Colette Peters, director of the federal Bureau of Prisons, has stepped down after a two-and-a-half year tenure, the agency said. Her deputy director, William Lothrop, has been named acting director.

The Senate Finance Committee has favorably reported the nomination of Scott Bessent to be treasury secretary.

The vote was 16-11 in favor, with Democratic Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire joining all committee Republicans in supporting Bessent.

The family of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after responding to the Jan. 6 attack, called the pardons of those responsible for the attack, including the ones who assaulted officers, an "undoing of justice."

The family, in a statement, referred to the pardons as "the undoing of the justice that was previously determined by the Court’s sentencing of Brian’s assailants" adding, “It is our hope that the truth of what happened that tragic day will survive, irrespective of partisan political objectives.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said during his opening statement during Collins' confirmation hearing that he's "incredibly disheartened that the Trump administration is canceling the flights of nearly 1,660 Afghan refugees who were already cleared by the U.S. government to resettle in the United States."

"These allies aided our troops in Afghanistan," he said. "The risks to these Afghan allies are so dire and dangerous, and many of our veterans groups have been advocates for them, as you know. In fact, the strongest advocates for resettling those at-risk Afghan allies are the veterans who benefited from their protection and their service."

Blumenthal continued, "Our nation has a sacred promise that we’ve made to do right by the men and women who risk their lives for our freedoms and democracy and do right for their families, and that includes those translators, the guards, the others that put their backs in targets and became our loyal friends."

Trump signed an executive order addressing birthright citizenship on his first day in office, a constitutionally protected right. NBC News’ Danny Cevallos reports on how the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution on birthright citizenship has been legally scrutinized.

The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee will hold a confirmation hearing at 10 a.m. today for Doug Collins to be secretary of veterans affairs.

Collins, a former House member from Georgia and a Navy veteran, was a staunch defender of Trump during his first impeachment investigation, during which Collins served as the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. 

Collins is not expected to face a difficult path to confirmation but is likely to be pressed today on potential cuts he would make to the department, his views on private medical care for veterans and certain health care policies like the Biden administration’s rule that allows the VA to provide abortions to veterans.  

Marco Rubio has been sworn in as secretary of state. Vice President JD Vance swore him in and gave him the oath of office. The two of them served in the Senate together.

"Everything we do must be justified by the answer to one of three questions: Does it make us stronger? Does it make us safer, and does it make us more prosperous? If it doesn't do one of those three things, we will not do it," Rubio said.

The dismissals of Jan. 6-related cases are underway as incarcerated Jan. 6 rioters are set to be released from jail and prison following Trump's pardons and commutations.

At least 17 dismissal motions have been filed so far and they are signed by Edward Martin, the Jan. 6 defendant advocate who is now acting U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

Some people were released last night and releases are going to continue.