Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Obamacare mandate jeopardizes hours, pay for millions of part-timers: Study
A new study says 2.6 million part-time workers with relatively low incomes could have their hours or pay cut because an Obamacare mandate defines a full-time work week as 30 hours of labor. Published January 28, 2014
Rep. Issa will take Obamacare security hearing out of the public eye
The House's top investigative panel voted unanimously Tuesday to move a hearing into potential security risks with the main Obamacare website into a closed-door session, citing the sensitive nature of documents before lawmakers. Published January 28, 2014
GOP senators offer blueprint to fix Obamacare
Republican senators on Monday announced a sweeping plan to fix the most unpopular parts of Obamacare, ditching the individual mandate requiring Americans to have coverage but still offering taxpayer help for those looking to buy policies. Published January 27, 2014
Obamacare negativity eases, but rave reviews are rare: Poll
A new poll says Americans are less likely to have negative perceptions of Obamacare's rollout, yet two thirds of them still think its implementation hasn't been so hot. Published January 27, 2014
D.C. has success enrolling youths in Obamacare
Young people aren't signing up fast enough for President Obama's health law -- except in the District, which is actually doing a pretty good job of getting them enrolled by going to where the youngsters are. Published January 26, 2014
In Kentucky, opposing views on Obamacare success
Kentucky has an identity crisis when it comes to Obamacare. Published January 26, 2014
Rand Paul says policies make sense, defends father
Sen. Rand Paul says his free-market, pro-liberty views are really not that extreme — and people should think twice before trashing his dad. Published January 26, 2014
U.S., Russia at odds over Olympics safety
Icy relations between United States and Russia haven’t warmed enough to ensure a safe Winter Olympics in Sochi next month, federal lawmakers said Sunday. Published January 26, 2014
Rep. King: No guarantee of safety for athletes at Sochi Olympics
Rep. Peter King of New York said Sunday he cannot give American athletes a "100 percent guarantee" that next month's Olympic Games in Russia will be totally secure. Published January 26, 2014
Police identify suspect in Maryland mall shooting spree
Authorities have identified the alleged gunman who shot and killed two employees of a skate shop Saturday at a shopping mall in suburban Maryland on Saturday, before killing himself. Published January 26, 2014
Sen. Paul calls NSA lawsuit ‘historic,’ predicts a Supreme Court ruling
Republican Sen. Rand Paul said his class-action lawsuit against the National Security Agency over its secretive spying programs will be "historic," because it speaks to the heart of Fourth Amendment protections in the Constitution. Published January 26, 2014
White House’s Pfeiffer: Obama ready to take action with or without GOP
President Obama will use his State of the Union Address on Tuesday to outline "concrete, real, practical proposals" — even if Congress isn't on board with each of them. Published January 26, 2014
Beshear a lonely Southern fan of Obamacare
Kentucky Democratic Gov. Steven Beshear on Friday unabashedly lauded his state's success in rolling out Obamacare in the face of state voters who never warmed to President Obama and a pair of Republican senators who bash the new health law at every turn. Published January 24, 2014
O’Malley admits health exchange’s failures, remains upbeat about future
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said Thursday the state's Obamacare portal has "fallen short" but that his administration will redouble efforts to insure Marylanders under the new health care law. Published January 23, 2014
Moody’s downgrades health insurers, citing Obamacare
The nation’s health insurers have been damaged by the shaky Obamacare rollout, a top credit-rating agency said as it downgraded the industry’s outlook Thursday — even as new numbers suggested President Obama’s health law is showing some successes. Published January 23, 2014
Sebelius urges mayors to back Medicaid expansion
President Obama’s top health official urged the nation’s mayors to take an active role in demanding their states expand Medicaid, calling out Texas, Florida and Georgia as states that put low-income residents at risk of losing out on any form of subsidized coverage. Published January 22, 2014
Target sends part-time workers to Obamacare
Retail giant Target Corp. has decided to drop its health care plan for part-time workers, citing low participation and saying its workers will be better off applying for coverage under the Obamacare insurance exchanges. Published January 22, 2014
Obama’s last-ditch plan to let Americans keep health plans has minimal impact: study
President Obama's decision to let Americans keep bare bones insurance plans that do not meet Obamacare's criteria is unlikely to send new marketplaces into a "death spiral," in which health premiums steadily rise as young, healthier people are driven out of the market in favor of older, sicker consumers Published January 21, 2014
D.C. restaurant: Obamacare killed our Friday buffet
The owners of a restaurant in the tony Georgetown section of Washington have canceled a popular Friday lunch buffet, saying Obamacare made it too expensive to hire the workers needed to keep the buffet going. Published January 20, 2014
Wikileaks’ Assange: Obama’s snooping speech ‘embarrassing’
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said Friday it is clear that President Obama would not have unveiled his new spying reforms had it not been for leaks by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers, calling Mr. Obama's address on the controversy "embarrassing." Published January 17, 2014
