, and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, angrily accused a senator Tuesday of making false accusations that are leading to threats against him.

President Joe Biden is urging concern but not alarm as the United States set records for daily reported COVID-19 cases and his administration struggles to ease concerns about testing shortages.

A prominent U.S. Senate candidate in North Carolina has withdrawn from next year’s race for the Democratic nomination.

President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration parried questions on crises ranging from the COVID pandemic to the opioid epidemic at his confirmation hearing Tuesday.

Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are at the forefront of lawmakers calling for a ban on members of Congress investing in individual stocks.

Former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is among three top Republicans engaged in a hotly contested 2022 U.S. Senate primary.

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr and his brother-in-law are under investigation for insider trading.

Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina has said the DOJ dropped a criminal probe of his trades after coronavirus briefings. But the SEC continues eyeing them.

According to the SEC, Sen. Richard Burr had material nonpublic information about coronavirus impact. He and his brother-in-law dumped stock before the market dropped in March 2020.

A congressional ethics watchdog has concluded there is “substantial reason to believe” that the wife of Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly used nonpublic information gained through her husband’s position in Congress to purchase stock last year.

The Senate on Thursday approved a bill to help the U.S. avoid a default on its debt in the next few weeks.

The rewards of an early Donald Trump endorsement will be on display Saturday in Georgia.

The rewards of an early Donald Trump endorsement were on display Saturday evening in Georgia.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul waited more than a year to disclose that his wife bought stock in a company that makes a COVID-19 treatment.

The Senate is on track to give final approval to its $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley of North Carolina raised nearly $1.3 million in little more than two months since she entered the race in April, her campaign announced on Wednesday. The former state Supreme Court chief justice and first black woman to hold that title in North Carolina is gearing up to for an expensive bid to fill the seat Republican Sen. Richard Burr is vacating in 2022. The pickup opportunity for Democrats could sway the balance of the Senate and determine whether Republicans can more easily stifle President Joe Biden's legislative agenda.

The Democrats' sweeping attempt to rewrite U.S. election and voting law has suffered a major setback in the U.S. Senate.

Congressional Democrats are eyeing a $6 trillion infrastructure package that goes far beyond roads and bridges.

Democratic senators are also working on another plan to push infrastructure legislation through using reconciliation.

A bipartisan senators’ group working on a $1 trillion infrastructure compromise has now doubled in size, expanding to 21 members.

The L.A. Times is appealing a ruling by a federal judge blocking access to a search warrant for Sen. Richard Burr's phone.

The L.A. Times is appealing a ruling by a federal judge blocking access to a search warrant for Sen. Richard Burr's phone.

A liberal lawmaker seeks ways to get along and go forward in a polarized Congress

Republicans are fighting to seize control of Congress.

Former President Trump said Saturday that North Carolina Rep. Ted Budd has his "complete and total endorsement" to replace the state's retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.Why it matters: The 2022 race for Burr's seat is set to be one of the most watched in the U.S. It could determine the balance of power in the Senate, which is technically split 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris having the tie-breaker vote.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Mar

A vote by City Council members could drastically change zoning dynamics in Charlotte. Let voters decide instead. (Letters to the Editor)

Sen. Richard Burr announced in January that the Department of Justice had closed its investigation into his February 2020 stock sales.

Rep. Tom Malinowski has scolded those who may be looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century pandemic.

The Jan. 6 insurrection was an attack on democracy. The US must fully assess what happened at the Capitol and why. (Letters to the Editor)

Former President Donald Trump will speak at North Carolina's annual state Republican Party convention next month.

Compared with most congressional newbies, it didn’t take Rep. Matt Gaetz long.

A group working to elect candidates with science, technology, engineering and math backgrounds plans to spend $50 million in the 2022 midterm elections.

His confirmation was among the most partisan, with only one Republican, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, supporting him. Romney said he hasn’t heard from the White House at all on Cabinet appointments. And you had to be, I think, a little more cooperative with your colleagues.”AdvertisementSenators differentiated between communication with the White House and with the nominees themselves. Romney said he’s heard from people who know the nominees but has not heard from the White House. White House officials never wanted to pursue an overt lobbying campaign to win over Republican senators, according to people on Biden’s team.

The former president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is eyeing the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Richard Burr. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)RALEIGH, N.C. – A Trump may be on the ballot next year — but not Donald Trump. The former president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is eyeing the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Richard Burr. The answer to that question has implications that extend far beyond Lara Trump's political future. The 38-year-old Lara Trump is married to the former president's son, Eric.

(Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden's Cabinet is starting to fill out, with nominees for agriculture secretary and United Nations ambassador gaining Senate approval Tuesday. “And that’s what we intend to do.”Schumer couldn’t resist a jab at former President Donald Trump, saying that all Biden’s nominees are “undoubtedly qualified for their positions, a stark departure from the caliber of nominees the Senate was made to consider during the previous administration.”But one of Biden's nominees, Neera Tanden to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget, is clearly in trouble in the evenly divided Senate. Currently California's attorney general, Becerra appeared Tuesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “I'm not sold yet,” Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the ranking Republican on the health committee, said, addressing Becerra. ___INTERIORRep. Deb Haaland, Biden's nominee to lead the Interior Department, fielded sharp questions from Republicans over what some called her “radical” ideas that include opposition to fracking and to the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

But the North Carolina Republican’s vote to convict former President Donald Trump should not have come as a shock. AdWith Burr retiring at the end of his term in 2022, it’s a vote that could end up defining his career. Exactly a year later, as the Russia investigation was wrapping up, Burr’s time leading the committee came to an abrupt end. He sided with most Republicans in a vote to dismiss the trial, creating an expectation he’d also vote to acquit. AdSo when Burr stood up to vote for Trump's conviction, many in the chamber wondered if there would be other surprises.

Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski speaks to reporters during a visit to the state Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Juneau, Alaska. Murkowski said she knows there could be political consequences for her vote to convict former President Donald Trump during his recent impeachment trial but says she can't be afraid of that. She also said that if the state Republican Party decides to censure her for her vote, “they can make that statement. Other Republicans who voted to convict Trump, including Sens. She said the Republican Party “was a pretty good party before Donald Trump, and I believe we can be a good party after Donald Trump.

Backlash has been swift and unrelenting for the few Republicans in Congress who voted alongside Democrats in Donald Trump's second impeachment trial. Some of the seven senators who voted to convict Trump on the charge of inciting the deadly Capitol riot are facing censure and criticism from within the party. One Republican who voted to impeach Trump in the House was reportedly even denounced by members of his own family. Maine's Republican Party could censure Sen. Susan Collins over her vote to convict, the Bangor Daily News reported Monday. 3 House Republican, was censured by her state's GOP earlier this month after she voted to impeach Trump.

Raleigh, North Carolina — The North Carolina Republican Party is expected to vote Monday on whether to censure Senator Richard Burr over his vote to convict former President Donald Trump during Trump's second impeachment trial. Party spokesman Tim Wigginton told multiple news outlets Sunday that the group's central committee would meet for the vote Monday night. Burr is one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump of "incitement of insurrection" for his role in last month's assault on the U.S. Capitol. North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement Saturday that Burr's vote to convict "in a trial that he declared unconstitutional is shocking and disappointing." Burr, who is retiring at the end of his term, is not the only Republican who voted to convict Mr. Trump facing backlash.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina Republican Party unanimously approved a resolution Monday to censure Sen. Richard Burr over his vote to convict former President Donald Trump during Trump’s second impeachment trial. “It is truly a sad day for North Carolina Republicans," Burr said in a statement. Within hours of Burr's decision, the North Carolina GOP and 2022 Republican Senate candidate Mark Walker quickly rebuked Burr. “Wrong vote, Sen. Burr,” Walker wrote on Twitter. Pennsylvania’s Republican Party is planning a meeting to potentially censure Sen. Pat Toomey over his vote to convict Trump, according to county party officials.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that Congress will establish an independent, Sept. 11-style commission to look into the deadly insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol. In a letter to Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said the House will also put forth supplemental spending to boost security at the Capitol. After former President Donald Trump’s acquittal at his second Senate impeachment trial, bipartisan support appeared to be growing for an independent commission to examine the deadly insurrection. AdInvestigations into the riot were already planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month in the Senate Rules Committee. An independent commission along the lines of the one that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks would probably require legislation to create.

The seven Republican senators who joined all 50 Democrats in voting to convict former President Donald Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 riot in the Capitol are now facing heat from conservatives in their home states. A meeting of the state GOP to formally censure the senator was postponed because of weather, the paper reported. Six of the seven Republicans will not be facing re-election next year, in the 2022 cycle. Each of the seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump has defended their decision to do so, in statements and in posts on social media. CNBC has reached out to each of the seven Republican lawmakers.

Seven Republican senators voted to convict former President Trump on the charge of incitement to insurrection, joining Democrats to make it it a far more bipartisan vote than Mr. Trump's first impeachment trial. But something distinguishes most of the Republicans who voted to convict Mr. Trump — most of them aren't up for reelection soon. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty." I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty. She added that Mr. Trump "had set the stage months" before Election Day and he "did everything in his power to stay in power."

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., walks on Capitol Hill after the Senate acquitted former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. Trump was accused of inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the acquittal gives him a historic second victory in the court of impeachment. Investigations into the riot were already planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month in the Senate Rules Committee. We needed more senators with spines.”AdMcConnell told Republican senators shortly before the vote that he would vote to acquit Trump. Beutler's statement late Friday that Trump rebuffed a plea from House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to call off the rioters was ultimately entered into the trial record.

Seven Republican senators voted to convict former President Trump on the charge of incitement to insurrection, joining Democrats to make it it a far more bipartisan vote than Mr. Trump's first impeachment trial. But something distinguishes most of the Republicans who voted to convict Mr. Trump — most of them aren't up for reelection soon. Therefore, I have voted to convict," Burr wrote. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty." I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty.

The Senate acquitted Trump in a 57-43 vote on the charge of inciting insurrection for his role in the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot. "President Trump also violated his oath of office by failing to protect the Capitol, the Vice President, and others in the Capitol. "Instead of preventing a dangerous situation, President Trump created one. "I was one of the 74 million Americans who voted for President Trump, in part because of the many accomplishments of his administration. The executive committee of the Louisiana Republican Party voted unanimously to censure Cassidy for his vote to convict Trump.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, arrives at the start of the fifth day of the second impeachment trial of former President Trump, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 at the Capitol in Washington. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP)(AP) – Seven Republicans voted Saturday to convict former President Donald Trump in his Senate trial, easily the largest number of lawmakers to ever vote to find a president of their own party guilty at impeachment proceedings. AdAlso striking was the “guilty” vote by Cassidy, who was reelected in November from a deep-red state where GOP support is widespread. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty,” Cassidy said in a one-sentence statement issued after his vote to convict. He said he wouldn't vote against his own conscience “simply because it is politically convenient.”Romney’s “guilty” vote at Trump’s initial impeachment trial last February made him the first senator to ever vote to convict a president of the same party.

But that hope dimmed when word came Saturday before the trial resumed that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell would vote to acquit Trump. If Trump were convicted, the Senate could take a second vote to ban him from running for office again. AdA look at the Republicans whom Democrats are eyeing as they make final arguments in the case:THE FREQUENT TRUMP CRITICSRepublican Sens. AdThree other GOP senators have said they will not run again in two years, potentially freeing them up to vote against Trump and anger base voters in the party. The Republican leader’s views are closely watched and carry sway among GOP senators, and his decision on Trump is likely to influence others weighing their votes.

If Trump were convicted, the Senate could take a second vote to ban him from running for office again. While none of them are locks to vote for conviction, they have joined with Democrats twice to vote against GOP efforts to dismiss the trial. AdHEADED OUTPennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, who is retiring from the Senate in 2022, has also voted twice with Democrats to move forward with the trial. All three voted to dismiss the trial, but Portman says he still has an open mind about conviction. EYES ON McCONNELLSenate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has twice voted to dismiss the trial, indicating he will ultimately vote to acquit.

Facing criticism that President Joe Biden has not acted aggressively enough on reopening schools, the White House on Thursday said it’s aiming for a full reopening but will defer to science experts on how to achieve it in the middle of a pandemic. The White House drew criticism this week when it said schools would be considered opened if they teach in-person at least one day a week. “I can assure any parent listening that his objective, his commitment, is to ensuring schools are open five days a week,” Psaki said at a press briefing. And this week, the White House said schools would be considered open as long as they teach in-person once a week. Asked why parents should be satisfied with just one day of in-person teaching per week, Psaki appeared to back away from her previous stance.

What to watch as the trial kicks off:FIRST, AN EFFORT TO DISMISSTuesday’s proceedings will begin with a debate to dismiss the trial before it even begins. The effort to dismiss is expected to fail, allowing arguments in the trial to begin on Wednesday. They point to an 1876 impeachment trial of a secretary of war who had resigned and note that Trump was impeached before he left office. But the managers can ask for a Senate vote on calling witnesses if they so choose. A (LESS) CAPTIVE AUDIENCEAs they were last year, at Trump’s first impeachment trial, senators are expected to listen to every word of the arguments before they cast their votes.

“The President continues to support the cancelling of student debt to bring relief to students and families,” Psaki tweeted. AdBiden previously had said he supports erasing up to $10,000 in student debt through legislation, but he had not shown interest in pursuing executive action. “The last thing people should be worried about is their student debt,” she said. Calls for debt forgiveness have been mounting following years of college tuition increases that have contributed to ballooning national student debt. Forgiving $50,000 in student debt would cost an estimated $650 billion, Warren said.

The Justice Department announced late Tuesday that it had closed the investigation in Senator Richard Burr without filing charges. Burr was under investigation for selling stocks at the same time he was receiving briefings as Senate Intelligence Committee chair ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic. Burr stepped down as the chair of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee in May. A closed-door Senate Intelligence Committee briefing on the coronavirus was held on January 24, although Burr's office would not confirm if he attended. Earlier investigations into stock sales around the same time from Senators Jim Inhofe and Dianne Feinstein and former Senator Kelly Loeffler ended in May.

The Justice Department announced late Tuesday that it had closed the investigation in Senator Richard Burr without filing charges. Burr was under investigation for selling stocks at the same time he was receiving briefings as Senate Intelligence Committee chair ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic. Burr stepped down as the chair of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee in May. A closed-door Senate Intelligence Committee briefing on the coronavirus was held on January 24, although Burr's office would not confirm if he attended. Earlier investigations into stock sales around the same time from Senators Jim Inhofe and Dianne Feinstein and former Senator Kelly Loeffler ended in May.

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) leaves the U.S. Capitol after voting in Washington, U.S., May 14, 2020. The Justice Department will not criminally charge Sen. Richard Burr in connection with stock trades that the North Carolina Republican executed on the heels of being briefed about Covid-19 last year, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic rocked the U.S. economy. Only Burr was the subject of a sustained criminal investigation by DOJ for his stock trades. On Feb. 13 last year, Burr unloaded stock shares worth $630,000 to $1.7 million, with 33 individual trades made on that single day. ProPublica reported that on the day Burr sold his stocks, his brother-in-law Gerald Fauth himself sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of stock.

Four U.S. senators were accused in March of using insider information about the coronavirus pandemic to profit in the stock market. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., stepped down as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee amid the allegations. Until the 2008 financial crisis, lawmakers were under few restrictions, and the public wasn't able to find out much about lawmakers' investments. In 2012, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act was passed to clean up Washington. How big an issue is insider trading in Congress?

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice is closing probes into three U.S. senators over stock trades made shortly before the coronavirus market turmoil, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The three senators include Republicans Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, and Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, the Journal reported, adding that prosecutors are alerting their defense attorneys about the closing of the probes. However, the DOJs related probe into Senator Richard Burr is continuing, according to the newspaper. Representatives for Burr, the DOJ and the FBI declined to comment. The senators were investigated over selling large amounts of stock before the coronavirus-induced market meltdown and after closed-door briefings on the outbreak this year.

The Justice Department is dropping its inquiry into Sen. Dianne Feinstein over stock trades made as the novel coronavirus struck the U.S. and roiled the economy, a person familiar with the matter said. Loeffler sold stocks valued at $1.25 million to $3.1 million in late February and early March in companies whose value later dropped significantly. In January, Inhofe sold stocks worth as much as $750,000. The Justice Departments decision came a week after federal agents dramatically escalated an investigation into another senators trades before the stock market tanked in response to public health lockdowns that snarled the economy. The STOCK Act requires lawmakers to disclose their stock market activity but allows them to own stock, even in industries they might oversee.

Federal prosecutors are still investigating stock sales by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina in advance of a coronavirus-fueled share price plunge, but are dropping investigations of such sales connected to three other senators: Kelly Loeffler, Jim Inhofe and Dianne Feinstein. Aides for Loeffler, R-Ga., Inhofe, D-Okla., and Feinstein, a California Democrat, confirmed to NBC News that the Department of Justice is no longer probing stock sales related to them. The FBI earlier this month seized Burr's cellphone at his home in Washington, D.C., as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) leaves the U.S. Capitol after voting in Washington, U.S., May 14, 2020. Burr on Feb. 13 sold stocks valued at between $630,000 and $1.7 million in 33 separate trades.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., listens during a virtual Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing, Tuesday, May 12, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Dianne Feinstein of California, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, according to people familiar with notifications sent to the senators. The developments indicate that federal law enforcement officials are narrowing their focus in the stock investigation to Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C, the former Senate Intelligence Committee chairman. Like Loeffler, both Inhofe and Feinstein denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the trades. From the outset, Senator Burr has been focused on an appropriate and thorough review of the facts in this matter, which will establish that his actions were appropriate, Fisher said in a statement.

WASHINGTON Sen. Marco Rubio, the new Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is warning that foreign actors will seek to amplify conspiracy theories about the coronavirus and find new ways to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. Rubio is taking over the chairmanship just as the committee wraps up a three-year investigation into the Russian interference. The panel has publicly released its endorsement of a 2017 assessment by intelligence agencies that Russia interfered and favored Trump, a conclusion that Trump has disputed. I think our report will be one of now several inquiries or investigative efforts that have led to the same conclusion, Rubio said. Rubio has shown little interest in criticizing Trumps response to the coronavirus, including his refusal to wear a mask in public.

WASHINGTON The Senate intelligence committee on Tuesday approved the nomination of Texas GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe to be director of national intelligence, sending the nomination to the Senate floor for his likely confirmation. Ratcliffe was first picked for the post last summer, shortly after Coats resignation, but then withdrew after some Senate Republicans questioned his experience. GOP senators warmed to Ratcliffe after Trump unexpectedly nominated him again in February. At his hearing, Ratcliffe worked to separate himself from the president, including by saying he believed Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, a conclusion Trump has often resisted. Ratcliffes nomination was approved 8-7 in a closed committee hearing, with all Democrats voting against it, according to a committee aide.

WASHINGTON Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will temporarily become chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican leaders announced, taking charge of the panel at a time of turnover and tension in the nation's intelligence community. Rubio has focused much of his Senate career on foreign policy, particularly Russia and China, and he is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations panel. He is also the chairman of the Senate small-business committee, where he has been negotiating relief measures during the coronavirus pandemic. In announcing Rubio's appointment to head the intelligence panel, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not say whether he would keep the small-business gavel. "I am grateful to Leader McConnell for his confidence in me to lead the Senate Intelligence Committee during Senator Burrs absence from the chairmanship, he said.

WASHINGTON Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will temporarily become chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican leaders announced Monday, taking charge of the panel at a time of turnover and tension in the nation's intelligence community. Trump has also repeatedly questioned the intelligence agencies' conclusions that Russia attempted to interfere in the 2016 elections. The Senate panel endorsed that conclusion in a report last month including that Russia had a preference for Trump and Rubio has repeatedly warned that Russia could try again. In announcing Rubio's appointment to head the intelligence panel, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not say whether he would keep the small-business gavel. "I am grateful to Leader McConnell for his confidence in me to lead the Senate Intelligence Committee during Senator Burrs absence from the chairmanship, he said.

WASHINGTON Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr on Friday submitted the final report in the panel's three-year Russia investigation to the intelligence community for a declassification review. The report on the panels counterintelligence findings including whether President Donald Trumps campaign coordinated with Russia marks the conclusion of its Russia probe, which it first launched in January 2017. It had been the final known investigation of Trumps 2016 campaign and Russia that was still active. Committee members have remained quiet on the panels conclusion on whether Trumps campaign coordinated with Russia. But Burr has said several times that he has seen no evidence of such collusion, a conclusion that would be in line with the House Intelligence Committees own Russia report in 2018.

Senator Kelly Loeffler also sold millions of dollars in shares in the weeks after lawmakers were first briefed on the virus, according to public filings. The report said the sales began after she participated in a private coronavirus briefing for senators. Senators Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) are seen in this combination photo. STOMACH-CHURNINGCritics across the political spectrum called on Burr and Loeffler to consider resigning or at least explain the sales. Senator Burr owes North Carolinians an explanation, fellow North Carolinian and Republican Senator Thom Tillis wrote on Twitter.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Republican senators faced calls to resign on Friday over media reports they sold substantial amounts of stock before the global coronavirus-induced market meltdown after receiving private briefings on the outbreak. Burr issued a statement Friday morning saying he relied only on public news reports to guide his decision on the Feb. 13 stock sale. The report said the sales began on the day her health committee hosted a private coronavirus briefing for senators. It is stomach-churning that the first thoughts these Senators had to a dire & classified #COVID briefing was how to profit off this crisis. Democrats said they were ready to talk but were also wary, noting they had not been involved in drafting the plan.

Senators sold stock before steep market losses from coronavirus pandemicSen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020 in Washington. Photo: Alex Brandon, AP Photo: Alex Brandon, AP Image 1 of / 142 Caption Close Senators sold stock before steep market losses from coronavirus pandemic 1 / 142 Back to GalleryWASHINGTON (AP) Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., sold as much as $1.7 million in stocks just before the market dropped in February amid fears about the coronavirus epidemic. CORONAVIRUS NEED TO KNOW: Two DPS employees test positiveThe stock sales were first reported by ProPublica and The Center for Responsive Politics. There is no indication that Burr had any inside information as he sold the stocks and issued the private warnings. The North Carolina senator was not the only lawmaker to sell of stocks just before the steep decline due to the global pandemic.

On a percentage basis, March is set to be the worst month since September 1931 as the Dow has dropped more than 24%. - Sheetz, Francolla4:00 pm: Wall Street's worst week since 2008The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished trading on Friday down 913 points, a drop of 4.55%, as U.S. markets concluded the worst week since 2008. Pound3:54 pm: Crude suffers its worst week since 1991The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped 11% Friday to $22.43 per barrel, posting its worst week since January 1991. So far this month, WTI is down nearly 44%, on pace for its worst month ever since the inception of the contract in 1983. WTI has shed 48% this month, putting it on track for its worst month in history.

Both Burr and Loeffler have received non-public information about the global spread of coronavirus from Executive Branch officials, who have been briefing senators regularly since at least January. In a statement Friday, Burr said his decision to off-load his stock was based "solely on public news reports," including those from CNBC. Members of Congress are prohibited by law from using non-public information they obtain through their official positions in order to personally profit off the stock market. There is no evidence that either Burr or Loeffler received specific, material, non-public information and then used it to trade specific stocks, which would qualify as insider trading. A spokeswoman for Burr confirmed the sales to ProPublica, but did not directly address whether Burr's decision to sell was informed by non-public information he received as a senator.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., has proposed giving taxpayers until July 15 to submit their 2019 income tax returns 90 days from the original April 15 due date. The Tax Filing Relief for America Act, which Senators Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Angus King, I-Maine, are joining Thune in introducing, aims to have the filing deadline coincide with the new July 15 deadline for taxpayers to pay the IRS taxes owed for 2019. Senators Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., are co-sponsors. But the federal agency decided to stick with the original April 15 due date for filing the returns. House Ways and Means chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., also called on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to move the federal income tax filing deadline to July 15.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. government surveillance tools fiercely opposed by privacy advocates and defended by intelligence agencies will expire after legislation renewing them stalled in the Senate on Thursday, although passage is expected next week. But the measure, which renews and updates domestic surveillance rules under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), must pass the Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump to become law. Republican Senator Mike Lee spoke against FISA in the Senate on Thursday, as an effort to quickly pass the House bill fell short. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was confident the Senate would pass the bill. I hope we dont have an attack this weekend, Burr told reporters after the debate in the Senate with Lee.