Skip to content
TRENDING:
Donald Trump
Advertisement

Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., followed by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., arrives for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) ** FILE **

Chuck Schumer on Trump travel ban: ‘Throw it in trash’

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Sunday said President Trump should throw his "extreme vetting" order in the garbage instead of redrafting it or continuing to appeal court decisions that put it on hold.

February 12, 2017
"The Congressional Black Caucus has always been the conscience of the Congress, and I think we will continue to be that, and I think you are going to find the CBC fighting along with other Democrats for the soul of our Democracy," said Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland. (Associated Press)

Elijah Cummings: Trump adviser must explain Russia calls

The House's top Democratic investigator on Sunday said National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn needs to explain whether he discussed sanctions with Russia's ambassador, saying the retired general's shifting explanations are only raising new questions.

February 12, 2017
Health and Human Services Secretary-designate, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., pauses while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, in this Jan. 24, 2017, file photo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Tom Price confirmed as health secretary in bitter fight — now faces massive agenda

Rep. Tom Price was confirmed early Friday, 52-47, by the Senate, after surviving yet another Democratic onslaught against a Trump nomination. President Trump's new health secretary already has a massive to-do list built up, with the White House saying it was awaiting his arrival to roll out a replacement for Obamacare, and to begin taking steps to ease the transition.

February 9, 2017
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, questions Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as she testified before the committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ** FILE **

Conservatives demand Obamacare repeal this spring

Congress must hurry up and repeal Obamacare this spring to avoid the wrath of voters who expected Republicans to ease the anxiety about soaring rates and dwindling insurance options in their home states, conservative lawmakers said Wednesday.

February 8, 2017
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, following GOP strategy session at the Republican National Committee offices. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House panel advances bill to keep jackpot winners off Medicaid

House Republicans tried to kickstart their bid to replace Obamacare Tuesday by advancing bills that prevent lottery winners or other undeserving people from qualifying for Medicaid, saying the government insurance program for the poor is costing taxpayers too much and cannot bear enrollees who don't need it.

February 7, 2017
"I think a year from now we're going to be celebrating this tax reform act," Illinois Rep. Peter Roskam said Monday in a speech to the Heritage Foundation. (Associated Press)

Peter Roskam: Congress will overhaul tax code in 2017

Congress will pass an elusive overhaul of the U.S. tax code this year, a key member of the GOP's tax-writing team predicted Monday, saying lawmakers have reached an "inflection point" on onerous rules that are driving companies overseas and failing to reward those who stay.

February 6, 2017
A woman walks past a sign advertising "Obamacare", Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, in Miami. The enrollment period for the federal health care law known as "Obamacare" ends at the end of the day Tuesday. The Republican-lead Senate has passed a measure to take the first step forward on dismantling President Barack Obama's health care law. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) **FILE**

Obamacare hits slump, falls short of 2016 pace

After years of steady growth Obamacare's sign-ups slumped in 2017, according to early numbers that suggest the law is struggling now that President Obama is no longer in office to give it a boost.

February 5, 2017
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. arrives with Health and Human Services Secretary-designate, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, for a closed-door GOP strategy session. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Obamacare repeal: House conservatives demand vote

House Republicans floated legislation Thursday to start replacing Obamacare bit by bit, but some vocal conservatives said the GOP needs to speed the whole process up, saying they promised voters during last year's campaign a quick vote on repealing the health law.

February 2, 2017
From left: Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah and Chuck Grassley of Iowa confer on Wednesday after the Judiciary Committee, after angry partisan exchanges, voted to approve the nomination of Jeff Sessions as attorney general. (Associated Press)

Cabinet battle signals Democratic resistance to Trump

Senate business ground to a halt Wednesday as Democrats and Republicans turned to hardball tactics in the fight over President Trump's Cabinet nominees, signaling the wall of opposition the administration is likely to face for the foreseeable future.

February 1, 2017
Supporters of the Affordable Care Act, who are also opponents of Colorado's GOP-led plan to undo Colorado's state-run insurance exchange, gather for a rally on the state Capitol steps in Denver, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. The state GOP measure, a bill which would dismantle Connect For Health Colorado within a year, is an indication of how Republicans plan to chip away at Obamacare. If the federal health care law remains unchanged, it would force Coloradans shopping for private insurance to use the federal exchange. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Insurers, regulators seek clarity on ACA’s future

Key players in the U.S. health insurance market told Congress on Wednesday to tread carefully with Obamacare, saying the law hasn't worked as intended but clumsy repeal efforts could made a stressed marketplace even worse.

February 1, 2017
Health and Human Services Secretary-designate, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., right, accompanied by Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., pauses while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Senate GOP suspends rules, advances Donald Trump picks without Democrats

Republicans who lead a key Senate panel suspended their own rules Wednesday and advanced President Trump's picks to lead the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments unilaterally, saying they had no choice after Democrats boycotted committee votes for a second day in a row.

February 1, 2017
Steve Mnuchin has seen his confirmation for Treasury Secretary stalled due to tactics led by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and other members of the Democratic Party. (Associated Press)

Democrats stall Trump Cabinet picks with boycott, panel shutdown

Democrats launched an all-out assault Tuesday on President Trump's Cabinet picks, boycotting one committee to block the health and treasury nominees and using arcane rules to force another panel to shut down before it could vote on attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions.

January 31, 2017
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, center, accompanied by, from left, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.Y. and Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., speaks in the hallway on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, to discuss opposition to Human Services Secretary-designate, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) **FILE**

Democrats boycott markup of key Trump picks

Senate Democrats on Tuesday boycotted a critical markup of President Donald Trump's nominations to lead the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments, leaving a senior GOP leader aghast and saying there is "no excuse" for "this type of crap."

January 31, 2017
The HealthCare.gov website is still up and running, days after congressional Republicans imposed a deadline to begin their promised Obamacare repeal. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Obamacare final open enrollment period closing

Obamacare entered its final hours of open enrollment — perhaps its last ever — under a cloud of uncertainty this week, as President Trump did little to prop up the program he's now tasked with administering.

January 30, 2017