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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.

In this July 20, 2017, photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. walks into the Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Washington. A brutal reality is settling over Capitol Hill: The Republican effort to repeal and replace “Obamacare,” which has consumed the first six months of the Trump administration, may never yield results. Not only that, the GOP goal of overhauling the tax code requires passing a budget that is months overdue. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Mitch McConnell begs GOP to begin debate on health care

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday pleaded with Republicans to green-light debate on health care legislation, saying the best way to get rid of Obamacare is to sift through ideas and see what sticks. Published July 24, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said the parliamentarian's guidance is not a ruling. (Associated Press/File)

Senate ref flags key parts of GOP health bill plan

Key parts of the Republican health care bill, including defunding Planned Parenthood and barring the use of tax credits for abortion coverage, are not eligible for the fast-track process Republicans are using to prevent a Democratic filibuster, says the Senate's referee, throwing yet another roadblock in front of President Trump's attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare this week. Published July 21, 2017

Vice President Mike Pence, left center, speaks to a group of grassroots organizations calling on the Senate to take action on health care legislation, during a meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Mike Pence implores senators to begin debate on health care bill

The White House begged senators Friday to "step up" and start debate on a plan that throws Obamacare in the dustbin, declaring the GOP is just a few votes shy of taking up the repeal-and-replace bill that passed the House in May. Published July 21, 2017

The Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Associated Press)

Former CBO directors defend agency’s integrity

Former chiefs of the Congressional Budget Office defended the federal agency in a letter to congressional leaders Friday, saying its nonpartisan scorekeepers cannot nail every prediction about policy but frequently do a better job than less-informed analysts. Published July 21, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, wants to take up the House-passed health care bill Tuesday, setting the stage for amendments and final passage before Congress leaves for its August recess. (Associated Press/File)

Senate GOP pushes for Obamacare showdown next week

Senate Republican leaders plowed ahead with plans to put Obamacare in the rearview mirror by August but faced even longer odds Thursday, reeling from Sen. John McCain's cancer diagnosis and budget estimates that said 22 million fewer people would hold insurance under their revised replacement plan. Published July 20, 2017

"For seven years you've promised the American people that you would repeal Obamacare. People are hurting. Inaction is not an option," President Trump told Republican leaders Wednesday during a lunch at the White House. (Associated Press)

Donald Trump delivers ultimatum to GOP on health care bill

A combative President Trump launched an urgent, last-ditch bid Wednesday to revive an Obamacare repeal effort that had been left for dead just 24 hours earlier, imploring Senate Republicans to stay in Washington until the job is done and warning that failure would decimate the party and its agenda. Published July 19, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will force Republicans who don't like his latest plan — repeal Obamacare now and replace it later — to register their opposition to proceeding onto the bill on the floor early next week. (Associated Press/File)

Senate GOP’s Plan B on Obamacare repeal lacks votes to proceed

Their Obamacare replacement faltering, Republican leaders pitched a new plan to senators Tuesday: Gut as much of the law as they can now but delay its full effect so Congress will be forced to come up with a better alternative. Published July 18, 2017

A vote planned for this week on the Senate's health care bill has been postponed indefinitely to give Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, time to recover from a procedure to remove a blood clot above his eye. (Associated Press/File)

Senate leaders delay health care vote, citing Sen. John McCain’s surgery

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell late Saturday said he will postpone votes on the Obamacare replacement bill that was scheduled to hit the floor this week, after Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said he needed time to recover from surgery for a blood cot, depriving the GOP of a critical vote. Published July 16, 2017

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a vocal opponent of the Senate Republican healthcare bill, speaks with reporters on his way to a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate GOP releases revised health care bill

Senate Republican leaders released a new Obamacare repeal bill Thursday that keeps some of the 2010 law's tax hikes but further erodes its coverage mandates, allowing insurers to offer slimmer plans that could entice young and healthy Americans to sign up but raise costs for older and sicker customers. Published July 13, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., joined by Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, meets with reporters after a closed-door Republican strategy session, Tuesday, July 11, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. McConnell said Senate Republicans will unveil their revised health care bill Thursday and begin voting on it next week, adding, he could delay the chamber's August recess for two weeks as the GOP tries breaking logjams that have slowed work on that and other issues. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Obamacare repeal, replace plan stumbles in Senate

Senate Republicans' push to repeal and replace Obamacare stumbled Wednesday as one conservative forcefully rejected the latest compromise attempt, and insurers said it would further distort health markets that are already struggling to attract young, healthy customers. Published July 12, 2017

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a key opponent of the Republican health care bill, finishes a television news interview on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rand Paul slams revised GOP health care bill

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said Wednesday a revised version of the Senate GOP bill appears to leave more of Obamacare in place instead of paring it back further, leaving him no choice but to reject it unless there are dramatic changes. Published July 12, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will unveil a revised health care bill and get a budget analysis to assuage the fears of holdout Republicans. (Associated Press)

Obamacare repeal plan by GOP struggling to get crucial votes

Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday they plan to settle the fight over Obamacare once and for all this month, rejecting calls to work with Democrats and plowing ahead with a GOP-written bill even though it's unclear if they can pin down enough GOP votes for passage. Published July 11, 2017