Tuesday, January 10, 2017.)

Sessions said in his opening remarks, "I understand the demands for justice and fairness made by the LGBT community."

But the top Democrat on the committee, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., called Sessions' record "extremely conservative" and emphasized that the next attorney general must enforce the law "equally for all Americans," not advocate for his own beliefs.

She noted that he has taken what she called "deeply concerning" stances, including support for keeping people out of the United States based on their religion, support for "illegal" waterboarding of terrorism suspects and opposition to LGBT rights legislation.

Other critics have also pointed to Sessions' dismay at the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry and his opposition to the Matthew Shepard Act, which expanded thebeen settled by the Supreme Court and that he would abide by those decisions. Similarly, on the use of waterboarding against terrorism suspects, which Sessions has previously supported, he said Congress had clearly outlawed the practice. (Feinstein Questions Sessions About Baby-Killing and Sodomite "Marriage".)

10:51 a.m. Feinstein began her questioning of Sessions and discussed a law Congress passed last year that created a fund for women who are victims of sex trafficking to receive comprehensive services including abortion. She pointed out that Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, noted during the debate that the Hyde Amendment (which bans federal funding for abortion except in cases of rape) wouldn’t prevent the availability of abortion services to these victims. Feinstein asked Sessions if he would ensure that the grant funds are