Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
White House says Obamacare is saving lives
The Obama administration pressured Obamacare's foes Tuesday to think twice about repealing the law in the new year, releasing a report that argues the 6-year-old reforms saved lives by covering millions and ushered in a raft of benefits that will save people money. Published December 13, 2016
Mitch McConnell: Senate to probe reports of Russia hacking
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed the U.S. intelligence community Monday and called for a bipartisan probe into Russian meddling in the run-up to the November election, as the fallout from campaign cyberattacks roiled Congress amid a quiet holiday break. Published December 12, 2016
Congress passes bill to avert government shutdown
The Senate overcame a late revolt by coal-state Democrats and passed a stopgap spending bill Friday that keeps federal agencies running into April, averting a partial government shutdown with less than an hour to spare. Published December 9, 2016
Rick Scott, Florida governor, lifts Zika infection zone in Miami Beach
The Zika virus is no longer spreading by mosquito bite in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday as he cleared the final section of Miami Beach where new cases had been popping up. Published December 9, 2016
House votes to avert government shutdown; Senate fights loom
Democrats' anger petered out Thursday as the House passed a stopgap spending bill to keep the government open for nearly five more months, paving the way for Congress to wrap up and head home to prepare for a change of power in the White House next year. Published December 8, 2016
Surgeon general sounds the alarm over e-cigarettes
An "alarming" rate of teenagers and young adults are using electronic cigarettes, according to an Obama administration report Thursday that says one in six high school student use "e-cigs" or "vapes" despite strides in cutting the use of traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products. Published December 8, 2016
Senate approves massive ‘Cures’ bill, clearing way for Obama’s signature
The Senate approved a medical-innovation bill Wednesday that fast-tracks regulatory approval of groundbreaking drugs and provides $1 billion to tackle America's opioid epidemic, capping a contentious election-year on Capitol Hill with a win for both parties. Published December 7, 2016
Democrats gird for ‘war’ over Medicare, point to Donald Trump’s vows
Congressional Democrats on Wednesday seized on Medicare as a winning issue after a bruising 2016 election, saying any GOP push to overhaul the program is doomed and would flout President-elect Donald Trump's campaign vow to lay off government programs for seniors. Published December 7, 2016
Hospitals warn repealing Obamacare without safety net would create ‘crisis’
American hospitals warned Tuesday that repealing Obamacare without a safety net for those who lose coverage would spawn a "crisis," dumping costs on clinics and hospitals that will be flooded with uninsured patients and raising costs for health care overall. Published December 6, 2016
Republicans in Congress target governors for help in bid to ax Obamacare
Republicans are trying to rope the country's governors into their Obamacare repeal effort, soliciting feedback from the state executives Monday as they plot their strategy for early next year. Published December 5, 2016
Kevin McCarthy won’t defend Donald Trump 35-percent tariff
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Monday refused to back President-elect Donald Trump's push for a 35-percent tariff on companies that move operations abroad and then sell their goods back in the United States, saying corporate tax reform is the key to retaining American jobs. Published December 5, 2016
Paul Ryan: Obamacare repeal to avoid disruption in coverage
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan says the next Congress will pursue a repeal of Obamacare immediately, even before Republicans have a replacement in hand, though that repeal will not pull the rug out from 20 million-plus Americans who gained coverage from President Obama's signature program. Published December 4, 2016
Florida clears another Zika zone; virus only spreading in stretch of Miami Beach
Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Friday said the Zika virus is no longer spreading by mosquito bite in the Little River section of Miami, leaving a 1.5-square mile stretch of Miami Beach as the only area of local transmission in the state. Published December 2, 2016
MLB labor deal bans smokeless tobacco for new players; cancer-fighting groups cheer
A provision in Major League Baseball's five-year labor deal would ban new players from using an old-time staple of the dugout -- chewing tobacco. Published December 1, 2016
Obamacare repeal: Only a quarter of Americans support it: Poll
Americans' attitudes toward Obamacare remain split after the election, according to a tracking poll released Thursday that finds some Republicans are increasingly leery about following through on the party's plan for outright repeal of the 2010 law. Published December 1, 2016
House passes 21st Century Cures bill, funding medical research and fighting drug epidemic
The House overwhelmingly approved a medical-innovation bill Wednesday that fast-tracks regulatory approval of groundbreaking drugs, ushers in bipartisan mental health reforms and provides $1 billion to tackle America's prescription-painkiller and heroin epidemic. Published November 30, 2016
Tom Price advocates watchdog to report to Congress on budget process
House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, who is poised to become part of the Trump administration Cabinet, said tensions between Congress and the White House could be lessened if lawmakers could figure out how to write and stick to their budget. Published November 30, 2016
Donald Trump to nominate Tom Price for Health and Human Services secretary
President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced he plans to nominate Rep. Tom Price to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, saying Mr. Price has earned a reputation for being a "tireless problem solver" and "the go-to expert on healthcare policy." Published November 29, 2016
Congress to end term with legislation on cancer research, opioid treatment
They'd hoped for a legacy-defining trade deal, a major rewrite of the corporate tax code or a criminal justice overhaul that would have freed thousands of federal prisoners. Published November 28, 2016
Texas reports suspected Zika case by mosquito bite
A Texas woman likely caught the Zika virus through a mosquito bite in the Rio Grande Valley, state officials said Monday, in the first locally acquired case to be reported outside of Florida within the U.S. mainland. Published November 28, 2016
