RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Senator Mark Warner (D) listened to constituent concerns over healthcare costs and coverage during a roundtable Friday at the Health Brigade in Richmond’s Museum District.
Warner was also keeping tabs on the latest from Capitol Hill.
In a conversation with 8News, the senator acknowledged that the current impeachment hearings are absorbing but also a distraction from other pressing issues.
“It may take even more time if the House throws it over to the Senate,” Warner said Friday. “My feeling is as a potential juror, I’m going to reserve judgment until I see all of the testimony and make my own independent judgment.”
Beyond impeachment, Warner addressed other concerns for the country. Congress has less than a week to pass a bill to keep the government open as the deadline to pass a federal spending bill is Nov. 21.
“It would be crazy if after the 35-day government shutdown started this year, if irresponsible members of Congress decided to shutdown the government again,” Warner told 8News.
Warner said Congress may once again pass just a temporary spending bill. He told 8News that legislators have rolled too many issues into one giant bill, making it difficult to pass.
“That’s not the way we should be legislating,” Warner said, sharing his frustration with that philosophy.
The former Virginia governor said he has also kept close tabs on state-level politics. He explained that he hopes to see the new Democratic majority pass a higher minimum wage and responsible gun legislation in 2020.
After the big election night for Democrats, Warner says he’s excited for the changes coming to Richmond.
“Both the legislature and the leadership of Virginia is going to look much more like the face of Virginia as it becomes more diverse and looks more like folks of different backgrounds,” he told 8News. “And I think that’s a good thing.”
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