The death of Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) leaves open the chairmanship of the powerful Senate panel that oversees homeland security spending.

Byrd, who passed away Monday, had the gavel of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee for Homeland Security, which oversees annual funding for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration, among other Department of Homeland Security agencies.

BP’s oil spill response costs have risen to about $2.65 billion, the company reported Monday.

That amount includes the cost of containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid and federal costs.

Nearly 80,000 claims have been filed by individuals and businesses affected along the Gulf Coast. More than 41,000 payments have been made, totaling about $128 million, $2 million more than BP reported Friday.

Sen. Byrd's death is pushing Senate Democrats to shore up votes on a wide-ranging Wall Street overhaul package.

Millions of people will lose their health insurance and unemployment benefits because of the Senate stalemate over a tax package.

Republicans voted against Dem benefit extensions because of the deficit, leading Democrats to ask if that applies to tax extensions.

House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.) said the deficit will be lower than the CBO's record forecast.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, joining Obama at the G-20, warned that "the scars of this crisis are still with us."

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), a potentially crucial vote on Wall Street overhaul legislation, warned Friday that he had not yet decided.

Sen. Olympia Snowe on Friday urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to move a stand-alone extension of unemployment benefits.