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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.

The HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington on Oct. 6, 2015. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

HHS unveils HealthCare.gov 3.0

The administration on Friday said consumers will find a sleeker, easier-to-use HealthCare.gov when Obamacare's third round of sign-ups begins Nov. 1. Published October 23, 2015

In this Oct. 7, 2015, photo, outgoing House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens at right as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks during a new conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Boehner wants out. He really does. But the Ohio House Republican is staying put, for now _ and that could improve the chances for a debt limit increase by early next month to avoid a market-shattering government default and possibly a bipartisan budget deal to head off a government shutdown in December. Conservative hardliners have already forced Boehner to announce he’s leaving and then caused further chaos by blocking the ascension of McCarthy. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

House votes to gut Obamacare through budget process

The House voted Friday to scrap Obamacare's most unpopular mandates and taxes, putting in motion a plan to dismantle the law through the budget process despite Democratic derision and conservative-driven complaints the bill doesn't go far enough. Published October 23, 2015

Rep. Paul Ryan had been reluctant to give up his role as head of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee and precious weekends with his family, so he demanded support from every wing of the party by Friday. (Associated Press)

Paul Ryan officially announces House speaker bid

Congressman Paul Ryan confirmed Thursday he will run for the speaker's gavel, capping a tumultuous week in which every faction of House GOP warmed to the reluctant candidate. Published October 22, 2015

Bonnie Bowman, a supporter of Gov. Gary Herbert's Medicaid plan, joins others at a rally to urge the House to debate the issue, Thursday, March 5, 2015, at the Utah State Capitol, in Salt Lake City. Lawmakers in Utah's House of Representatives rejected Gov. Gary Herbert's Medicaid plan Wednesday night and instead pushed forward their own alternative proposal to help some of the state's poor get health insurance. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Obamacare still exposed to fraud, double-dipping with Medicaid: GAO

It's still far too easy for undeserving Obamacare enrollees to get taxpayer subsidies on the law's exchanges, and some customers are getting both Medicaid and tax credits under the law, government auditors said Thursday in written testimony to Congress. Published October 22, 2015

Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., speaks at a news conference following a House GOP meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this Oct. 20, 2015, file photo. Ryan may or may not become the next speaker of the House. He’s already become an unlikely spokesman for balancing family life with work. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Paul Ryan set to wrap up key endorsements

Each wing of the House GOP has backed congressman Paul Ryan to become the next speaker, putting the young party star on a glide path toward filling Congress's top constitutional post so long as he fully commits to the race. Published October 22, 2015

Several members of the House Freedom Caucus had raised concerns about Rep. Paul Ryan. But after meeting behind closed doors Wednesday night the lawmakers emerged to say they would support him in his speaker bid. (Associated Press)

Paul Ryan wins House Freedom Caucus support in speaker bid

Rep. Paul Ryan won over most of the members of a key conservative caucus Wednesday night as he tried to stitch together enough support to become the next House speaker, amid ongoing concerns about his list of demands and worries that his need to be drafted into the job does not bode well for someone filling Congress' top constitutional post. Published October 21, 2015

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

Free-market group to Republican Export-Import Bank opponents: Thank you

A conservative group is thanking House Republicans who spurned a bid by centrist GOP members and nearly all Democrats to force a vote to revive the Export-Import Bank, an obscure credit agency that is slowly dying off amid conservative complains it handed out "corporate welfare" for far too long. Published October 21, 2015

Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., speaks at a news conference following a House Republican meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Ryan told GOP lawmakers that he will run for speaker, but only if they embrace him by week's end as their consensus candidate, an ambitious bid to impose unity on a disordered and divided House. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Paul Ryan’s demands include ‘non-starter’

An influential Republican conservative said at least one of Rep. Paul Ryan's demands for becoming House speaker is a "non-starter" as the GOP gathered Wednesday morning to figure out if enough members can unite behind the young star. Published October 21, 2015

Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, gave members until Friday to decide whether they agree with his vision for the party, one that includes trumpeting big ideas, making clear policy choices and a cooperative effort to change the way the House operates. (Associated Press)

Paul Ryan to run for speaker if House Republicans will rally behind him

Congressman Paul Ryan said Tuesday he's ready to replace Speaker John A. Boehner if House Republicans are willing to rally behind his vision, capping after a lengthy wait to hear from the man who many had tapped as the only savior for the bitterly divided caucus. Published October 20, 2015

"Our national debt is spiraling out of control," said House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, Georgia Republican.

GOP defunding effort on Obamacare faces hard-line resistance

Republicans' bid to use the budget to carve up Obamacare is hitting resistance as some influential conservative groups say that by repealing only parts of the health law, party leaders are reneging on promises of a full repeal. Published October 20, 2015

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 6, 2015. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Harry Reid backs Paul Ryan for speaker

Turns out rank-and-file Republicans aren't the only ones clamoring for Rep. Paul Ryan to become the next House speaker. Published October 20, 2015

FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2015 file photo, the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington. The Obama administration says it expects only slight coverage gains next year for the health care law’s online insurance markets. It’s getting harder to sign up the uninsured. On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced a target of 10 million people enrolled and paying their premiums by the end of 2016. This year’s goal was 9.1 million paying customers, and the administration has said it’s on track to meet that. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Conservatives’ pushback roils GOP’s budget-based attack on Obamacare

A GOP-led bid to gut Obamacare by scrapping its mandates and unpopular taxes with a fast-track budget tool is facing opposition from conservatives who say Republicans must send an all-or-nothing repeal bill to President Obama's desk before next year's election. Published October 20, 2015

Students cheer outside of the Supreme Court in Washington on June 25, 2015, as they hold up signs supporting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after the Supreme Court decided that the ACA may provide nationwide tax subsidies. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Obamacare lawsuit must forge ahead, federal judge rules

A federal judge Monday denied the administration's request to hit pause on a House lawsuit over Obamacare so that it could appeal an earlier, and notable, ruling that allowed the case proceed in the first place. Published October 19, 2015

Rep. Stephen Lee Fincher (Associated Press/File)

Export-Import Bank backers rally enough support to force House vote

Emerging from a dust cloud of political chaos in the House, a bipartisan coalition said Friday it had mustered enough support to bring back the federal Export-Import Bank, an obscure credit agency that expired after top conservatives accused it of handing out "corporate welfare" to companies that didn't need it. Published October 9, 2015