Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Judge to rule by February on case that could blow a hole in Obamacare
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that an anti-Obamacare lawsuit can proceed, but refused to issue an injunction that could have foreshadowed disaster for the health care law in nearly three dozen states. Published October 22, 2013
Federal judge set to rule on Obamacare subsidies quandary
A federal judge will decide Tuesday on a case that could blow a major hole through the Obamacare exchanges when he rules on whether the government can dole out tax credits to Americans whose states declined to run their own Affordable Care Act insurance markets. Published October 21, 2013
‘Best and brightest’ will be brought in to fix Obamacare website bugs
The Obama administration said Sunday it is calling in the "best and brightest" tech experts to help fix the bug-laden federal website that's tarnished the rollout of the new health care law and galvanized the overhaul's fiercest critics in Congress. Published October 20, 2013
GOP skeptical Obama will negotiate on immigration
Now that a temporary solution to the partial government shutdown and debt limit are at hand, President Obama says immigration is next, but House Republicans said that's not likely. Published October 16, 2013
Obama backs Sebelius despite Obamacare website glitches
Two weeks into the federal government's disastrous launch of Obamacare's online marketplaces, the White House said Tuesday that President Obama still supports beleaguered Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in spite of calls for her resignation. Published October 15, 2013
GOP rival for Senate in N.J. challenges Booker’s residency
Republican Steven Lonegan said Monday that Newark Mayor Cory Booker, his rival in the New Jersey Senate race, should come clean about where he lives following a news report that raised questions about where the Democrat calls home. Published October 14, 2013
Obamacare becomes test of faith for employer over birth control
Employees at a western Michigan manufacturing company might not all agree with the Catholic owners' religious stance on birth control, but that doesn't mean any of them want their generous health benefits to change. Published October 14, 2013
Lots of talk, little action on debt deal in Congress
Congress spent the weekend insisting that it will reach a deal to raise the federal government's borrowing limit by Thursday but making scant progress even as all sides tried to reassure itchy financial markets ahead of the stock market opening Monday. Published October 13, 2013
Sen. Lindsey Graham: Can’t support a Senate deal the House will reject
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday he would not vote for a deal to reopen the government and raise the debt limit if it cannot attract support in the Republican-led House, arguing there is little point in claiming victory if a deal does not pass muster in the other chamber of Congress. Published October 13, 2013
Sens. Rob Portman and Dick Durbin disagree on much, but think deal is reachable
Sen. Rob Portman said Sunday the "greatest act of bipartisanship" over the last few decades has been both parties "over-promising and overspending." Published October 13, 2013
IMF chief: U.S. dance with the debt limit is ‘very, very concerning’
The chief of the International Monetary Fund says the U.S. government's stalemate over spending and its debt limit is "very, very concerning" and could roll back economic progress around the world. Published October 13, 2013
GOP senator: Sebelius should quit over Obamacare flaws
Problems associated with the rollout of the new health care law have led at least one Republican lawmaker to call for the resignation of President Obama's top health official. Published October 11, 2013
Louisiana love: Sen. Landrieu goes to bat for the District of Columbia during shutdown
Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana went to bat for city officials in the nation's capital on Friday, saying that despite a lack of representation in Congress the District of Columbia has been hamstrung by the government shutdown. Published October 11, 2013
Lawmakers can’t find abortion-free health care exchanges, push transparency bill
Rep. Christopher H. Smith and a bipartisan pro-life coalition in Congress say the Obama administration is obfuscating consumers about the health care law by not making it clear which exchange plans cover abortion and which don't. Published October 9, 2013
House GOP wants to know if ex-prisoners benefit from Medicaid expansion
Top House Republicans now want to know whether the new health care law's expansion of the Medicaid program will include prisoners, adding a wrinkle to GOP complaints that President Obama's health overhaul is unfit for implementation. Published October 9, 2013
Lawmakers can’t find abortion-free health care exchanges, push transparency bill
Rep. Christopher H. Smith and a bipartisan pro-life coalition in Congress say the Obama administration is obfuscating consumers about the health care law by not making it clear which exchange plans cover abortion and which don't. Published October 9, 2013
Reid to D.C. mayor: ‘I’m on your side, don’t screw it up’
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants the District of Columbia to know he's not looking to make things hard for the heavily Democratic city during the government shutdown. Published October 9, 2013
Some Americans sick and tired of Obamacare enrollment process
The Obama administration has said there is plenty of time to cure what ails the Obamacare portals because open enrollment lasts until March 31. But patience is wearing thin among some. Published October 8, 2013
Schumer: Boehner will ‘break with tea party’ on shutdown
A top Senate Democrat said Monday he thinks House Speaker John A. Boehner will eventually concede and put a "clean bill" on the chamber floor to fund federal operations and end the government shutdown. Published October 7, 2013
Cruz: Democrats’ attacks show Republicans are ‘winning’
Outspoken Sen. Ted Cruz says "inflammatory" Democratic attacks on the shutdown impasse lead him to believe the Republicans are "winning" in the hearts and minds of the American public, as the GOP attempts to negotiate cutbacks to Obamacare in exchange for funding the government and extending the nation's borrowing authority. Published October 7, 2013