Sen. Shaheen Supports Confirmation of Mattis, Not Sure Yet on Tillerson

It’s been a busy week in Washington, D.C. Lawmakers have heard from some of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for his Cabinet and they’ve also taken steps to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and the Armed Services Committees, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen had the opportunity to question two of Trump’s nominees-Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State and James Mattis for Secretary of Defense-and she joined NHPR’s Peter Biello to talk about those hearings and other news of the week.

10 Things to Know for Today

Defense Secretary-designate James Mattis listens to questions from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., about his views on women and gays serving in the military, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. less Defense Secretary-designate James Mattis listens to questions from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., about his views on women and gays serving in the military, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate … more Cuban migrant Yarisel Isac Wilson, 20, right, cries as she talks about her journey to the U.S. at a migrant shelter in Panama City, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017.

Confirmation hearings to give Democrats a platform

In this Nov. 29, 2016 photo, Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., is shown while meeting with Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington. A failed voting fraud prosecution from more than 30 years ago is likely to re-emerge as a contentious issue during Jeff SessionsA’ confirmation hearing for attorney general.