On Thursday the House of Delegates and the Senate passed their budget bills which are miles apart, a half billion dollars chasm. With two weeks left in the General Assembly session, these two budgets must be reconciled. It won’t be easy.
The House budget includes Medicaid expansion, the Senate’s does not. Today ALL Democrats in the House voted for the budget and Medicaid expansion. Every. single. one. On top of that, 20 Republicans voted with them! The final vote on HB29 was 69-31.
We need to praise and thank these 31 Republicans who stayed strong and voted against this budget and against Medicaid expansion:
Adams, L.R., Bell, Richard P., Bell, Robert B., Brewer, Byron, Campbell, Cline, Cole, Collins, Fariss, Fowler, Freitas, Gilbert, Habeeb, Head, Hugo, Landes, LaRock, Leftwich, McGuire, Miyares, O’Quinn, Pogge, Poindexter, Ransone, Robinson, Rush, Ware, Webert, Wilt, Wright
As for the 20 “Republicans” who voted FOR the House budget and FOR Medicaid expansion, the less said the better. Very disappointing.