Category: Virginia

Virginia House and Senate Reach Deal on Military Education Program

The Center Square
Virginia Military Bill

Monday ended with another disappointment for those unhappy with recent changes to a state education assistance program for military families, but by Tuesday night, things had turned around.

Tuesday evening, the Senate of Virginia issued a press release stating that the House of Delegates and Senate finance chairs had finally reached an agreement on the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program after a month and a half of upheaval surrounding changes made to the program in the latest state budget.

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Virginia Democrat Reportedly Compared President Joe Biden to Jesus Christ in Fundraising Pitch

Tom Pappert
Don Beyer

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) reportedly compared President Joe Biden to Jesus Christ during a Tuesday fundraising event in McLean, Virginia, drawing similarities between the suffering Jesus experienced when crucified to the various political and personal tragedies of the president’s life.

Beyer apparently “invoked the crucifixion of Jesus” during the fundraising event, according to The Washington Free Beacon.

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Leaked Post-Debate Poll Claims Biden Tied in Virginia, Down Seven in Pennsylvania as Nearly Half of 2020 Voters Want Him Replaced

Tom Pappert
Joe Biden and Donald Trump

A leaked memo published on Tuesday claims internal polling data shows President Joe Biden was down by more than 7 percent in Pennsylvania, and at risk of losing Virginia and other swing states, following his poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump last week.

The memo, which claims to contain the contents of a poll completed within 72-hours of the presidential debate, was leaked to Puck News, which reported it was distributed by OpenLabs, a progressive nonprofit that conducts “polling and message-testing” for Democratic groups including a nonprofit associated with “the preferred Super PAC for Biden’s reelection campaign.”

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Virginia Board Certifies Primary Results, Declares Victory for John McGuire over Bob Good

Just the News
Bob Good and John McGuire

Virginia GOP Rep. Bob Good officially lost his primary on Tuesday, after the Virginia Board of Elections certified the election results in the state’s fifth Congressional district in favor of challenger John McGuire.

McGuire, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, defeated Good by approximately 375 votes, according to the final results of last month’s Republican primary, ABC News reported.

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Sen. Tim Kaine Defends President Joe Biden After Abysmal Debate as Opponent Hung Cao Promises to ‘Flip Virginia Red’

Tom Pappert
Virginia Senate Race

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) at a campaign stop on Monday defended President Joe Biden after his poor debate performance provoked calls for the 81-year-old president to end his reelection campaign and allow a younger candidate to face former President Donald Trump in November.

Kaine confirmed he continues to support the 81-year-old president after Petersburg Vice Mayor Darrin Hill called for Democrats to “turn down the noise” about Biden’s candidacy, reported USA Today.

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Virginia A.G. Jason Miyares Teases Run for Governor at Trump Rally Where Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears was Not Invited

Tom Pappert
Virginia A.G. Jason Miyares

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares hinted he may announce his run for governor following the conclusion of the 2024 presidential election. Miyares made the remarks while attending former President Donald Trump’s rally in Chesapeake, Virginia on Friday.

Miyares made the comments after National Review asked the attorney general whether he was considering a run to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin, who is unable to seek another term.

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Trump Takes Post-Debate Victory Lap in Virginia in Bid to Flip the Commonwealth to ‘Red’

Just the News
Donald Trump at Rally

Former President Donald Trump on Friday seized on his post-debate momentum to bolster his efforts in Virginia, appearing alongside the Old Dominion’s GOP heavyweight Gov. Glenn Youngkin at a rally in Chesapeake.

Formerly regarded as a prospective presidential candidate himself, Youngkin opted against such a campaign and has instead been floated as a potential vice presidential candidate.

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin Declares ‘Virginia Is in Play’ After Poor Debate Performance by President Joe Biden

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin declared in an interview that “Virginia is in play” for former President Donald Trump, following President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance on Thursday.

Youngkin said of the Thursday debate during his Friday morning “Fox & Friends” appearance, “America saw, it was on display, strength versus weakness.”

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin Congratulates Sen. John McGuire on Apparent Victory, Acknowledges Rep. Bob Good’s ‘Right’ to Recount in Call for Unity

Tom Pappert
John McGuire, Bob Good, Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday night congratulated State Senator John McGuire (R-Goochland) on his apparent victory over Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) in the close Republican primary race in Virginia’s 5th Congressional district.

Noting the candidates are separated by less than 400 votes, or about 0.6 percent of the more than 62,000 ballots cast, Youngkin stated he will respect Good’s “right tor request a recount,” but concluded his message with a call for Republican unity.

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Youngkin: America’s Foundations Crumbling Under Biden, Progressives

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Governor Glenn Youngkin

The Founders built America on a rock, but today, because of the Left, the rock is crumbling, and the country must assert moral clarity on several fronts to fix it, said Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who fired up the crowd at the Road to Majority Conference Saturday.

“They built it on rock. They unleashed a wave of freedom across the world with the prosperity of seeing a shining sea, the greatest nation ever built,” Youngkin said. “Yet today, we can feel the great American house shaking. Across our college campuses, echoes of extermination speech, while chaos roars across our borders.”

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Virginia Expands Online Permitting Efficiencies

The Center Square
Virginia Department of Highways

Virginia’s permit-tracking website has expanded from including permits from three state government departments to six. 

Virginia residents and businesses can now follow online in real time the permits they’ve submitted to the Virginia Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of Conservation and Recreation, as well as permits from the state Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Department of Energy.

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Virginia Congressional Primary Race Could Take ‘Weeks’ to ‘Complete’

The Center Square
John McGuire and Bob Good

Tuesday’s Republican primary race for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District between state Sen. John McGuire and incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob Good is still too close to call.

McGuire holds a razor-thin lead of 313 votes, according to the latest numbers from the Virginia Department of Elections. Good, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, is holding on to hope that lingering votes will save his seat.

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Virginia Lawsuit Filed to Halt Prosecution of Speed Camera Violations by Citing Constitution

The Center Square
Speed Camera

A former Virginia delegate has filed an injunction against the city of Chesapeake for its prosecutions of speed camera violations in a case that could have implications for the whole state.

Virginia law allows the city to prosecute cases in a way that may violate the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution, according to attorney and former delegate for Hampton Roads District 83 Tim Anderson.

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Virginia Task Force Hears from Angered Military Families on Education Program Changes

The Center Square
Veteran Cemetery

The first meeting of the task force Preserving Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program was held Monday, with many of its members and those in attendance raising their voices or holding back tears as they spoke. 

“I thought VMSDEP was a formal thank you to the families of veterans, the Gold Star families,” said one attendee, the wife of a retired marine. “I am so sorry that we cost you too much,” she said, choking back tears.

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Governor Glenn Youngkin Says Virginia will Ignore California Emissions Rules

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Glenn Youngkin

On Wednesday, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) announced that, as of the end of 2024, the commonwealth will no longer attempt to enforce the vehicle emissions rules demanded by the state of California.

As reported by ABC News, Youngkin’s announcement comes after Attorney General Jason Miyares (R-Va.) released his opinion on Tuesday declaring that Virginia is not legally required to follow the orders of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The new CARB regulations are set to take effect on January 1st, 2025.

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Trump and Biden Tied in Virgina: Poll

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Trump Biden

Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are tied in Virginia at 42%, according to a new Roanoke College Poll about November’s election.

The poll found for the first time that the candidates were tied, despite the fact that Virginia has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since former President George W. Bush in 2004.Trump lost Virginia in 2016 and 2020, with Biden winning in 2020 and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton winning in 2016. 

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Virginia RNC Committeeman Candidate Tim Anderson Claimed GOP Would Not ‘Tolerate’ Donald Trump in 2024

Tom Pappert
Tim Anderson

Virginia RNC Committeeman Candidate Tim Anderson claimed in a November 2022 interview that Republicans would not “tolerate” former President Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s nominee in 2024.

Anderson, who formerly represented District 83 in the House of Delegates, predicted to News 3 on November 15, 2022 that Trump’s candidacy would “splinter” the Republican Party and provoke an inter-party “civil war” that would ultimately result in another candidate becoming the nominee in 2024.

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Youngkin Signs Legislation Strengthening Laws to Protect Children

The Center Square
Glenn Youngkin

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin gathered with legislators Wednesday for a ceremonial signing of bills passed unanimously by the General Assembly designed to prevent and counter child exploitation in the commonwealth.

Senate Bill 731, patroned by Sen. Tara Durant, R-Fredericksburg, criminalizes the use of artificially generated depictions of children in child pornography. Durant said the bill modernizes Virginia law so it’s no longer trailing criminal activity.

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USDA Delivers Grants to Historically Black Land Grant Universities

The Center Square
Virginia Farmland

The United States Department of Agriculture is awarding $30.8 million to the nation’s 19 historically Black land-grant universities, including the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Virginia State University, for agricultural and nutritional research and growing extension programs.

“1890 Land-grant Universities are a vital part of our nation’s fabric,” said Manjit Misra, director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in a statement. “This investment will strengthen the ability of 1890 Land-grant Universities to deliver innovative solutions that address emerging agricultural challenges impacting diverse communities.”

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Report: Homelessness May Be Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels in the Washington Metro Area

The Center Square

Over 9,770 people experienced homelessness in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area one day in January 2024, according to a recent report from The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, resembling pre-pandemic numbers for the first time, reaching an all-time high in supportive housing.

The Council has been collecting a snapshot of homelessness in the metropolitan region every year since January 2001, and for a long time, the number of homeless hovered around 11,500. In 2017 (not counting Frederick County, Md., as the current report does not), the number of homeless dropped by over 1,000. It continued to decline into 2022 when it reached a historic low of less than 7,400.

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Virginia Lawmakers Urge Department of Defense to Send ‘American-Made’ Drones to Ukraine

The Center Square
Reps. Rob Wittman and Jen Kiggans (composite image)

A group of lawmakers, including two Virginia congressmen, are calling on the U.S. Department of Defense to send more “American-made” drones to be deployed on the Ukrainian battlefield.

In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Virginia Republican Reps. Rob Wittman and Jen Kiggans along with nine other lawmakers say “most drones being used in Ukraine’s fight” against Russia are being made by a “single Chinese company.”

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Virginia Graduates Walk Out as Glenn Youngkin Delivers Commencement Speech

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivering commencement speech at VCU

Scores of students at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) staged a walkout during their Saturday morning graduation ceremony as Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin took the podium to deliver a commencement address, The Washington Post reported.

The walkout, which consisted of approximately 100 out of 1,200 students, was a display of support for Palestinians and a demonstration against Youngkin’s stance against racial equity initiatives in schools, according to the Post. Youngkin and Virginia’s colleges and universities, including VCU, are battling over whether tax-payer funding should go toward diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

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Loudoun Firefighters, County Board Ratify Collective Bargaining Agreement

The Center Square
Fire Fighters

Loudoun County’s Board of Supervisors ratified a collective bargaining agreement with its firefighters Tuesday, the first such agreement in the county’s history and one of many popping up across the commonwealth.

“I don’t know when I’ve been happier and prouder to make a motion,” said Board Chairwoman Phyllis Randall, D-At Large. “If I were a crier – and I just might – I would be crying right now.”

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Dominion Energy Dismisses Attempts by Groups to Halt Offshore Wind Construction

The Center Square
Wind mills offshore

Three public interest groups are claiming a legal victory of sorts, saying their actions have led to at least a temporary delay in Dominion Energy’s efforts to begin construction on Virginia’s major offshore wind project – but Dominion disagrees.

The Heartland Institute, the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow and the National Legal and Policy Center have taken action against Dominion several times now regarding the project.

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Report: University of Virginia Receives an ‘F’ for Antisemitism on Campus

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University of Virginia

The Anti-Defamation League gives the University of Virginia an “F” in its Campus Antisemitism Report Card as the pro-Palestinian protesters mark another day of demonstrations on campus.

As anti-Zionism demonstrations continue to creep up on college campuses across the nation, the ADL has been active in keeping score of antisemitic incidents prior to the latest campus uprisings, with the goal to serve students and their families information on the “current state of antisemitism on campus” and how those institutions respond.

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Youngkin Meets with President of Finland During International Trade Mission

The Center Square
Glenn Youngkin Finland

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin met with Finland President Alexander Stubb, discussing opportunities the commonwealth and the northern European country can strengthen their business relationship.

The two leaders met in the nation’s capital, Helsinki as part of the governor’s economic tour of Europe. Youngkin used the visit to cement an established relationship between Virginia and Finland.

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Protesters Brought Children to ‘Gaza Liberation Encampment’ at Virginia Tech Prior to Arrests, Video Shows

Tom Pappert
Virginia Tech pro-Palestine protest

Activists who participated in the “Gaza Liberation Encampment” at Virginia Tech brought children to the ill-fated protest before dozens of protesters were arrested by police, suggests video posted to social media on Sunday. 

One video that surfaced on the social media platform X on Sunday after police ordered protesters to leave the encampment included a child who led the protesters in a chant. The video was captioned to ask police whether they are scared by children.

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Youngkin Vows to Protect Free Speech on Virginia College Campuses While Protecting Jewish Students from ‘Hate Speech and Intimidation’

Tom Pappert
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin in a Sunday appearance on CNN pledged to protect the First Amendment on Virginia’s college campuses, but also vowed to keep Jewish students safe from “hate speech and intimidation” from anti-Israel protesters.

The governor stated during an appearance with Dana Bash on CNN’s State of the Union that his administration will allow protesters to peacefully demonstrate against Israel while preventing the establishment of anti-Israel encampments and protecting the rights of Jewish students.

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Virginia Board of Education Progressing with ‘Accreditation and Accountability Redesign’

The Center Square
Virginia Board of Education

The Virginia Board of Education recently reviewed takeaways from 15 listening sessions it hosted as part of its “Accreditation and Accountability Redesign.”

“Virginia is one of the few states that continues to combine an accreditation and accountability system,” said Todd Reid, assistant superintendent of strategic communications for the state’s Department of Education. “Combining these systems into one measurement makes it virtually impossible to really determine how the students are academically performing at that school and how the school is shaping educational outcomes.”

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Youngkin Travels to Europe for ‘International Trade Mission’ Ahead of May Special Session for Virginia Budget

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced on Wednesday he will embark on a week-long “international trade mission” to Europe as lawmakers continue work on the biennial Virginia budget ahead of the May special legislative session.

The governor’s office confirmed Youngkin’s “third international trade mission” will include stops in Germany, Denmark, Finland and Swizterland between April 28 to May 3. He plans to meet with business leaders, public officials and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

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Virginia County Jail Buys Devices to Fight Inmates’ Opioid Withdrawals with Electricity

Tom Pappert
Inmates

The Chesterfield County Jail is reportedly set become the first in the country to use a detox device to help inmates recover from opioid withdrawal symptoms by sending electrical impulses to the user’s brain.

According to its manufacturer, the Masimo Bridge device is “a small electrical nerve stimulator device that contains a battery-powered chip and wires that are applied around a patient’s ear in a short, non-surgical, in-office procedure, providing five days of continuous relief” from withdrawal symptoms by sending electrical impulses to parts of the brain associated with opioid withdrawal.

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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney Drops Gubernatorial Bid, Runs for Lt. Governor as Virginia Democrats Rallying Around Aaron Rouse

Tom Pappert
Levar Stoney Aaron Rouse

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney on Tuesday officially ended his gubernatorial campaign, instead declaring he will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor.

Stoney will no longer challenge Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) to become Virginia’s next Democratic candidate for governor, and switched races on the same day State Senator Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach) announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor.

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Virginia Drivers Must Obtain Car Insurance by July 1 as 2022 Law Goes Live

Tom Pappert
Driving a BMW in the country

Drivers in Virginia have until June 1 to obtain insurance for their motor vehicles due to a law passed in 2022 that removes the option to avoid insurance premiums with an annual fee to the commonwealth.

Governor Glenn Youngkin signed in 2022 legislation to end Virginia’s Uninsured Motor Vehicle (UMV) fee, which previously allowed citizens to annually pay $500 to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to register a vehicle without insurance.

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Youngkin to ‘Work with Legislators’ on Skill Games Concerns After Senate Tosses Governor’s Amended Bill

Tom Pappert
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin confirmed he will “work with legislators” to achieve compromise legislation addressing controversial skill games machines.

The Virginia Senate tossed Youngkin’s version of the bill, with just six senators voting in favor and 34 voting against. Youngkin’s amended bill sought to place strict restrictions on legislation that originally would have allowed skill games in convenience stores throughout the commonwealth.

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Virginia AG ‘Demands’ Biden Address ‘Missing Migrant Children Crisis’

The Center Square
Jason Miyares Migrant Children Crisis

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares wants the Biden administration to act on “the missing migrant children crisis,” claiming the administration ignores the problem.

In a letter addressed to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Miyares raised concerns over the “welfare and safety” of unaccompanied minors that he argues are not being “prioritized” by the Biden administration.

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Youngkin, Virginia Democrats Agree to Finish Budget in May Special Session

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin Budget

Governor Glenn Youngkin and Democratic leaders in the Virginia General Assembly confirmed on Wednesday they will release a budget in May and pass it during a special legislative session.

The governor’s office released a joint statement including Youngkin, Speaker of the House Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), Senate Finance Chair L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) and House Appropriations Chair Luke Thorian (D-Dumfries) confirming they will continue work on a bipartisan budget that will ultimately be unveiled on May 13.

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Virginia AG Miyares Announces Nearly $110 Million in Opioid Settlement Payments

Tom Pappert
Jason Miyares

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced on Tuesday the receipt of more than $100 million in opioid settlement payments from drug manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies who agreed to the financial compensation for their role in the opioid crisis.

The press release by Miyares’ office explained the latest round of payments totaled about $108.4 million of the $1.1 billion secured by Virginia in opioid settlements.

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Virginia Conservative Leaders Celebrate Gov. Glenn Youngkin for ‘Common Ground Budget,’ Record Vetoes

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin Budget

A coalition of conservative leaders in Virginia praised Governor Glenn Youngkin for his “Common Ground Budget” and record vetoes on Monday.

The Virginia Conservative Leaders Coalition celebrated the governor’s “thoughtful navigation of Virginia’s fiscal priorities” in a Tuesday press release by Virginia Institute Action. The group claims the compromise budget proposed by Youngkin “exemplifies his leadership in bridging divides.”

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Virginia Hospital PSA Asks Patients to Behave Appropriately Amid Rising Violence for Healthcare Workers

Tom Pappert
Virginia Nurse PSA

A new public service announcement by the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) asks patients to behave appropriately while receiving treatment or otherwise in healthcare settings. It was released amid rising workplace violence for health workers in hospitals.

The VHHA press release explains the “Help Us, Help You” campaign “draws attention to the heightened risk of workplace violence faced by health care professionals.”

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Virginia A.G. Jason Miyares Joins 20-State Coalition Against Biden Admin’s Decision to Abandon Immigration Law

Tom Pappert
Illegal Immigrants arrested at the southern border

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Virginia’s decision to join a 20-state coalition of attorneys general who seek to compel the Biden administration to defend an illegal immigration law on Wednesday.

The coalition of attorney generals, led by Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and West Virginia, seek to intervene in a lawsuit brought by those advocating on behalf of illegal immigrants against President Joe Biden’s Department of State. 

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Youngkin Confirms He Removed Tax Cuts from Virginia Budget as Olive Branch to Democrats

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin Budget

Governor Glenn Youngkin confirmed in comments made Wednesday that he dropped his request for tax cuts as an olive branch to Virginia’s Democratic lawmakers, who the governor hopes will similarly drop their requests for tax hikes.

Youngkin maintained that Virginia does not “need to raise taxes” and has “plenty of money in the system” during an interview with WTOP News. He told the outlet that Virginia lawmakers should “press forward with an agreement that we won’t raise taxes, and I will stop advocating to reduce them.”

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Conservatives Applaud Youngkin in New Ad for Amending Bill Critics Claim Provides Free Healthcare to Illegal Immigrants

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin Medical Bill

Governor Glenn Youngkin received praise on Wednesday in a commercial celebrating his decision to amend a bill critics argue would have allowed illegal immigrants to receive free healthcare by expanding a federal program.

As passed by lawmakers, SB 119 would expand the federal 340B program that was designed to for hospitals to buy drugs at discounted prices in order to provide healthcare to low-income individuals.

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