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Articles on Paul Ryan

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Members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., second from right, walk toward the Capitol building, Jan. 4, 2019. AP/Andrew Harnik

Would bringing back pork-barrel spending end government shutdowns?

Banned since 2011, pork-barrel spending may well help Congress pass bills on schedule. Now, a powerful Democratic lawmaker said she’d like to resurrect the practice to make passing budgets easier.
Father Patrick Conroy. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Why does Congress have a chaplain?

Following the controversy over the resignation of House chaplain Patrick Conroy, in this speed read, scholars explain when the tradition of legislative prayer was started and how it has sustained.
Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, has fought a battle with conservatives in his party for the speakership. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

What does the speaker of the House do? Here’s what Kevin McCarthy’s successor will have for a job

The speaker of the House is the most visible and authoritative spokesperson for the majority party in the House. But their role goes beyond politics to everything from accounting to procurement.
For the first time in decades, there is now a real possibility that some gun controls might be implemented. Colin Abbey/AAP

Articulate US teenagers could finally force action on gun control

Student activists are presenting important, emotionally powerful counter-narratives to those of the gun lobby. Their success will depend on whether they can sustain these efforts.
For many, the heart of the health care debate is the ability of patients to choose their own health care, including whether to buy insurance and which doctor to see. Alpa Prod/Shutterstock.com

What does choice mean when it comes to health care?

The Republican position on health care has been based upon a belief in individual choice. Here’s how their own versions of health care bills eroded choice, however, and how they also did harm.
Mitch McConnell has a majority in the Senate – but his mission to push President Trump’s legislative agenda has been far from easy. Reuters/Carlos Barria

Mitch McConnell, the president’s man in the Senate

Why would McConnell push a vote to repeal Obamacare when he knows it won’t pass? It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, shown here in June, 2017, is the architect of the new version of the Senate health care bill released today. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

The 5 faulty beliefs that have led to Republican dysfunction on health care

Republicans have had a hard time dismantling the Affordable Care Act, despite their promises. That could be because they are operating under certain beliefs about health care that are not accurate.
A woman speaks up at a town hall gathering with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) in March 2017. Mark Crammer/AP

How bills to replace Obamacare would especially harm women

Almost nine million women gained insurance coverage from the Affordable Care Act. Here’s why women could be set back by Republican bills to undo the ACA.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) smiles after he unveiled the Senate health care bill on June 22, 2017. Scott Applewhite/AP

How to make sense of the Senate health care bill: 4 essential reads

The Senate released its new health care bill on June 22, 2017, and it differs slightly from a bill passed by the House in May. Read what our experts have written in recent months about key pieces.
Nurse Jane Kern administers medicine to patient Lexi Gerkin in Brentwood, New Hampshire. Lexi is one of thousands of severely disabled or ill children covered by Medicaid, regardless of family income. Charles Krupa/AP

Not just for the poor: The crucial role of Medicaid in America’s health care system

As Republicans seek to repeal Obamacare, they have added an overhaul of Medicaid to their plans. Here’s a look at the program and the surprising number of people who would be affected by cuts.
President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan after the House passed a bill to repeal Obamacare and cut back Medicaid funding. Evan Vucci

Why America needs a ‘do-over’ on Medicaid reform

The health care bill recently passed by the House imposes big cuts to the underfunded Medicaid program. A new approach is needed, starting with the best ideas of both parties.
Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) speaks to reporters outside the White House on May 3, 2017 after a meeting with the president on proposed legislation that could limit coverage for preexisting conditions. Susan Walsh/AP

How pre-existing conditions became front and center in health care vote

How preexisting conditions came to be a condition for passage of the Republicans’ health care law is a complicated tale. Insurers created the cost-saving technique, excluding millions over the years.
Two swing votes: Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Greg Waldon (R-Ore.), after striking a deal with Pres. Trump on the heath care bill. Susan Walsh/AP Photo

How did health insurance get so complicated? Here are some answers

Even Pres. Trump said he had no idea that health insurance can be so complicated. Part of the reason is that it’s not something we really want to buy – and not something we want to buy for others.
House Speaker Paul Ryan announced March 24 that he was pulling his proposed health care bill from consideration. Scott Applewhite/AP

Did medical Darwinism doom the GOP health plan?

The U.S. has been arguing about health care for decades. Critics have argued that insurance for all is a sign of weakness or even Communist. Here’s a look at how the thinking has evolved – or not.

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