Senate

Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort are accused of having links with Russian officials.

Mr Trump and his allies have denied any collusion.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump said he would not have named Jeff Sessions had he known he would recuse himself from the probe.

In an interview with the New York Times, Mr Trump called the attorney general's decision "very unfair".

"Sessions should have never recused himself, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job and I would have picked somebody else," Mr Trump said.

The bill now heads to the Senate where it faces daunting challenges because of the same ideological splits between conservative and moderate Republicans that nearly killed it in the House.

Trump said he is confident the bill will pass the Senate, calling Obamacare "essentially dead."

"This is a great plan. I actually think it will get even better. This is a repeal and replace of Obamacare. Make no mistake about it," Trump said at a celebratory White House appearance with House Republicans.

The 60-to-38 vote on Wednesday clears the way for Obama to seek final language on a trade agreement with Japan and 10 other Pacific-rim nations. Congress can ratify or reject such agreements but not change them.

The Senate granted Obama the same fast-track authority that previous presidents have enjoyed. The GOP-controlled House passed it earlier with help from 28 Democrats.

The vote was a stinging defeat for environmental groups and for unions that say free-trade agreements kill U.S. jobs.

A key Senate vote greatly brightened Obama's hopes for a 12-nation Pacific-rim trade agreement, a keystone of his effort to expand U.S. influence in Asia. 

The trade pact would be a high point in a foreign policy that has otherwise been consumed by crisis management, and would give Obama a rare legislative achievement in the Republican-controlled Congress.

The legislation cleared a key hurdle on a 60-37 vote, precisely the number needed.

A final vote is expected by Wednesday on the House-passed measure, which would then go to the White House for Obama's signature.

It is one of several measures comprising Obama's second-term trade agenda as the administration works to finalize a 12-nation agreement among countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean