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Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

The Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Associated Press)

Former CBO directors defend agency’s integrity

Former chiefs of the Congressional Budget Office defended the federal agency in a letter to congressional leaders Friday, saying its nonpartisan scorekeepers cannot nail every prediction about policy but frequently do a better job than less-informed analysts.

July 21, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, wants to take up the House-passed health care bill Tuesday, setting the stage for amendments and final passage before Congress leaves for its August recess. (Associated Press/File)

Senate GOP pushes for Obamacare showdown next week

Senate Republican leaders plowed ahead with plans to put Obamacare in the rearview mirror by August but faced even longer odds Thursday, reeling from Sen. John McCain's cancer diagnosis and budget estimates that said 22 million fewer people would hold insurance under their revised replacement plan.

July 20, 2017
"For seven years you've promised the American people that you would repeal Obamacare. People are hurting. Inaction is not an option," President Trump told Republican leaders Wednesday during a lunch at the White House. (Associated Press)

Donald Trump delivers ultimatum to GOP on health care bill

A combative President Trump launched an urgent, last-ditch bid Wednesday to revive an Obamacare repeal effort that had been left for dead just 24 hours earlier, imploring Senate Republicans to stay in Washington until the job is done and warning that failure would decimate the party and its agenda.

July 19, 2017
A vote planned for this week on the Senate's health care bill has been postponed indefinitely to give Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, time to recover from a procedure to remove a blood clot above his eye. (Associated Press/File)

Senate leaders delay health care vote, citing Sen. John McCain’s surgery

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell late Saturday said he will postpone votes on the Obamacare replacement bill that was scheduled to hit the floor this week, after Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said he needed time to recover from surgery for a blood cot, depriving the GOP of a critical vote.

July 16, 2017
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a vocal opponent of the Senate Republican healthcare bill, speaks with reporters on his way to a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate GOP releases revised health care bill

Senate Republican leaders released a new Obamacare repeal bill Thursday that keeps some of the 2010 law's tax hikes but further erodes its coverage mandates, allowing insurers to offer slimmer plans that could entice young and healthy Americans to sign up but raise costs for older and sicker customers.

July 13, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., joined by Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, meets with reporters after a closed-door Republican strategy session, Tuesday, July 11, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. McConnell said Senate Republicans will unveil their revised health care bill Thursday and begin voting on it next week, adding, he could delay the chamber's August recess for two weeks as the GOP tries breaking logjams that have slowed work on that and other issues. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Obamacare repeal, replace plan stumbles in Senate

Senate Republicans' push to repeal and replace Obamacare stumbled Wednesday as one conservative forcefully rejected the latest compromise attempt, and insurers said it would further distort health markets that are already struggling to attract young, healthy customers.

July 12, 2017
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a key opponent of the Republican health care bill, finishes a television news interview on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rand Paul slams revised GOP health care bill

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said Wednesday a revised version of the Senate GOP bill appears to leave more of Obamacare in place instead of paring it back further, leaving him no choice but to reject it unless there are dramatic changes.

July 12, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will unveil a revised health care bill and get a budget analysis to assuage the fears of holdout Republicans. (Associated Press)

Obamacare repeal plan by GOP struggling to get crucial votes

Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday they plan to settle the fight over Obamacare once and for all this month, rejecting calls to work with Democrats and plowing ahead with a GOP-written bill even though it's unclear if they can pin down enough GOP votes for passage.

July 11, 2017
Sen. Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Republican, called repealing Obamacare and replacing it later a "non-starter," since people with pre-existing conditions won't know if they'll can secure coverage. "It think it betrays President Trump's campaign pledges," he said. (Associated Press)

Conservatives, moderates split over health care bill

Republican lawmakers will return to Washington on Monday deeply divided over health care, with leading conservatives eyeing a breakthrough or swift repeal vote even as moderates talk of starting over, but with Democrats at the table.

July 9, 2017