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Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

The HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington on Oct. 6, 2015. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

HHS unveils HealthCare.gov 3.0

The administration on Friday said consumers will find a sleeker, easier-to-use HealthCare.gov when Obamacare's third round of sign-ups begins Nov. 1.

October 23, 2015
In this Oct. 7, 2015, photo, outgoing House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens at right as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks during a new conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Boehner wants out. He really does. But the Ohio House Republican is staying put, for now _ and that could improve the chances for a debt limit increase by early next month to avoid a market-shattering government default and possibly a bipartisan budget deal to head off a government shutdown in December. Conservative hardliners have already forced Boehner to announce he’s leaving and then caused further chaos by blocking the ascension of McCarthy. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

House votes to gut Obamacare through budget process

The House voted Friday to scrap Obamacare's most unpopular mandates and taxes, putting in motion a plan to dismantle the law through the budget process despite Democratic derision and conservative-driven complaints the bill doesn't go far enough.

October 23, 2015
Rep. Paul Ryan had been reluctant to give up his role as head of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee and precious weekends with his family, so he demanded support from every wing of the party by Friday. (Associated Press)

Paul Ryan officially announces House speaker bid

Congressman Paul Ryan confirmed Thursday he will run for the speaker's gavel, capping a tumultuous week in which every faction of House GOP warmed to the reluctant candidate.

October 22, 2015
Bonnie Bowman, a supporter of Gov. Gary Herbert's Medicaid plan, joins others at a rally to urge the House to debate the issue, Thursday, March 5, 2015, at the Utah State Capitol, in Salt Lake City. Lawmakers in Utah's House of Representatives rejected Gov. Gary Herbert's Medicaid plan Wednesday night and instead pushed forward their own alternative proposal to help some of the state's poor get health insurance. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Obamacare still exposed to fraud, double-dipping with Medicaid: GAO

It's still far too easy for undeserving Obamacare enrollees to get taxpayer subsidies on the law's exchanges, and some customers are getting both Medicaid and tax credits under the law, government auditors said Thursday in written testimony to Congress.

October 22, 2015
Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., speaks at a news conference following a House GOP meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this Oct. 20, 2015, file photo. Ryan may or may not become the next speaker of the House. He’s already become an unlikely spokesman for balancing family life with work. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Paul Ryan set to wrap up key endorsements

Each wing of the House GOP has backed congressman Paul Ryan to become the next speaker, putting the young party star on a glide path toward filling Congress's top constitutional post so long as he fully commits to the race.

October 22, 2015
Several members of the House Freedom Caucus had raised concerns about Rep. Paul Ryan. But after meeting behind closed doors Wednesday night the lawmakers emerged to say they would support him in his speaker bid. (Associated Press)

Paul Ryan wins House Freedom Caucus support in speaker bid

Rep. Paul Ryan won over most of the members of a key conservative caucus Wednesday night as he tried to stitch together enough support to become the next House speaker, amid ongoing concerns about his list of demands and worries that his need to be drafted into the job does not bode well for someone filling Congress' top constitutional post.

October 21, 2015
Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

Free-market group to Republican Export-Import Bank opponents: Thank you

A conservative group is thanking House Republicans who spurned a bid by centrist GOP members and nearly all Democrats to force a vote to revive the Export-Import Bank, an obscure credit agency that is slowly dying off amid conservative complains it handed out "corporate welfare" for far too long.

October 21, 2015
Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., speaks at a news conference following a House Republican meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Ryan told GOP lawmakers that he will run for speaker, but only if they embrace him by week's end as their consensus candidate, an ambitious bid to impose unity on a disordered and divided House. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Paul Ryan’s demands include ‘non-starter’

An influential Republican conservative said at least one of Rep. Paul Ryan's demands for becoming House speaker is a "non-starter" as the GOP gathered Wednesday morning to figure out if enough members can unite behind the young star.

October 21, 2015
"Our national debt is spiraling out of control," said House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, Georgia Republican.

GOP defunding effort on Obamacare faces hard-line resistance

Republicans' bid to use the budget to carve up Obamacare is hitting resistance as some influential conservative groups say that by repealing only parts of the health law, party leaders are reneging on promises of a full repeal.

October 20, 2015