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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.

Senate Budget Committee chairman Sen. Michael Enzi's budget proposal was crafted with tax reform in mind. (Associated Press)

Tax reform delays new Trump shot at Obamacare repeal

The Senate GOP's new budget pushes Obamacare repeal to the sidelines in its drive for sweeping tax cuts, meaning President Trump won't get another clear shot at repealing the health-care law until late winter or spring. Published October 1, 2017

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Thomas Price (standing) resigned from his position Friday following a scandal about the cost of his travel. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney sent out a memo to agency heads about approving travel plans. (Associated Press photographs)

Tom Price scandal leads to policy of White House having to approve travel

President Trump's Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney sent a memo to agency heads, telling them the White House must approve travel following the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Thomas Price on Friday due to a scandal over the cost of his travel on private jets. Published October 1, 2017

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington on Friday, May 19, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) ** FILE **

Democrats see sabotage in Obamacare web outages

House Democrats demanded to know Friday why the Trump administration plans "major outages" of the federal Obamacare website during open enrollment this fall, saying it aligns too easily with the president's oft-stated idea to let the law implode. Published September 29, 2017

In this Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, file photo, a man walks past health insurer Anthem's corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

Anthem pulls out of Obamacare market in Maine

Anthem, a major insurer, said Wednesday it will pull out of the Obamacare marketplace in Maine next year, as insurers navigate choppy waters in the wake of the GOP's failure to pass a repeal bill and square away plans to stabilize the markets. Published September 27, 2017

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and other Senate Democrats, from left, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., discuss consumer protections in the wake of a massive data breach at Equifax and a scandal at Wells Fargo, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. Executives for both Wells Fargo and Equifax will testify in Senate committees next week. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Democrats blast GOP plans to repeal consumer rule

Democrats warned Republicans on Wednesday against a move to promote forced arbitration between customers and companies, saying Americans deserve the right to sue corporations, such as Equifax, who lose their data. Published September 27, 2017

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., center, speaks, accompanied by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., left, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Senate GOP shelves Obamacare repeal bill

Senate Republicans said Tuesday they're shelving their 11th-hour push to repeal Obamacare, admitting defeat in the face of three crippling defections from their majority. Published September 26, 2017

Sen. Susan M. Collins, Maine Republican, said she was dismayed by congressional scorekeepers' analysis that millions fewer people would hold insurance under the Republican plan. (Associated Press/File)

Susan Collins to vote no on Graham-Cassidy health bill

Sen. Susan M. Collins said Monday that she will vote against the latest Obamacare repeal effort, dealing what appears to be a fatal blow to Republican leaders' last-ditch attempt to rewrite the bill and sway holdouts. Published September 25, 2017

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, greet protesters outside a hearing room where the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing to consider the Graham-Cassidy healthcare proposal, on Capitol Hill, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Protesters disrupt, delay Obamacare repeal hearing

Protesters upended the GOP's sole hearing on a last-gasp Obamacare repeal right as the gavel fell Monday, forcing its Republican chairman to recess the session until he could get order. Published September 25, 2017

In this July 27, 2017, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, walks onstage as Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., center, points to him while Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., watches as they speak to reporters at the Capitol as the Republican-controlled Senate was unable to fulfill its political promise to repeal and replace "Obamacare" because of opposition and wavering within the GOP ranks. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

Obamacare repeal try by GOP pushes for more state control of health

The Senate's last-gasp Obamacare repeal spans 140 pages -- a beach read compared to the mammoth law it would replace -- as Republicans rush to hand policy choices to the states, letting governors decide whether to mandate coverage, redefine "essential benefits" or tap fixed grants to combat the opioids epidemic. Published September 24, 2017

Sen. Susan M. Collins of Maine said Sunday that she finds it difficult to envision backing the last-chance Republican bill repealing the Obama health care law. (Associated Press)

Graham-Cassidy to get Senate vote despite Republican defections

The White House and Senate Republicans vowed Sunday to press forward with Republicans' latest Obamacare repeal effort with a vote this week, hoping to head off another disastrous floor failure even as opposition mounts. Published September 24, 2017

FILE - In this July 27, 2017, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. McCain says he won't vote for the Republican bill repealing the Obama health care law. His statement likely deals a fatal blow to the last-gasp GOP measure in a Senate showdown expected next week. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, file)

John McCain opposes last-ditch Obamacare repeal

Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Thursday he cannot support the GOP's last-ditch plan to replace Obamacare, likely dooming the effort and President Trump's pursuit of a major legislative victory. Published September 22, 2017