Gov. Terry McAuliffe signs caboose budget bill

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe released the following statement today after signing House Bill 5001, the Caboose Budget Bill, which funds state government through the remainder of this fiscal year:

“Today I signed a budget bill that funds state government for the remainder of the year, and proves that Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly are capable of working together to get things done for the Virginians who sent them to Richmond.

“This budget is the product of earnest negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly, with whom I was pleased to work to ensure that a final product came to my desk that I could sign.

“This budget is a compromise – it is not perfect. Today I signed it over reservations that I have expressed to Republicans and Democrats in the legislature about spending over $300 million on a new General Assembly building at a time when some legislators continue to refuse to use our own tax dollars to close the health care coverage gap.

“As negotiations on the next biennial budget move forward, I hope those legislators will recognize the message their actions send to 400,000 Virginians who need access to health care, not a new building for 140 state legislators.

“The bill I signed today is proof that the General Assembly is capable of negotiating and passing a budget that reflects the varied values and political views of its members and their constituents. There is no reason that the House and Senate cannot bring that same approach to the biennial budget I introduced last week. The sooner the General Assembly puts politics aside and negotiates a way forward, the sooner we can end this gridlock, close the health care coverage gap and give Virginians the budget they deserve.”