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Tom Howell Jr.

Tom Howell Jr.

Tom Howell Jr. covers politics and the White House for The Washington Times. He can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

An algae bloom is on the Caloosahatchee River at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, Thursday, July 12, 2018, in Alva, Florida. Water releases from Lake Okeechobee toward both Florida coasts will resume Friday amid political backlash and a toxic algae bloom. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Lawmakers spar over how to deal with algae blooms

This summer's health threat scaring lawmakers on Capitol Hill is algae, which has caused a literal stink along the Gulf of Mexico coast, chased fishers away from the Great Lakes, and left Alaskan tribes wondering if their shellfish is poisoned with toxins. Published August 28, 2018

In this Nov. 28, 2017, photo, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Joe Manchin: GOP running scared from opponent’s Obamacare lawsuit

Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia on Monday said Senate Republicans filed legislation to shield Obamacare's protections from a pending court challenge because they are terrified the lawsuit filed by his November opponent will result in "tragic consequences." Published August 27, 2018

The HealthCare.gov website main page. The Trump administration is clearing the way for insurers to sell short-term health plans as a bargain alternative to pricey “Obamacare” for consumers struggling with high premiums. But the policies don’t have to cover pre-existing conditions and benefits are limited. It’s not certain if that’s going to translate into broad consumer appeal among people who need an individual policy. (HHS via AP)

Trump admin. should upgrade its Obamacare outreach: GAO

The Trump administration undercut Obamacare by failing to set enrollment targets and stopping ads to remind customers to sign up, the government's chief watchdog said Thursday in a report saying that more damage is looming unless the administration changes course. Published August 23, 2018

Dr. Robert Redfield Jr., director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is photographed at the agency's headquarters in Atlanta, Thursday, June 28, 2018. Once known for condemning condoms and clean needles, the new chief of the nation's top public health agency pledges to use all tool to end AIDS and prevent disease. Redfield spoke of his views and goals for the CDC in a rare interview this week. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Robert R. Redfield: CDC committed to fighting Ebola across globe

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is half a world away, but stopping the Ebola outbreak that's claimed nearly 60 people in the African nation is still an integral part of President Trump's goal of "putting America first," the nation's top disease fighter said Wednesday. Published August 22, 2018

"If the law changes in some way, I would work with Congress to make sure we had protections in place for people with pre-existing conditions," Seema Verma, administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. (Associated Press/File)

Seema Verma, Obamacare administrator, promises coverage despite lawsuit

The Trump administration official who oversees Obamacare pledged Tuesday to shield sick Americans if a pending lawsuit manages to ax popular protections in the 2010 law, as red-state Democrats prodded the administration to explain whether it had a Plan B for nervous constituents back home. Published August 21, 2018

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill speaks to a group of supporters at her Columbia Democratic Party headquarters in Columbia, Mo., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. (Hunter Dyke/Columbia Daily Tribune via AP) ** FILE **

CMS chief: Sicker Americans deserve protection if Obamacare struck down

Seema Verma, who oversees Obamacare and public insurance programs, said Tuesday she will work with Congress to shield people with preexisting conditions if a pending lawsuit is successful in striking down 2010 provisions that require insurers to cover sicker Americans. Published August 21, 2018

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says far too many of the 45 million Americans who wear contact lenses ignore basic safety tips, exposing themselves to infections, surgeries and vision loss. (Associated Press/File)

Contact lens safety tips widely ignored, CDC warns

A 57-year-old went to the ER with lousy vision and pain in his eye, but the culprit wasn't hard to find: He'd been wearing the same contact lenses for two weeks and slept in them regularly. Published August 16, 2018

This Oct. 10, 2013, file photo, shows an EpiPen epinephrine auto-injector, a Mylan product, in Hendersonville, Texas. Mylan reports earnings Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)

FDA approves first generic version of lifesaving EpiPen

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first generic competitor to Mylan's EpiPen, offering allergy sufferers the possibility of a lower-cost option than the brand name drug that drew scrutiny after price hikes. Published August 16, 2018

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is pictured delivering remarks on efforts to combat violent crime in America during an appearance at the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Macon, Ga. (AP Photo/John Amis) ** FILE **

Donald Trump floats idea of federal opioids lawsuit

President Trump on Thursday hinted he wants the Justice Department to file its own lawsuit against certain opioid companies, instead of just cheering on efforts by the states. Published August 16, 2018

In this Feb. 11, 2016, file photo, Dallas County Mosquito Lab microbiologist Spencer Lockwood sorts mosquitoes collected in a trap in Hutchins, Texas, that had been set up in Dallas County near the location of a confirmed Zika virus infection. (AP Photo/LM Otero, file)

NIH begins Zika vaccine trial

Zika virus has all but disappeared from the U.S., but the government said Thursday it's preparing for future outbreaks with a vaccine trial among dozens of adults in Baltimore and Vermont. Published August 16, 2018

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2013 file photo, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier delivers mail in the rain in, in Atlanta. Booming online retail sales are good news for the U.S. Postal Service, but its carriers are incurring a cost: more dog bites. Dog attacks on postal workers rose last year to 6,755, up 206 from the previous year and the highest in three decades, as internet shopping booms and consumers increasingly demand seven-day-a-week package delivery and groceries dropped at their doorstep. The high for attacks dated back to the 1980s, at more than 7,000, before maulings by pit bulls and other potentially aggressive dogs became a public issue. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

D.C. man gets prison for importing heroin via U.S. mail

A D.C. resident was sentenced to prison Tuesday for using fake names and local colluders to sneak heroin from Nigeria into the national capital region, while using the U.S. Postal Service as his unwitting courier. Published August 14, 2018