See below for statements by VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) and the VA House Democratic Caucus regarding Gov. Youngkin’s actions on the budget today. According to Sen. Surovell:
“The governor is incapable of ever compromising or saying yes. He did not propose these Capital cuts in his original budget and continues to act like he’s a campaign candidate or CEO instead of a governor.”
And as Speaker Don Scott puts it:
“While Governor Youngkin caves to President Trump and Republican extremists, we will continue fighting for the people we were elected to serve.”
In short, Youngkin continues to do his best at being the WORST governor in Virginia history. Seriously, think about it, which governor was WORSE than Youngkin? Jim Gilmore was bad, Bob McDonnell was scandal-ridden, but seriously, Youngkin seems even worse in terms of the damage he’s done to Virginia, the divisiveness and dishonesty he’s brought to the governorship, etc. Just abysmal…
Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell Releases Statement on Governor Youngkin’s Actions on the Budget
Mt. Vernon, VA – Today, Majority Leader Scott Surovell issued the following statement on Gov. Youngkin’s actions on the budget today:
“The governor is incapable of ever compromising or saying yes. He did not propose these Capital cuts in his original budget and continues to act like he’s a campaign candidate or CEO instead of a governor. We have $4 billion in reserves, and capital spending is the kind of investment that sustains broad economic growth and jobs.
While Virginians look to the Governor for leadership, he once again spent his platform kissing up to Trump and justifying his devastating cuts to our federal workforce. He even carried the President’s water on these ill-conceived and impulsive tariffs that are driving up costs for everyday Virginians. Today, the Governor showed he is as out of touch as ever when it comes to standing up for Virginia.”
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents the 34th Senate District encompassing Southeastern Fairfax County. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
| House Democrats Deliver for Virginians with Bold Legislative Wins and Family-First Budget |
| RICHMOND,VA—Virginia House Democrats entered this year’s legislative session with a clear promise: to Unleash Virginia’s Potential. And we kept that promise—passing meaningful legislation and a family-first budget that delivers real results for families across the Commonwealth.
From delivering tax cuts for working families and lowering costs, to increasing public school funding and raising teacher pay, to investing in public safety and stronger worker protections—House Democrats stayed focused on what matters most to the people we serve. Despite Republicans attempts to block progress and common-sense solutions, Virginia House Democrats remain committed to fighting for Virginia families. “I am proud of Virginia House Democrats for standing up for Virginians and delivering bold legislation and a family-first budget that puts money back in families’ pockets, strengthens our public schools, and builds strong communities through investments in infrastructure and healthcare,” said Speaker Don Scott. “Our work reflects House Democrats’ commitment to unleashing Virginia’s full potential and making the Commonwealth the best place to live, work, and raise a family.” “House Democrats fought to protect the fundamental rights that make Virginia strong — from defending access to contraception and safeguarding the right to vote, to keeping our communities safe from gun violence,” said Leader Herring. “While Governor Youngkin caves to President Trump and Republican extremists, we will continue fighting for the people we were elected to serve.” “Virginia House Democrats are putting in the work, passing legislation to strengthen workers’ rights and increase the minimum wage, guarantee paid family and medical leave, and build a better future for Virginia’s families,” said Chair Kathy Tran. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done and more determined than ever to keep fighting for the progress Virginians deserve.” “While today’s budget signed by Governor Youngkin does not include every priority we fought for, it reflects the determined efforts of House and Senate Democrats to deliver meaningful progress for Virginians,” said Chair Luke Torian. “This budget makes critical investments across the Commonwealth, in education, public safety, and economic opportunity, and reaffirms our commitment to putting Virginia’s families first.” |
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Lame Duck, Real Work: Senate Democrats Lead Amid Budget Games
RICHMOND, V.A. — Today, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued his final response to the state budget. While his response lacked substance and leadership, Senate Democrats stepped up to do the hard work securing critical funding for Virginia’s most vulnerable communities. We prioritized making key investments in healthcare, education, and economic opportunity, not once putting our rainy day fund in jeopardy.
Governor Youngkin originally attempted to strip a safety net in the Virginia Democrats budget that would have required the Commonwealth to act if Congress cuts funding for Medicaid expansion by more than $100 million. Without this safety measure, even a 1% federal cut could mean 630,000 Virginians lose their health coverage. While the governor ultimately backed down and accepted the language, the fact that he was willing to risk the health of hundreds of thousands of Virginians to protect his relationship with the President speaks volumes about his true interests.
While Governor Youngkin is trying to erase history and gut essential services, Senate Democrats are putting dollars back into Virginians’ pockets. The budget includes a $200 tax rebate for individuals and $400 for joint filers, to be issued by October 2025. This means real relief when families need it most.
We are also making historic investments in K–12 education and higher education to drive student success, close achievement gaps, and uplift our educators. These historic investments include fully funding school support staff, to bonuses for teachers and classroom personnel. This is a budget that puts people first. He saw fit however, to still issue 37 line item vetos.
“Governor Youngkin is spending his final year in office cozying up to Donald Trump and Co President Elon Musk. He stripped $691 million from higher education capital projects, $50 million from flood protection programs, a pilot program for early childhood education, and reduction in state Medicaid. Youngkin is obviously more interested in scoring political points with The White House than showing up for Virginia and Virginians. Senate Democrats didn’t stand by while the Governor tried to rewrite the budget to serve a narrow minded and harmful agenda,” says the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus. “As we have done before and as we will continue to do, we will fight for a Commonwealth where history is respected, healthcare is protected, schools are fully funded, and every family has a fair shot. Because until then, there is no such thing as a budget surplus when core services aren’t fully funded.”
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