GOP pushing Price, Sessions, DeVos a step toward Senate OK

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are muscling more of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees to the cusp of Senate confirmation over Democratic objections, with committees poised to advance his picks to head agencies in the thick of partisan battles over health care, legal protections, education and the economy.

Senate panels were expected Tuesday to advance Trump's picks of Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to be health secretary; Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to be attorney general; wealthy conservative activist Betsy DeVos to head the Education Department and Steve Mnuchin to lead Treasury.

Democrats have targeted the seven-term congressional veteran for his staunch backing of that drive and past GOP plans to reshape Medicare and Medicaid, which help older and low-income people afford medical care.

Democrats have also assailed Price for buying stocks of health care firms, accusing him of using insider information and conflicts of interest for backing legislation that could help his investments.

Rights activists fear DeVos' conservative religious beliefs make her a poor advocate for LGBT students and other minorities.

Democrats want him to retain sanctions imposed by Obama because of Russia's seizure of Ukrainian territory and U.S. intelligence agencies' conclusion that Moscow meddled in last November's U.S. elections to help Trump.