Tom Howell Jr.

Biden relaunches federal COVID-19 testing website for ‘limited’ shipments to homes

Biden administration officials said COVIDTests.gov will reopen Thursday for a "limited round" in which each household can order up to four tests.

December 15, 2022

MTG says ‘five families’ of GOP factions meeting in McCarthy’s office

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says a group known as the "five families" meets regularly in House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy's office to discuss strategy before the GOP retakes control of Congress in the new year.

December 14, 2022

GOP lawmakers say Sam Brinton episode raises questions about hiring, vetting

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming wants the Department of Energy to launch an internal review of its security clearance process after the firing of Sam Brinton, a nonbinary nuclear waste official who faces charges of stealing airport luggage.

December 14, 2022

China stumbles, struggles with shift away from zero-COVID policy

China said Wednesday it would no longer track asymptomatic coronavirus cases as the country tries to navigate a sudden shift from its zero-COVID policies and major cities report an uptick in infections.

December 14, 2022

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of 17 death row inmates

Departing Gov. Kate Brown is using her clemency powers to commute the capital punishment sentences of Oregon's 17 death row inmates to life imprisonment.

December 13, 2022

West Texas buckling under influx of migrants near El Paso

Border authorities in West Texas are grappling with one of the largest influxes of migrants in recent memory after more than 1,000 people crossed the border over the weekend.

December 13, 2022

Fauci: Not worried about Musk tweets, but they do raise personal risk

Dr. Anthony Fauci says he doesn't pay a lot of attention to Elon Musk and his musings, but he does feel the Twitter CEO is putting his safety at risk.

December 13, 2022

GOP support for Trump slipping alongside legal peril, other woes: Poll

Republican voters like former President Donald Trump's policies, but six in 10 would prefer a different leader to carry them out, according to a Tuesday poll that shows Mr. Trump's stock dwindling ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

December 13, 2022

Biden officials meet virtually with Whelan’s sister to ‘brainstorm’ on freeing him from Russia

Senior officials at the White House and State Department met virtually with Paul Whelan's sister on Monday to brainstorm ways to spring the former U.S. Marine from custody in Russia, the White House said.

December 12, 2022

Biden hails military families, tells kids to ‘be brave’ when parents are deployed at Christmas

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Monday helped the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve pack up toys for distribution to needy families before Christmas, praising the giving spirit of America's youngest generation and the military families who they said represent the "very spine of our nation."

December 12, 2022

NYPD officers leaving at high rate, citing better pay and conditions elsewhere

New York City police officers are departing in droves, drawn away by better salaries and working conditions in areas as far as Colorado.

December 12, 2022

Sec. Buttigieg insists use of private planes more efficient, saves money, for some DOT travel

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has reportedly taken at least 18 flights on taxpayer-funded private planes since taking office despite his push to curb carbon emissions and criticism of his predecessors for using private travel.

December 12, 2022

Trump says he turned down prisoner swap involving Viktor Bout, Paul Whelan

Former President Donald Trump is claiming he turned down a deal to release ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan in return for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had been serving a lengthy federal prison sentence in Illinois.

December 12, 2022

Biden, Democrats frustrated by Kyrsten Sinema’s political curveball

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's announcement she is ditching the Democratic Party has sparked controversy across the nation.

December 10, 2022

Sen. Rand Paul: Looming antitrust action is a threat to free markets

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is taking a victory lap after standing in the way of legislation that would increase fees on large company mergers, saying "antitrust zealots" are getting in the way of free market activity even as they hoard federal power.

December 9, 2022

Vanguard: Cash-strapped Americans are raiding their retirement savings

Inflation and other economic woes are forcing people to save less money and rack up credit card balances.

December 9, 2022

Sam Bankman-Fried agrees to testify about FTX’s collapse

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the failed FTX cryptocurrency exchange, says he is willing to testify before Congress on Tuesday though he might have limited information about what led to his company's stunning collapse.

December 9, 2022

What now?: Sinema’s defection from Dems sends shock waves through Hill

Democrats will retain enough votes to control the Senate and its committees, but Kyrsten Sinema's decision alters power dynamics within the party and landed with a major thud.

December 9, 2022

U.S. cheers Griner’s release from Russian prison, but doubts loom about fate of Paul Whelan

President Biden and everyday Americans cheered the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner from a Russian prison Thursday but the swap for an infamous arms dealer sparked complaints that the White House brokered a lopsided deal that left U.S. businessman and former Marine Paul Whelan behind bars southeast of Moscow.

December 8, 2022

MTG says Herschel Walker should have used her more for his campaign

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia says it is "extremely insulting" that Herschel Walker didn't rely on her for more campaign events before his loss in the Senate runoff election against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.

December 8, 2022