House Republicans met on May 20, 2025, to negotiate the details of a major reconciliation bill, focusing on taxes, Medicaid, and the SALT deduction. Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence in reaching a deal despite outstanding issues. President Trump attended a GOP meeting, declaring unity, though not all Republicans were on board, particularly regarding the SALT cap, which some felt was too low. Conservative factions, including Rep. Chip Roy, voiced concerns over deficit spending. Senate Majority Leader John Thune suggested the bill would undergo changes in the Senate, with emphasis on permanent tax policies and spending reforms.
by Jennifer Shutt and Ashley Murray, Virginia Mercury May 20, 2025
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Republicans who have yet to rally behind the party’s “big, beautiful bill” huddled in the speaker’s office Tuesday as different factions tried to hash out agreement on taxes, Medicaid and a few other outstanding issues.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters before those meetings began there were “a number of loose ends to tie up” with deficit hawks and members from high-tax states, who are pressing to raise the state and local tax deduction, also known as SALT.
“We got some hours ahead of us to work this out, and I’m very confident we will,” Johnson said. “I’m going to have a series of meetings that will begin right now in my office to try to tie up the final loose ends. This is a 1,100-page piece of legislation. We’re down to a few provisions so we are very confident, very optimistic we can get this done and stay on our timetable.”
Johnson hopes to pass the legislation this week, though he didn’t appear to have the votes as of Tuesday afternoon.
Trump pays a House call
The smaller meetings followed a closed-door huddle between all the chamber’s GOP lawmakers and President Donald Trump earlier in the day that didn’t quite have the intended effect of immediately convincing holdouts to vote for the bill.
Trump, however, appeared to declare victory before leaving the Capitol.
“I think we have unbelievable unity. I think we’re going to get everything we want,” Trump said after the morning meeting. “And I think we’re going to have a great victory.”
House Republicans have an extremely thin 220-213 majority, requiring nearly every GOP lawmaker to support the 1,116-page package in order for it to reach the Senate.
Getting SALT-y
The reconciliation bill currently proposes lifting the SALT cap from $10,000 to $30,000 for married couples filing jointly, with a phase-down for those earning $400,000 or more, but that’s not enough for Republicans from states most impacted by the aspect of tax law.
New York Republican Rep. Nick LaLota told reporters in the early afternoon that he would likely lose reelection if he can’t secure a better SALT agreement than what was on the table.
“If I do a bad deal, I would expect my constituents to throw me out,” LaLota said. “If I did a deal at $30,000, my own mother wouldn’t vote for me.”
LaLota said Republicans leaders should prioritize a deal that benefits swing voters to avoid the party losing centrist members and possibly the House majority in the 2026 midterms.
“If we win that one issue, they’ll have a much easier November of 2026. And thus we’ll be able to keep the House and do other fiscally responsible things for the next couple of cycles here, if we get this one issue right,” LaLota said. “Conversely, you get this issue wrong — you vote for a bad bill and you keep the cap low — those folks are getting thrown out of office, we lose the majority, and then we have an open border, then we have an impeached president, and then we have all the other things that America voted against.”
LaLota said later Tuesday, after GOP leaders proposed different SALT cap numbers, that there was still “no accepted deal, yet the parties are talking a little more with an understanding of each other’s position.”
“Leadership understands better what our pain threshold is,” LaLota said. “We clearly rejected the $30,000 number that’s in the Ways and Means bill.”
He declined to say if the SALT Caucus was prepping a counteroffer for leadership, but said that staff were conducting “some research on some of the mixes of income caps and what SALT cap there would be and how much that would be valued at relative to the entire $4 trillion package.”
‘Bad faith negotiation’
Rep. Mike Lawler, a staunch supporter of raising the SALT cap for his constituents north of New York City, would not comment to reporters outside the speaker’s office about a specific dollar amount but said there’s an “improved offer” on the table.
“We’re waiting on more details. We’ll have more to say later,” Lawler said.
Speaking to Fox News in the hallway, he said, “I’m not going to sacrifice my constituents and throw them under the bus in a bad faith negotiation, which is what this has been by leadership and Jason Smith,” he said referring to the chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
“We need to come to an agreement. We need to provide real and lasting tax relief, and that’s what I’m fighting for, for my constituents. I respect the president … but I’ll respectfully disagree,” Lawler said.
Trump urged House Republicans Tuesday morning that raising the SALT cap benefits Democratic governors.
Conservatives still unhappy
Complicating negotiations, some far-right House Republicans remain opposed to the bill, saying it does not go far enough.
Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who did not support the bill during a committee vote Sunday night, told States Newsroom Tuesday afternoon that his “concerns and problems still exist.”
Roy argues the massive reconciliation deal does not reduce deficit spending enough, particularly with respect to Medicaid and clean energy tax credits.
When asked whether lawmakers were approaching an agreement, Roy said “Not sure. We’re still talking. We’ve had literally like five meetings today already.”
Thune predictions
The House passing the package this week would only be one of many steps in the long, winding process.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon, just after Johnson spoke during a closed-door lunch, that changes to the package are expected in the upper chamber.
Thune said one of the major questions for GOP senators is whether the legislation holds “sufficient spending reforms to get us on a more sustainable fiscal path.”
“I think most of our members are in favor of a lot of the tax policy and particularly those portions of the tax policy that are stimulative, that are pro-growth, that will create greater growth in the economy,” Thune said. “But when it comes to the spending side of the equation: This is a unique moment in time and in history where we have the House and the Senate and the White House, and an opportunity to do something meaningful about government spending.”
Thune said that GOP senators would likely make “tweaks” to the tax provisions once the House sends over a package, especially around how long certain tax policy lasts.
“They have cliffs and some shorter-term timeframes when it comes to some of the tax policies,” Thune said. “We believe that permanence is the way to create economic certainty and thereby attract and incentive capital investment in this country that creates those good-paying jobs, and gets our economy growing and expanding, and generates more government revenue.”
Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
This article primarily reports on negotiations and dynamics among House Republicans regarding a large tax and budget reconciliation bill. It features statements from prominent Republican figures such as Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump, and Senators like John Thune, reflecting their perspectives and policy priorities, such as tax relief, deficit reduction, and pro-growth economic policies. The text does not exhibit overt criticism or praise but focuses on intra-party GOP discussions and their implications. Its framing and content lead to a centrist to center-right bias due to the emphasis on GOP viewpoints and policy goals without notable left-leaning commentary or analysis.
Virginia will receive over $48 million in federal funding via the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program to upgrade infrastructure at 18 airports statewide. Funded partly by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, projects include runway rehabilitation, new hangars, improved lighting, and taxiway shifts at airports like Winchester Regional, Washington Dulles, and Richmond International. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine emphasize these investments support safety, connectivity, and economic growth, benefiting both major hubs and rural airports. Virginia’s aviation system supports 146,000 jobs and $23 billion annually, with upgrades aiming to sustain growth and competitiveness in tourism, business, and defense sectors.
Virginia is set to receive more than $48 million in federal funding to upgrade infrastructure at 18 airports, part of a nationwide effort to modernize air travel hubs and boost local economies.
The money, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration, will fund construction projects ranging from runway rehabilitation to new hangars and improved lighting. The funding is made possible in part by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“These investments will help ensure that our airports are a safe, reliable engine of connectivity and economic growth for travelers and communities around the commonwealth,” said U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, D-Va., in a joint statement.
“We’re going to keep doing all that we can to bring additional infrastructure investments to Virginia, and to reauthorize the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that makes many of them possible.”
The largest awards include $7.2 million for new lighting and a taxiway shift at Winchester Regional Airport, $6.8 million to reconstruct taxiways at Washington Dulles International Airport, and $5.2 million to rehabilitate the runway at Virginia Highlands Airport.
Other major projects include $4.9 million for runway rehabilitation at Leesburg Executive Airport and $4.7 million to improve the general aviation apron at Newport News-Williamsburg Airport.
Additional funding will support taxiway shifts at Blue Ridge Airport, new hangar construction and runway extensions at Twin County Airport, and a runway extension at Richmond Executive/Chesterfield County Airport. Norfolk International Airport will see $1.6 million to reconstruct a terminal entrance road, while Accomack County Airport will receive $1.4 million for a new taxiway and lighting.
Smaller projects include hangar development at Mountain Empire, Danville Regional, Emporia-Greensville, and Tazewell County airports; a fuel farm expansion at Hampton Roads Executive Airport; apron improvements at Richmond International Airport; a taxiway update at Suffolk Executive Airport; and rehabilitation work at Front Royal-Warren County Airport.
The announcement follows a string of federal awards directed to Virginia airports over the past year.
Just last month, Warner and Kaine announced more than $21 million for improvements at 10 airports, including runway rehabilitation in Roanoke and updated lighting systems in Southwest Virginia. In October 2024, they rolled out nearly $57 million in federal funding for revitalization efforts.
The pace of investment reflects a broader push to modernize Virginia’s aviation system, which includes more than 60 public-use airports ranging from major commercial hubs to small general aviation fields. Federal officials and state lawmakers alike have noted that many facilities — particularly in rural areas — require extensive upgrades to meet safety standards and accommodate future growth.
Airports are more than transit points; they are economic engines. A recent Virginia Department of Aviation study found that the state’s airport system supports more than 146,000 jobs and generates over $23 billion in economic activity annually.
Improvements to infrastructure are expected to help sustain that impact, particularly as the state competes for tourism, business development, and federal contracts tied to military and defense sectors.
Politically, the investments highlight the dividends of the infrastructure law, a landmark $1.2 trillion piece of legislation passed with backing from Warner and Kaine. The law has funded not only airport upgrades, but also broadband expansion, highway projects, and public transit improvements across Virginia. The senators have made a point of underscoring those returns as Congress debates reauthorization.
Warner and Kaine, both members of key Senate committees, have also framed these airport investments as part of a broader commitment to ensuring rural regions don’t get left behind. While Dulles and Richmond International draw the most passenger traffic, small and regional airports often provide critical services for medevac flights, business travel, and military operations.
For Virginia travelers, most of the changes won’t be immediately visible, but the improvements are designed to set up airports for long-term growth. As Kaine and Warner put it, “These investments will help ensure that our airports are a safe, reliable engine of connectivity and economic growth.”
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This content highlights federal infrastructure investments championed by Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, emphasizing the positive economic and community impacts of government funding. The focus on bipartisan infrastructure legislation and rural support reflects a generally favorable view of government intervention and public investment, aligning with center-left perspectives that prioritize infrastructure development and economic equity without strong partisan critique.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-08-21 19:21:00
Hurricane Erin, a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds, is moving away from North Carolina’s Outer Banks but high tide Thursday evening threatens further damage. Storm surge of 2-4 feet and waves up to 18 feet have caused ocean overwash and sand on N.C. 12, leading to road closures on Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands. Damage assessments continue, with concerns about dune breaches near Hatteras Village. Emergency crews, including the National Guard and rescue teams, are on standby. Dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding are expected through the weekend. Erin’s near miss is fortunate as the region still recovers from Hurricane Helene’s devastation.
(The Center Square) – High tide Thursday evening could bring more damage to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, even as Hurricane Erin spins away into the Atlantic Ocean.
The tide was to come in at 7:10 p.m. Storm surge was 2 to 4 feet for the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, with waves estimated at 18 feet during the morning.
The storm’s center was just 205 miles east of Cape Hatteras at 5 a.m. and by 5 p.m. had traveled to 370 miles east-northeast of the famed lighthouse. In each of the updates from the National Hurricane Center at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., the sustained hurricane force winds of 74 mph or greater extended 105 miles from its core and sustained tropical storm force winds of 39 mph or greater were 320 miles from the center.
Put another way, a map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Center showed tropical storm force winds stretching from the North Carolina coast nearly to Bermuda. Cape Hatteras is about 650 miles from Bermuda.
Maximum sustained winds remained at 100 mph, keeping Erin at Category 2. Intensity has peaked.
At 5 p.m., the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s DriveNC.gov said all lanes of N.C. 12 are closed on Ocracoke Island between the Northern Ferry Terminal and the National Park Service Pony Pens. And, all lanes of N.C. 12 are closed on Hatteras Island from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Hatteras Village.
Each of the closures was due to ocean overwash and sand on the road. Pavement damage has yet to be determined. N.C. 12 was closed from Oregon Inlet to Hatteras Village.
A Transportation Department leader surveying damage on Thursday said just north of Hatteras Village and the north end of Ocracoke Island were the worst spots. Dare County officials feared a breach of the dunes at Hatteras Village.
The fleet of earth-moving equipment includes 19 workers, 13 front-end loaders, six bulldozers, three motor graders and two excavators, according to published reports.
Other resources are on standby, said first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. That group includes North Carolina National Guard troops, along with boats, high-clearance vehicles, and aircraft; and the North Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, colloquially known as NCHART and inclusive of North Carolina Emergency Management, North Carolina National Guard and the State Highway Patrol.
Overwash was reported by the North Carolina Department of Transportation along N.C. 12 at Rodanthe, Ocracoke, Hatteras, the north end of Buxton, and Pea Island.
Forecasters say dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding is likely through the weekend. All four ferry routes serving Ocracoke Island remained closed on Thursday.
The 5 p.m. update from the Hurricane Center included a storm surge warning remaining in effect from Cape Lookout to Duck, and a tropical storm warning from Duck to Chincoteague, Va.
The Hurricane Center also said, “Wind gusts to tropical storm force are likely along portions of the remainder of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts today through Friday. Gusts to gale force are possible along the coast of Nova Scotia on Friday and the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland on Saturday.”
The storm’s landfall miss of North Carolina is particularly welcome in light of Hurricane Helene. Recovery from that storm begins its 48th week this weekend. Helene killed 107 in the state, 236 across seven states in the South, and caused an estimated $60 billion in damage to North Carolina.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article provides a factual and straightforward report on the progression and impact of Hurricane Erin in North Carolina, focusing on weather updates, government responses, and infrastructure conditions. While it mentions the political affiliation of the governor (a first-term Democrat), this reference is presented factually without editorializing or implying judgment, thereby maintaining neutrality. The content refrains from promoting any political ideology or critique and sticks to objective coverage of the event and official actions. Thus, it exemplifies neutral, factual reporting without discernible political bias.
Virginia’s journey toward legal cannabis sales advanced as a bipartisan commission met to discuss taxation, equity, and small business roles in a potential billion-dollar market. After Gov. Youngkin vetoed retail legalization bills citing public safety concerns, lawmakers formed the commission to build consensus for a 2026 launch. Experts highlighted varied tax models from other states and cautioned about market oversupply. Equity advocates emphasized addressing racial disparities in marijuana enforcement, urging investment in reinvestment programs. Small business owners warned against regulations favoring large corporations. Democrats support legalization for regulation and education funding, while Republicans remain skeptical. The commission aims to draft legislation by 2026.
Virginia’s long-delayed path toward a legal cannabis marketplace took another step forward Wednesday as the state’s new bipartisan commission convened for its second meeting at the Capitol, listening to hours of presentations on taxation, equity, and the role of small businesses in shaping what could become a billion-dollar industry.
The joint commission — created this year by lawmakers after Gov. Glenn Youngkin once again vetoed legislation establishing a retail system — is charged with building consensus around a plan to launch sales by 2026. On Wednesday, it heard from national experts, equity advocates, fiscal analysts, and small business owners whose livelihoods may hinge on the rules Virginia adopts.
The political stakes remain high in an election year when three statewide offices and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates are on the ballot.
In a stark contrast to Youngkin, former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, has already signaled she would sign cannabis retail legislation if it reaches her desk.
“I support a legal marketplace for cannabis,” she told The Mercury in an interview earlier this month. “I want to ensure that it is fully regulated, people know what they’re buying, and revenues go towards education.”
A stalled start
Virginia first made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers voted to legalize possession and home cultivation of small amounts of marijuana, making it the first Southern state to do so. But while residents can grow plants at home, retail sales were never authorized.
Lawmakers attempted to fix that earlier this year with a bipartisan proposal to create a regulated market starting in 2026, complete with microbusiness licenses, a seed-to-sale tracking system, and projected revenues of $87.8 million annually by 2031.
The bill would have steered 40% of tax revenue to early childhood education, 30% to equity reinvestment, 25% to substance use treatment, and 5% to public health.
Youngkin vetoed the plan, warning it would endanger public safety and expose children to harm. He also struck down companion measures to expunge old marijuana convictions and shield parents from custody challenges based on legal cannabis use. Advocates blasted his vetoes as shortsighted.
In response, lawmakers created the Joint Commission on the Future of Cannabis Sales through House Joint Resolution 497 — a move that did not require the governor’s signature. The body will operate through 2028 as a venue for public input and legislative planning.
Its first meeting in July was mostly organizational. Wednesday’s session — its second — was the first chance to dig into the policy choices facing Virginia.
Lessons from other states
Andrea Jimenez, a policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures, opened the meeting with a survey of how 23 states have structured their cannabis markets. Taxation, she explained, varies widely — by percentage of price, product weight, or even potency.
Jimenez pointed to Maryland, which recently raised its marijuana tax from 9% to 12%, directing most revenue to the general fund and the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund. Colorado, by contrast, splits its 15% excise and 15% sales taxes between schools, local governments, and general funds.
New York and Connecticut have experimented with potency-based taxes and earmarked large shares of revenue for equity programs. But even states with established markets have faced challenges.
“There’s just simply too much product for the amount of demand that exists,” Jimenez warned, noting falling marijuana prices in California, Colorado, and Michigan that have depressed revenues.
Reparative justice and fiscal trade-offs
Equity was a recurring theme throughout the meeting. Chelsea Higgs Wise, executive director of Marijuana Justice, reminded lawmakers that legalization in Virginia was driven not only by economics but by racial justice.
“In 2020, JLARC confirmed what many Virginians knew — that Black folks in Virginia were being arrested 3.5 times more and received marijuana convictions 3.9 times the rate of white Virginians,” Wise said, referring to a study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee published that year.
That disproportionate enforcement inspired lawmakers to pass the 2021 law ending criminalization.
Wise urged the commission to uphold the commitments made then, including the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Program and Loan Fund.
“An adequate investment in a strategic rollout that considers these issues will give us the best chance that we have for a successful, long-term market,” she said.
Projected revenue under Virginia’s current framework — about $74 million to $94 million annually — could fund scholarships, workforce training, and community reinvestment. But Wise cautioned that opt-out referendums could allow localities to ban sales until 2026, weakening both revenues and equity goals.
Rodrigo Soto of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis offered a broader fiscal context.
His group modeled how cannabis revenues stack up against other revenue options the legislature might consider in 2026, from income tax changes to corporate levies.
Creating a retail cannabis market could bring in about $61.5 million under the current bill, Soto said. But if taxed at 20% to 25%, as JLARC recommended, revenues could range from $122 million to $254 million annually by the market’s fifth year.
“The design choices really matter,” Soto told the panel. Distribution decisions — such as how much goes to pre-K, substance use programs, or public health — will ultimately shape the impact on Virginians.
The small business dilemma
Perhaps the most passionate testimony came from small business owners who fear being shut out of the new market.
Barbara Biddle, founder of District Hemp Botanicals, recounted how her company grew from a $2,000 investment and a six-foot table into three storefronts and nearly $2 million in revenue. But after lawmakers passed a 2023 bill restricting hemp-derived products, she lost half her business overnight.
“The bill did far more than just outlaw Delta 8,” Biddle said, referring to Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, a psychoactive substance found in the cannabis sativa plant. “It knocked out 90% of the market, including non-intoxicating CBD products my customers came to rely on.”
Biddle warned the panel to avoid mistakes that favored large corporations at the expense of local entrepreneurs.
“Doing so will not only promote safety, but also preserve fair competition and prevent consumers from bearing the burden of artificially high prices,” she said.
Her colleague, Eric Spanbauer of the East Coast Collective, echoed those concerns.
“These are not faceless corporations,” he said. “They’re your neighbors, your local employers, and your community partners.”
Spanbauer urged the state to lower application fees, expand license caps, and offer micro-licenses and training for small operators.
“If we repeat the same pattern, writing rules that only billion-dollar corporations can comply with, we risk destroying the very foundation of what could be a thriving, inclusive Virginia-based marijuana industry,” he said.
Wednesday’s presentations underscored the delicate balance facing lawmakers: generating revenue, ensuring equity, supporting small businesses, and satisfying a wary public.
Most Republicans, led by Youngkin, remain skeptical. The governor has consistently argued legalization will not eliminate the black market and could worsen youth drug use. His veto message earlier this year cited risks of “increased gang activity” and “adverse effects on children’s and adolescents’ health.”
Democrats, meanwhile, are betting the politics will shift with a new governor. Spanberger has leaned into her support for legalization, framing it as a matter of regulation and education funding. “Consumer knowledge, heavily regulated, heavily taxed, with revenues mostly going towards education,” she said in the interview with The Mercury.
The commission will continue meeting, with the goal of crafting legislation for introduction in 2026. Members stressed that public input and stakeholder testimony will guide the process.
For now, cannabis in the commonwealth remains in limbo: it’s legal to possess, illegal to buy.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The content presents a generally favorable view of cannabis legalization efforts, highlighting equity, social justice, and economic opportunities associated with a regulated market. It contrasts the Democratic support for legalization and regulation with the Republican governor’s vetoes and concerns, framing the latter as cautious or obstructive. The emphasis on racial justice, reinvestment programs, and support for small businesses aligns with progressive policy priorities, while the article maintains a balanced tone by including multiple perspectives and acknowledging political opposition. Overall, the piece leans center-left by advocating for regulated legalization and social equity reforms without adopting an overtly partisan or activist stance.
