Dave Solomon’s State House Dome: Medicaid number in dispute

Republican leaders in the state legislature last week unveiled their long-awaited proposal to continue the expansion of Medicaid in New Hampshire, hoping to continue government-funded health insurance for the 50,000 or so Granite Staters who've come on board since eligibility was expanded as part of Obamacare.

Another day, more stalled bills in Louisiana special session

Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, asks questions about a Medicaid bill while Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton listens during a hearing of the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, asks questions about a Medicaid bill while Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton listens during a hearing of the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La.

Protecting the conscience and religious beliefs of health care workers

The Trump administration has created a new division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tasked with protecting the moral and religious beliefs of health care workers. According to Office for Civil Rights Director Roger Severino: America's doctors and nurses are dedicated to saving lives and should not be bullied out of the practice of medicine simply because they object to performing abortions against their conscience.

As special session begins Monday, Speaker Taylor Barras faces…

Paperwork has been distributed and extra chairs have been set up in the Louisiana House chamber ready for Gov. John Bel Edwards' address to legislators at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, 2018. The 17-day special session aims to address a $1 billion deficit in the state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The 144 members of Louisiana's Legislature will convene Monday in a special session that will mark their fifth attempt in two years to solve the state's recurring budget problems.

House budget would expand Medicaid, seek federal approval of work requirement

The House Appropriations Committee on Sunday will consider a proposed two-year budget that includes extending Medicaid coverage to more than 300,000 uninsured Virginians under the Affordable Care Act and using the savings to pay for a blockbuster higher education initiative in Northern Virginia, a big infusion of cash into K-12 and early childhood ... (more)

Jeff Sadow: Gov. Edwards has made legislative special sessions…

From left, Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Cameron Henry Jr., R-Metairie, House Speaker Rep. Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte, meet in the front of the Senate Chamber during the last day of the regular legislative session Thursday June 8, 2017, in Baton Rouge, La..

After thrills of wave election, Virginia’s freshmen Democrats see…

New delegates from left: Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax, and her daughter, Elise, 11 months, Wendy Gooditis, D-Clarke, Kelly Convirs-Fowler, D-Virginia Beach, Debra Rodman, D-Henrico, Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, Lee Carter, D-Manassas, Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax, Hala Ayala, D-Prince William, Dawn Adams, D-Richmond, Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William and Elizabeth Guzman, D-Prince William, pose after being sworn in as members of Virginia House of Delegates at the state Capitol in Richmond, Jan. 10, the first day of the 2018 legislative session.

Trump appeals California judge’s curb on birth control rules

The U.S. Department of Justice is appealing a California judge's decision to temporarily block new Trump administration rules allowing more employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women. Lawyers filed the notice of appeal to the 9th District Court of Appeals on Friday, nearly two months after Oakland-based U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam blocked the changes to President Barack Obama's health care law.

Trump’s latest budget undercuts his call to focus on mental health, school safety

Trump's latest budget would slash the major source of public funds for mental health treatment, the Medicaid program serving more than 70 million low-income and disabled people. The budget also calls for a 36 percent cut to an Education Department grant program that supports safer schools, reducing it by $25 million from the current level of $67.5 million.

GOP steers deficit talk to focus on tax cut

The White House budget director went to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to sell President Donald Trump's budget, but the administration's allies in the Senate preferred to talk about last year's tax cut rather than the trillion-dollar deficits contained in the new spending plan. The president's budget for the first time acknowledges that the Republican tax overhaul would add billions to the deficit and not "pay for itself" with economic growth and higher revenue.

How Trump’s budget would cut the safety net for the poorest Americans

Trump's vision for the budget adds to the deficit while cutting domestic programs such as food stamps that benefit people in need Harvey, Illinois, is a depressed suburb of Chicago that was hit hard by the sluggish economy. The president is also proposing work requirements for several federal programs including housing subsidies and Medicaid.

Trump’s high-spending budget reverses longtime GOP dogma

President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget plan Monday that envisions steep cuts to America's social safety net but mounting spending on the military, formally retreating from last year's promises to balance the federal budget. The president's spending outline for the first time acknowledges that the Republican tax overhaul passed last year would add billions to the deficit and not "pay for itself" as Trump and his Republican allies asserted.

Analysis: Trump policy sees only good in borrowing, debt

President Donald Trump speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, during a meeting with state and local officials about infrastructure. President Donald Trump speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, during a meeting with state and local officials about infrastructure.

Trump’s high-spending budget reverses longtime GOP dogma Source: AP

President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget plan Monday that envisions steep cuts to America's social safety net but mounting spending on the military, formally retreating from last year's promises to balance the federal budget. The president's spending outline for the first time acknowledges that the Republican tax overhaul passed last year would add billions to the deficit and not "pay for itself" as Trump and his Republican allies asserted.

5 things to know about Trump’s $4.4 trillion budget

James Knable, left, and Jeffrey Freeland, right, help to unpack copies of the President's FY19 Budget after it arrived at the House Budget Committee office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Feb. 12, 2018. James Knable, left, and Jeffrey Freeland, right, help to unpack copies of the President's FY19 Budget after it arrived at the House Budget Committee office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Feb. 12, 2018.

Trump’s budget balloons deficits, cuts social safety net

President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget plan Monday that envisions steep cuts to America's social safety net but mounting spending on the military, formally retreating from last year's promises to balance the federal budget. The president's spending outline for the first time acknowledges that the Republican tax overhaul passed last year would add billions to the deficit and not "pay for itself" as Trump and his Republican allies asserted.