Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Free birth control rules to be finalized
President Obama's top health official said Monday the administration will finalize its new rules granting free birth control, saying the controversial policy will go into effect in August. Published April 8, 2013
Judge strikes down age restrictions on ‘morning-after’ pill
A federal judge ordered the Food and Drug Administration on Friday to make a morning-after birth control pill available without a prescription for girls younger than 17 within 30 days — a blunt opinion that rebuked decisions by the Obama administration as politically motivated. Published April 5, 2013
GOP walks a fine line on taking federal money for Medicaid; must weigh stigma vs. practicality
The stigma of "Obamacare" is so potent in many red states that some Republican leaders are walking a linguistic tightrope, trying to avoid being seen as joining the massive new health care entitlement but still hoping to get a piece of the money being offered. Published April 4, 2013
Taxes heat up battle against ‘Obamacare’; focus turns to partial repeals
A tax on everything from X-ray machines to oxygen tanks took effect at the beginning of this year — one of about 20 taxes and fees included in President Obama's health care law — and has emerged as the central battleground in the fight by the law's opponents to repeal parts of the president's overhaul. Published April 3, 2013
Advantage plans under Medicare to get payment boost
The Obama administration reversed course Monday and said it now anticipates boosting rather than cutting payments to insurers who offer Medicare Advantage plans — the private health plans that the president had at one time deemed wasteful. Published April 1, 2013
FDA: No warning required for nicotine gum, patches
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday that manufacturers of products designed to help people quit smoking can alter or remove previously required safety warnings that may be discouraging people from trying to kick the habit. Published April 1, 2013
Gun groups promise fight as U.N. inches toward override of Second Amendment
American gun rights advocates said Thursday that they remain determined to block a far-reaching U.S. agreement on international arms sales, warning that the pact could lead to a national firearms registry and disrupt the U.S. gun market, even as the accord ran into an unexpected last-minute snag in negotiations in New York. Published March 28, 2013
Pelosi ‘optimistic’ DOMA will be struck down
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she is "very optimistic" the Supreme Court will strike down a 1996 law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman for all federal purposes, leading a chorus of Democratic lawmakers asking the judges to do so. Published March 27, 2013
Obama administration under fire in gay marriage arguments
Gay marriage is on trial but it was the Obama administration facing the heat as the Supreme Court began the second of two days of landmark oral arguments on the constitutionality of gay marriage. Published March 27, 2013
S.D. Sen. Johnson retires for family, health reasons
Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson said Tuesday it is time to "close a circle that began 36 years ago" and leave the upper chamber in Washington when his term expires in 2014. Published March 26, 2013
Both sides optimistic, uncertain as gay marriage arguments end
Attorneys who are challenging and defending California's ban on gay marriage before the Supreme Court struck an optimistic tone as they emerged from arguments on Tuesday, even if they conceded they have no idea how the justices will rule about three months from now. Published March 26, 2013
Key justice: ‘Immediate injury’ in gay marriage ban
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, often pegged as a key swing-vote between the court's conservative and liberal blocs, has signaled that children of same-sex couples suffer an "immediate legal injury" from California's ban on gay marriage, according to an account of the high court's oral arguments provided by Bloomberg News. Published March 26, 2013
Republicans gather steam to take the Senate with Tim Johnson’s retirement
Bookended by a pair of standing ovations, Sen. Tim Johnson, South Dakota Democrat, announced Tuesday that it is time to "close a circle" of service than began more than 30 years ago and leave the upper chamber in Washington when his term expires in 2014. Published March 26, 2013
Corporation rights drive divergent rulings on contraception
A federal judge has rejected a Michigan company's urgent plea for protection from the contraception mandate in President Obama's health-care law, noting that a corporation's rights are not always the same as an individual's. Published March 25, 2013
Mississippi lawmaker dead in an apparent suicide
Mississippi officials are reacting with sadness to reports of a 53-year-old Republican lawmaker's death in an apparent suicide. Published March 25, 2013
Ex-RNC head Michael Steele knocks down Christie criticism
Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele said Monday that conservatives' decision to ostracize popular New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for embracing President Obama in a time of crisis was "nothing short of moronic." Published March 25, 2013
Sen. Bob Casey reveals ‘substantial shift’ on gun laws after deadly Newtown school shooting
Sen. Bob Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania says the Connecticut school shootings in December caused a significant change in his position on gun laws and now favors limits on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. Published March 25, 2013
Donald Trump warns of ‘dangerous precedent’ in Cyprus bank skimming
Real estate tycoon and political gadfly Donald Trump said Monday a proposal to skim funds from bank accounts in Cyprus is a "very dangerous precedent" for other nations struggling with debt. Published March 25, 2013
Senate narrowly passes first budget in four years
Saturday's razor-thin, predawn approval of a spending plan in the Senate is being called a victory by Democrats — but Republicans emerged from the all-nighter with momentum on two key issues: deficit reduction and the Keystone XL pipeline. Published March 22, 2013
Firefighters, birth control lead off Senate budget votes
The Senate kicked off what promises to be a lengthy "vote-a-rama" session tied to their budget plan Friday afternoon by swiftly approving funds for forest firefighters out West and then defeating, largely along party lines, an amendment that would have let secular employers refuse to insure contraception. Published March 22, 2013
