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Gun control, gender equality: Some of Northern Virginia’s wish list for the 2020 General Assembly

When Virginia lawmakers get to work next month in Richmond, they’re likely to look favorably upon priorities important to local lawmakers in Northern Virginia, now that both chambers are controlled by Democrats.

Three of the area’s wish-list items are gun control, equal rights related to gender and an opportunity for undocumented residents to apply for driver’s licenses.

Fairfax County and Alexandria already have approved their legislative package proposals for Virginia’s 2020 General Assembly. Arlington is expected to do so on Saturday.

Each jurisdiction calls for gun control measures, such as universal background checks, a ban on the sale of assault weapons and some ammunition, and power for localities to be able to regulate firearms in government buildings, such as in libraries, recreation centers, parks and public spaces.

As for gender issues, Arlington wants the state to ratify the 1972 Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; Fairfax County wants discrimination based on sexual orientation to be banned.

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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