Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Bill to gut Obamacare, defund Planned Parenthood threatened by warring conservative lobbies
Senate GOP leaders face a major test over the next two weeks in trying to round up enough Republicans to back a bill that would gut Obamacare and strip funding from Planned Parenthood — but they're caught in a tug-of-war between powerful conservative lobbies who view the issues in very different ways. Published November 29, 2015
Obamacare waivers present dilemma for administration
President Obama faces a major decision on Obamacare over the next year as states begin to apply for waivers to the sweeping law, pressuring the administration to either welcome or resist experimentation with his top domestic achievement. Published November 26, 2015
Obama judicial nominees in limbo as ‘nuclear option’ backfires on Democrats
The Republican-controlled Senate is confirming President Obama's judicial nominees this year at a slower pace than Democrats did after taking the Senate majority in 2007 under President George W. Bush, prompting court watchers to warn that politics is skewing the process. Published November 25, 2015
About 1.6M have picked Obamacare plans so far: HHS
Roughly 1.6 million people have selected coverage on HealthCare.gov, the Obama administration said Wednesday in a snapshot of enrollment through the first three weeks of signups for the 2016 plan year. Published November 25, 2015
Conservatives urge GOP to hamstring Obamacare risk program
Over two dozen conservative groups asked GOP leaders Tuesday to make certain that a looming spending deal reins in a part of Obamacare designed to protect insurers during the overhaul's early -- and financially precarious -- rounds of enrollment. Published November 24, 2015
Prescription drug abuse plagues U.S., stymies policymakers
More than half of all Americans say they or someone they know has abused prescription painkillers, according to a poll being released Tuesday that also found a significant share knew someone who died from opioid use. Published November 24, 2015
2016 Republicans pitch rejecting Syrians, NSA snooping, mosque surveillance to thwart terror
Republican presidential contenders outlined a series of strategies Sunday for thwarting terrorism — including dialing up U.S. snooping powers, repelling Syrian refugees and spying on U.S. mosques — even as the Homeland Security secretary said no credible threats of a Paris-style attack on U.S. soil exist and urged Congress instead to reform a visa waiver program that allows easy travel from Europe. Published November 22, 2015
Donald Trump leads Republican polls, debates terrorism, weakens party pledge
Flamboyant businessman Donald Trump basked Sunday in the glow of a poll that shows he is walloping his rivals in the Republican presidential field, elbowing his way into the anti-terrorism debate by proposing surveillance of certain mosques, condoning waterboarding and signaling that he is willing to retreat from a pledge he signed in September to forgo an independent run if he is not "treated fairly." Published November 22, 2015
Obama officials plug Obamacare successes
The administration, seeking to boost confidence in Obamacare after a top insurer said it might exit the program within two years, is highlighting health plans that say they're "doing fine" in the emerging marketplace. Published November 22, 2015
Marco Rubio, Florida senator, says Sunni Arabs with a few U.S. special forces must defeat IS
Marco Rubio said Sunday that the only way to defeat the Islamic State is to deploy a ground force of Sunni Arabs aided by a limited number of U.S. special operators. Published November 22, 2015
Ben Carson, GOP presidential candidate, coy on water-boarding, doesn’t want to tip his hand
Ben Carson declined to say Sunday whether he would bring back waterboarding as part of the fight against terrorism, saying it's never a good idea to let the enemy know what you're going to do. Published November 22, 2015
Donald Trump, Republican presidential front-runner, evasive about GOP pledge
Donald Trump hinted Sunday that he is willing to retreat from a pledge he signed in September to support the Republican nominee and forgo an independent run if he fails to grab the 2016 nomination. Published November 22, 2015
Jeh Johnson, Homeland Security chief, says no credible terrorist threat to U.S.
The nation's top homeland security official said Sunday there are no credible threats of a Paris-style attack on U.S. soil, despite rumors that the Islamic State or other extremists could attack the country. Published November 22, 2015
Chris Christie, New Jersey governor, says he stands alone in GOP race in fighting terrorism
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Sunday reiterated his opposition to resettling thousands of Syrian refugees in the U.S., arguing that he is the only one in the 2016 GOP presidential race with on-the-ground experience in fighting terrorism. Published November 22, 2015
HHS says pricey prescription drugs are out of reach for many Americans
President Obama's top health official kicked off a summit on drug prices Friday by praising the pharmaceutical industry's knack for innovation while sounding the alarm over prescription prices that put new treatments out of reach for too many Americans. Published November 20, 2015
UnitedHealth Group, nation’s largest insurer, may drop out of Obamacare, citing losses
The nation's largest insurer said Thursday it may drop out of Obamacare's exchanges within two years, adding to a particularly gloomy outlook for the law as it enters its third year of full operation with customers facing rising premiums and the collapse of most nonprofit co-ops. Published November 19, 2015
Ron Wyden checks in on Obamacare innovation program
A leading Democratic senator asked the administration Thursday to update him on its efforts to implement a piece of Obamacare that allows states to waive parts of the law in 2017 if they find ways to outdo the federal health law in terms of the affordability and quality of coverage and how many people get insured. Published November 19, 2015
Congress brings back regular order with bicameral, bipartisan conferences
Congressional negotiators met Wednesday to hash out a long-term transportation bill and rewrite the No Child Left Behind education law, pledging to pin down two bipartisan goals as Capitol Hill seeks a return to the legislative ideal known as regular order. Published November 18, 2015
More than 1M have selected plans on Obamacare website
More than 1 million people selected health coverage on the federal Obamacare website through the second week of open enrollment, the administration said Wednesday in a snapshot that shows the number of plan selections nearly doubling since the first week's tally. Published November 18, 2015
House, Senate negotiators set to work on highway bill
House and Senate negotiators sat down Wednesday and pledged to hammer out their first multi-year highway bill in a decade, saying stopgap measures are failing motorists and businesses who contend with America's crumbling roads and infrastructure. Published November 18, 2015
