Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Florida finds Zika in trapped mosquitoes; 1st in U.S. mainland
Mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus have been caught in Miami Beach, Florida officials said Thursday. The discovery, while expected, is a first for the continental U.S. Published September 1, 2016
Obama appoints seven to Puerto Rico oversight board
President Obama on Wednesday named seven people to a board set up by Congress to audit Puerto Rico's finances and rescue the U.S. territory from $72 billion in bond debt it cannot pay. Published August 31, 2016
Sen. Rob Portman targets synthetic opioids in U.S. mail
Sen. Rob Portman on Wednesday said he will push legislation to crack down on synthetic opioids that are streaming into the U.S. through the postal system, as Ohio and surrounding states grapple with an unprecedented number of overdoses. Published August 31, 2016
Mylan Pharmaceuticals, maker of EpiPen, fails to mollify Congress
The maker of EpiPen tried to cool Congress' ire over the skyrocketing cost of its life-saving injector by offering discounts and an in-house generic version, but lawmakers only appear to be turning up the heat. Published August 30, 2016
Aetna, UnitedHealth pulling out of Obamacare, leaving customers with fewer options
Nearly a third of the country could have just a single company offering plans on their Obamacare exchange next year, according to an analysis this week that says the exodus of big players such as UnitedHealth and Aetna is denting the health law. Published August 29, 2016
EpiPen price hikes spark outrage; lawmakers threaten increased regulation of drug companies
The cost of the EpiPen, a potentially lifesaving quick treatment for allergic reactions, has been rising steadily for nearly a decade -- but it turned into a political scandal only this month, as Washington rushed to blast the manufacturer as a heartless price-gouger. Published August 25, 2016
EpiPen maker moves to lower cost of injector
The maker of the EpiPen said Thursday it will reduce the price of its life-saving injector for some customers, after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and lawmakers from both parties said people with severe allergies were being socked by exponential price hikes with no clear explanation. Published August 25, 2016
Obamacare premiums expected to spike; taxpayer subsidies to help consumers foot bill
Obamacare's premiums will likely spike over the next year as health insurance companies grow more pessimistic about the law, the administration acknowledged Wednesday, but officials insisted consumers won't be stuck with the entire bill. Published August 24, 2016
Clinton proposes emergency fund for unexpected outbreaks
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton jumped Wednesday into the funding debate over Zika virus by proposing a new public health fund to rapidly respond to outbreaks and other emergencies. Published August 24, 2016
Baton Rouge flooding renews West Nile fears as Zika flusters Florida
Democrats are warning that Louisiana flooding has left pools of water perfect for spawning Zika-carrying mosquitoes, but experts on the ground say they're more concerned about an older foe: the West Nile virus. Published August 23, 2016
Florida officials: New locally acquired Zika case near Tampa
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said his state is investigating a case of Zika virus in Pinellas County that isn't linked to travel, signaling the virus could be spreading by mosquito bite near Tampa in addition to a pair of hotspots around Miami, which is on the other side of the state. Published August 23, 2016
White House urges Southern states to revolt over Zika funding
Republicans from Southern states will have to revolt against their own leaders to get a Zika deal through Congress, the White House said Monday, as Florida grappled with disease-carrying mosquitoes in a major tourist hub and Louisiana wondered if it might be next. Published August 22, 2016
Ron Klain, former Ebola czar: Congress’ slow response to Zika is ‘inexcusable’
Infants born with serious defects from the Zika virus will serve as a "visible, sad" reminder of Congress' clumsy response to the mosquito-borne threat, President Obama's former Ebola "czar" warned Monday. Published August 22, 2016
Zika fears, misunderstandings hard to swat away
Despite a mosquito hot spot that popped up last week in Miami Beach, Florida, Zika remains overwhelmingly a travel-related disease, challenging the public's understanding of the infection and policymakers' attempts to manage the outbreak. Published August 21, 2016
Donald Trump derided as Russia’s ‘puppet’ as campaign targets Hillary Clinton ‘pay-to-play’
Donald Trump campaign officials continued to press attacks on the Clinton Foundation as an example of Hillary Clinton's corruption even as top aides to the Democratic nominee brought up Mr. Trump's ties to foreign players by demanding he prove he is not "just a puppet" for Russian interests. Published August 21, 2016
Obama administration looks to tweak contraceptive mandate
Three months after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered both sides to seek out a compromise on Obamacare's birth control mandate, religious nonprofits that oppose it are mobilizing to win the fight, while the administration is saying it's ready to tweak the rules. Published August 21, 2016
Ben Cardin, Maryland U.S. senator: Efforts to pry into Clinton emails are a ‘partisan witch hunt’
Sen. Ben Cardin said ongoing attempts to dig into Hillary Clinton's exclusive use of private email at the State Department amount to a "partisan with hunt" by congressional Republicans. Published August 21, 2016
Robby Mook, Clinton campaign manager: Is Donald Trump a ‘puppet’ for the Kremlin?
Donald Trump should explain whether he is "just a puppet" for Russian interests in the presidential race, a top aide to Hillary Clinton said Sunday. Published August 21, 2016
Poll: Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 6 points in Ohio; dead heat in Iowa
Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 6 percentage points in Ohio, according to a YouGov/CBS poll released Sunday that also shows an even race in Iowa. Published August 21, 2016
Martin O’Malley, ex-Maryland governor: Trump’s pitch to black voters only reinforced stereotypes
Martin O'Malley on Sunday said that Donald Trump's attempt to rally black voters and make the GOP the "party of Lincoln once more" probably has the 16th president rolling in his grave. Published August 21, 2016
