Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
House GOP fights D.C. proposal to go easier on crime
Powerful Republicans plan to use "every remedy available" to block a D.C. crime overhaul that reduces maximum sentences for gun offenses, carjackings and robberies, marking another skirmish in a long-running war over "home rule." Published January 23, 2023
Speaker Kevin McCarthy eyes Taiwan visit this year in trip likely to anger China
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is planning to travel to Taiwan later this year. Chinese analysts warn that this will trigger a fresh escalation of bilateral tensions that soared following then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip in 2022. Published January 23, 2023
ER visits for COVID, flu, RSV declining, CDC says
The threat of a "tripledemic" of COVID-19, influenza and a virus known as RSV is fading fast, with steep declines in emergency room visits for the respiratory viruses since last month. Published January 23, 2023
Rep. Ruben Gallego announces bid for Sinema’s Senate seat in Arizona
Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona announced Monday he is running for the Senate seat held by Kyrsten Sinema, a centrist who switched her party affiliation from Democrat to independent after the midterm elections. Published January 23, 2023
Body count keeps growing in America’s fentanyl crisis as Washington grasps at solutions
The Drug Enforcement Administration closed out last year with a startling statistic: It seized over 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl in 2022, enough to kill every American, and its haul included twice the number of counterfeit pills that agents seized the prior year. Published January 22, 2023
On Background: Big government getting bigger
The federal workforce is set to grow to levels unseen since the height of the Obama administration. The ballooning number of full timers, part timers and federal contractors is an outgrowth of Mr. Biden's marquee legislative wins, but Republicans fear the federal imprint is will reach too far into Americans' lives, Published January 20, 2023
FAA says contractors mistakenly deleted files while working on pilot-notification system
The Federal Aviation Administration says contractors "unintentionally deleted files" while working on a live database and backup of its key pilot-notification system, prompting the unusual outage that grounded planes nationwide last week. Published January 20, 2023
Trump calls for jailing journalists to find Supreme Court abortion-opinion leaker
Former President Donald Trump says journalists should be jailed to procure the identity of the person who leaked a Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. Published January 20, 2023
Alec Baldwin facing involuntary manslaughter charges in ‘Rust’ shooting
A New Mexico prosecutor has charged actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the production of a film in 2021. Published January 19, 2023
Trump campaign seeks to reinstate ex-president to Facebook alongside Twitter
Former President Donald Trump is allowed to go back on Twitter, but his campaign also wants access to Facebook as it launches a 2024 presidential bid. Published January 19, 2023
Trump teases ‘big political speech’ at Florida golfing club
Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he plans to make a "big political speech" at one of his Florida properties as he looks for ways to inject life into his 2024 presidential bid. Published January 19, 2023
‘Boy Meets World’ actor Ben Savage eyes House run in California
"Boy Meets World" actor Ben Savage is reportedly eyeing a run for Congress in California. Published January 19, 2023
Anti-Trump former Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s PAC is selling signed copies of the Jan. 6 report
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois is selling signed copies of the Jan. 6th Committee Report for $100 through his political action committee, Country First. Published January 18, 2023
Nevada county health board to consider pause on COVID-19, flu vaccines
Officials in Nevada are scheduled to debate Wednesday whether they should put COVID-19 and flu vaccines on hold pending a grand jury investigation in Florida of drugmakers' claims about the coronavirus shots. Published January 18, 2023
Chinese scramble to find leading COVID treatment after national pivot on virus
Patients in China are scrambling to find a leading antiviral medication for the coronavirus after the country pivoted from its zero-COVID policies without having stocked up on a key treatment the U.S. and other Western nations enjoy. Published January 17, 2023
DeSantis outperforms Trump in new poll, poses bigger test for Biden in 2024 matchup
President Biden slightly trails Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a theoretical 2024 matchup, according to a new poll that shows the Republican governor might be a bigger threat to the incumbent than former President Donald Trump, who was the first to jump into the GOP primary. Published January 17, 2023
U.S. more permissive than Europe about gender-change treatments, study finds
The U.S. is the most permissive country for child access to gender transition services, according to a study that finds European countries are renewing an emphasis on therapy and resorting to physical treatment only in exceptional circumstances. Published January 17, 2023
Biden to survey flood damage in California
President Biden will travel Thursday to California to survey extensive flood damage in its central coast region, according to the White House. Published January 17, 2023
Lawmakers heed retailers’ calls to fight organized theft
The epidemic of shoplifting, smash-and-grab robberies and "flash robs" at businesses across the U.S. has gotten so bad that it caught the attention of leaders in Washington. Published January 16, 2023
Political left wants to lower voting age to 16 with change launched in cities, towns, Congress
A city in Washington's Maryland suburbs is debating whether to lower the voting age for municipal elections to 16, following the lead of several towns in the Beltway region and providing another test case for an idea that's sparked interest from coast to coast and in Congress. Published January 13, 2023
