Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Liberal governors sign orders refusing to participate with other states’ abortion probes
Democratic governors in North Carolina and Colorado signed orders Wednesday that prohibit their states from extraditing women who face civil or criminal penalties under an abortion ban in another state. Published July 7, 2022
Democratic senators urge Biden to move faster on marijuana policy
Six liberal senators are prodding President Biden to pardon prior cannabis offenders and compel the Department of Justice to reclassify the drug, a sign that members of the president's own party are disappointed by a lack of progress on the issue. Published July 7, 2022
Kremlin says good riddance to U.K.’s Boris Johnson
Moscow smacked Boris Johnson on his way out the door as the U.K. prime minister signaled plans to step down after a tenure marked by a staunch defense of Ukraine but many scandals at home. Published July 7, 2022
HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra: Listen to doctors and families, not politicians, about the COVID-19 vaccine
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra promoted COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest Americans Wednesday but said the most powerful advocates for the shots aren't in Washington. Published July 6, 2022
LabCorp can test up to 10K samples per week for monkeypox, CDC says
LabCorp, a major lab-testing company, will begin screening for monkeypox and will be able to run up to 10,000 tests per week, the Biden administration said Wednesday. Published July 6, 2022
Nashville pauses bid to host Republican National Convention in 2024
A push to hold the Republican National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, is on hold because the city's Metropolitan Council wants to address security and cost concerns that could arise from hosting the event. Published July 6, 2022
Eric Adams aide mugged in Brooklyn, underscoring crime issues
An aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was robbed Tuesday in broad daylight in Brooklyn, a stark reminder of the public safety challenges facing City Hall. Published July 6, 2022
Mitch McConnell: Labor shortages will ease when stimulus runs out
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says industries are struggling to find workers because Americans are sitting on stimulus cash they received during the depths of the pandemic. Published July 6, 2022
Chinese city of Xi’an faces partial COVID-19 lockdown due to subvariant cases
The major Chinese city of Xi'an was put in partial lockdown Wednesday after officials detected the first coronavirus cases tied to a new fast-moving variant, sparking ugly reminders of a monthlong shutdown last winter. Published July 6, 2022
Democrats demand more gun laws, say new laws Biden signed last month are not enough
National and state Democrats are pushing for more restrictions on firearms less than two weeks after President Biden signed the first new gun-control law in decades. Published July 5, 2022
COVID-19 was third-leading cause of death during pandemic, study shows
COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer during the pandemic, according to a new study of national death certificate records. Published July 5, 2022
Pope Francis sends condolences to Illinois, urges society to reject violence
Pope Francis told the Archbishop of Chicago he was "deeply saddened" by the July 4 parade shooting in Highland Park and urged society to reject violence in all of its forms. Published July 5, 2022
Biden: U.S. has ‘unity of purpose’ despite upheaval over economy, shootings, Supreme Court
President Biden said late Monday it can feel like America is moving "backward" because of recent economic pain and upheaval around a series of Supreme Court decisions, though insisted the country can rise to its "highest heights." Published July 5, 2022
Highland Park mayor says the U.S. should reexamine its gun laws, values
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering on Tuesday said she does not know where the alleged July 4 parade shooter got his rifle "but I do know it was legally obtained" and the U.S. needs tougher gun laws even though Congress just passed the most sweeping gun-control measures in decades. Published July 5, 2022
WNBA star Brittney Griner sends letter to Biden pleading for her release
The White House on Monday received a letter from U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner that pleads with President Biden to fight for her release from a Russian jail, saying she fears she will never return home. Published July 5, 2022
Biden’s COVID-19 vax push for kids suffers enthusiasm gap; parents’ interest wanes for preteens
The federal effort to vaccinate children against COVID-19 has been a much tougher slog, with parental anecdotes and federal data showing interest drops off below age 12, even as President Biden cheers the recent authorization of shots for 18 million children ages 6 months to 4 years. Published July 4, 2022
Jan. 6 panel members defend star witness, say Americans should ‘stay tuned’
The House Jan. 6 committee defended the credibility of star witness Cassidy Hutchinson on Sunday and upped the ante after a roller-coaster week of bombshell testimony, saying criminal referrals against former President Donald Trump are a distinct possibility. Published July 3, 2022
Trump eyeing early jump into 2024 race: Report
Former President Donald Trump is reportedly considering an early entrance into the 2024 White House race to reclaim the limelight and make his case that the Jan. 6 probe is politically motivated. Published July 3, 2022
Xavier Becerra says HHS exploring all options to expand abortion access
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said his agency will explore "everything that is out there" to expand abortion access. Published July 3, 2022
Homeland Security chief defends border efforts after Texas migrant smuggling tragedy
Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas defended inspections at the U.S.-Mexico border, but he struggled to explain how a truck got through a checkpoint packed with dozens of migrants who died in the Texas heat. Published July 3, 2022
