Missouri's US senators named to leadership positions

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri’s two U.S. senators have been named to top positions in Republican leadership and legislative committees.

Republican Sen. Roy Blunt on Wednesday announced he was re-elected vice chairman of the Senate’s GOP caucus.

He said Republicans want to work with GOP President-elect Donald Trump on issues such as Democratic President Barack Obama’s federal health-care law, regulations and vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill also Wednesday was picked to be the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The committee oversees the federal government and Department of Homeland Security.

McCaskill previously served as the ranking Democrat on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which delved into how classified advertising website Backpage.com screens ads for possible sex trafficking.