Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Federal court orders a ‘contraception mandate’ update after a summer of changes
A federal appeals court on Tuesday told both sides of an Obamacare-related lawsuit to update their arguments in the wake of Supreme Court and White House actions that have colored the fight around the administration's "contraception mandate." Published September 2, 2014
Cory Gardner: Birth control pills should be over-the-counter
Republican Senate challenger Cory Gardner on Tuesday doubled down on his proposal to offer common types of oral contraception to women over-the-counter without a prescription. Published September 2, 2014
Sen. Robert Menendez: Ukraine needs U.S. weaponry to defend itself against Russia
Sen. Robert Menendez on Tuesday called on the U.S. to supply weapons to the Ukraine government so it can repel columns of Russia-backed forces in the eastern part of its country. Published September 2, 2014
New attack ad aligns Sen. Mary Landrieu with Capitol Hill
A conservative group on Tuesday parlayed new questions about where Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu truly resides into an online attack ad that aligns her with Capitol Hill instead of Louisiana. Published September 2, 2014
NYC voters: Bring the 2016 DNC Convention here
New York City denizens want to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention by a wide margin, with only Republican voters saying "no" to the plan. Published September 2, 2014
Obama approval rating hits record low in California
President Obama's approval rating has dropped to a record low in California, according to a new poll that says only 45 percent of Golden Staters approve of how the president is handing his job. Published September 2, 2014
Sen. Chris Murphy: Nothing wrong with Obama’s cautious approach to Islamic State
Sen. Chris Murphy said Tuesday that the Islamic State's march through Iraq and Syria must be stopped, but he does not think President Obama is being "too cautious" in his approach to the task. Published September 2, 2014
Dick Durbin in danger? Dem’s lead shrinking in Senate reelection race
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin leads his Republican challenger by 7 percentage points, according to a new poll that shows the Democrat's cushion shrinking. Published September 2, 2014
James Lankford is in two-to-one cakewalk in Oklahoma Senate race
Republican Rep. James Lankford enjoys a two-to-one lead over his Democratic challenger in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat in Oklahoma, according to Rasmussen Reports. Published September 2, 2014
Obamacare advocates target Hispanics in health care enrollment push
A map in Angela Franco's office highlights the D.C. streets most likely to have Hispanic business owners, and it serves as a blueprint for foot soldiers who have been pounding the pavement to get people covered through the city's Obamacare exchange. Published September 1, 2014
Obama foreign policy diminishes U.S. standing in fight against terrorism: Mike Rogers
President Obama is under fire for his cautious approach to beating back the Islamic State's march through Iraq and Syria, with a top House Republican suggesting his foreign policy was in free fall and that Western allies no longer view the U.S. as a leader in the fight against bad actors. Published August 31, 2014
Franchises could be next union battleground
Business groups say they're gearing up to defend against what they believe to be the next front in the battle with organized labor: the franchise model used by McDonald's and other iconic brands. Published August 31, 2014
Feinstein: Obama maybe ‘too cautious’ on Islamic State, but plans are underway
The chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday that President Obama is notably cautious — "maybe, in this instance, too cautious" — but insisted the U.S. and its allies will coalesce behind a plan to beat back the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria before their well-funded sources take Baghdad. Published August 31, 2014
Rep. Tom Cole: Time to address Islamic State in bipartisan fashion
Rep. Tom Cole said the U.S. and its allies must fight the Islamic State in a methodical, effective way, without rushing to act for its own sake. Published August 31, 2014
Sen. Robert Menendez: Russia has launched a direct attack on Ukraine
Sen. Robert Menendez said Sunday that eastern Ukraine is under direct attack by Russia and that Western allies should seriously consider military assistance, although not troops on the ground, to repel President Vladimir Putin's designs in the region. Published August 31, 2014
Rep. Mike Rogers: Obama’s foreign policy is in “free fall”
President Obama's foreign policy is in "absolute free-fall" amid the rise of the Islamic State, and Western allies no longer view the U.S. as a leader in confronting religious extremism in the Middle East, the House intelligence chairman said Sunday. Published August 31, 2014
Coburn: Feds may have broken law on employer mandate
Sen. Tom Coburn wants to know whether the Obama administration violated the law by making it easier for seasonal and temporary workers in the federal government to get health coverage — perhaps so the feds would not be penalized under Obamacare's "employer mandate." Published August 28, 2014
Coburn: Did feds illegally skirt Obamacare employer mandate?
Sen. Tom Coburn wants to know if the Obama administration violated the law by making it easier for seasonal and temporary workers in the federal government to get health coverage — perhaps so the feds would not be penalized under Obamacare's "employer mandate." Published August 28, 2014
Pennsylvania the latest state to expand Medicaid under Obamacare
The Obama administration announced Thursday it has approved Pennsylvania's customized plan to expand Medicaid under Obamacare. Published August 28, 2014
Arkansas, home to key Senate race, announces rate decreases on Obamacare exchange
Obamacare customers in Arkansas will see a net decrease of 2 percent in premium costs on the state's marketplace in 2015, Gov. Mike Beebe has announced — a development that could impact the state's high-profile U.S. Senate race. Published August 27, 2014