Mr. Riley goes to videoconference

Gov. Bob Riley on Wednesday argued before a U.S. Senate committee that Congress shouldn't cut Alabama's share of Medicaid funding this year because the state has absorbed thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees who use the program.

U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, is sponsoring just such a bill in the House, with a trio of Republican congressmen from Alabama as co-sponsors. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is co-sponsoring similar Senate legislation.