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Va. House passes budget bills, sends to governor

WASHINGTON — After months of inaction, Virginia’s General Assembly passed a budget Wednesday that expands Medicaid to around 300,000 low-income Virginians.

The House voted 67-31 Wednesday night to send the two-year budget bill to the governor, and 68-30 to send the “caboose” bill to the governor that the Senate approved earlier in the day.

Gov. Ralph Northam is expected to sign the budget bills, which overcame high drama and a lengthy day of debate in the state Senate.

“My team and I will review this budget when it reaches my desk to ensure that there are no technical issues or unintended problems that may warrant an amendment and act upon it as quickly as possible,” Northam said in a statement Wednesday night.

Northam said on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” Wednesday morning that he could sign the budget bills as soon as Wednesday night, ending the threat of a government shutdown at the end of June.

The Virginia Senate voted 23-17 to expand Medicaid as part of the state’s budget.

Four Republicans — Ben Chafin, Senate Finance Committee co-Chair Emmett Hanger, Frank Wagner and Jill Vogel — joined all 19 Democrats to back the deal between Hanger and House Appropriations Chairman Chris Jones.

The initial Wednesday afternoon 23-17 vote on the budget bill for the year ending June 30 was eventually followed by a similar 23-17 vote in the evening on the $115 billion two-year budget that begins July 1.

In addition to Medicaid expansion, the budget agreement includes raises in the second year for teachers, state workers and state-supported workers like sheriff’s deputies.

The Senate rejected a number of amendments to the deal offered by Republicans who continue to oppose Medicaid expansion. Some of those members expressed concerns about costs, while others complained that it is simply providing a government benefit to low-income people.

Trump announces a $22.5B makeover of Dulles airport that will eliminate the ‘people movers’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal. In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, according to Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom and wants to build a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial. But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest number of people. The airport, the area’s primary international airport, served roughly 29 million passengers over the past year, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
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