Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Republican attorneys general see Obama misuse of power
Top Republican legal officials say the Obama administration is reneging on key duties such as border security while overstepping its role through health care mandates and tight regulation of the energy industry, a trend that has led states to heighten their defenses against federal intrusion. Published February 26, 2013
Obama administration: Insurance hikes lower under new health law
The Obama administration argued in a new report Friday that the president's signature health care law has demonstrably reduced insurers' requests for double-digit rate increases in the individual market since 2010. Published February 22, 2013
Richard Shelby’s switch has Chuck Hagel on verge of confirmation
Republican Sen. Richard C. Shelby said Thursday he will support Chuck Hagel's bid to become secretary of defense, nudging the contentious pick to the verge of confirmation even as 15 Republicans senators were urging President Obama to abandon his pick to run the Pentagon. Published February 21, 2013
Fla. Gov. Scott will expand Fla. Medicaid program
Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday became the latest Republican to green-light the expansion of Medicaid under the President Obama's health-care law, a move that follows in the footsteps of other state leaders who opposed the president's reforms and then accepted federal dollars to insure more low-income residents. Published February 20, 2013
GOP lawmakers join legal fight against Obama contraception mandate
Eleven Republican members of Congress are challenging the contraception insurance mandate in President Obama's health care law by formally backing Hobby Lobby, the Oklahoma-based chain of crafts stores whose owners say they must choose between their Christian beliefs and insuring women's birth control and other preventative services. Published February 20, 2013
Nonprofits take contraception issue to court
Religious nonprofits have begun to respond in court to the plan the Obama administration offered this month to shelter them from a mandate requiring certain employers to insure contraception — and it's probably not what the White House wanted to hear. Published February 19, 2013
Obamacare and birth control: Religious ties split coverage
Religious employers battling the Obama administration in court over a mandate in the president's health care law requiring them to offer contraceptive and birth control insurance to their employees could summarize their arguments neatly by pointing to the founder of Domino's Pizza. Published February 18, 2013
After Obamacare health exchange deadline passes, 26 states opt in with feds
The backbone of President Obama's health care law is taking shape, with 26 states choosing to let the federal government run the online insurance markets mandated by his signature reforms instead of keeping the job in-house or partnering with the feds. Published February 16, 2013
Obama administration: Health care exchanges will be up and running on Oct. 1
Republicans and Democrats warned Thursday that with major parts of President Obama's health law scheduled to go live later this year, the Obama administration had better get it right the first time — or else risk permanently scarring the White House's signature achievement. Published February 14, 2013
Republicans vow to hold out for data before vote on Hagel
Democrats pressed ahead Wednesday with Chuck Hagel's nomination to be secretary of defense, scheduling a showdown vote for Friday even as top Republicans signaled that they need more information before confirming him for the Pentagon's top civilian post. Published February 13, 2013
Party-line vote sends Pentagon pick Hagel to Senate floor
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted Tuesday along party lines to recommend the nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next secretary of defense, setting up a showdown in the full chamber as outspoken Republicans threatened to thwart the former Nebraska senator's nomination. Published February 12, 2013
Feds deny Mississippi plan for state-run health exchange, citing divisions
Federal health officials have denied Mississippi's request to set up a state-run health exchange under President Obama's health care law, settling an unusual political dispute in which the Republican governor overruled the state's own insurance commissioner. Published February 8, 2013
Concession on birth control not sufficient, bishops say
America's Catholic bishops on Thursday rejected President Obama's latest contraception mandate upon religiously affiliated hospitals, schools and charities, saying the rules still don't ensure that people won't be forced to pay for contraceptives to which they morally object. Published February 7, 2013
Catholics bishops: Obama contraception compromise not enough
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Thursday that President Obama's recent attempt to mollify religious objections to covering contraception as part of his signature health law has fallen short of addressing their concerns. Published February 7, 2013
GOP governors warily OK expanding Medicaid
Republican governors are warming to the expansion of Medicaid under President Obama's health care law, but their cooperation comes with a common plea to the administration — keep your promises and give us a little flexibility in our backyards, or else the deal is off. Published February 7, 2013
Mich. governor signs on for Obama’s Medicaid expansion
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday became the sixth Republican governor to support the expansion of Medicaid as envisioned by President Obama's health law. Published February 6, 2013
Centrist Republicans push long-term budget fix
Centrist House Republicans say they still want Congress to fix the nation's financial problems through a long-term grand bargain, warning its "ping-pong ball" method of propping up the economy from month to month will end in a crisis that will force even more unpleasant decisions on them. Published February 5, 2013
Sebelius: ‘Help us speed up’ health care rollout
President Obama's health care law is "here to stay," but cannot fulfill its promise if states do not expand Medicaid and the uninsured do not take advantage of the benefits designed to put coverage within reach of millions more Americans, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday. Published February 4, 2013
Obama admin. easing contraception mandate in health law
The Obama administration on Friday rolled out a revised rule that gives religious institutions the option to divorce themselves from a mandate in the president's health care law that requires insurance plans to cover contraception for their employees. Published February 1, 2013
Top Republican hits health care law’s burden on small businesses
A key House Republican is warning that the mandate in President Obama's health care law requiring companies with more than 50 employees to provide adequate health insurance to their workers is so cumbersome that even the parts designed to help firms with compliance will cause headaches. Published February 1, 2013
