TOM COTTON

There had been calls for a diplomatic boycott for months. Now, after the Chinese tennis player's disappearance and reappearance, some say that isn't enough.

A difficult political atmosphere for President Joe Biden may have become even more treacherous after the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse.

It began as a prize-winning magazine issue and became a cultural flashpoint, and now “The 1619 Project” is coming out as a book.

A federal lawsuit accuses the National Rifle Association of violating campaign finance laws by using shell companies to illegally funnel up to $35 million to Republican candidates, including former President Donald Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and others.

Democrat Terry McAuliffe has brought out the biggest names in Democratic politics as he’s tried to maintain his edge in Virginia’s hotly contested gubernatorial race.

They are two prominent historians with very different views of the past — and the present.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has defended a Justice Department memo aimed at combating threats and violence against teachers, administrators and other school officials.

Attorney General Merrick Garland is defending a memo aimed at combating threats against school officials nationwide.

Republican Adam Laxalt hopes to win the race for Nevada's U.S. Senate seat by drawing stark contrast between his positions and the direction he says Democrats and their allies in Big Tech, Hollywood and the media are taking the country.

President Vladimir Putin says that Russia -- one of the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters -- is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss his decision to be the first major U.S. airline to implement a vaccine mandate for all employees. Plus, he talks about giving $1,000 bonuses to all employees during the pandemic and how the airline is preparing for holiday travel.

The House is voting on a short-term fix to extend the government's ability to borrow money. Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to figure out how to potentially cut trillions of dollars from the president's proposed social spending and climate package. CBS News' director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto and CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe join "Red and Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano. Later, The Washington Post's national political reporter Eugene Scott and Business Insider's senior politics reporter Eliza Relman discuss the latest on Capitol Hill.

U. S. officials say the United States commitment to Taiwan is" rock solid" and remains aligned with Taiwan against the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China after a week of unprecedented tensions. (Oct. 12)

During a press conference on Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was "very disappointed" the Build Back Better bill won't be for the $3.5 trillion that had been proposed.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reviewed powerful missiles developed to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland, as he vowed to build an “invincible” military to cope with what he called persistent U.S. hostility, state media reported Tuesday.

It’s a risky move by President Biden that could come back to haunt him — and future presidents — in the hyperpartisan world of Washington politics.

Cotton and McConnell privately worked to stop senators from joining Trump's efforts to overturn the election, a book by journalist David Drucker says.

Miami officials have decided to fire the city’s new police chief six months into his stormy tenure, after he was lambasted by city commissioners who he accused of meddling in the police department and internal affairs investigations.

Birds chirp near a river in the Ecuadorian jungle, five hours from the capital Quito, as Gregorio Mirabal expresses fear for the 500 tribes that often act as guardians of the Amazon rainforest and who face attacks, and even death, as a result.

Former President Donald Trump, who just lost reelection and is now teasing another run, is holding a large rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Saturday night.

Cotton sent a letter to Garland on Wednesday, pummeling the attorney general with questions about his widely-panned memo that has a growing list of lawmakers speaking out.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley are scheduled to appear before the House Armed Services Committee to review the war in Afghanistan.

After President Biden's address before the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, Senator Tom Cotton and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley rebuked his message, which they argue irreparably damaged America's international reputation and credibility.

President Biden insisted late Wednesday that the U.S. was committed to getting all Americans out Afghanistan.

The State Department and Department of Defense have provided contradictory information about conditions on the ground.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton told a crowd of about 4,000 Nevada Republicans that Adam Laxalt plans to run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton told a crowd of about 4,000 Republicans that former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt plans to run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. Sweltering sun and wildfire smoke obscuring the nearby mountains did little to blunt the energy of conservative activists at Laxalt’s 6th annual Basque Fry, an event modeled after cookouts hosted by the former Nevada Attorney General's grandfather, U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt — the son of a Basque immigrant sheepherder.

The Senate passed an amendment preventing critical race theory in school curricula from being funded by federal dollars.

Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) on Tuesday pressed a Coca-Cola representative on the company's decision to act as a sponsor to the 2022 Beijing Olympics despite China’s human rights abuses against the Uyghurs.

Cotton was talking about the crime spike occurring in some cities in the US, where more people are incarcerated per capita than anywhere else.

Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo and Kristi Noem appear at a conservative Christian summit in Des Moines on Friday. They are just a few of the potential 2024 Republican candidates courting Iowa voters.

Former President Donald Trump is insisting he's “not into coups” after a new book revealed the country’s top military leader feared Trump might try to stage one after losing the 2020 election.

Former NFL player Jake Bequette says he's challenging Arkansas Sen. John Boozman in next year's Republican primary.

Eighty-seven-year-old Chuck Grassley is trying to show Iowans that he’s not just physically ready for an eighth term, but that's he thriving.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson leads a state that went heavily for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Republicans eyeing a 2024 White House run are wasting no time in jockeying for a strong position in what could be an extremely crowded field of contenders.

After being characterized as a conspiracy theory, the possibility that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan laboratory is getting renewed attention.

Arkansas lawmaker critical of ‘woke ideology’ in armed forces

Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio, and Marsha Blackburn are calling for Anthony Fauci’s resignation, claiming that he has “lost the confidence of the American people.”

The head of the Senate Republican political arm says he expects former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt to challenge Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada next year.

It has been a tough three years for Republicans, and the future of their party is in doubt. Conservatives lost the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives in a span of just 24 months. They caused a constitutional crisis by objecting to certify the results of a free and fair election. Conspiracy theorists and extremists have been elected to influential positions on the party ticket. And they demoted one of their most important leaders, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, for bucking former Pre

Tom Cotton sent a letter Thursday to Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet, demanding details about Lockheed’s diversity and inclusion training.

In a story published June 3, 2021, The Associated Press reported that former President Donald Trump has given credence to a conspiracy theory that he could somehow be reinstated into the presidency in August.

States are banning some conversations on race and racism. Critics say the GOP effort is whitewashing history.

"You can't work for Huawei and then work for the Director of National Intelligence," said Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska.

Actor John Cena has apologized to fans in China after he called Taiwan a country in a promotional interview for his upcoming film and became the latest celebrity to face the fury of Chinese nationalists.

The "Fog of War": The concept is traced to Clausewitz and neatly captures the tactical, and moral, uncertainty of decision-making in the heat of battle. American politics between June 2015 and January 2021 was shrouded in what you might call the Fog of Trump. It’s lifting. You can tell by what policymakers are arguing about: Is inflation transitory or a longer-term threat? What counts as infrastructure spending? Should we start worrying again about the national debt? We are arguing, in other words, about public policy. Normal things. Not ridiculous notions like a Muslim travel ban, the barbarous forced separation of children from their parents, or what to do when the president runs a privately held company that does business just blocks from the White House as well as in foreign capitals. In a subtler way, the Fog of Trump is also lifting from the increasingly intriguing story about the origins of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. As New York’s Jonathan Chait notes, the liberal media should never have declared the question settled or the lab-leak theory "debunked." Trump himself, who lied profusely throughout his final year in office and trafficked in all sorts of anti-Asian tropes and China-bashing, is no innocent. But his behavior doesn’t absolve the media. Chait: "Trump is not the right standard for journalists. And those who chose to follow the ethos of moral clarity, at the expensive of objectivity, misled their audiences." Rightwingers, of course, have pounced on the media as the lab-leak theory has gained plausibility. Only Trump Derangement Syndrome could explain this gradual about-face, they say. But journalists were not Trump-deranged; it’s fairer to say they were Trump-fogged. As in war, the business of covering the historically venal and dishonest Trump administration sometimes led to bad decisions: running breathless stories that had not been properly vetted; lionizing reprobates like Michael Avenatti; and, yes, smearing the likes of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for broaching the lab-leak theory. The fog is lifting, however. And that is a good thing — for policymakers and journalists alike. More stories from theweek.comBiden says he underestimated Trump's ability to spread 'the big lie'Biden needs some braggadocioArizona's Secretary of State 'stripped' of duties after criticizing election audit

Haley and Scott will be asked about what the Republican Party should stand for and what issues all members can agree on.

Surges in violence and scenes of civilian suffering are testing President Joe Biden’s resolve to wrench America’s foreign policy focus and troops away from the hotspots of the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Republicans trying to drive a wedge between Democrats and chip away at President Joe Biden’s support are zeroing in on the violence in the Middle East.

Republican ridicules reporters for ‘whiny’ coverage following ‘wholly appropriate’ airstrike on offices by Israel, as US admit it has not seen evidence of terrorist infrastructure in the blown-up building

Former President Donald Trump is staking his claim to the Republican Party in a closed-door speech to donors Saturday night, casting his populist policies and attack-dog politics as the key to future Republican success.

The Republican Party is bringing hundreds of donors and several presidential prospects to the former president’s doorstep in south Florida this weekend.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the West Side Conservative Club, Friday, March 26, 2021, in Urbandale, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)DES MOINES, Iowa – Ambitious Republicans are starting to make moves in Iowa, long a proving ground for future presidents. Pompeo's two-day Iowa trip leads an exceptionally early round of Iowa travel planned by U.S. senators, emerging as national GOP figures. Ecklund, Crawford County Republicans' communication director, has encountered Republicans “ready to move on” and “tired of the extreme controversy” in a county Trump carried by more than 30 percentage points twice. ___This story has been corrected to show Ecklund is the Crawford County Republicans' communication director, not Crawford County Republicans' co-chair.

(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – After years of Democratic accusations that former President Donald Trump was too soft on Russia, the Biden administration is facing Republican criticism of its approach to Moscow. The Biden administration rejects the criticism, saying it has been clear about penalties for companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and that its goal is to bolster European energy security. Like the Trump administration before it, the Biden administration believes the pipeline will harm European energy security, particularly for countries in Eastern and Central Europe like Ukraine and Poland, which the pipeline bypasses. U.S. officials have long said they fear Russia will use the pipeline as a political tool against its neighbors. The Biden administration suggests more sanctions may be coming.

FILE - This April 19, 2019 file photo shows a sign for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON – The Biden administration's nominee for top Pentagon policy adviser was met with sharp criticism from Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, including accusations that he has been too partisan. And a number of GOP senators said they were troubled by partisan tweets Kohl put out during Donald Trump's presidency and they would oppose his nomination. And he told the panel, “This is not a political job, it’s a policy job ... Others, including the panel chairman, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., sought commitments on improving Pentagon policies and relations with other countries that soured during Trump's tenure.

And for beleaguered Republicans coming off a disastrous election, it was their first step back to political power. Senate Republicans are expected to oppose a similar measure in the coming weeks, arguing that the bill is not focused enough on the pandemic. Polling suggests that an overwhelming majority of voters — including a significant number of Republicans — supports the Democrats' pandemic relief plan. AdWhether the minimum wage provision is included or not, Senate Republicans are expected to oppose the final package. 3 House Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

FILE - This June 22, 2019, file photo shows the exterior of the New York Times building in New York. In a report to its employees in February 2021, The New York Times says it needs a culture change to become a better place to work, particularly for people of color. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)NEW YORK – The New York Times says it needs a culture change to become a better place to work, particularly for people of color. A survey of employees didn't just uncover bad news; 95% of Times employees said they felt pride in working at the paper, and most have had positive experiences. “We also believe it will make The Times a better place to work, for all of us.”

Trump himself is headlining the three-day session in a Sunday speech that will be his first public appearance since leaving the White House on Jan. 20. Trump has been keeping a relatively low profile since he moved from the White House to Palm Beach a month ago. “I think the broader point will be: Here's where the Republican Party and conservative movement and the America First movement goes from here," said senior Trump adviser Jason Miller. Here we’ll see the president address the fact that the only divide in the Republican Party is between the elites and the conservative grassroots in the party." “In opposition, when you don’t have the White House, there are many more voices that lead the party,” Cotton said in an interview.

The proposal unveiled by the two senators Wednesday would gradually increase the minimum wage from its present $7.25 an hour to $10 an hour by 2025. At least 22 states have a minimum wage set at $7.25 or do not have a minimum wage. The provision in the House bill would gradually increase the minimum wage starting at $11 this year to $15 by 2025. Two Democratic Senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have voiced opposition to including a minimum wage increase in the relief package. The last time the federal minimum wage was increased was in 2009, as part of an amendment that gradually raised the minimum wage from 2007.

The proposal unveiled by the two senators Wednesday would gradually increase the minimum wage from its present $7.25 an hour to $10 an hour by 2025. At least 22 states have a minimum wage set at $7.25 or do not have a minimum wage. The provision in the House bill would gradually increase the minimum wage starting at $11 this year to $15 by 2025. Two Democratic Senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have voiced opposition to including a minimum wage increase in the relief package. The last time the federal minimum wage was increased was in 2009, as part of an amendment that gradually raised the minimum wage from 2007.

“To meet this moment, we need strong federal leadership," Becerra said at the first of two hearings on his nomination. AdAppearing before the Senate health committee, Becerra seconded President Joe Biden’s goals of 100 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days, increased coronavirus testing, ramped-up DNA mapping of the virus to track worrisome mutations and reopening schools and businesses. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the ranking Republican on the health committee, left no doubt that Becerra faces tough scrutiny. California took pride in viewing itself as the resistance to Trump, and Becerra embodied that ethos. Lack of medical experience doesn't disqualify a nominee for HHS secretary, though it can be a plus.

Neera Tanden also admitted to spending “many months” removing past Twitter posts, saying, “I deleted tweets because I regretted them." He said that included Tanden calling Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton "a fraud” and tweeting that “vampires have more heart” than Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford said Tanden had tweeted more over the past four years than even Trump did. Still, Senate discussion of Tanden's nomination is likely to center more on her past tweets than her budget priorities. Cotton has said they were “filled with hate.” Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn suggested previously that she'd face “certainly a problematic path” to nomination.

FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2020, file photo, demonstrators with the New York Immigration Coalition rally asking President-elect Joe Biden to prioritize immigration reform in New York. The multimillion-dollar #WeAreHome campaign was launched Monday by national groups including United We Dream and the United Farm Workers Foundation. The five groups chairing the campaign are paying for the effort with their own fundraising,“We need an early breakthrough on immigration,” said Praeli. The November survey of more than 110,000 voters showed 9 in 10 Biden voters and about half of Trump voters favored creating a way for people to legalize their status. Veteran civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, an activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers who now runs her own foundation, said the immigration reform push will benefit from the dramatic stories of children being separated from their parents under the Trump administration.

In this image from video, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is presiding over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, swears in members of the Senate for the impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Late Tuesday, the presiding officer at the trial, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was taken to the hospital for observation after not feeling well at his office, spokesman David Carle said in a statement. The vote means the trial on Trump's impeachment will begin as scheduled the week of Feb. 8. “You’re asking me to vote in a trial that by itself on its own is not constitutionally allowed?” he asked. Instead, Leahy, who serves in the largely ceremonial role of Senate president pro tempore, was sworn in on Tuesday.

Leahy will preside over former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial. Republican senators are balancing the demands of deep-pocketed donors who are distancing themselves from Trump and voters who demand loyalty to him. Instead, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D- Vt., who serves in the largely ceremonial role of Senate president pro tempore, is set to preside. A few GOP senators have agreed with Democrats, though not close to the number that will be needed to convict Trump. If not, what is?” Romney was the only Republican senator to vote for conviction when the Senate acquitted Trump in his first impeachment trial.

(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)WASHINGTON – A growing number of Republican senators say they oppose holding an impeachment trial, a sign of the dimming chances that former President Donald Trump will be convicted on the charge that he incited a siege of the U.S. Capitol. “I think the trial is stupid, I think it’s counterproductive,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.. Arguments in the Senate trial will begin the week of Feb. 8. A few GOP senators have agreed with Democrats, though not close to the number that will be needed to convict Trump. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said he believes there is a “preponderance of opinion” that an impeachment trial is appropriate after someone leaves office.

The Senate voted to confirm Avril Haines to be Director of National Intelligence on Wednesday evening, making her the first of President Biden's Cabinet nominees to be confirmed. The Senate adjourned for the night after confirming Haines, and will reconvene at 12 p.m. on Thursday. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote that it was "appropriate" that Haines would be the first nominee confirmed by the Senate. Senate committees began Tuesday to hold confirmation hearings for five of Mr. Biden's picks just before his inauguration: Janet Yellen, nominee for Treasury secretary, Haines, nominee for director of national intelligence, Lloyd Austin, nominee for Defense secretary, Tony Blinken, nominee for secretary of state, and Alejandro Mayorkas, nominee for Homeland Security secretary. Denis McDonough, the nominee for secretary of Veterans Affairs, will receive a hearing next week.

In a first vote, the Senate confirmed Biden's nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines. The new Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged colleagues to turn the spirit of the new president’s call for unity into action. The three Democrats complete a Senate narrowly split 50-50 between the parties, but giving Democrats the majority with Harris able to cast the tie-breaking vote. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to soon transmit to the Senate the House-passed article of impeachment against Trump, charged with incitement of insurrection, a step that will launch the Senate impeachment trial. Progressive and liberal Democrats are eager to do away with the filibuster to more quickly advance Biden’s priorities, but not all rank-and-file Senate Democrats are on board.

President-elect Joe Bidens pick for national intelligence director Avril Haines speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Washington. (Joe Raedle/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Avril Haines as director of national intelligence, giving President Joe Biden the first member of his Cabinet and placing the first woman in charge of the nearly two-decade old agency. In her confirmation hearing Tuesday, Haines made clear she intends to end the Trump administration's practice of pressuring officials to shape their analysis to the president’s liking. “When it comes to intelligence, there is simply no place for politics — ever,” she told the Senate Intelligence Committee. “The last four years have been hard on the intelligence community,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the new chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee after Democrats took the majority on Wednesday.

The Senate voted to confirm Avril Haines to be director of national intelligence on Wednesday evening, making her the first of President Biden's Cabinet nominees to be confirmed. The Senate adjourned for the night after confirming Haines, and will reconvene at 12 p.m. on Thursday. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote that it was "appropriate" that Haines would be the first nominee confirmed by the Senate. Senate committees began Tuesday to hold confirmation hearings for five of Mr. Biden's picks just before his inauguration: Janet Yellen, nominee for Treasury secretary, Haines, nominee for director of national intelligence, Lloyd Austin, nominee for Defense secretary, Tony Blinken, nominee for secretary of state, and Alejandro Mayorkas, nominee for Homeland Security secretary. Denis McDonough, the nominee for secretary of Veterans Affairs, will receive a hearing next week.

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)SAN DIEGO – For the opening salvo of his presidency, few expected Joe Biden to be so far-reaching on immigration. He also extended temporary legal status to Liberians who fled civil war and the Ebola outbreak to June 2022. Former President Donald Trump's administration also took hundreds of other steps to enhance enforcement, limit eligibility for asylum and cut legal immigration. The survey of more than 110,000 voters in November showed 9 in 10 Biden voters but just about half of Trump voters were in favor of a path to legal status. Biden's bill calls for more technology at land crossings, airports and seaports and authorizes the Homeland Security secretary to consider other steps.

Many Democrats have pushed for an immediate impeachment trial to hold Trump accountable and prevent him from holding future office, and the proceedings could still begin by Inauguration Day. Psaki noted that during Trump's first impeachment trial last year, the Senate continued to hold hearings each day. Pelosi told reporters on Friday that the nine House impeachment managers, who act as the prosecutors for the House, are working on taking the case to trial. McConnell is open to considering impeachment, having told associates he is done with Trump, but he has not signaled how he would vote. No president has ever been convicted in the Senate, and it would take a two-thirds vote against Trump, an extremely high hurdle.

Many Democrats have pushed for an immediate impeachment trial to hold Trump accountable and prevent him from holding future office, and the proceedings could still begin by Inauguration Day. Psaki noted that during Trump's first impeachment trial last year, the Senate continued to hold hearings each day. Pelosi told reporters on Friday that the nine House impeachment managers, who act as the prosecutors for the House, are working on taking the case to trial. McConnell is open to considering impeachment, having told associates he is done with Trump, but he has not signaled how he would vote. No president has ever been convicted in the Senate, and it would take a two-thirds vote against Trump, an extremely high hurdle.

Trump still has supporters, especially among the many rank-and-file Republican voters and conservative activists beyond Washington. That makes Trump the first outgoing president since Andrew Johnson 152 years ago to skip the swearing-in of his successor. Meanwhile, there is no clear path for the Republican Party without Trump. “We need a Republican Party,” Biden said, noting that he spoke with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, a leading Trump critic. Doug Deason, a Texas-based donor who served on the Trump campaign's finance committee, said this week's events have done nothing to shake his confidence in the Republican president.

Trump still has supporters, especially among the many rank-and-file Republican voters and conservative activists beyond Washington. That makes Trump the first outgoing president since Andrew Johnson 152 years ago to skip the swearing-in of his successor. Meanwhile, there is no clear path for the Republican Party without Trump. “We need a Republican Party,” Biden said, noting that he spoke with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, a leading Trump critic. Doug Deason, a Texas-based donor who served on the Trump campaign's finance committee, said this week's events have done nothing to shake his confidence in the Republican president.

“Supporting Josh Hawley ... was the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life,” former Missouri Sen. John Danforth told The Associated Press on Thursday. “Assault on democracy: Sen. Josh Hawley has blood on his hands in Capitol coup attempt,” read the headline of the editorial. Hawley, who defeated Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018, was once celebrated by the Republican establishment as a rising star. Seated near Hawley, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney blasted those who objected to finalizing President-elect Joe Biden’s election. Now Danforth wonders how Hawley will be able to work with his Senate colleagues, even Republicans, moving forward.

“Supporting Josh Hawley ... was the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life," former Missouri Sen. John Danforth told The Associated Press on Thursday. Soon Hawley and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were leading about 10 other senators in the effort — notably not winning over Sens. With Hawley sitting near, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney blasted those who objected to finalizing President-elect Joe Biden’s election. The student bar association at the University of Missouri law school, where Hawley taught, issued a statement calling for his resignation. Now Danforth wonders how Hawley will be able to work with his Senate colleagues, even Republicans, moving forward.

(Samuel Corum/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Wednesday's congressional joint session to count electoral votes could drag late into the night as some Republicans plan to challenge Democrat Joe Biden's victory in at least six states. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leaves the House chamber for the Senate to consider objections to certify Electoral College votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. All 50 states have certified the electoral votes. Freshman Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has said he will challenge Pennsylvania's electoral votes. Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia were all pivotal states that Biden carried on his way to his 306-232 Electoral College win. McConnell, 78, has been the Republican leader since 2007 and is the longest-serving Senate GOP leader in history.

NEW YORK – The Republican Party is facing a defining moment. But what comes next for the Republican Party is anything but clear. Trump’s hold over his adopted party has been all but absolute in his time in office. If he does, the Republican Party could continue to shape itself in his image. “I believe he will have as much hold over the party as he wants to,” said Alice Stewart, a Republican strategist who advised Cruz's 2016 campaign.

Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The appointed "tellers" from the House and Senate, members of both parties, then read each certificate out loud and record and count the votes. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

While some Democrats say Trump's actions merit new impeachment proceedings, Biden has been more circumspect. Biden’s aides believe Americans outside Washington want to hear more about how the Biden presidency will help them and less about the partisan squabbling that has characterized the past four years of Trump’s presidency. There was no widespread fraud in the election, which a range of election officials across the country, as well as Trump’s former attorney general, William Barr, has confirmed. Indeed, by avoiding engaging with Trump, Biden is also hoping to maintain the opportunity for bipartisanship in the new Congress, which he's repeatedly emphasized will be key to his hopes of getting anything done. Jim Manley, a former longtime Senate Democratic leadership aide, said the party's failure to take on Trump's recent moves could set the tone for Biden’s presidency and beyond.

It begins on Tuesday with two runoff elections in Georgia that will decide control of the Senate. Biden's ability to easily set up his Cabinet and enact a legislative agenda hinges on Democrats capturing both seats. The focus shifts to Washington on Wednesday, where Congress is set to certify Biden's victory in the Electoral College. “Anyone who thought that Trump would cede control of the Republican Party post-an election loss is just dead wrong. Raffensberger rebuffed Trump's request and Biden's victory in Georgia — and other states that propelled him to victory — is not in doubt.

Though he got nothing but cheers Monday night, Trump's attempt to overturn the presidential election i s splitting the Republican Party. Trump himself is whipping up crowds for a Wednesday rally near the White House. Trump said in Georgia: “I hope that our great vice president comes through for us. Two current Republican senators, Rob Portman of Ohio and Mike Lee of Utah, joined the growing number who now oppose the legislators' challenge. Larry Hogan of Maryland; Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the third-ranking House GOP leader; and former House Speaker Paul Ryan — have criticized the GOP efforts to overturn the election.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, has endorsed Donald Trump, but reaffirms Congress' role in keeping America's future president in line. The Arkansas senator adds that the U.S. must act to dismantle the Iranian nuclear program, citing America's recent payment to Iran as a serious threat to national security.

After a tumultuous week for Donald Trump's campaign, "Face the Nation" brings you the latest from the trail, with Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, CBS News Elections Director Anthony Salvanto and others.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is one of the Republicans who has called for a criminal prosecution of Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server. His name has also been mentioned as a potential running mate for Donald Trump. Sen. Cotton joins "CBS This Morning" from Washington to discuss the controversy.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, is accusing President Obama of downplaying American fears of terrorist attacks in his weekly GOP address, released April 16, 2016

The latest on the Iran nuclear negotiations and the 2016 presidential race, with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, and more.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, says the United States has gone “way too far down the road” in making concessions to Iranian negotiators. Cotton says Iran’s elevated role in the Middle East has complicated the fight against ISIS.

The latest on the Iran nuclear negotiations and the 2016 presidential race, with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, and more.

"Face The Nation" moderator John Dickerson tells CBSN's David Begnaud about his interview with House Speaker John Boehner and previews a discussion about the GOP's response to Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.

March 15: Kerry, Cotton, Manchin The latest on the Republican Senator's letter to Iran, and a discussion on race relations in America with Secretary of State John Kerry, Sen. Tom Cotton, and Sen. Joe Manchin.

How freshman Sen. Tom Cotton has gained influence in the GOP He's only been a U.S. Senator for two months, but has already managed to convince 46 other Republican Senators to sign a controversial letter to Iran. The letter, which warns the Islamic Republic that any nuclear deal reached with the Obama administration could be undone with the "stroke of a pen," has put Sen. Tom Cotton on the map. Nancy Cordes charts his rise.

GOP senators accused of trying to sabotage Iran nuclear talks Democrats are denouncing a letter to Iran written by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton and signed by most of the 54 Republican senators.The letter warns that any nuclear deal would need to be ratified "by two thirds vote." Vice President Joe Biden said the letter "undercuts" President Obama and his nuclear negotiators. Nancy Cordes reports.