Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Bernie Sanders, Vermont senator, says GOP should worry about 2018
Sen. Bernard Sanders said Sunday that Republicans should "worry very much" about their prospects in the 2018 midterm elections. Published December 24, 2017
Bernie Sanders, Vermont senator: Failure to pass Dreamers fix would be ‘moral outrage’
Sen. Bernard Sanders said Sunday it will be a "moral outrage" if Congress does not act to protect so-called Dreamers. Published December 24, 2017
Jeff Flake, Arizona senator: Some GOP rallies look like ‘spasms of a dying party’
Retiring Republicans on Sunday said the party could face a tsunami of Democratic victories in 2018 if it stokes resentment, instead of governing effectively ahead of the midterm elections. Published December 24, 2017
White House says Trump wants bipartisan deal on infrastructure
The White House's legislative affairs director said Sunday that President Trump wants to unveil an infrastructure package in January and reach for a deal with Democrats. Published December 24, 2017
Ron Johnson subpoenas records on Obamacare ‘exemption’ for Congress
Sen. Ron Johnson gave the federal personnel office an early Christmas gift Friday -- a subpoena demanding to know why it "exempted" members of Congress from Obamacare by letting them retain employer subsidies for coverage. Published December 22, 2017
Second judge blocks Trump’s rollback of contraception rules
Another federal judge -- this one in California -- has blocked President Trump's decision to roll back Obama-era rules that require employers to provide free birth control as part of their health plans. Published December 21, 2017
HealthCare.gov signups drop slightly, end up at 8.8M
Sign-ups on the Obamacare website's main portal fell 400,000 short of last year's total, the Trump administration said Thursday, coming in at roughly 8.8 million. Published December 21, 2017
Drug-overdose deaths reached 63,000 in 2016
Drug overdoses continued to soar in 2016, claiming more than 63,000 lives as deaths tied to fentanyl skyrocketed, making it the deadliest opioid for the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Published December 21, 2017
Obamacare juicier target for GOP after first swipe
After years of trying, Republicans took the first real swipe at Obamacare in their tax-cut bill this week — but far from slaking their thirst, the move has left them all the more eager to root out the rest of the health insurance law. Published December 20, 2017
GOP senators ask McConnell to postpone health bills
Key Senate Republicans have asked Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to push critical health care bills into the new year, saying spats over a stopgap to keep the government open made it impossible to stabilize Obamacare now. Published December 20, 2017
Medicaid was shortchanged $1B due to misclassified drugs: IG
Federal taxpayers may have forfeited at least $1 billion because a slate of drugs were misclassified under Medicaid's rebate program, the Health and Human Services' chief watchdog said Wednesday. Published December 20, 2017
Senate panel rejects Trump nominee Scott Garrett to head Ex-Im Bank
A Senate panel voted Tuesday to reject President Trump's nominee to run the Export-Import bank, undercutting conservatives who want to derail the corporate welfare agency and delivering another nomination failure to a White House plagued by them. Published December 19, 2017
FDA proposes greater scrutiny of alternative remedies
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it wants to crack down on alternative remedies that are sold as "homeopathic" products but contain potentially harmful ingredients or show no clinical benefit. Published December 18, 2017
Obamacare signups reach smooth finish
Obamacare's sign-up deadline came and went this weekend with nary a peep from President Trump, who instead championed a GOP tax bill that repeals a key piece of the 2010 law, leaving it to Democrats and former Obama officials to cheer the embattled program across the finish line. Published December 17, 2017
Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump contraception mandate rollback
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump's decision to roll back Obama-era rules that require employers to provide free birth control as part of their health plans. Published December 15, 2017
Obamacare deadline produces wait times at call centers
Obamacare's main website is operating smoothly, but there are longer wait times at federal call centers, the Trump administration said Friday, as customers in much of the country faced a midnight deadline to get covered. Published December 15, 2017
Democrats say Donald Trump must back up opioids talk with money
Senate Democrats implored Republicans Thursday to commit to new opioids funding before the end of the year, saying President Trump's lofty rhetoric on addiction will mean little if his party doesn't back it up with real money. Published December 14, 2017
Doug Jones leaves future Senate colleagues guessing on what to expect
As Democrat Doug Jones looks to be sworn in early next year, his future colleagues don't know what to expect from him or how his arrival will shake up the closely divided Senate. Published December 13, 2017
HealthCare.gov signups hit 4.7M heading into final week
Obamacare's main website will need a crush of last-minute signups to match last year's tally, according to an government update Wednesday that says HealthCare.gov is still millions of customers shy of what it needs to expand its customer base. Published December 13, 2017
House GOP files bills to delay Obamacare taxes
The House GOP's tax writers announced a flurry of bills to delay Obamacare's taxes on health insurers and medical devices and lift penalties on employers, saying Americans need "targeted relief" from the levies while they work to repeal and replace the law outright. Published December 12, 2017
