Citing religious freedom, Trump backing off Obama-era rules

In a one-two punch elating religious conservatives, President Donald Trump's administration is allowing more employers to opt out of no-cost birth control for workers and issuing sweeping religious-freedom directions that could override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and others. At a time when Trump finds himself embattled on many fronts, the two directives - issued almost simultaneously on Friday - demonstrated the president's eagerness to retain the loyalty of social conservatives who make up a key part of his base.

Trump hits birth control, LGBT rights

In a one-two punch elating religious conservatives, President Donald Trump's administration is allowing more employers to opt out of no-cost birth control for workers and issuing sweeping religious-freedom directions that could override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and others. At a time when Trump finds himself embattled on many fronts, the two directives - issued almost simultaneously on Friday - demonstrated the president's eagerness to retain the loyalty of social conservatives who make up a key part of his base.

Trump’s one-two punch hits birth control, LGBT rights

In a one-two punch elating religious conservatives, President Donald Trump's administration is allowing more employers to opt out of no-cost birth control for workers and issuing sweeping religious-freedom directions that could override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and others. At a time when Trump finds himself embattled on many fronts, the two directives - issued almost simultaneously on Friday - demonstrated the president's eagerness to retain the loyalty of social conservatives who make up a key part of his base.

Trump expands opt-out for workplace birth control insurance

President Donald Trump is allowing more employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women by claiming religious or moral objections, issuing new rules Friday that take another step in rolling back the Obama health care law. The new policy is a long-expected revision to federal rules that require most companies to cover birth control as preventive care for women, at no additional cost.

Ex-Obama officials begin health insurance sign-up campaign

Former Obama administration officials are undertaking a private campaign to encourage people to sign up for coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act. With the start of open enrollment on Nov. 1, the Trump administration has slashed the Obama health law's ad budget, as well as grants to outside organizations that are supposed to help people sign up.

The Latest: House passes $4.1T budget plan

The House has passed a $4.1 trillion budget plan that promises deep cuts to social programs and Cabinet agency budgets, but whose chief purpose is to set the stage for a comprehensive GOP overhaul of the U.S. tax code later this year. The plan calls for more than $5 trillion in spending cuts over the coming decade, including a plan to turn Medicare into a voucher-like program for future retirees, slash Medicaid, and repeal the "Obamacare" health law.

Mike Pence’s top aide threatens disloyal Republicans, and members fume

"If we're going to be in the minority again, we might as well have a minority who are with us as opposed to a minority who helped us become a minority," Ayers said. Republicans in Congress were seething Wednesday after a top aide to Vice President Mike Pence suggested to a gathering of GOP donors that the party's congressional majorities should be jettisoned in 2018 if that's what it takes to weed out members disloyal to President Trump.

GOP budgets to permit first steps on tax overhauls

Congressional Republicans on Wednesday kicked off debate on House and Senate budget plans that promise slashing cuts to social programs - but whose real purpose is to grease the skids for a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code that would add up to $1.5 trillion to the nation's spiraling debt. The companion GOP budget measures differ in key respects but both rely on rosy estimates of economic growth and illusory spending cuts to promise to wrestle the federal budget back into surplus within a decade.

Almost 400,000 Texans’ Insurance At Risk After Congress Fails To Renew CHIP

Insurance coverage for more than 390,000 Texas children and pregnant women is in jeopardy after Congress failed to renew authorization for a federal program. Congressional authorization for the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides low-cost health insurance for children from low- and middle-income families, expires Sept.

How healthcare went from the GOP’s biggest priority after Trump’s election to a total debacle

On January 10, just days before his inauguration, President Donald Trump told The New York Times that Republicans would have Obamacare repealed "probably sometime next week." Now, as September comes to a close, Obamacare is still the law of the land and Republicans are no closer to overhauling their healthcare law than they were when Trump took office.

Majority of Democratic voters are all-in on single-payer

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" bill has the support of a third of the Senate Democratic caucus, including potential 2020 presidential hopefuls like New York's Kirstin Gillibrand and Kamala Harris of California. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" bill has the support of a third of the Senate Democratic caucus, including potential 2020 presidential hopefuls like New York's Kirstin Gillibrand and Kamala Harris of California.