Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Congress must do more to fight opioid crisis: poll
Nearly half of Americans say they know someone who's faced addiction to prescription painkillers, and more than 60 percent say the government needs to do more to stop the epidemic of painkiller and heroin abuse that's sweeping the country. Published May 3, 2016
FDA aims anti-smoking campaign at LGBT community, says ‘coming out’ can be trigger
The Food and Drug Administration launched an anti-smoking campaign Monday aimed at the gay and transgender community, saying young adults in this groups are nearly twice as likely than others to use tobacco. Published May 2, 2016
Senate Dems block spending bill over Iran ‘poison pill’
Senate Democrats blocked the first of a dozen spending bills from advancing Thursday, mounting their second filibuster in as many days in protest of a GOP bid to disrupt President Obama's effort to bolster his nuclear deal with Iran. Published April 28, 2016
Sen. John Cornyn: Dems want a ‘blank check’ for Zika
Senate Democrats are seeking a "blank check" to combat the Zika virus, a top Republican charged Thursday, as lawmakers prepared to skip town for a week without settling their quarrel over President Obama's request for nearly $2 billion to resist the mosquito-borne disease. Published April 28, 2016
J. Michael Pearson, Valeant CEO, tells Congress company acquired drugs, hiked prices
The departing CEO of Valeant Pharmaceuticals told Congress Wednesday his company was too "aggressive" in pursuing drastic price hikes for products it acquired from other drug makers, though his mea culpa did little to assuage lawmakers who said he put Wall Street's expectations over seriously ill patients. Published April 27, 2016
House conservatives: Zika fight must be paid for
If President Obama needs more money to fight the Zika virus, he will have to find it by cutting elsewhere in the federal budget, House conservatives said Wednesday, laying down a marker as Congress increasingly clashes with the administration over spending requests. Published April 27, 2016
Cynthia Lummis to Trump: Use VP pick to balance out personality
GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump should choose a running mate who is serious-minded and understands Congress, a Wyoming congresswoman said Wednesday, arguing the vice president slot would be the ideal place to temper his outsized personality. Published April 27, 2016
Harry Reid: Senate must act this week on Zika virus funding
Congressional GOP leaders said they are still searching for the "right number" in a standoff over funding to combat Zika, brushing aside withering criticism Tuesday from the White House and Senate Democrats who accused Republicans of dithering in the face of a major health crisis. Published April 26, 2016
Zika funding to be put on deficit by Democrats as GOP says no to new spending
House Democrats threw down their marker Monday in the fight over how much money is needed to fight the Zika virus, writing legislation that would fund all of President Obama's $1.9 billion request and tacking it all onto the deficit. Published April 25, 2016
HHS chief to address Zika in Puerto Rico
President Obama's top health official will visit Puerto Rico this week to get a firsthand look at how the island is combating the Zika virus, a trip that coincides with Senate efforts to partially fund President Obama $1.9 billion request for emergency funding to stave off the mosquito-borne illness. Published April 25, 2016
Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing proposes ways to cut rising drug costs
A diverse coalition of seniors, health plans and private companies proposed a series of steps Monday to tamp down the cost of prescription drugs, from speeding the approval of generics to publicly reporting notable price hikes. Published April 25, 2016
Zika spending fight: Republicans seek budget offsets; Democrats push emergency deficit funds
Conservatives are spoiling for an election-year spending fight, saying if President Obama wants any of the nearly $2 billion he has requested to fight Zika, the budget will have to be cut elsewhere. Published April 24, 2016
Bernie Sanders on key losses: Poor people don’t vote
Bernard Sanders said Sunday that his platform on income inequality hasn't translated into victories in key states because poor people don't vote. Published April 24, 2016
Bernie Sanders fighting for Democratic nod ‘until the last vote is cast’
Bernard Sanders said Sunday he is ready to fight for the Democratic presidential nomination all the way to the California primary in June. Published April 24, 2016
Reince Priebus, RNC chairman: Campaign to enlist new GOP nominee is ‘dumb’
Republicans who think they can draft an eleventh-hour alternative to front-runner Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz are pushing a dumb idea that is "never going to work," the party's top official said Sunday, throwing cold water on voices that say it is not to late to pick a candidate with broader appeal. Published April 24, 2016
DNC chair: GOP’s infighting far eclipses Sanders-Clinton feud
Infighting on the Democratic side of the 2016 presidential race is mild compared to the GOP side, a top party official said Sunday. Published April 24, 2016
Trump convention manager: You see the real Donald at his rallies
Donald Trump will strike a presidential tone when he is giving policy speeches in staid settings, his convention manager said. Published April 24, 2016
Heritage Action: Make sure Zika virus deal is paid for
An influential conservative group told Congress on Friday to pay for an emerging deal to combat the Zika virus by swiping dollars from other programs or using the annual budget process to prioritize the fight over other spending. Published April 22, 2016
Senate works to partially fund Obama’s Zika request
The Senate is nearing a roughly $1 billion deal that would fund part of President Obama's request to fight the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that causes serious birth defects and is threatening the U.S. mainland. Published April 21, 2016
Contraception-only plans are unworkable, Justice Dept. tells Supreme Court
State laws and industry regulations would bar insurers from offering contraceptive-only policies to women who work for religious nonprofits that refuse to insure birth control, the Obama administration told the Supreme Court Wednesday. Published April 20, 2016
