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Tom Howell Jr.

Tom Howell Jr.

Tom Howell Jr. covers politics and the White House for The Washington Times. He can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has backed religious freedom, but whether the Supreme Court would favor the rights of businesses in Obamacare's contraception mandate is difficult to determine. (Associated Press)

Supreme Court position on Obamacare birth control mandate a tough call

When the Supreme Court next year decides whether the Obama administration can force for-profit companies to insure birth control, the punditry around abortion or the "war on women" will be overshadowed by legal precedent and acts by Congress that weigh religious liberty against government mandates, legal scholars say. Published December 25, 2013

President Obama signals quiet during a speaking appearance.

Obama secretly buys health care he won’t use — but not from government website

The Obama administration issued yet another delay to the president's signature health care law Monday — this time, offering an extra day's grace period for people to finish signing up to ensure they have coverage Jan. 1, when the mandate requiring all Americans to have insurance takes effect. Published December 23, 2013

**FILE** Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican (Associated Press)

GOP lawmaker: NSA spying in U.S. could have prevented 9/11

Members of Congress remain divided on whether to rein in the National Security Agency's broad collection of phone records, with one Democrat saying the Founding Fathers would be "astounded" by the snooping program, while an outspoken New Yorker insisted that the program is fine and could have prevented the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Published December 22, 2013

U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., right, shakes hands with members of the Northeast Regional Troopers Coalition, Monday, Dec. 16, 2013 in Concord, N.H. King is considered a possible presidential candidate for 2016. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

NSA snooping may have stopped 9/11 attack: Rep. Peter King

Congressman Peter King offered an unapologetic defense Sunday of the National Security Agency's broad collection of phone records, saying the spying agency has not abused its power and that 2001 terrorist attacks might have been prevented if the tool had been in place then. Published December 22, 2013

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2013, file photo, MNsure insurance exchange representatives Carlos Villanueva, left, and Emily Joyce prepare for the Oct. 1 open enrollment debut at the center in St. Paul, Minn. The federal government hasn’t released comprehensive data on how many people have signed up for health insurance in the 36 states using federally run exchanges, and in the 14 states running their own exchanges, lack of enrollment numbers also makes it hard to say if Obamacare is a success. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

Report finds improving numbers for Obamacare coverage

A new report contends that enrollment in Obamacare's insurance exchanges has reached at least a half-million people, a key measure as the Obama administration attempts to sell its law to a skeptical public and to Republicans increasingly critical of changes to the law's implementation. Published December 20, 2013

This photo taken Dec. 12, 2013 shows House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaking during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republican leaders and several hard-right groups are in the throes of a bitter political divorce marked by name-calling and deep suspicions. The eagerness of Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to lash out at groups that have given them fits for the past few years has unshackled others in the Republican ranks, who bluntly question the motivation of organizations such as the Senate Conservatives Fund, Heritage Action, Madison Project and Club for Growth. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Boehner joins the fight to delay Obamacare for everyone

House Speaker John A. Boehner has joined fellow Republican leaders in calling for a full delay of Obamacare for everyone, after the White House tweaked the law once more on Thursday by allowing people who recently lost coverage to buy a catastrophic plan if they cannot afford a better one on the law's health exchanges. Published December 20, 2013

** FILE ** Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is surrounded by reporters after talking about the final work of the Senate as the legislative year nears to a close, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Harry Reid goes to hospital as a precaution

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was not feeling well Friday morning and decided to go to the hospital, where he will remain as a precaution, his office said. Published December 20, 2013

Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Latest Obamacare delay faces swift GOP criticism

Republican lawmakers are hitting back at the Obama administration's decision late Thursday to let Americans claim a hardship exemption and buy catastrophic coverage if they cannot afford a regular health plan on one of Obamacare's health exchanges. Published December 20, 2013

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the implementation failures of the Affordable Care Act. Playing catch-up with a long way to go, President Barack Obama's new health insurance markets last month picked up the dismal pace of signups, the administration reported Wednesday. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Sebelius adds yet another exemption for Obamacare

A group of Democratic senators are taking heart in signals by the Obama administration Thursday that people who lost their existing health plans because of Obamacare's requirements will be eligible for an exemption that lets them purchase a catastrophic plan. Published December 19, 2013

“[With] a need so great as unemployed veterans, this is not the time to draw a technical line on the budget," said Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida Democrat. (Associated Press)

Florida Dem senator defends NSA snooping efforts

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida takes issue with a new report that would roll back the National Security Agency's phone records program, saying the program collects "business records" and requires a court order to get the actual content of calls. Published December 19, 2013

Sen. Johnny Isakson, Georgia Republican

Calls for military pension fix grow

Georgia senator joins the chorus of lawmakers Thursday who want to see the pain of budget cuts spread around to alleviate the pressure on military retirees. Published December 19, 2013

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, pictured, joins Republican gubernatorial candidate for Virginia governor Ken Cuccinelli at a campaign rally at their Bristow campaign headquarters, Bristow, Va, Tuesday, October 29, 2013. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

La. Gov. Jindal defends suspended Duck Dynasty star

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has weighed in on A&E's decision to suspend the patriarch of its popular show, "Duck Dynasty," saying it is "a messed-up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh, and Phil Robertson gets suspended." Published December 19, 2013

"Our view of the law is that it — if somebody is here without sufficient documentation, that is not reason for deportation," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, said in an interview with Telemundo, a Spanish-language network. "If somebody has broken the law, committed a felony or something, that's a different story." (associated press)

Pelosi raises alarm over handling of classified Obamacare documents

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asked Speaker John A. Boehner on Wednesday to hold a classified briefing on Obamacare documents acquired by Rep. Darrell Issa — the chamber's top investigator — that Democrats say could compromise HealthCare.gov's security. Published December 18, 2013