Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Plan B drug maker: FDA approved pill without restrictions
The drug maker at the heart of a legal fight over access to emergency contraception said Friday it got the green light to offer its one-pill product to customers of all ages, who will not need a prescription or identification to purchase it. Published June 21, 2013
Catholics, Southern Baptists unite against Obamacare contraception mandate
America's Catholic bishops and the Southern Baptist Convention joined forces on Friday, calling on Congress to pass bills that would exempt companies and nonprofits from the contraception insurance coverage mandate in President Obama's health care law. Published June 21, 2013
House rejection of farm bill sows bad seeds for Boehner
The House rejected the massive farm bill Thursday after conservative Republicans banded with Democrats, dealing a major defeat to House Speaker John A. Boehner and the GOP leadership and raising questions about the chamber's ability to pass any ambitious legislation this year. Published June 20, 2013
Planned Parenthood touts benefits of Obamacare
Planned Parenthood has joined the ranks of White House allies promoting President Obama's health care law, greeting visitors to its website with a section on "Obamacare and You." Published June 20, 2013
GAO sees problem meeting health law deadlines
The government's chief auditor on Wednesday said President Obama's health care overhaul is in danger of missing key October deadlines, raising concerns it could be the nightmare that Republicans and even some Democratic lawmakers have feared of late. Published June 19, 2013
U.S. Chamber of Commerce sounds the alarm over ballooning entitlement spending
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday it will start a campaign to try to fix American entitlement programs, saying Social Security, Medicare and other programs are growing so quickly they will eventually crowd out other spending on infrastructure, defense and education. Published June 19, 2013
Obama’s army of supporters to man the trenches in new health care push
Enroll America, the nonprofit that is leading the charge in promoting President Obama's health care law, announced on Tuesday it has launched a nationwide campaign to help the uninsured learn about benefits and subsidies that take effect next year. Published June 18, 2013
House votes to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy
House Republicans powered through a bill Tuesday to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, saying the recent conviction of a Philadelphia abortion provider for killing newborn babies has revived the contentious debate. Published June 18, 2013
Farm bill cuts judged both too much, not enough
A year after they failed to pass a farm bill and suffered for it in several big congressional races, House Republicans think they've finally got the right balance to fund agricultural programs while weaning more Americans off food stamp benefits. Published June 17, 2013
House passes $638B defense spending bill
The House on Friday authorized $638 billion in military spending for the coming fiscal year, including $86 billion for the war in Afghanistan, while attempting to address reports of the rising number of sexual assaults in the military. Published June 14, 2013
Supreme Court: Companies cannot obtain patents for human genes
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously that human genes are "a product of nature" and companies cannot obtain patents on them — a major shift in patent policy that could open the door to broader medical research on certain cancers and other diseases. Published June 13, 2013
Supreme Court says companies cannot patent human genes
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that human genes cannot be patented by companies that extract them from nature without actually creating anything. Published June 13, 2013
House bill bars abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, igniting a debate over the thorny social issue at a time when some in the GOP fear they are alienating female voters. Published June 12, 2013
Cardin: Debate possible on privacy, top-secret programs
A key Democratic senator said Wednesday the collection of phone records and other mass data is "well understood," but there is room to discuss the broader implications of the spying programs. Published June 12, 2013
Boehner describes NSA leaker as ‘traitor’
House Speaker John A. Boehner says the man who disclosed top-secret spying programs is a "traitor" who committed a "giant violation of the law" that put Americans at risk. Published June 11, 2013
Obama administration drops its appeal of Plan B ruling, will widen access to drug
President Obama still harbors deep reservations about letting young girls buy the morning-after pill without a prescription, even though his administration has decided against fighting a court order that forces it to do just that, his spokesman said Tuesday. Published June 11, 2013
Plaintiffs press health act fight
With time running out before state-based insurance markets begin enrolling applicants under President Obama's health care law, a group of small businesses wants a court to expedite its claim that the federal government cannot offer premium tax credits on the exchanges the government will set up in more than 30 states. Published June 9, 2013
‘Obamacare’ critics press court over subsidies
With time running out before state-based insurance markets begin enrolling applicants under President Obama's health care law, a group of small businesses have asked a federal court to expedite their claim that the federal government cannot offer premium tax credits on the exchanges the federal government will set up in more than 30 states. Published June 7, 2013
Need to decipher ‘Obamacare’ creates market for navigators
Dozens of people sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the basement of a downtown Washington library this week, hoping to gain an edge in their bids to help uninsured city residents navigate President Obama's health care law this fall and beyond. Published June 6, 2013
‘Obamacare’ alternative: Exemptions offer way out; health-sharing ministries among excused
While most Americans next year will have to grapple with the intricacies of President Obama's health law and the "individual mandate" requiring residents to have health insurance, Mr. Edwards and more than 160,000 others who use health-sharing ministries will be exempt. They're one of nine exemptions built into the health care law. Published June 6, 2013
