Virginia Lawmakers Divided over Gov. Youngkin’s Tax Cuts, Spending Plans

With just a few weeks left in the legislative session, Virginia lawmakers in the House and Senate disagree on whether or not a key piece of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed budget amendments – $1 billion in tax cuts – should be included in the state’s amended spending plan. 

Proposed amendments to the biennial budget presented by both the House and Senate money committees Sunday, reveals disagreement between the two chambers over the inclusion of Youngkin’s proposed $1 billion in tax reductions. 

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Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus to Choose Speaker/Lieutenant Governor, Senate Majority Leader, on Dec. 3

The Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus will meet on Monday, Dec. 3 to elect leaders for the 111th General Assembly. The meeting will take place at 1:30 p.m. CST on the 8th Floor of the Cordell Hull Building in Nashville, the caucus said in a press release. The following offices will be elected: Speaker of the Senate/Lieutenant Governor (to be elected by the full Senate body when the General Assembly convenes), Senate Majority Leader, Senate Republican Caucus Chairman, Caucus Treasurer, Caucus Secretary and Caucus Chaplain. A list of the caucus’ current officers is available here. State Sen. Jack Johnson (R-TN-23), who is starting his fourth term, is considered a front-runner for Senate Majority Leader, several outlets, according to some outlets, including the Williamson Herald. The Williamson County Republican is Chair of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, a member of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and a member of the Capitol Commission. The Senate Majority Leader position was left open when Mark Norris (R-TN-32) was named as a federal judge in the Western District of Tennessee in October. Norris was tapped by the Trump Administration in July 2017 to fill the federal judgeship that was vacated a few months prior in March,…

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‘Fibber Phil’ Bredesen Claims ‘I Am Not Going to Be Voting for Chuck Schumer,’ But Even Politico Admits ‘The Pledge Is Functionally Useless’

Phil Bredesen, Chuck Schumer

Phil Bredesen did his best to flee from Democrat Chuck Schumer during Tuesday’s U.S. Senate debate, the Republican National Committee (RNC) said. Bredesen is running against U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) who is retiring. “We need to get new leadership. I can tell you right now that if I’m elected, and when I’m elected and go to Washington, I am not going to be voting for Chuck Schumer,” Bredesen said at the beginning of the debate. He managed to make news by saying he wouldn’t vote for Schumer to be the leader of the Democrat caucus, even though Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, recruited him. But there’s a problem with that. Politico said, “The pledge is functionally useless — unlike in the House, where the speaker is chosen by a majority of the chamber in a floor vote, Senate party leaders are chosen by a majority in a private caucus vote. While there might be enough Democratic House candidates to deny (U.S. Represesntative Nancy) Pelosi the 218 votes she needs to become speaker again, there is virtually no chance of Schumer being dethroned by the Democratic Caucus after the…

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