FBI DIRECTOR // The Senate confirmed Christopher Wray in a 92-5 vote. Before this vote, only one other no vote was ever cast against a nominee for FBI director. Which makes the five votes against this nominee all the more striking. http://cvote.it/2vgTJaJ
CHINA // Frustrated by China’s inability or reluctance to pressure North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, President Trump is readying actions against China on trade over its theft of U.S. intellectual property. http://cvote.it/2vheCTa
TAXES // Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans will go it alone on tax reform. “We have been informed by the majority of the Democrats in a letter I just received today that most of the principles that would get the country growing again they are not interested in addressing,” McConnell said. http://cvote.it/2vhHwCZ
ANTI-CHRISTIAN // Sen. James Lankford, R-OK, takes on ABC for labeling a Christian organization as a “hate group.” Lankford wrote: “Since I think I can confidently assume that ABC news is a strong supporter of the First Amendment, why would ABC News label a peaceful group as a ‘hate group’ simply because of a difference of opinion?” http://cvote.it/2vgMSye
COLLEGE FREE SPEECH // Great news: North Carolina’s House of Representatives passed the Restore Campus Free Speech Act, which would require a public university system’s board of trustees to develop a statement in favor of free speech and review the university’s commitment to free expression during freshman orientation programs. Expect other states to follow suit. http://cvote.it/2vhi94h
SEX TRAFFICKING // A website called Backpage is considered by authorities to be an online brothel. And they are suing Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley who’s trying to investigate the website for its alleged role in sex trafficking. A U.S. Senate report in January contends that the site is involved in 73 percent of all child trafficking reports received from the National Center for Exploited Children. Hawley, a Republican, is considered a potential U.S. Senate candidate in 2018 against pro-abortion Claire McCaskill. http://cvote.it/2vhGGpK
THINK TANK // The Board of Trustees of the Heritage Foundation approached Sen. Ben Sasse, R-NE, to be the head of their organization. But the Senate’s leading anti-Trump Republican declined the offer. http://cvote.it/2vhgueG
CATHOLIC // A Catholic group fighting HHS mandate remains disappointed that exemption still hasn’t been issued. http://cvote.it/2vhpyk2
CATHOLIC // Welsh seminarians were mistaken for a bachelor party gag, and nearly kicked out of a pub. Realizing their error, management invited them to stay and bought them a round of drinks. http://cvote.it/2vhhS0S
SAINT // Saint Eusebius of Vercelli – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS // “Holy is the Lord our God.” (Ps 99:9) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
TRUTH //