Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Congress rushes to pass spending extension to avert shutdown
The White House practically dared congressional Republicans Thursday to shut down the government over "ideologically motivated" proposals they want to attach to a must-pass government spending bill, even as President Obama's Democratic allies roiled the delicate talks by demanding an end to a ban on federal research into the causes of gun violence. Published December 10, 2015
Paul Ryan downplays hiccups in funding talks
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan insisted Thursday that an ever-slipping deadline to fund the government and avert a Christmastime shutdown is the byproduct of attempts to "get it right" before a looming holiday break. Published December 10, 2015
House leaders introduce short-term bill to keep government open as spending talks continue
House Republicans introduced a short-term spending bill Wednesday to fund the government through Wednesday next week, buying negotiators enough time to blow by a weekend deadline and avoid a federal shutdown as they hammer out a long-term deal. Published December 9, 2015
Obamacare co-op in Maine to suspend 2016 enrollment
An Obamacare co-op that offered one of the program's few success stories said Wednesday it will suspend enrollment for 2016, marking another black eye for nonprofit plans that were supposed to give consumers a leg up in the marketplace. Published December 9, 2015
Vincent Gray, former D.C. mayor, will face no charges after yearslong corruption probe
Former D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray will not face charges in a long-running corruption investigation into his successful 2010 campaign, federal prosecutors said Wednesday, ending a probe that uncovered years of financial malfeasance in city campaigns and resulted in a dozen criminal convictions. Published December 9, 2015
Senate passes rewrite of No Child Left Behind law
Congress approved a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind education law Wednesday as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle linked arms to retreat from expansive national tests and return to states the decisions on how students, teachers and schools will be judged. Published December 9, 2015
7.1 million would pay more in Obamacare, testing strength of ‘individual mandate’: report
Roughly 7 million Americans would have to pay more for the cheapest Obamacare plan available to them than to satisfy the sharply rising tax penalty for going uninsured in 2016, according to a new analysis that looked at the economic trade-offs of the administration's main tool to prod people into the new marketplace. Published December 9, 2015
Health official insists Obamacare exchanges are sustainable; GOP critics skeptical
The man closest to the implementation of Obamacare told Congress that the handful of states with their own Obamacare exchanges are self-sustaining and doing a slightly better job at cutting their ranks of uninsured than states that rely on the federal HealthCare.gov website. Published December 8, 2015
GOP leaders say they won’t meet Dec. 11 funding deadline
House Republican leaders said Tuesday that Congress must pass a stopgap funding bill this week to bypass Friday's deadline to fund the government and avert a federal shutdown. Published December 8, 2015
Sen. Harry Reid: Trump running on a ‘platform of hate’
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid unleashed on Donald Trump and his fellow Republican candidates for president Tuesday, saying the GOP front-runner is "saying out loud what other Republicans merely suggest." Published December 8, 2015
Paul Ryan says Congress may miss Friday funding deadline
House Speaker Paul Ryan warned Monday that Congress might not meet a Friday deadline to fund the government and approve a series of tax breaks for firms and individuals, meaning its lengthy to-do list could nudge up against Capitol Hill's holiday break. Published December 7, 2015
Obamacare repeal bill offers something for everyone on Capitol Hill
Democrats swiftly blasted Senate Republicans up for re-election in 10 states for voting to repeal Obamacare, saying it would "pull the rug out" from under thousands of people who are newly eligible for Medicaid coverage in their states. Published December 6, 2015
Republican repeal of Obamacare heads to president’s desk
Senate Republicans brushed aside five years of frustration Thursday and fast-tracked an Obamacare repeal bill to President Obama's desk, fulfilling their pledge to hold Democrats and the White House accountable for a 2010 law they still view as fiscally ruinous and politically misguided. Published December 4, 2015
Legally armed citizenry seen as mass-shooting, terrorism deterrent
Democrats ramped up their push Thursday for more firearms restrictions even as alarm over recent mass shootings, including one linked to Islamic terrorism, fueled calls for citizens to play a greater role in their own protection. Published December 3, 2015
Gun bans for terrorist watch list rejected in Senate as part of Obamacare repeal bill
The Senate turned aside a measure Thursday that would prohibit people on a terrorist watch list from buying guns, as a marathon vote series to amend an Obamacare repeal bill morphed into a heated debate over the reach of the Second Amendment. Published December 3, 2015
GOP beats back attempt to restore Planned Parenthood funding in budget bill
The Senate voted Thursday to preserve fast-track budget language that would defund Planned Parenthood for one year as punishment for its abortion practice, part of a marathon session of votes on a bill that most notably repeals Obamacare. Published December 3, 2015
GOP set to pass Obamacare repeal for first time; Dems vow to make it painful, force votes on guns
Senate Republicans brushed aside five years of frustration Thursday and fast-tracked an Obamacare repeal bill to President Obama's desk, fulfilling their pledge to hold Democrats and the White House accountable for a 2010 law they still view as fiscally ruinous and politically misguided. Published December 3, 2015
Obamacare prompts 5 percent increase in health spending
Health spending spiked by more than 5 percent last year as Obamacare took full effect, according to a new government analysis Wednesday that said the low-growth trend that had prevailed for most of President Obama's time in office changed as new prescription drugs came on the market and Americans started using more services. Published December 2, 2015
White House says it will veto Obamacare repeal bill
The White House formally signaled President Obama's intent Wednesday to veto a Republican bill that would dismantle his signature health overhaul, saying Congress should work to promote the law instead of making a political statement ahead of the 2016 elections. Published December 2, 2015
1 in 10 large nonprofits has sought protection from HHS birth-control rules: survey
One in 10 large nonprofits has asked the administration to shield it from Obamacare's birth-control rules, according to a survey released Tuesday that says many of them are likely Catholic colleges or hospitals that would qualify for the "accommodation" at the heart of an upcoming fight before the Supreme Court. Published December 1, 2015
