The General Assembly, however, remains deadlocked over expansion of Virginia’s Medicaid program, which McAuliffe wants to be part of the budget in the form of a two-year pilot.

House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, on Wednesday ordered the House to reconvene at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Senate Finance Committee also will meet Monday to act on McAuliffe’s proposed budget.

“We need to close the coverage gap, that’s tax dollars we are already spending. Why aren’t we bringing this money back to Virginia to help our folks and at the same time we spend $300 million to build a new building?” McAuliffe said Wednesday.

The governor also said that today, he will likely review the omnibus ethics bill that emerged from the House in February. House Bill 1211, sponsored by Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, is aimed at tightening Virginia’s lax laws and providing a reporting framework for state officials and employees.

“We are going to have a frank discussion,” McAuliffe said about the 73-page proposal, adding that Howell on Wednesday sent a number of amendments his way.

“The speaker’s office asked the governor to make an amendment that corrects a drafting error on the final conference report,” Howell spokesman Matthew Moran said.