Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Alison Lundergan Grimes uses ‘war on women’ strategy to attack Mitch McConnell
Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes released a campaign ad Wednesday that uses her party's "war on women" strategy to attack her powerful Republican opponent, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Published July 30, 2014
U.S. surgeon general is hesitant about green-lighting marijuana
The acting U.S. surgeon general said Wednesday he is wary of legalizing marijuana because it would be "yet another product out there" that can cause respiratory problems. Published July 30, 2014
GOP challenger plans to crash Sen. Pat Roberts’ campaign event to debate the issue
Senate candidate Milton Wolf said Wednesday he will re-route his campaign bus to set up an impromptu debate with incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts before Kansans cast their ballots in the Republican primary. Published July 30, 2014
Ohio Gov. John Kasich cruising to re-election: survey
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is cruising to re-election this year because his Democratic challenger remains largely unknown in the Buckeye State, a new survey said. Published July 30, 2014
Geography, awareness dictate uninsured rates in Obamacare era: study
Four out of every 10 uninsured Americans live in states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid under Obamacare and have incomes below the threshold for gaining the state-federal health benefits under President Obama's reforms. Published July 29, 2014
Elijah Cummings presses GOP governors on Medicaid expansion decisions
Rep. Elijah Cummings wants to know why some Republican governors have expanded Medicaid while others remain adamantly opposed to the key pillar of Obamacare. Published July 29, 2014
Appeals court upholds Obamacare tax as constitutional
A key appeals court on Tuesday ruled that despite including a tax, Obamacare doesn't violate the Constitution's requirement that all tax bills originate in the House of Representatives, giving the Obama administration another health care win. Published July 29, 2014
New Englander Scott Brown turns his gaze to the U.S. border crisis
New Hampshire may be a long way from the southern U.S. border, but Senate candidate Scott Brown is using the immigration crisis to take on President Obama and his Democratic opponent, Jeanne Shaheen, on the campaign trail. Published July 29, 2014
Putin a ‘megalomaniac’ who must be challenged with force: Sen. Johnson
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "megalomaniac" who will forge ahead in eastern Ukraine unless the U.S. and others stand up to him with actual force, because economic sanctions are simply not enough, Sen. Ron Johnson said Tuesday. Published July 29, 2014
Sen. Joe Manchin sued by his brother over old loan: report
Sen. Joe Manchin was sued by his brother this month in connection with a decades-old $1.7 million loan aimed at keeping a family business out of bankruptcy, the Wall Street Journal said. Published July 29, 2014
New Mexico decides to use HealthCare.gov for 2015
New Mexico has decided to use the federal HealthCare.gov website for another year instead of shifting to its own platform to enroll people in Obamacare plans, a new report said. Published July 29, 2014
HHS: ‘Donut hole’ reforms saved Medicare enrollees $11.5 billion since 2010
Hoping to spread good news about Medicare into a second day, the Obama administration said Tuesday that seniors and the disabled have saved $11.5 billion on prescriptions since the health care law passed in 2010. Published July 29, 2014
Medicare trust fund to last 4 years longer: Obama administration
Slowing health costs will keep the Medicare trust fund from going broke until 2030, or four year later than last year's projections, the Obama administration said Monday. Published July 28, 2014
ACLU: Unprecedented U.S. spying has chilling effect on reporters and sources, weakens accountability
U.S. spying programs are making government sources too skittish to divulge sensitive information to reporters, especially on computer-based technology, making it difficult for journalists to hold powerful entities to account, according to a 120-page report released Monday. Published July 28, 2014
Rep. Mike Rogers: Lock Israel-Palestine negotiators in a room
Rep. Mike Rogers on Monday said peace negotiators need to be locked in a room to "sit down and try to work out the issues" before the conflict between Israel and extremist Palestinian fighters from Hamas deepens with more bloodshed. Published July 28, 2014
Conservative group warns Va. Gov. Terry McAuliffe not to go it alone on Medicaid expansion
A conservative group unveiled a television ad Monday that warns Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe to think twice before expanding Medicaid without legislative approval. Published July 28, 2014
Number-crunchers put GOP chances of retaking Senate at 60 percent: report
Republicans have a 60 percent chance of taking control of the Senate in mid-term elections this November, up from 54 percent in April, according to number-crunchers at The New York Times. Published July 28, 2014
Fla. voters’ support for medical marijuana bodes well for ballot measure: poll
Florida voters overwhelmingly support legalizing medical marijuana, 88 to 10 percent, while a smaller margin says adults should be allowed to possess a bit of the drug for personal use, according to a new poll. Published July 28, 2014
Very religious still lean toward GOP, reflecting long-term patterns, Gallup poll shows
Religious and party identity remain linked, with very religious Americans much more likely to identify with the Republican Party than the Democratic side, a Gallup poll said. Published July 28, 2014
States confident on Obamacare subsidies despite rulings of courts
States shifting to the federal Obamacare Web platform this year — and those trying to get away from it — are confident their consumers can get government subsidies to help them pay for health coverage, even if the courts uphold a ruling that restricts the tax credits to insurance exchanges established by a state. Published July 27, 2014
