Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Republicans implore Obama: Get off the sidelines on Syria issue; U.N. to visit attack site
Congressional Republicans on Sunday ratcheted up pressure on the White House to intervene in Syria, saying the United States "has sat on the sidelines for too long" amid increasing evidence that the Assad regime used chemical weapons on civilians. Published August 25, 2013
Ted Cruz doubles down on threat to defund Obamacare, proposes alternatives
Sen. Ted Cruz has doubled down on his long shot bid to defund Obamacare, even though Senate Democrats are highly unlikely to approve a short-term spending deal this September that impugns President Obama's signature domestic achievement. Published August 25, 2013
Advocates for gay, immigrant rights march in footsteps of blacks
Organizers are turning the 50th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington into far more than a history lesson — vowing to use the commemoration to push for voting rights, immigration reform and gay rights, and underscoring just how much the civil rights movement has transformed. Published August 22, 2013
Using pen and paper, House GOP draws bead on Obamacare funding
A North Carolina Republican congressman is leading 79 of his colleagues in calling on the House GOP leadership to "defund Obamacare" through any spending bills that come before the chamber in coming months. Published August 22, 2013
Sebelius: Debate over health care law is ‘over’
President Obama's top health official on Thursday said debate about the new health care law is "really over" and that it is time for Americans to reach out to the uninsured — particularly young adults and Latinos — to ensure its success. Published August 22, 2013
Catholic U. revives fight against Obamacare contraception mandate
With the Obama administration's contraception mandate "bearing down," the Catholic University of America joined the Roman Catholic archbishop in the nation's capital in a renewed legal push to block enforcement of the provision that requires larger employers to insure birth control as part of their health plans. Published August 22, 2013
UPS dropping health coverage for working spouses
Citing in part the new health care law, the United Parcel Service said it will drop health coverage for about 15,000 working spouses of employees who are eligible for coverage from their own employers. Published August 21, 2013
Obama plans video ‘thank-you’ with state Obamacare directors
President Obama is scheduled to thank directors of state-based insurance marketplaces on Wednesday "working on the front lines" of implementing his signature health care law. Published August 21, 2013
Employer health plan costs rose modestly in 2012: Survey
A nonpartisan survey released Tuesday found that the cost of employer-based health plans grew a "modest" 5 percent for single coverage and 4 percent for families since last year, an indication the rate of increases to health costs is slowing as debate about the real-world impact of President Obama's health care law rages ahead of key implementation dates. Published August 20, 2013
Obamacare opponents make last stand at town halls
A top conservative group on Monday launched a nationwide tour and a half-million-dollar ad campaign to whip up support for defunding Obamacare as a prerequisite for a deal on federal spending next month, a last-ditch effort to roll back the health care law before its principal features take effect. Published August 19, 2013
GOP keeps needling Obamacare in key Senate states
Republican operatives over the weekend used field work for the mid-term elections to take a swipe at President Obama's health care law, while the president strongly condemned GOP criticism of his reforms as obstructionism of the highest order. Published August 18, 2013
Obama’s radio address describes health insurance as a ‘right’
President Obama on Saturday offered one of his strongest defenses to date of his signature domestic achievement, lambasting Republican critics of his health care law as obstructionists who are playing politics with the well-being and economic security of millions of Americans. Published August 17, 2013
New GOP ads hit Obamacare ‘exemption,’ Iowa congressman
The National Republican Senatorial Committee on Friday will take their first swipe at Democrats in the wake of an Obama administration decision to let federal lawmakers and their staffs keep the government subsidy that offsets much of their insurance premiums costs — even though they will enter state-based health exchanges under "Obamacare." Published August 16, 2013
NYC mayoral race tight, but Anthony Weiner lags behind the field
A new survey on the New York City mayoral race shows disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner continuing to slide, while Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is now neck-and-neck with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Published August 16, 2013
Nancy Pelosi calls NSA privacy revelations ‘disturbing’
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Friday that news reports outlining how the National Security Agency broke privacy rules thousands of times are "extremely disturbing." Published August 16, 2013
Rep. Steve King tells Obama to solve rodeo controversy with a beer summit
First, Texas Rep. Steve Stockman suggested a rodeo clown banned from the Missouri State Fair for wearing a President Obama mask during a skit should go perform in the Lone Star State, because "Texans value speech." Published August 16, 2013
Obama boosts budgets for Planned Parenthood, other assistants of health care enrollment
The Obama administration said Thursday that it has decided to boost by roughly 20 percent the amount of money it is spending on grants to businesses and organizations that will help Americans sign up for the federal health care law — including Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider. Published August 15, 2013
Chagrined by ad, Sen. Begich sends a fillet of halibut to Domino’s Pizza CEO
Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska has taken offense to a Domino's Pizza ad that claims "no one has ever come up with a world-changing idea over halibut." Published August 15, 2013
Issa to Treasury: Hand over documents on Obamacare decision
Republican House investigators say the Treasury is stonewalling requests for detailed information about how and when the Obama administration decided to extend government subsides to consumers who will use federally run insurance markets under Obamacare. Published August 15, 2013
Obamacare ‘how-to’ program to cost $13 million more than planned
The Obama administration on Thursday unveiled $67 million in grants to more than 100 organizations tasked with helping Americans understand the new health care law and its potential benefits. Published August 15, 2013