Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Rep. McCaul: Islamic State doesn’t fit into Obama’s ‘narrative’
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said Sunday that President Obama can't seem to "get his head around" the threat the Islamic State poses as it grabs territory in Iraq and Syria and releases gruesome videos of hostage beheadings. Published September 14, 2014
Kerry: Debate over whether we’re ‘at war’ with ISIL is distracting from fight
Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said a "tortured debate going on about terminology" is distracting people from the mission to destroy the Islamic State before it advances farther into Iraq and Syria. Published September 14, 2014
Sen. Amy Klobuchar on charges against her beloved Vikings’ Peterson: ‘This is a 4-year-old child’
A Minnesota senator said Sunday that she may be a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, but word that running back Adrian Peterson has been indicted on child abuse charges has made it all the more important for the NFL to handle criminal charges with a sense of urgency. Published September 14, 2014
WH chief of staff: Mission in Iraq and Syria is clear, despite reliance on others
White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said the Obama administration has been "very clear" about its mission to degrade and destroy the Islamic State, despite accusations it's playing semantic games to enshroud whether the U.S. is truly at war. Published September 14, 2014
Planned Parenthood targets two GOP Senate challengers for their birth control plan
The campaign arm of Planned Parenthood launched ads Friday targeting Republican Senate challengers' embrace of over-the-counter contraception, arguing the tactic is a thinly veiled scheme to ding Obamacare and make women pay more for birth control. Published September 12, 2014
House votes to let insurers offer employer plans that don’t comply with Obamacare
The House on Thursday took another swipe at Obamacare ahead of the midterm elections, with about two dozen Democrats joining the Republican majority to pass a bill that lets insurers continue to offer employer health plans that do not comply with the law's coverage standards. Published September 11, 2014
Obamacare doesn’t force people to work part-time, study shows
President Obama's health care law is not forcing people to work part-time, according to a new study that contests the claim that firms would slash hours to avoid fines under Obamacare's "employer mandate." Published September 11, 2014
IRS can’t escape Lerner, tea party scandal at Obamacare hearing
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen went to Capitol Hill Wednesday to talk about Obamacare. But inevitably, he faced questions about the political targeting scandal that hit the revenue agency shortly before he took the reins. Published September 10, 2014
House lawmakers wary of IRS claim of conveying costly Obamacare info
Lawmakers on the House tax committee cast doubt Wednesday on the IRS' ability to explain and administer the changes that Obamacare customers will face when they file tax returns next year. Published September 10, 2014
IRS commissioner: We’ll deal with Obamacare even though Congress has withheld funding request
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told Congress on Wednesday his agency is not getting the funding it needs to help consumers sift through new Obamacare requirements during next year's filing season. Published September 10, 2014
House GOP pushes bill to let insurers ignore Obamacare standards
The House Rules Committee cleared the way Tuesday for another debate on poking holes in Obamacare — this time over a bill that would let insurers offer employer-based health plans that do not comply with the law's coverage standards for several more years. Published September 9, 2014
Nuns battling the Obama admin. make it official: Tweaks to birth control rule ‘change nothing’
The Little Sisters of the Poor, an elder-care charity run by nuns, made it crystal-clear late Monday that the Obama administration's latest tweak to a mandate that requires employers to cover birth control will "change nothing of substance" in their courtroom fight against the rule. Published September 9, 2014
HHS breaks own rules, OKs Ark. Medicaid plan — with potentially costly results: report
The Obama administration may end up paying more than it should for Arkansas' novel approach to Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, government investigators said Monday in a report with implications for several states that mimicked the state's "private-option" method. Published September 8, 2014
HHS unveils $60M in grants for face-to-face Obamacare efforts
The Obama administration said Monday it will dole out $60 million in "navigator" grants to groups charged with offering in-person help to people who want to sign up for health coverage under Obamacare. Published September 8, 2014
Colorado Senate race a ‘nail-biter’ between Udall, Gardner: poll
The Senate race in Colorado is a "nail-biter" ahead of the first debate between Democratic Sen. Mark Udall and Republican challenger Cory Gardner, a new survey says. Published September 5, 2014
Hillary Clinton: I’ll decide on White House run after the new year
Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday she will likely decide whether to run for president in 2016 after the new year begins. Published September 5, 2014
Jeb Bush circle to donors: Give us right of first refusal
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's advisers are asking political donors not to commit to other potential 2016 candidates until he decides whether to take a run at the GOP nomination for president, according to the Wall Street Journal. Published September 5, 2014
Rep. Tom Cole: ISIS galvanizing anti-terror coalition
Rep. Tom Cole said Friday if the Islamic State can claim credit for anything, it's that "they know how to unite the whole world against them." Published September 5, 2014
Cotton-Pryor race in Arkansas a dead heat: CNN poll
Republican congressman Tom Cotton leads Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor by 2 points in a closely watched battle in Arkansas that could determine which party controls the Senate, according to a CNN poll of likely voters. Published September 5, 2014
Claire McCaskill talked to Kansas Democrat about race to unseat Sen. Pat Roberts
Sen. Claire McCaskill said Friday she spoke to Democratic candidate Chad Taylor about his chances of winning a Senate race in Kansas against Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. But she stopped short of saying she muscled him into dropping out. Published September 5, 2014
