{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"GA\" and year = 2025 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-blunt-rochester-merkley-introduce-bill-to-repair-infrastructure-bridge-communities/", "Warnock, Blunt Rochester, Merkley, Introduce Bill to Repair Infrastructure, Bridge Communities", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock, Blunt Rochester, and Merkley introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act to help reunite communities divided by transportation infrastructure\n\nThis legislation would expand on theReconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP) to allocate $15 billion over five years for projects that serve to create economic opportunity by reconnecting communities and creating new space for housing, jobs, and economic development\n\nConstruction of the Downtown Connecter in Atlanta and the I-16 Flyover in Savannah displaced historically Black communities and business districts, leaving friends and neighbors on opposite ends of the tracks\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cEnsuring Georgians aren\u2019t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure\u201d\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program.\n\n\u201cPhysical mobility and economic mobility are inextricably linked,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cEnsuring Georgians aren\u2019t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure. I\u2019m proud to partner with my colleagues on this important legislation and look forward to better-connected communities across our state.\u201d\n\nThe REPAIR Infrastructure Act will build on the groundwork laid by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bridge communities separated by transportation and infrastructure barriers, and create new space for economic development. This would ensure more neighborhoods are vibrant and safe, contributing to healthier lives and creating more opportunities for American families. Senator Warnock has long supported reconnecting communities divided by legacy infrastructure projects, and the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was based on legislation led by Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\n\u201cThe City of Savannah is tremendously thankful for Senator Warnock\u2019s leadership and guidance in securing funding for Savannah within the Reconnecting Communities program,\u201d said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson. \u201cThis is a transformative investment in Savannah\u2019s neighborhoods and future which will help repair long-standing physical and social barriers by reconnecting communities and infrastructure to jobs, services, and one another. By prioritizing equity, safety, smart planning, and community input, Savannah is taking an important step toward building a more connected, inclusive, resilient city for all residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are supportive of federal investment in critical infrastructure projects like The Stitch, including the \u201cREPAIR\u201d Act introduced by Senator Warnock,\u201d said Stitch Director Jack Cebe.\u201cBuilding The Stitch promises to generate billions of dollars in economic value, create thousands of jobs, and stimulate follow-on private sector investment including the construction of new housing for thousands of families in Georgia.\u201d\n\nBetween fiscal years 2022 and 2024, there was an average of $4.6 billion in unmet funding requests for the Reconnecting Communities Program. During the same period, there were nearly 1,500 applications from communities in all 50 states for projects eligible under the REPAIR Infrastructure Act, demonstrating a desire for this funding across the nation.\n\nThe interstate highway system sought to connect the country, but it also divided America\u2019s historically Black and white communities on racial lines, especially in Georgia. In Atlanta, the 14-lane highway that now joins I-75 and I-85 was constructed through Black communities that were forced to relocate on opposite ends of this concrete barrier. In Savannah, the I-16 flyover was built over and through black-owned businesses and homes.\n\nUltimately, DOT has funded 257 projects in 47 states to reconnect communities divided by legacy infrastructure. Those projects have helped communities redesign streets, spur economic development, address outdated highways, improve multimodal access, and enhance transit options.\n\nThe REPAIR Infrastructure Act would:\n\nReauthorize the REPAIR Infrastructure program out of the Highway Trust Fund at $3B per fiscal year from 2027 through 2031.\n\nCodify language to ensure REPAIR Infrastructure projects promote economic development, increase access to daily destinations, prioritize community involvement, and prevent displacement.\n\nAdd explicit eligibility for REPAIR Infrastructure projects to existing highway formula programs.\n\nThe REPAIR Infrastructure Act is endorsed by Smart Growth America, the National League of Cities, the American Society of Landscape Architects, America Walks, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the League of American Bicyclists, the Living Streets Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Rails to Trails Conservancy, Safe Routes Partnership, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and a national coalition of 74 additional organizations.\n\nFull text is available HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-petitions-airlines-to-consider-additional-routes-to-africa/", "Warnock Petitions Airlines to Consider Additional Routes to Africa", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock sent letters to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines asking them to consider opportunities to expand commercial flight service between the United States and the African continent\n\nHome to more than 1.5 billion people, Africa is projected to account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population by 2050\n\nAfrica represents a long-term opportunity for sustained economic partnership, innovation, and investment\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWith each new connection, we strengthen the bonds between nations and open new gateways to opportunity\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) issued letters to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines asking the carriers to consider opportunities to expand commercial flight service between the United States and the African continent in the coming years. Home to more than 1.5 billion people, Africa is projected to account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population by 2050.\n\n\u201cAs one of the world\u2019s fastest growing regions, Africa presents an extraordinary opportunity for U.S. carriers to shape the future of global commerce, deepen U.S. partnerships with African nations, and connect communities on both sides of the Atlantic,\u201d the Senator writes.\n\n\u201cAfrica is home to more than 1.5 billion people and is one of the most dynamic and consequential regions in the global economy. By 2050, the continent will account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population and a significant share of global workforce growth\u2026In 2024 alone, total U.S. goods trade with Africa reached an estimated $71.6 billion. Africa represents a long-term opportunity for sustained economic partnership, innovation, and investment,\u201d the Senator continues.\n\n\u201cAs you evaluate your international strategy, I encourage you to consider opportunities for growth in African markets. I remain committed to supporting efforts that deep U.S.-Africa engagement, deepen commercial and cultural ties, and advance our shared economic future,\u201d concludes the Senator.\n\nThe letter to Delta Air Lines can be viewed HERE and is below.\n\nDear Mr. Bastian,\n\nI write to encourage Delta Air Lines to continue exploring opportunities to expand commercial flight service between the United States and the African continent. As one of the world\u2019s fastest growing regions, Africa presents an extraordinary opportunity for U.S. carriers to shape the future of global commerce, deepen U.S. partnerships with African nations, and connect communities on both sides of the Atlantic.\n\nAfrica is home to more than 1.5 billion people and is one of the most dynamic and consequential regions in the global economy. By 2050, the continent will account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population and a significant share of global workforce growth. Africa already boasts 11 of the world\u2019s 20 fastest-growing economies, a rapidly expanding middle class, and an increasing demand for travel, trade, and commercial connectivity with the United States. In 2024 alone, total U.S. goods trade with Africa reached an estimated $71.6 billion. Africa represents a long-term opportunity for sustained economic partnership, innovation, and investment.\n\nDespite this promise, U.S. travelers and business leaders still face limited direct connectivity to the continent. That is now beginning to change, and I am encouraged by Delta Air Lines pioneering new nonstop routes and driving new economic activity between the United States and the African continent. In 2022, I successfully urged the Department of Transportation to approve Delta Air Lines\u2019 application for nonstop service between Atlanta and Cape Town, South Africa \u2014 a route that now generates up to $150 million annually in local economic activity while deepening our nation\u2019s relationship with a key regional partner. It has also proven the commercial viability of long-haul U.S.-Africa service.\n\nLast year alone, Delta Air Lines carried more than half a million passengers between the U.S. and Africa, reflecting the strength of this market. Independent analyses confirm that passenger demand on many African routes is expanding at double-digit rates year-over-year. As United Airlines and Delta Air Lines expand service to destinations such as Dakar, Senegal, and Accra, Ghana, these investments both meet rising consumer demand and underscore the profitability and competitiveness of U.S.-Africa connectivity.\n\nWith each new connection, we strengthen the bonds between nations and open new gateways to opportunity. These flights reduce travel time and complexity, meet rising consumer demand, and create meaningful economic value for travelers and businesses. Improved air connectivity also advances U.S. national and economic security by positioning American carriers to compete in a region where People\u2019s Republic of China is rapidly expanding its economic and strategic footprint. Our private sector will play a vital role in ensuring the United States\u2014not Beijing and its state-backed competitors\u2014anchors the continent\u2019s aviation and trade networks and sets the standard for transparent, mutually beneficial engagement. In doing so, we can create jobs at home, foster diaspora and cultural exchange, and help forge deeper bilateral ties with emerging African partners.\n\nAs you evaluate your international strategy, I encourage you to consider opportunities for growth in African markets. I remain committed to supporting efforts that deepen U.S.-Africa engagement, deepen commercial and cultural ties, and advance our shared economic future. My office and I stand ready to collaborate with you and other stakeholders as you explore new routes and partnerships on the African continent.\n\nThank you for your continued leadership in connecting Americans to the world. I look forward to seeing how Delta Air Lines helps shape the next chapter of the U.S.-Africa relationship.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-responds-to-president-trumps-truth-social-attack-on-his-faith/", "Warnock Responds to President Trump\u2019s Truth Social Attack on his Faith", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock responds to the President\u2019s Truth Social post attacking the Senator\u2019s faith\n\nSenator Warnock is the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of Dr. King, and returns to his pulpit most Sundays\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cMr. President, my faith is not a weapon, it\u2019s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) responded to President Trump\u2019s attack on Truth Social following his interview on Meet the Press where the Senator discussed his recent address at the Center for American Progress on healing America\u2019s spiritual crisis by restoring economic opportunity for millions of Americans.\n\nAn excerpt of the President\u2019s Truth Social attack\n\n\u201cSo, Donald Trump just attacked me on Truth Social, claiming that I\u2019m using faith to divide people. He\u2019s got a lot of nerve. Mr. President, my faith is not a weapon, it\u2019s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know. In the meantime, I\u2019m going to keep fighting for the people,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nThe Senator also joined MSNOW\u2019s Chris Hayes to discuss the President\u2019s attack on the Senator\u2019s faith. That interview is available HERE.\n\nWATCH the full video response here and find a transcript below:\n\nSo, Donald Trump just attacked me on Truth Social, claiming that I\u2019m using faith to divide people.\n\nHe\u2019s got a lot of nerve.\n\nRemember, this is the same president who literally had peaceful protesters gassed and beaten so he could stand in front of a church holding a Bible up.\n\nHe ought to read that Bible that he was holding up on that day. That Bible says that Jesus came to preach good news to the poor. He came to heal the sick. He never billed them for his services. He stood up for the weak, the marginalized, average, ordinary people.\n\nMr. President, my faith is not a weapon, it\u2019s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know.\n\nIn the meantime, I\u2019m going to keep fighting for the people.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-wyden-blast-trump-admin-for-making-it-harder-for-taxpayers-to-get-full-refund/", "Warnock, Wyden Blast Trump Admin for Making it Harder for Taxpayers to Get Full Refund", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senators Reverend Warnock and Finance Ranking Member Wyden led an effort urging the Trump administration to stop hiring freezes, reduction-in-force efforts, and other operational strains at the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS)\n\nTAS helps taxpayers resolve their issues at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including with tax refunds, filings, and other issues\n\nAt its current staffing level, TAS may face significant challenges handling its current caseload and helping taxpayers in Georgia and across the country get their full tax refund\n\nSenator Warnock and lawmakers: \u201cTAS ensures the American people have a voice within the IRS. [\u2026] We are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at TAS and the ongoing hiring freeze will greatly hinder these advocates\u2019 ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help\u201d\n\nICYMI from 11Alive: Warnock urges Trump administration to restore IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service staffing\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Finance Ranking MemberRon Wyden (D-OR) led an effort, alongside 22 of their Senate Democratic colleagues, urging the Trump administration to help Americans get their full refund by restoring staff and resources at the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), which is an office within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that helps taxpayers resolve any issues within the IRS.\n\nAt its current staffing level, TAS may face significant challenges handling its current caseload and helping taxpayers in Georgia and across the country. The Senators are urging Treasury Secretary and Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent to stop hiring freezes, reduction-in-force efforts, and properly staff TAS.\n\n\u201cTAS ensures the American people have a voice within the IRS [\u2026] We are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at TAS and the ongoing hiring freeze will greatly hinder these advocates\u2019 ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help,\u201d wrote the Senators.\n\n\u201cSince January, the Trump Administration\u2019s deferred resignation programs and efforts to reduce the federal workforce have resulted in nearly one in four TAS advocates departing the IRS [\u2026] According to the National Taxpayer Advocates FY2026 Report to Congress, these losses of IRS customer service personnel have created \u201cvulnerabilities in service delivery\u2026and taxpayer assistance.\u201d We are concerned that the rapid decrease in staff will increase remaining advocate\u2019s case load and taxpayers\u2019 wait times for service,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\nTAS is an independent organization within the IRS and is considered the voice of the taxpayer at the IRS. TAS helps taxpayers with financial issues with tax refunds, filings, and other problems.\n\n\u201cAccording to the January 20, 2025, Presidential Memorandum, the IRS hiring freeze will remain in place until the Secretary of the Treasury determines that ending it is in the \u201cnational interest.\u201d [\u2026] We expect you agree with us that ensuring Americans can access their full tax benefits in a timely manner falls squarely within the \u201cnational interest,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nIn addition to Senator Warnock, the letter was signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (D-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).\n\nThe letter text can be found HERE and below.\n\nDear Secretary Bessent,\n\nWe write to urge you to lift the freeze on hiring additional staff at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and ensure that both the IRS and the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) have enough staff to ensure they meet the needs of the American taxpayers.\n\nDedicated TAS advocates resolve over 230,000 taxpayer issues with the IRS every year.[1] From helping a disabled first responder receive their refund[2] to resolving a decade-long problem with a taxpayer\u2019s railroad worker\u2019s retirement tax that was holding up his refund,[3] TAS ensures the American people have a voice within the IRS.\n\nAlthough we understand there may be some isolated instances of hiring for internal positions at TAS, we are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at TAS[4] and the ongoing hiring freeze[5] will greatly hinder these advocates\u2019 ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help. Moreover, the IRS operating divisions need enough employees to be able to implement TAS\u2019s requests for their assistance in resolving taxpayer problems.[6]\n\nSince January, the Trump Administration\u2019s deferred resignation programs and efforts to reduce the federal workforce have resulted in nearly one in four TAS advocates departing the IRS.[7] To further compound staffing issues, the Trump Administration\u2019s freeze[8] on hiring additional personnel across the IRS remains in place, making it impossible to appropriately backfill TAS staff at the levels needed to address the workload.\n\nAccording to the National Taxpayer Advocates FY2026 Report to Congress, these losses of IRS customer service personnel have created \u201cvulnerabilities in service delivery . . . and taxpayer assistance.\u201d[9] We are concerned that the rapid decrease in staff will increase remaining advocates\u2019 caseloads and taxpayers\u2019 wait times for service.\n\nOur Congressional casework teams are already seeing delays in responses and case resolution. For example, in January, a taxpayer in Georgia reached out to TAS about an issue with a tax return. Despite submitting the correct paperwork in a timely manner and multiple inquiries from Congressional caseworkers, the most recent update as of December was that the case was still being processed. This is too long for a taxpayer to wait for answers.\n\nMany IRS employees who accepted deferred resignation offers were required to stay to support the 2025 tax filing season,[10] so we have not seen the full detrimental effects of the staffing cuts. If these shortages are not addressed, the repercussions will likely be felt during the 2026 tax season.[11]\n\nAccording to the January 20, 2025 Presidential Memorandum, the IRS hiring freeze will remain in place until the Secretary of the Treasury determines that hiring additional IRS employees, including TAS caseworkers, is in the \u201cnational interest.\u201d[12] The complex nature of TAS\u2019s work demands an intense training process[13] and requires current advocates to limit their existing casework to assist.[14] With significant changes to the tax code for this upcoming filing season,[15] hiring for TAS position must begin as soon as possible.\n\nWe expect you agree with us that ensuring Americans can access their full tax benefits in a timely manner falls squarely within the \u201cnational interest.\u201d We urge you to immediately lift the IRS hiring freeze and to respond to the questions below by January 23, 2026, to provide additional clarity to the American people regarding IRS administration and service:\n\nWhat criteria are you using to evaluate what is in the \u201cnational interest\u201d with respect to the TAS hiring freeze? Do these criteria include case backlogs, current wait times, demand on caseworkers, and increased complexity due to new tax laws? If not, why?\n\nWhat is the current average caseload of tax advocates?\n\nWhat is the average wait time for tax advocates to resolve taxpayers\u2019 cases?\n\nAt the end of the last filing season victims of identity theft had to wait 20 months to resolve their cases, on average.[16] What is a reasonable wait time for taxpayers to receive assistance on issues like late tax returns or identity fraud from TAS? What is the current wait time for these cases, and what is the IRS doing to reduce it?\n\nIf TAS is unable to meet its casework demands or if the IRS is unable to process all of TAS\u2019s requests for operational assistance, what cases will be prioritized? Which taxpayers will have longer to wait to have their problems resolved?\n\nThank you for your attention to this important matter.\n\n###\n\n[1] Improvements to Taxpayer Advocate Case Processing Would Result in Better Customer Service, 2025-100-024, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (Jun. 11, 2025), https://www.tigta.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-08/2025100024fr.pdf at 3 (Figure 2: Case Advocacy Receipts, Closures, and Cycle Time for FYs 2020 through 2024).\n\n[2] TAS Advocates for a First Responder, Taxpayer Advocate Service (Nov. 18, 2024), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/news/success-stories/tas-advocates-for-a-first-responder/2024/11.\n\n[3] Taxpayer Advocate Service Helps Taxpayer Resolve 15 Years of Hardship, Taxpayer Advocate Service (Sept. 20, 2021), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/news/success-stories/success-story-taxpayer-advocate-service-helps-taxpayer-resolve-15-years-of-hardship/2021/09.\n\n[4] Objective Report to Congress Fiscal Year 2026, National Taxpayer Advocate (Jun. 25, 2025), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JRC26_FullReport.pdf at 19 (Figure 1.3, IRS Personnel Losses by BOD/Function (as of June 4, 2025)) [FY26 Report to Congress].\n\n[5] Hiring Freeze Presidential Memorandum, White House (Jan. 20, 2025), https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze.\n\n[6] 2024 Annual Report to Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate (Jan. 8, 2025), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/reports/2024-annual-report-to-congress/full-report at 74 (\u201cDue to underinvestment in the IRS and critically low staffing levels over the past decade, taxpayers have faced: prolonged wait times for assistance; delays in processing returns and refunds; reduced access to knowledgeable IRS employees; and inconsistent application of tax laws and increasing errors.\u201d).\n\n[7] FY26 Report to Congress, supra note 4.\n\n[8] White House, supra note 5.\n\n[9] FY26 Report to Congress, supra note 4, at 30.\n\n[10] Jory Heckman, Some IRS Employees Required to Work Longer Under Deferred Resignation Offer, Federal News Network (May 8, 2025), https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/some-irs-employees-required-to-work-longer-under-deferred-resignation-offer (\u201cBut IRS taxpayer services employees and some call center representatives have been told they must remain on the job through June 30\u201d).\n\n[11] National Taxpayer Advocate Issues Mid-Year Report to Congress, IR-2025-71, Internal Revenue Service (Jun. 25, 2025), https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/national-taxpayer-advocate-issues-mid-year-report-to-congress (\u201cBut with the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year\u2019s filing season. It is critical that the IRS begin to take steps now to prepare.\u201d).\n\n[12] White House, supra note 5.\n\n[13] TAS is Taking Steps to Better Serve Taxpayers, National Taxpayer Advocate Blog (Sept. 19, 2024), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/news/nta-blog/tas-is-taking-steps-to-better-serve-taxpayers/2024/09 (\u201cIt takes months, even years, to train newly hired case advocates, because they work cases that involve a wide range of procedural and technical issues, including returns processing, identity theft, audits, collection matters, and Appeals.\u201d).\n\n[14] Id. (\u201cTo compound the challenges, we have to temporarily reassign experienced case advocates to provide training and supervision for the new hires, further straining our resources to work current cases.\u201d).\n\n[15] Ellis Chen and Vanessa Williamson, The New Tax Bill Burdens an Already Overburdened IRS, Brookings (Jul. 17, 2025), https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-new-tax-bill-burdens-an-already-overburdened-irs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-passes-defense-legislation-supporting-georgia-servicemembers-and-military-communities/", "Warnock Passes Defense Legislation Supporting Georgia Servicemembers and Military Communities", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), annual legislation that sets defense policy and priorities, authorizes defense spending\n\nThe defense policy package includes numerous priorities Senator Reverend Warnock pushed for, including provisions strengthening military housing, supporting military families when they move, and authorizing funding for military construction projects across Georgia\n\nThe legislation now goes to the White House to be signed into law\n\nThe priorities Senator Warnock secured in the NDAA ensure Georgia and its military bases remain at the cutting edge of our national defense and play a critical role in America\u2019s military strategic planning in the years to come\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our budgets and laws. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops who defend our freedoms\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 77-20, with many of his priorities included to support Georgia\u2019s servicemembers, military families, and bases. The bipartisan defense bill will improve military housing, raise servicemember pay, authorize $295 million for Georgia military construction projects, and more. The priorities Senator Warnock secured in the legislation will strengthen quality of life for servicemembers and military families and ensure Georgia and its military bases remain at the cutting edge of our national defense. The bill will now go to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our budgets and laws. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops who defend our freedoms,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cGeorgia servicemembers, their families, and our base communities are the winners of this legislation with new investments in base housing, servicemember pay, and infrastructure projects across the state. When we invest in our servicemembers and their families, we boost their morale and quality of life and bolster our national security.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy vote today does not indicate my support for the President\u2019s misuse and politicization of our servicemembers, including potential war crimes in Latin America or deploying servicemembers to police American cities,\u201d continued Senator Warnock. \u201cAs the representative for over 100,000 servicemembers, I will continue to use the oversight tools to keep this President from unnecessarily putting our troops in harm\u2019s way while ensuring our troops and their families have the resources they deserve.\u201d\n\nIn addition to authorizing critical funding for important military construction projects across Georgia, Senator Warnock secured key bipartisan provisions in the defense bill.\n\nSenator Warnock is continuing his efforts to increase transparency and accountability of privatized military housing conditions on bases across the country. The Senator secured a version of his bipartisan Military Housing Performance Insight (MHPI) Act in the NDAA. This provision will help improve military housing conditions for servicemembers by requiring DOD to provide an annual report on privatized housing metrics for on-base family housing. This expanded transparency will empower lawmakers to hold DOD and housing companies accountable and ensure safer homes for servicemembers and their families. Despite numerous initiatives and improvements over the past five years due to focused Congressional and DOD oversight, continued vigilance is necessary to sustain these housing condition improvements. The frequent movement of local military installation leaders, mandated by the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process, often disrupts institutional knowledge and can reduce command attention to housing problems.\n\nSenator Warnock also secured a bipartisan provision to support military families when they are ordered to relocate to a new base. The Assuring Navigation of Compact Help for Ongoing Relocation (ANCHOR) for Military Families Act (or ANCHOR for Military Families Act) will require the DOD to give military families clear, timely information about relocation resources when they receive orders to relocate.\n\nAdditionally, Senator Warnock successfully passed an amendment that would enshrine into law Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations regarding how DOD determines housing availability in locations near bases for the purposes of making housing decisions, such as investing in new on-post housing or determining Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates.\n\nSee below for a detailed summary of the Georgia priorities Senator Warnock secured:\n\nServicemember pay raise: Provides a 3.8% pay raise to servicemembers, building on last year\u2019s 4.5% raise.\n\nFort Benning Elementary School: Authorizes $22 million to construct Dexter Elementary school at Fort Benning in Columbus for 400 students. Senator Warnock secured a $500,000 authorization for the initial design in the FY24 NDAA and an additional $14 million for design in the FY25 NDAA.\n\nMoody AFB 23rd Security Forces Squadron Operations Facility: Authorizes $35 million for a new base Security Forces headquarters.\n\nA-10 Minimum Inventory Requirement: Includes an A-10 minimum inventory requirement, protecting the Moody AFB A-10 mission until it can transition to the F-35 in the late 2020\u2019s.\n\nF-35 Support: Authorizes $9 billion to continue investing in the F-35 Lightning II program. This is crucial to Moody AFB receiving the F-35 in the 2030\u2019s.\n\nRobins AFB Air Traffic Control Tower: Authorizes $28 million to build a 10-story Air Traffic Control Tower to replace the cramped 52-year-old air traffic control tower at Robins AFB, which is currently posing a safety risk to both aircraft and tower personnel and hindering training capabilities.\n\nFort Gillem Evidence Storage Facility: Authorizes $45 million to build an evidence storage building supporting DOD law enforcement agencies.\n\nSavannah Combat Readiness Training Center Barracks: Authorizes $3.8 million to design a new 172-person barracks facility at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC).\n\nSavannah CRTC C-130 Corrosion Control Facility: Authorizes $11.4 million to build a new facility for the Georgia Air National Guard at the Savannah CRTC to reapply paint to the new C-130J transport aircraft, which the base secured thanks to Senator Warnock.\n\nSavannah Waste Disposal: Authorizes $1.06 billion for the Department of Energy to continue operations to remove Cold War-era liquid radioactive waste at the Savannah River Site located near Savannah. An additional $52.5 million is being authorized for the Department of Energy to continue constructing Saltstone Disposal Units to support the overall removal of liquid nuclear waste at the Savannah River Site.\n\nHBCU Research and Collaboration Development: Establishes three Research and Development solicitations, which include HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and all other Minority Serving Institutions, to increase access to R&D funding for Tribal Colleges and HBCUs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-kaine-demand-answers-on-hhs-policy-targeting-cdc-workers-with-disabilities/", "Warnock, Kaine Demand Answers on HHS Policy Targeting CDC Workers with Disabilities", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a letter, Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Tim Kaine press HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers on new agency guidance rescinding telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities\n\nUnder the new policy, disabled employees are required to report to their duty stations while waiting for their disability accommodation to be approved by senior political leadership. Employees who previously received approved accommodation requests would be required to reapply under the new policy\n\nWorkers unable to return to their duty station will be required to take another form of leave, such as paid time off or sick leave\n\nUnder Secretary Kennedy\u2019s failed leadership, the CDC has seen a mass dismissal of its personnel \u2013 actions that have been deeply damaging to the agency\u2019s ability to fulfill its mission\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warnock called on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) asked Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for an explanation on new agency guidance rescinding telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities. The new policy would make it nearly impossible for staff with disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and across HHS to access telework as a reasonable accommodation.\n\n\u201cHHS is the leading federal agency tasked with preserving the health of Americans, including those with disabilities. One in four Americans live with a disability, and they not only benefit from various federal programs and services but also meaningfully contribute to the functioning of the federal government,\u201d the Senators write.\n\nFederal employees\u2019 disability rights are governed by Section 501 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, which works similarly to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the law, disabled employees have a right to a reasonable accommodation, like telework, unless it places an undue burden on the employer. The new HHS guidance has disrupted existing telework accommodations for employees with disabilities and stalled review of pending accommodation requests. Previously approved reasonable accommodation requests will need to be resubmitted and reapproved by agency leadership. All new requests must be reviewed and approved at the assistant secretary level or above.\n\n\u201cThe HHS guidance rescinds telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities, resulting in a pause on all new and renewing telework requests in at least one HHS operational division. This policy has already inflicted distress on employees whose approved telework accommodations or requests for telework accommodations were unexpectedly revoked. Further, recent reporting suggests HHS will require requests for telework, including accommodations for employees with disabilities, be approved by an official at the level of Assistant Secretary or above. This would constitute an extraordinary hurdle for civil servants,\u201d the Senators continue.\n\nSince the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe. In August, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Georgia\u2019s CDC employees following the shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer. Senator Warnock pushed for accountability after the firing of CDC Director Monarez and the attack at the Atlanta campus in a September 5 hearing, subsequently calling on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans.\n\nRead full text of the letterHEREand below:\n\nDear Secretary Kennedy:\n\nWe write to express our concern regarding recent policy changes at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) affecting federal employees with disabilities. HHS is the leading federal agency tasked with preserving the health of Americans, including those with disabilities. One in four Americans live with a disability, and they not only benefit from various federal programs and services but also meaningfully contribute to the functioning of the federal government.\n\nYet on August 13, 2025, the HHS Office of Human Resources (OHR) issued guidance that will inflict outsized harm on workers with disabilities, including people living with chronic disease or illness, people with compromised immune systems, and disabled veterans. The HHS guidance rescinds telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities, resulting in a pause on all new and renewing telework requests in at least one HHS operational division. This policy has already inflicted distress on employees whose approved telework accommodations or requests for telework accommodations were unexpectedly revoked. Further, recent reporting suggests HHS will require requests for telework, including accommodations for employees with disabilities, be approved by an official at the level of Assistant Secretary or above. This would constitute an extraordinary hurdle for civil servants.\n\nThe federal government is a major employer of people with disabilities. It is bound by law not to discriminate against those workers and to take steps to increase employment of workers with disabilities. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 501) prohibits discrimination in federal employment against any qualified individual with a disability. It requires federal agencies to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities. These are simple changes in the normal places and processes of work that allow employees with the requisite skills, knowledge, and aptitude to do the job. It ensures the full and equal participation of all Americans committed to public service, regardless of disability status.\n\nResearch has shown again and again that reasonable accommodations for qualified employees increase satisfaction, retention, and, importantly, productivity, while frequently posing no cost. A study funded by the Department of Labor found that almost two-thirds of reported accommodations cost nothing. Of those with a price, the median cost amounted to a one-time expense of $300. Furthermore, 85 percent of employers reported increased employee retention, and half saw increased productivity, enhanced job attendance, and cost savings in training and onboarding.\n\nTelework or hybrid work arrangements are low-cost accommodations. Millions of Americans became acquainted with telework when remote arrangements allowed many American businesses to maintain operations during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers and employees both overwhelmingly tout the advantages of flexible work arrangements: employees spend less time and money commuting, employers reduce costly overhead, and both benefit from a broader pool of talent and opportunities. We know telework increases productivity. One cross-sector analysis of American firms associates a one percent increase in productivity for every 10 percent increase in remote workers. Further, telework and similar reasonable accommodations increase overall participation in the labor force. The percentage of working-age individuals with disabilities who were employed increased from 4.3 million in 2020 to 6.3 million in 2024, in large part due to increasing opportunities for telework. That represents two million people entering the workforce because of this reasonable accommodation.\n\nThese benefits redound to the advantage of both the federal government and the private sector. The Telework Enhancement Act of 20108 required federal agencies to establish policies permitting telework. In subsequent reports to Congress, 70 percent of agencies indicated that telework enhanced their resilience during emergency events, and 60 percent said remote flexibility was key to employee retention. While agencies have used various metrics to calculate savings, all agree: telework arrangements have saved the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars since 2010.\n\nSection 501 and the Telework Enhancement Act work in tandem with the Veterans Preference Act of 1944, which prioritizes veterans in federal hiring, to ensure that people with disabilities have full and equal participation in the workforce. As of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, veterans comprise 28 percent of all federal employees, and nearly 60 percent of veterans in civilian federal employment are disabled. Of all new federal hires in FY 2023, 21 percent were veterans. While approximately five percent of the civilian population in the United States has a disability, the rate among veterans is 30 percent. Overall, in FY 2023, 21 percent of the federal workforce identified as having a disability. Accommodating qualified employees with disabilities is an operational and moral imperative of federal agencies, and any indiscretion in this duty has outsized consequences on employees with disabilities, including disabled veterans.\n\nThis is why we are particularly concerned about HHS\u2019 recent decision to prohibit telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities. On January 27, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance on the \u201cAgency Return-to-Office Plan,\u201d which resulted in disorganized and disoriented efforts to bring federal employees back to offices that were often unprepared and over-occupied. On August 13, 2025, HHS OHR issued Instruction 990-3, HHS Telework, outlining the agency\u2019s new telework program. This document does not mention the word \u201cdisability.\u201d Ambiguities in this guidance have forced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) OHR to pause approvals for new and renewing reasonable accommodations for telework. Approving reasonable accommodations at the level of the Assistant Secretary will only exacerbate the adversity to which employees with disabilities will be subject: many will be intimidated from requesting accommodations, and those who do will wait in expanding backlogs.\n\nAlready, federal employees have been harmed by these decisions. We have received reports of:\n\nAn employee with a telework accommodation due to a high-risk pregnancy who, on the same day they were told to report to the office, was rushed to the emergency room by ambulance.\n\nA disabled veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which was exacerbated by the August 8, 2025, attack on CDC headquarters, whose telework accommodation was fitfully denied, approved, and denied again, leaving them without direction or guidance.\n\nAn employee who sought a telework accommodation for PTSD following the August 8, 2025, attack, who was threatened with demotion from their supervisory position if they pursued the request, despite previously performing the job duties successfully via telework accommodation.\n\nA veteran hired as a fully-remote employee, now directed to report to the office, who cannot even check the status of their telework accommodation because the personnel in OHR and the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity have been terminated following a reduction in force.\n\nIn light of these harmful policies, we request HHS immediately reverse this guidance which has affected employees with disabilities, including disabled veterans, and ask HHS to answer the following questions by January 16, 2026:\n\nHow many existing telework accommodations were canceled following the January 27, 2025, issuance of the Agency Return-to-Office Plan? Please provide a breakdown by agency.\n\nHow many new and renewing applications for telework accommodation are currently pending review at HHS? Please provide a breakdown by agency.\n\nHow many veterans, and how many veterans with service-related disabilities, had telework accommodations in place on January 27, 2025? How many veterans, and how many veterans with service-related disabilities, have telework accommodations in place currently? Please provide a breakdown by agency.\n\nHow has Instruction 990-3, HHS Telework been tailored to prevent undue harm to qualified employees with disabilities in hiring and employment?\n\nWhat recourse is available to HHS employees whose mental health, physical health, or workplace productivity are adversely affected by revocations, denials, or delays in processing reasonable accommodations for telework?\n\nCDC OHR requested clarification on Instruction 990-3, HHS Telework. What clarification did or will HHS provide to CDC OHR?\n\nDoes HHS currently, or will HHS in the future, require all telework accommodations be approved by officials at the level of Assistant Secretary or higher? If so, what training, guidance, or additional resources will HHS provide to these officials to equip them to make determinations regarding reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities?\n\nIs it permissible at HHS to demote, discipline, or otherwise demoralize employees who request telework options as a reasonable accommodation?\n\nHow does HHS plan to recruit exceptional talent to preserve the health and wellbeing of Americans without offering reasonable accommodations such as telework to qualified employees with disabilities?\n\nWe appreciate your prompt cooperation in this matter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-over-300-million-in-outstanding-helene-payments-for-georgia-vows-to-continue-fighting-for-funding/", "Warnock Secures Over $300 Million in Outstanding Helene Payments for Georgia, Vows to Continue Fighting for Funding", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Funding comes after pressure from Senator Reverend Warnock and as Georgia localities were readying for lawsuits from contractors seeking payment for work done in the wake of Hurricane Helene\n\nIn September, Senator Warnock released a report finding the Trump Administration was shortchanging Georgians half a billion dollars in disaster relief aid\n\nFollowing the Senator\u2019s September report, the Senator found the number increased to $600 million\n\nFollowing this announcement, localities in Georgia are still waiting for nearly half of the outstanding payments the federal government said it would cover; Senator Warnock will continue fighting until the administration delivers Georgia the recovery funding they were promised\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cAfter months of putting pressure on this administration to deliver for Georgians, I am proud to have secured over $300 million in federal funding owed to Georgia\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced he secured $314 million in federal funding for outstanding payments owed to Georgia counties and entities in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The money was released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following months of pressure from Senator Warnock to get Georgia communities, particularly in rural parts of the state, the money they were promised for recovery efforts following Helene\u2019s destruction.\n\n\u201cAfter months of pressuring this administration to deliver for Georgians, I am proud to have secured over $300 million in federal funding owed to Georgia. Hurricanes and natural disasters are not political; they do not care if you voted red or blue, and Georgia counties and cities went right to work recovering from Helene\u2019s destruction with the understanding the federal government would fulfill its promises and pay their share,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\u201cIt should not have gotten to this point, and there is still more work to be done. I will continue fighting until Georgia\u2019s communities, particularly in rural Georgia, get every cent they are owed.\u201d\n\nThis month, Senator Warnock released a statement after new evidence emerged showing that the Trump Administration owed $600 million in Hurricane Helene recovery aid to Georgians. In September, the Senator released a report finding that nearly $500 million in promised federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts remained unpaid. The funding, part of a disaster recovery bill championed by Senator Warnock in 2024, is meant to reimburse local communities for funds spent on recovery. Despite bipartisan Congressional support for the immediate delivery of disaster recovery funds, the distribution of aid has been stifled by bureaucratic red tape and chaos in the Trump Administration.\n\nA list of Georgia counties and localities receiving federal funding can be found below (this is not a comprehensive list of entities receiving funding):", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-warnock-to-senate-gop-after-health-care-vote-who-are-you-working-for/", "VIDEO: Warnock to Senate GOP After Health Care Vote, \u201cWho Are You Working For?\u201d", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock condemned the Senate GOP for killing legislation to keep health care premiums from doubling for 22 million Americans\n\nWATCH: Senator Warnock minutes after GOP kills bipartisan legislation to keep health care premiums from doubling\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cFirst, you kick 15 million Americans off of their health care in order to give billionaires a tax cut. And then, after doing that, you double the premiums on some 22 million additional Americans. For some people, you triple the premiums, quadruple the premiums. Who are you working for?\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) spoke out after GOP Senators killed the 13th attempt to block premiums from doubling for 22 million Americans. These premium spikes are set to go into effect January 1st, 2026 after Senate Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law, which provided generous tax cuts to billionaires.\n\n\u201cAfter today\u2019s vote, I really only have one question: who do the Washington Republicans work for? Who are they working for?\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201c First, you kick 15 million Americans off of their health care in order to give billionaires a tax cut. And then, after doing that, you double the premiums on some 22 million additional Americans. For some people, you triple the premiums, quadruple the premiums. Who are you working for? These are people who are disproportionately in red districts.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd we have tried time and time again\u2026 to get the Republicans to make a different choice. And here we are today. 15 million Americans have lost their health care. 22 million Americans, on average, will see their premiums double\u2026,\u201d continued Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201c And so here we are. Republicans have demonstrated who they are working for. Certainly they\u2019re not working for you\u2026 We know that the status quo certainly has its problems. There\u2019s nobody who\u2019s saying health care in America is terrific, but Republicans today have taken a system that\u2019s already struggling and broken it down even more and the consequences for ordinary people, many of them in their own red districts, will be that they will have to delay response to their health care. They will have to find a way to pay higher premiums, and for many people, they will literally pay with their lives.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-and-marshall-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-strengthen-workforce-pipeline/", "Warnock and Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Workforce Pipeline", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Pathways to Prosperity Act would allow more technical college students to \u201cearn while they learn,\u201d incentivizing business and technical colleges to partner to create high-wage career pathways, align job training curriculum, and scale apprenticeship programs for students\n\nThe Senator\u2019s efforts will ensure new good-paying Georgia jobs go to hard-working Georgians\n\nICYMI from the AJC: Warnock renews push for enhanced job training with bipartisan bill\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis legislation will allow workers to have access to jobs with better pay, help our community and technical colleges stay on the cutting edge of what industry needs through strengthened partnerships, and aid businesses in finding workers to fill open roles. That\u2019s a win-win-win\u201d\n\nWashington \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senators Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Roger Marshall (R-KA) introduced the bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act. The bill focuses on strengthening the nation\u2019s workforce development pipeline by bridging the gap between community and technical colleges and local industry via career training and apprenticeship programs that allow students to \u201cearn while they learn.\u201d This legislation ensures a strong pathway from vocational degree to a good-paying job. It also codifies the successful Strengthening Community Colleges Grant Program, a critical initiative that provides competitive grants for community and technical colleges to partner with employers and align training programs with local industry needs.\n\n\u201cEach year, employers come to the Peach State excited to hire Georgia workers into good-paying jobs, but are having a hard time finding workers with the education they need. That\u2019s why we must continue to invest in educating the next generation of skilled Georgia workers so they\u2019re ready to take those good paying jobs,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act alongside Senator Marshall. By allowing Georgians to earn while they learn, we are strengthening the pipeline from the classroom to the workforce and making higher education more attainable for Georgians. This legislation will allow workers to have access to jobs with better pay, help our community and technical colleges stay on the cutting edge of what industry needs through strengthened partnerships, and aid businesses in finding workers to fill open roles. That\u2019s a win-win-win.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe skills learned at our community and technical colleges are critical for America\u2019s workforce. These students power our local industries, bolster our local communities, and keep our economy moving,\u201d said Senator Marshall. \u201cWith this legislation, we\u2019re ensuring students are career-ready, competitive, and equipped with the real-world training employers are looking for. This is a smart investment in our future.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the bill will support local workforce needs by providing one-time funding to:\n\n1. Enhance the quality of educational and career-training initiatives at community colleges.\n\n2. Expand opportunities for individuals to attain nationally or regionally recognized postsecondary credentials in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations;\n\n3. Develop or scale up career training, career pathways, or work-based learning options like apprenticeships;\n\n4. Assist individuals with barriers to employment in accessing programs; and\n\n5. Provide support services to help participants complete education and training.\n\nSenator Warnock has championed workforce development since coming to the Senate. He successfully bolstered the workforce development pipeline for aviation workers in previous Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation. Additionally, the Senator has introduced legislation to address shortages in education professionals to staff Head Start classrooms. Lastly, Senator Warnock secured funding for regional tech hubs in the CHIPS and Science Act after bringing Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to a pilot region tech hub at Georgia Tech.\n\nThe Pathways to Prosperity Act has earned strong backing from a diverse coalition of national and regional organizations committed to strengthening America\u2019s workforce. Supporters include Jobs for the Future, the National Skills Coalition, the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Council for Professional Recognition, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber.\n\nRead the full bill text HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-calls-affordability-crisis-a-spiritual-crisis-in-landmark-speech/", "Warnock Calls Affordability Crisis a \u201cSpiritual Crisis\u201d in Landmark Speech", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a speech at the Center for American Progress, Senator Reverend Warnock offered a unique spiritual perspective on the affordability crisis\n\nThe Senator argued that cost-of-living increases over the past few decades have led to a deeper spiritual crisis in our country\n\nWarnock urged stronger executive action to address affordability and pushed his own party to propose more creative and aggressive policy solutions\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cDecades of this low-grade fever left untreated has brought us to where we are today, a nation in crisis, a nation that has become disconnected from the values that make us who we are, a nation where we no longer see our neighbors as crucial to our own success, but as competitors in a competition for scarce resources. These deficits in a wealthy nation and on a plentiful planet speak to a spiritual deficit that at its core is a lapse in the covenant that we have with one another\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) offered a unique perspective on the twin spiritual and affordability crises plaguing the United States. The Senator spoke at the Center for American Progress as part of the Path Forward Speaker Series. In his speech, Senator Warnock argued that the ongoing affordability crisis has created a spiritual crisis in America, saying that decades of politicians failing to center the people they serve has undermined the American dream, created a cycle of division and despair, and ultimately led to the deep divisions and economic disparity we see today.\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cPeople are working harder and harder but are seeing less and less from the work they\u2019re putting in. Young people are wondering if they\u2019ll ever be able to afford a home. Older people are wondering if they will be able to retire with dignity. Those of us who live in the middle are trying to take care of our children, take care of our parents who are dealing with the blessings and burdens of aging. Workers are seeing that they\u2019re creating wealth for others, yet they are barely able to get by. When you have that kind of increasing disconnect between the American promise and the lived reality of everyday people, not only is it a problem for your material wellbeing, I submit that it is a drag on the spirit, a gnawing feeling that things are amiss.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock criticized his own party for being too influenced by corporate interests: \u201cHowever, we cannot be successful unless we reckon with the deeply uncomfortable truth that corporate interests have too much influence over both parties\u2026 When I first got to the Senate, one of my biggest accomplishments was allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time\u2026 I\u2019m glad we did it. But even as we did that, and I\u2019m proud of that work, the truth is we allow too many concessions to Big Pharma. We started with only 10 negotiated drugs in 2022 and those savings do not go into effect until 2026, four long years just to get us started. It was a lesson for me as a new senator about the ways in which corporate lobbyists have far too much influence in our politics. Too often we have the best politicians that money can buy, and this has consequences for ordinary people.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock pushed the President to use executive authority to raise wages saying, \u201cWhat if, instead of bullying powerful corporations to build himself a ballroom, the President could push companies to pay their workers a living wage? For example, the President could ask corporations to share their record profits with their employees, before they reward their shareholders, in the form of a bonus or a raise.\u201d\n\nHe also called for called for urgent action to tackle housing costs: \u201cIf local governments want federal money to build roads, those roads had better lead to homes. And if they won\u2019t build, the federal government has built homes before. It could put shovels in the ground again today, building and selling homes directly to Americans at a lower cost.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock pushed both parties to champion more creative and aggressive policy solutions to the affordability crisis adding that, \u201cFor too long, politicians in both parties have failed to center the people and the cycle of despair has led us further and further into the spiritual abyss. Part of the reason, if we are honest, we got here is that our politics has only operated in the narrowest realm of the possible.\u201d\n\nA transcript of Senator Warnock\u2019s speech can be found below:\n\nIt\u2019s great to be here at the Center for American Progress.\n\nIndeed I stand here as an example and an embodiment of that very idea of the promise of American progress, the belief that we can build a future where each does a little bit better than their parents. I stand here knowing that I have lived that dream.\n\nI love America because we always have a path to make this country better, yet I and all of us are living through a time when we honestly feel that dream slipping away. And we all feel it, regardless of our politics, people on the left and the right, Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Here\u2019s what we have in common: we all feel it. We may not agree on how to fix it, but we know it\u2019s real, and the stakes could not be higher, because the question is whether we can build together a future worthy of our children.\n\nIn my work, I always try to center our children in these conversations, because regardless of whatever fancy titles I may have, my most important job is father of two precious children. They are my North Star. And long before the people of Georgia sent me to be a voice for them in the United States Senate, long before I was called to serve as senior pastor and preacher at Ebenezer Baptist, where Dr. King served, I was just a kid growing up in the housing projects of Savannah, Georgia, number 11 out of 12 children. Clearly my folks, who were Pentecostal preachers, read the Scripture: be fruitful and multiply.\n\nThere was not a lot of money in our house, but I feel like I hit the jackpot. There was a lot of love in my house, a lot of laughter and deep faith. I learned lessons like the importance of hard work from my father and my mother. And my family and my community convinced that kid growing up in the housing projects on Cape Street that I could fly. That\u2019s why I decided I was going to Morehouse College. I often say that I went to college on a full faith scholarship. That\u2019s when you don\u2019t have enough money for the first semester. But at 17 years old, I was so captivated by the faith and the spirit of Dr. King, who died a year before my birth, that I was going to Dr. King\u2019s alma mater no matter what.\n\nGod always has a dream bigger than the dream we\u2019ve been dreaming for ourselves. I just wanted to go to Dr. King\u2019s college. I didn\u2019t know that one day I\u2019d lead the church. But with hard work, discipline, and determination, I graduated four years later. I got it done.\n\nBut the truth is that for all my hard work and discipline, I did not accomplish it alone. I was able to earn that degree and three others after it because of Pell Grants, low interest student loans, and working a job on the side. It wasn\u2019t easy, but I had a path to progress. Also, you\u2019re looking at a Head Start baby. I know what that program does. I know what good federal public policy looks like. And then Upward Bound, another federal program part of TRIO, put a kid from the projects on a college campus during the summer and on Saturdays for academic enrichment. And so I did not have to wonder if I belonged in college. I was already on the campus. All good federal policy that provided for me a path to progress. But what keeps me up at night these days is the recognition that coming from where I\u2019m from, it would be much harder for me to achieve that now than it was back then.\n\nI submit that all of these federal policies, which allowed a kid from public housing to go on to get four degrees, to build a life, and to make a living, to make a contribution, were not simply government programs in the pejorative sense in which that word is flown around these days, but rather a manifestation of the covenant we share with one another as an American people. That is my children cannot truly succeed unless my neighbor\u2019s children succeed. My children are not saved unless my neighbor\u2019s children are saved.\n\nIt\u2019s the idea that, in the words of Dr. King, we are tied together in a single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.\n\nSo I stand this morning worried about that kid, that kid today who lives on Cape Street and all the Cape Streets across our country where everyday superheroes live, hidden in plain sight. From Atlanta to Appalachia, the big cities and rural towns, the promise of American progress is slipping away, and understandably, it leads to a deep frustration and anger that bubbles up in our politics, our public life, and also in the everyday interactions between citizens. Have you flown on a plane lately? Been stuck in traffic? There is this anger that\u2019s beneath the surface. There is a sense that something is wrong, something is broken and in need of repair. Over the last 50 years, real wages for working families have been stagnant. Today, the price of everything from health care to housing to energy bills to child care is becoming more expensive.\n\nPeople are working harder and harder but are seeing less and less from the work they\u2019re putting in. Young people are wondering if they\u2019ll ever be able to afford a home. Older people are wondering if they will be able to retire with dignity. Those of us who live in the middle are trying to take care of our children, take care of our parents who are dealing with the blessings and burdens of aging. Workers are seeing that they\u2019re creating wealth for others, yet they are barely able to get by.\n\nWhen you have that kind of increasing disconnect between the American promise and the lived reality of everyday people, not only is it a problem for your material wellbeing, I submit that it is a drag on the spirit, a gnawing feeling that things are amiss.\n\nA whole country has what I call a low-grade fever. You know when you wake up and something doesn\u2019t feel right? You can\u2019t quite put your finger on it, but you know you don\u2019t feel too good. The ache, the fogginess, and the fatigue that does not allow you to show up in your full strength, to be your best self. We\u2019ve all been there, but if you wake up like that every day, it takes its toll. It suggests that something deeper is wrong.\n\nAnd so decades of this low-grade fever left untreated has brought us to where we are today, a nation in crisis, a nation that has become disconnected from the values that make us who we are, a nation where we no longer see our neighbors as crucial to our own success, but as competitors in a competition for scarce resources. These deficits in a wealthy nation and on a plentiful planet speak to a spiritual deficit that at its core is a lapse in the covenant that we have with one another.\n\nHope is the infrastructure, it is the vaccine that protects our humanity. And when you lose hope, you get sick, [inaudible]. Your vision is unclear.\n\nSuddenly, using your tax dollars towards some program to help some kid you\u2019ll never meet doesn\u2019t feel like a priority when you\u2019re struggling to set your own children up for success.\n\nIf people can\u2019t believe in the promise of opportunity, they may choose to put their faith in \u201cstrong men\u201d who make false promises and provide targets for our anger. People who have no vision traffic in division. They do not know how to lead us, so they are trying to divide us.\n\nThis is how President Trump is able to take health care away from 15 million Americans and double the health care premiums of some 22 million Americans, while calling it waste, fraud, and abuse. The question we ought to ask ourselves is, what is he saying about those Americans? Are our neighbors waste? Meanwhile, we are witnessing the largest transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top. We saw it in one fell swoop.\n\nImmigration raids near schools and churches. We see armed and masked federal agents and members of the military patrolling the streets of American cities. Propelling down apartment buildings of American cities, zip tying children. Mean spirited operations where it seems that cruelty is the point. And it\u2019s all being carried out in our name, and often in the name of religion. While some religious leaders aid and abet that claim or cosign it by their conspicuous silence, I remind them that King is right. There comes a time when silence is betrayal. My faith is not a weapon. My faith is a bridge, and I refuse to give in to those who are trying to convince us that we are at war with one another. Trumpism is a plague on the American conscience. And his ascendance to power is symptomatic of a nation that is soul weary and in the throes of a deep spiritual crisis.\n\nI did not come to this conclusion lightly. It is a conclusion I come to as a pastor who has spent decades with people in the dim places, dark places where they can barely see light, counseling people drowning in deep cynicism and loneliness in a hyperconnected society. Despair.\n\nI prayed with families in hospital waiting rooms as they make critical decisions around the care of their loved one, while also worrying how they are going to pay the bill. As a pastor and as a senator, I\u2019ve delivered aid to people who work every day but still can\u2019t pay the rent because the housing is unaffordable.\n\nThis low-grade fever didn\u2019t just appear; it has been festering for decades as the American Dream has felt further and further out of grasp. For too long, politicians in both parties have failed to center the people and the cycle of despair has led us further and further into the spiritual abyss.\n\nPart of the reason, if we are honest, we got here is that our politics has only operated in the narrowest realm of the possible. Strange thing, perhaps for someone in elected office to say, but I think that the vocabulary of our politics is too puny a language for the crisis that confronts us.\n\nWhat can get 60 votes? What can get past corporate special interests and lobbyists? What won\u2019t hurt us in the very next election? So focused on the next election that we cannot think about the next generation. In that sense, we suffer not from a poverty of resources, but a poverty of moral imagination and moral courage.\n\nAnd Americans are smart, they can sniff it out. They know it when politicians are obsessed with self-preservation. They know when folks in power are more focused on themselves than the people who sent them to Washington. That is why neither party enjoys high levels of favorability with the public.\n\nBut if we center the people, our policies will finally start to address the stress that working families are feeling under the weight of structural inequities. There\u2019s a growing chasm between how hard folks are working and the lives they\u2019re able to provide for themselves and their families. It\u2019s led to people feeling alienated from work and, in a real sense, from their purpose.\n\nI believe in work. I had a hardworking dad, hardworking mom. Jobs give people a sense of dignity and a sense of pride. People don\u2019t mind working, despite the rhetoric we hear today, particularly as it is aimed towards the working poor. People don\u2019t mind working if they can get to share in some of the prosperity that they are creating for others, because sharing in that prosperity gives their work meaning. We must find a way to awaken that sense of purpose in people by centering the dignity of work. We\u2019re facing real obstacles in that goal, largely because many corporations are raking in record profits year after year, but many workers haven\u2019t seen real wage growth in decades. Folks in Washington seem to just fight for the wealthy and well-connected as working people get dealt a bad hand time and time again.\n\nIn this very moment, the President is using all the levers of government to benefit powerful corporations and his well-connected friends. If a corporation wants a tariff exemption, patent, approval on a merger, or a federal contract, they need only to bow to the President, kiss the ring, and bend to his self-serving policies. Right now we have naked, unadulterated, unabashed corruption. They\u2019re saying the quiet part out loud, no shame at all.\n\nBut what if those levers of government\u2014those immense powers\u2014were leveraged for working families instead?\n\nWhat if, instead of bullying powerful corporations to build himself a ballroom, the President could push companies to pay their workers a living wage? For example, the President could ask corporations to share their record profits with their employees, before they reward their shareholders, in the form of a bonus or a raise.\n\nThe cashiers, the line cooks, the accountants, the machinists: Every worker adds value, and their pay should reflect that. That\u2019s not just about raising the minimum wage, which we absolutely must do. It\u2019s about respecting the dignity of work.\n\nPeople should feel pride in what they do. They should share in the success of what they create. And they should be able to afford their families\u2019 basic needs with what they get paid for their work.\n\nHowever, we cannot be successful unless we reckon with the deeply uncomfortable truth that corporate interests have too much influence over both parties. The voices of ordinary people are being squeezed out of the house of their own democracy.\n\nI knew this as an activist pastor, now as a member of the Senate, I know it more than ever. I\u2019ve seen it up close. When I first got to the Senate, one of my biggest accomplishments was allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time.\n\nI want you to think about that, the fact that we had to fight, we had to pass a law in a capitalist society to get the power to negotiate with the seller, something they\u2019re trying to sell us tells you everything you need to know about the outsized impact of corporate interest in our politics.\n\nI\u2019m glad we did it. But even as we did that, and I\u2019m proud of that work, the truth is we allow too many concessions to Big Pharma. We started with only 10 negotiated drugs in 2022 and those savings do not go into effect until 2026, four long years just to get us started. It was a lesson for me as a new senator about the ways in which corporate lobbyists have far too much influence in our politics. Too often we have the best politicians that money can buy, and this has consequences for ordinary people.\n\nI met a woman a few years ago, I think of her often. Her name is Lacy McGee. She was putting herself through grad school to become a physical therapist, and she couldn\u2019t afford her school\u2019s health insurance. Because she had no other option, she resorted to buying insulin off Facebook Marketplace and meeting strangers in dimly lit parking lots to buy the medicine she needed to live. Georgians have told me about how they\u2019ve had to get insulin from friends who had some leftover from their deceased relatives. Insulin is a 100 year old drug, the patent sold for $1. It shouldn\u2019t be expensive in the first place. It\u2019s unacceptable; it\u2019s immoral.\n\nI\u2019m proud of my work capping the cost at $35, but that struggle reveals Big Pharma, rich insurance companies have had a veto over health care policy in this country, which has resulted in a broken health care system that\u2019s dangerously unaffordable and leaves too many families deep in medical debt.\n\nWhat if instead of letting rich insurance companies kill lifesaving health care ideas like a public health insurance option, we told them to lower their prices for families or face new competition from an affordable public health care plan?\n\nAnd what if we also told Big Pharma that their days of bankrupting Americans with drugs developed with federal dollars are over?\n\nSome states are already finding ways to make lifesaving drugs affordable. Why can\u2019t the federal government do the same? People desperately need inhalers, generics for EpiPens, and cholesterol drugs, but find them too expensive to afford.\n\nImagine if we could create good-paying jobs manufacturing life-saving drugs. And that\u2019s not the only way we could put folks back to work making and building things. What if we put the awesome powers of the government towards a massive home improvement project?\n\nYou know, when families come to me as a pastor, and they\u2019ve been having a difficult time, having an argument, everybody\u2019s at each other\u2019s throats, they don\u2019t remember what the arguments are about. Believe it or not, here\u2019s my advice. I listen, and then I tell them to go to the local hardware store. Find something that needs upgrading in their home, work on the space you share together. Sometimes the cure to a good argument is some paint, plywood, and some tools where you get started on building and improving the common space that you share. While you\u2019re focused on building something, working on something rather than working on each other, maybe you can build back some trust. While you\u2019re fixing something, maybe you can fix some of the long term issues, or at least find the grace to work on them together. America needs a home improvement project.\n\nWhat if we used the power of the federal government towards building five million new homes for homeownership, which will finally make the dream of building generational wealth real for millions of Americans?\n\nIf local governments want federal money to build roads, those roads had better lead to homes. And if they won\u2019t build, the federal government has built homes before. It could put shovels in the ground again today, building and selling homes directly to Americans at a lower cost.\n\nIncreasing the housing supply does more than make monthly mortgage payments more affordable; more supply means lower rent for renters too. And it\u2019s a way for young adults to create wealth and pave a path for a prosperous life for them and their families.\n\nWe can ensure everyone feels a sense of ownership in this great American improvement project by investing in technical apprenticeships for our children, for our young people. This would do more than just solve our catastrophic housing shortage; it would make thousands of young people a part of this great American project all while building a workforce that won\u2019t soon be replaced by AI.\n\nWe can also apply the same logic to childcare, to eldercare, the things that machines can\u2019t do. I believe that public policy is a letter we write to our children about the kind of nation we want to be. And the path out of our spiritual crisis begins with renewing the covenant we have for one another, of celebrating the variegated beauty of our diverse humanity, of giving every child a chance, of fulfilling the promise that if you work hard, you fulfill the good life for yourself and your children, that a child\u2019s outcome is not based on their parents income.\n\nNone of this will be easy. Times are tough. Those who traffic in bigotry and xenophobia and division are trying to flood the zone. They\u2019re trying to weaponize despair; they are trying to wear us down. They want us to give up. We must never give up. We must never give in. Here\u2019s the thing that I know about evil. And I say this not demonizing anybody, even my political opponents, but I\u2019m talking about the moment that we are in. Evil always goes too far, therefore it contains within itself the seed of its own destruction.\n\nUltimately, truth will triumph. Love and justice will win if we faint not. Besides, who are we to give up. Every now and then when I feel like giving up, I think about my parishioner, John Lewis. When we think about the Civil Rights Movement, those victories feel inevitable when in fact they were quite improbable.\n\nJohn Lewis had no reason to think that he could win crossing that Edmund Pettus Bridge with brute force under the color of law on the other side of that bridge, but he kept on marching. By some stroke of grace mingled with human resilience and determination, he not only crossed the bridge, but built a bridge, and a kid growing up in public housing crossed that bridge into the United States Senate.\n\nI keep thinking about that kid and his kids, because the thing even mortal enemies have in common is we all want the best for our children. And the spiritual work we must do in this moment is to remind ourselves, not only in our public rhetoric, but through our public policy, that my children\u2019s success is tied to my neighbor\u2019s success.\n\nAs I close, and nobody believes a Baptist preacher when he says as I close. I\u2019m inspired by the memory of my late father. He was a preacher and a junk man. Monday through Friday, he picked up old cars and lifted them onto the back of a rig mechanism of which he built himself. I don\u2019t know how he did it without an engineering degree or degree in physics, and that\u2019s how he took care of his family. But on Sunday morning, the junk man became the preacher man, and the man who lifted broken cars during the week, lifted broken people and told him that they were somebody. My dad discovered strength in the broken places of power made perfect in weakness.\n\nI\u2019m convinced that we can lift the broken even as we climb. We can heal sick bodies. We can heal the wounds that divide us. We can heal the land. We the people can do it, but we must do it together, so don\u2019t let them wear you down. Keep the faith and keep looking up.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-finds-fema-withholding-600-million-in-disaster-relief-from-georgians/", "Warnock Finds FEMA Withholding $600 Million in Disaster Relief from Georgians", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Following the Senator\u2019s September report finding the Trump Administration was shortchanging Georgians half a billion dollars in disaster relief aid, the Senator has now found the number INCREASED to $600 million\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cAfter over a year of delays, the Trump admin has STILL not released $600 million+ in disaster funds to Georgia counties rebuilding from Hurricane Helene. There is NO excuse for this. I\u2019m calling on the admin to release these funds immediately.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after new evidence emerged showing that the Trump Administration owes $600 million in Hurricane Helene recovery aid to Georgians. In September, the Senator released a report finding that nearly $500 million in promised federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts remained unpaid. The funding, part of a disaster recovery bill championed by Senator Warnock in 2024, is meant to reimburse local communities for funds spent on recovery. Despite bipartisan Congressional support for the immediate delivery of disaster recovery funds, the distribution of aid has been stifled by bureaucratic red tape and chaos in the Trump administration.\n\n\u201cAfter over a year of delays, the Trump admin has STILL not released $600 million+ in disaster funds to Georgia counties rebuilding from Hurricane Helene,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201cThere is NO excuse for this. I\u2019m calling on the admin to release these funds immediately.\u201d\n\n\u201cI released a report exposing $500 million in delayed payments months ago. The bills are piling up and that number has only grown. They\u2019re abandoning Georgians and crippling local economies,\u201d Senator Warnock continued.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-on-the-presidents-dangerous-assault-on-aviation-safety-regulators/", "Warnock on the President\u2019s Dangerous Assault on Aviation Safety Regulators", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Unanimously confirmed Alvin Brown was illegally fired from the independent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)\n\nNTSB investigates transportation accidents, including the tragic DCA collision that killed 68 in January\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on the illegal firing of Alvin Brown, a unanimously Senate-confirmed member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Brown\u2019s replacement will be voted on today in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation despite pending litigation on the legality of Mr. Brown\u2019s firing.\n\n\u201cWe rely on our federal aviation regulators to keep millions of Georgians safe during air travel,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m deeply troubled by the illegal firing of Brown. Americans feel confident boarding flights every day in part because of the independent work of the NTSB safety investigators. The President\u2019s move to replace board members without cause undermines the board\u2019s ability to investigate transportation accidents like the DCA crash and ensure these kinds of tragedies never happen again.\u201d\n\nThe President also fired Robert Primus from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board without cause. Both men have filed lawsuits challenging their dismissals.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-cut-red-tape-fast-track-transit-projects-in-georgia/", "Warnock, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Red Tape, Fast Track Transit Projects in Georgia", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock and Lee introduced the bipartisan Streamline Transit Projects Act to speed completion of transit projects and improve the transit ridership experience\n\nThe legislation helps states address construction challenges typically associated with traffic congestion and air quality by providing greater flexibility to state agencies to shorten project timelines\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cBy delivering transit projects faster, we can continue to invest in a brighter, more connected future for all who call Georgia home\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and John Curtis (R-UT) introduced the bipartisan Streamline Transit Projects Act to speed completion of transit projects and improve the transit ridership experience. The legislation will help states address construction challenges typically associated with traffic congestion and air quality by providing greater flexibility to state agencies to shorten protect implementation timelines.\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation will give transit agencies new tools to more quickly deliver projects that meet local needs and improve the ridership experience,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cBy delivering transit projects faster, we can continue to invest in a brighter, more connected future for all who call Georgia home.\u201d\n\n\u201cUtah\u2019s transit projects will be better off without the federal government meddling in every decision and holding up construction,\u201d said Senator Mike Lee. \u201cRight now, our local officials take responsibility for environmental reviews on highway construction \u2013 but are forced to use the federal government when it comes to transit. My Streamline Transit Projects Act will give this authority back to the states to make construction timelines faster and quality better. Don\u2019t tread on our TRAX!\u201d\n\n\u201cRight now, simple transit projects can get tied up in years of red tape. Arizonans shouldn\u2019t have to wait that long for basic upgrades,\u201dsaid Senator Mark Kelly.\u201cOur bill cuts needless delays for low-impact projects by letting qualified local agencies handle routine environmental work, so commuters see the benefits sooner.\u201d\n\n\u201cUtah is growing\u2014and for good reason,\u201d said Senator John Curtis.\u201cPeople are drawn here by our strong economy, vibrant communities, and healthy environment. But with that growth comes challenges we must face head-on. The Streamline Transit Projects Act gives transit agencies the flexibility to meet local needs more efficiently. In Utah, that means we can move faster on projects that connect people, reduce traffic, and protect the environment we all treasure.\u201d\n\n\u201cMARTA appreciates Senator Warnock\u2019s leadership in co-leading this important bipartisan legislation,\u201d said Jonathan Hunt, MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO.\u201cReducing unnecessary administrative hurdles will help us accelerate project approvals and deliver high-quality transit to the metro Atlanta region more efficiently. We strongly support efforts to modernize federal processes, streamline environmental reviews, and strengthen program flexibility. These commonsense updates will help transit agencies such as MARTA move projects forward faster, expand mobility options, and enhance safety and security for the customers we serve.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has consistently pushed for expanded transit access in the state of Georgia and nationwide. Senator Warnock secured key provisions in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to update and improve a key federal transportation grant program that will help strengthen public transportation in Georgia and bolster essential efforts to expand transit in communities across the state.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-announce-over-300-million-for-georgia-broadband-expansion/", "Warnock, Ossoff Announce\u00a0Over\u00a0$300 Million for Georgia Broadband Expansion", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock and Jon Ossoff announced $300 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program\n\nThe funding will help close the digital divide in Georgia and our state closer to 100% connectivity for the first time in history\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis federal investment means life gets easier for hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and it provides the tools and infrastructure our communities need to be competitive in today\u2019s economy,\u201d\n\nSenator Ossoff: \u201cOur historic bipartisan infrastructure law continues to deliver for Georgia. This is a major next step toward ensuring every Georgia family and business has high-speed Internet\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced over $300 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The program works to expand broadband access in Georgia\u2019s unserved and underserved communities, strengthening access to affordable, high-speed internet across our state, particularly for the estimated 15% of Georgians who currently lack reliable broadband access. The funding will be distributed to various local contractors by the Georgia Technology Authority to build out the state\u2019s broadband network.\n\n\u201cThis federal investment means life gets easier for hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and it provides the tools and infrastructure our communities need to be competitive in today\u2019s economy,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cYou need a broadband connection to do just about anything, you can\u2019t even farm without a broadband connection. That is why I am glad to see Georgia finally get the federal funding it needs to close the digital divide despite unnecessary delays and disruptions from the current administration. I will continue to push this administration to release all federal resources available to get Georgians online quickly and efficiently.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur historic bipartisan infrastructure law continues to deliver for Georgia. This is a major next step toward ensuring every Georgia family and business has high-speed Internet,\u201d said Senator Ossoff.\n\nSenator Warnock is a champion for strengthening broadband access for Georgians across the state. In 2024, Senator Warnock visited the Georgia-based optical fiber manufacturer OFS Fitel with former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. He also led an effort urging the FCC to expand the E-Rate program, which would allow schools and libraries to provide Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators. Additionally, in 2022 the Senator hosted former FCC Chair Rosenworcel in Jackson County. Senator Warnock has also worked with Senator Luj\u00e1n to urge the FCC to prevent digital discrimination by facilitating equal access to broadband internet through its rulemaking process. In June 2023, Senators Warnock and Ossoff announced $1.3 billion in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. In May 2025, the senators demanded the Trump Administration release funding for states under the BEAD program.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-capito-lead-bipartisan-drive-safer-sunday-resolution-ahead-of-thanksgiving-holiday/", "Warnock, Capito Lead Bipartisan Drive Safer Sunday Resolution Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock and Capito are introducing the bipartisan Drive Safer Sunday resolution ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest and most dangerous driving weekends of the year\n\nThe resolution urges Americans traveling on roads and highways this Thanksgiving holiday to drive safer to reduce death and injury that can result from motor vehicle crashes\n\nNearly 82 million Americans are projected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, making Thanksgiving the single busiest holiday for travel\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWe know safer streets require each of us to play our part, so I implore Georgians and all Americans to exercise caution amid the busy holiday season\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) led the introduction of the bipartisan Drive Safer Sunday resolution to encourage Americans nationwide to exercise greater caution in their holiday travels. Nearly 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period, making it the single busiest holiday for travel in the U.S.\n\n\u201cDriving with patience and focus is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and the people you care about,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cWe know safer streets require each of us to play our part, so I implore Georgians and all Americans to exercise caution amid the busy holiday season.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith so many Americans on the road to visit loved ones, the Sunday after Thanksgiving consistently ranks as one of the busiest travel days of the year,\u201d said Senator Capito. \u201cI\u2019m proud to help reintroduce the Drive Safer Sunday resolution, which encourages everyone to exercise greater caution so they can return home safely.\u201d\n\nThe Drive Safer Sunday resolution encourages all Americans to exercise greater caution in their holiday travels during a period of historically increased traffic incidents and fatalities. This year\u2019s domestic travel forecast includes an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, setting a new overall record. The resolution introduced by the Senators also designates the Sunday after Thanksgiving as \u201cDrive Safer Sunday.\u201d\n\nFirst introduced in 2005, The Drive Safer Sunday resolution has historically been a bipartisan effort led by one of Georgia\u2019s U.S. Senators. The effort was started by Steve and Susan Owings, board members of the Institute for Safer Trucking from Atlanta, whose son Cullum was tragically killed in a truck crash after returning to college from their family Thanksgiving in 2002. Since Cullum\u2019s passing, Steve and Susan Owings have advocated for safer trucking and have worked with Georgia\u2019s Congressional delegation to introduce this resolution.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/its-past-time-that-we-had-serious-questions-about-affordability-warnock-highlights-severe-price-increases-awaiting-georgians-in-finance-committee-exchange/", "\u201cIt\u2019s Past Time That We Had Serious Questions About Affordability\u201d: Warnock Highlights Severe Price Increases Awaiting Georgians in Finance Committee Exchange", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In Wednesday\u2019s Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Urban Institute senior fellow Jason Levitis on the impact that expiring Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits will have on Georgians who purchase their care through GeorgiaAccess.gov\n\nGeorgians who get their health plans on GeorgiaAccess.gov could see health care premiums more than double for 2026 due to cuts allowed in Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill\n\n1.2 million Georgians are at risk of losing coverage due to the Republican legislation\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cIf we fail to act now, America\u2019s two-tier health system will get even worse\u201d\n\nWatch Senator Reverend Warnock at Wednesday\u2019s Finance Committee hearing HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) highlighted the consequences that the elimination of zero-dollar premiums will have on Georgia and other non-expansion states across the country in an exchange with Urban Institute senior fellow Jason Levitis during a Senate Finance Committee hearing. Thanks to Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill, Georgians\u2019health care premiums have more than doubled for 2026 on average. The increased cost of health care for Georgians who purchase their care through GeorgiaAccess.gov will likely make it more difficult for hundreds of thousands of Georgians across the state to make ends meet.\n\n\u201cIf we fail to act now, America\u2019s two-tier health system will get even worse,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cIn some states, you can work a full-time job\u2014again, for folks who like to talk about the importance of work\u2014I believe in the dignity of work. You can work a full-time job, have full coverage plans with zero monthly premiums. In other states [that haven\u2019t expanded Medicaid], you will be stuck with a $600 bill, or more, making $20,000 a year. All because of where you live. And Congress is about to make it worse.\u201d\n\nDue to health care cuts allowed in President Trump and Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law in July, ACA health insurance premium tax credits will expire at the end of the year unless extended by Congress. Georgia is one of the states that will be most harmed by these cuts, with more than 1.2 million Georgians at risk of losing coverage. Expiring health care tax credits will increase insurance premiums for ACA Marketplace customers across the country, and millions are expected to drop their ACA insurance because of higher premiums. Since Georgia is a non-expansion state, many low-income enrollees who would have otherwise qualified for no-cost Medicaid plans have been able to benefit from no-cost coverage from the ACA. Due to President Trump and Washington Republicans\u2019 OBBB, those Americans are about to be saddled with catastrophic health care increases.\n\nAccording to George Washington University, Georgia is projected to lose more than 33,000 jobs in 2026 if Congress does not extend health care premium tax credits for Georgians who purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The economic impact of national health care losses is projected to be roughly $32 billion.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-exempt-trafficking-survivors-restitution-from-federal-taxes/", "Warnock, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Exempt Trafficking Survivors\u2019 Restitution from Federal Taxes", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock is joining a bipartisan group of his Senate Colleagues to introduce the Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act\n\nThis legislation would prevent the civil damages, restitutions, and other monetary awards of human trafficking victims from being federally taxed\n\nIn 2021, 60% of Georgia\u2019s human trafficking victims were forced to pay restitution, which is above the national average\n\nThe Federal Bureau of Investigation has ranked Atlanta as one of the top 14 cities in America for human trafficking\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cI am proud to join this legislation to ease the lifelong financial burdens that so many of these victims face\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) today introduced the Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act, which would exempt civil damages, restitution, and other monetary awards given to human trafficking survivors from federal income taxes. It would also codify current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance that makes restitution payments made to survivors in criminal cases free from federal income taxes. In addition to Senator Warnock, Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and James Lankford (R-OK) and U.S. Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX-R-19) and Brad Schneider (IL-D-10) also co-lead the introduction.\n\n\u201cHuman trafficking is one of the most horrendous and inhumane things we continue to face in modern society,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI am proud to join this legislation to ease the lifelong financial burdens that so many of these victims face. Although money cannot undo the harms they\u2019ve suffered, it can usher in new opportunities for victims of these heinous crimes.\u201d\n\n\u201cTexans who have been exploited, coerced, or forced into involuntary sexual acts or labor should not have to pay taxes on the payments awarded to them after enduring such a horrific crime,\u201d said Senator Cornyn. \u201cProviding these survivors with tax-relief is one small step we can take to alleviate some of the burden on their journey to healing.\u201d\n\nUnder the Internal Revenue Code, civil damages awarded to human trafficking victims are considered taxable income. This legislation would exempt civil damages from federal income taxes, allowing survivors to file their taxes without worrying of penalties or fees for not reporting awarded damages as income. It also would provide parity between criminal restitution, which is tax-exempt through IRS Notice 2012-12, and civil damages, which are not. Often, human trafficking survivors\u2019 only recourse to pursue justice against traffickers is through civil litigation. Finally, the bill codifies IRS Notice 2012-12, ensuring that restitution payments made in criminal cases remain tax-free.\n\nThe Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act is endorsed by the Freedom Network USA and Rights4Girls.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-lujan-merkley-lead-colleagues-in-demanding-answers-on-unlawful-head-start-funding-delays-worsened-by-shutdown/", "Warnock, Luj\u00e1n, Merkley Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers on Unlawful Head Start Funding Delays Worsened by Shutdown", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Trump Administration illegally withheld Head Start funds\n\nSenators Reverend Warnock and Luj\u00e1n are the only two Head Start alumni to serve in the U.S. Senate\n\nSenator Warnock continues to fight for Head Start and other federal education grant programs\n\nWarnock, Lawmakers: \u201cWe strongly urge HHS to take immediate steps to ensure Head Start funds were delivered promptly and equitably to serve the children and families who depended on them, especially as the government shutdown and limited funding threatened to disrupt services for the 134 grantees whose programs are November 1st grant recipients\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ben Jay Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led 19 Senate colleagues in a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding answers regarding delays in disbursing Head Start funds, which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found violated federal law.\n\nIn the letter, the senators highlight how these delays, worsened by the government shutdown, forced programs to reduce services, temporarily close classrooms, lay off staff, and left thousands of children and families without critical early learning and family support. Further, the senators call for immediate clarification on authorization of the delays, legal rationale, and measures to prevent recurrence, as well as assurances that Head Start programs can continue providing inclusive services for children with disabilities.\n\n\u201cWhen funds are delayed, many Head Start programs must plan for a disruption in services by notifying staff and families of a possible closure. In extreme cases, Head Start programs have had to close due to funding delays and lack of communication by the Administration. These issues were compounded by the government shutdown, which created an additional and immediate crisis for Head Start programs,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n\u201cWe are particularly alarmed that there have been no assurances by HHS that funding delays for this critical program have been resolved, especially as Head Start programs continue to face issues drawing down their funding which puts the livelihoods of their employees and families served at risk,\u201d continued the senators.\n\n\u201cWe strongly urge HHS to take immediate steps to ensure Head Start funds were delivered promptly and equitably to serve the children and families who depended on them, especially as the government shutdown and limited funding threatened to disrupt services for the 134 grantees whose programs are November 1st grant recipients. These programs, their staff, and the families they serve cannot afford further uncertainty or delay,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warnock, Luj\u00e1n, and Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).\n\nEarlier this year, Senators Warnock, Luj\u00e1n, and Merkley joined Senator Kaine in expressing concerns about the threats to Head Start programs across the country as a result of the Office of Management and Budget\u2019s (OMB) memo that imposed a government-wide funding freeze.\n\nAs a Head Start alum, Senator Warnock has been a strong advocate for the program, introducing the bipartisan HEADWAY Act in July, which would address staffing shortages in the child care workforce by allowing Early Head Start classroom teachers to teach and earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential simultaneously. In 2023, he returned to his hometown of Savannah, Georgia, to tour Early Head Start classrooms at the Economic Opportunity Authority (EOA) for Savannah-Chatham County and hear from local early learning leaders about the workforce shortages impacting this critical early education program serving low-income families and their children.\n\nRead the full letter HERE or below:\n\nDear Secretary Kennedy and Director Vought,\n\nWe write to express deep concern regarding the Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 (HHS) and the Office of Management and Budget\u2019s (OMB) delay in disbursing funds appropriated by Congress for the Head Start Program during the period of January 20, 2025, to April 15, 2025. According to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), HHS withheld disbursement funds appropriated for Head Start grant funds during the period, compared to the same timeframe in Fiscal Year 2024, without providing a legally sufficient justification or explanation in violation of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA). Furthermore, we understand that Head Start grant recipients continue to experience delays in receiving Notices of Award and drawing down funds that have already been awarded to them.\n\nWhen funds are delayed, many Head Start programs must plan for a disruption in services by notifying staff and families of a possible closure. In extreme cases, Head Start programs have had to close due to funding delays and lack of communication by the Administration. These issues were compounded by the government shutdown, which created an additional and immediate crisis for Head Start programs. The lapse in federal appropriations left many grantees uncertain about how they will keep their programs operating, forcing them to scale back services and staff, temporarily close classrooms, and leaving children and families without childcare. The shutdown placed enormous pressure on programs that were already struggling to recover from delayed disbursements earlier this year, risking the stability of Head Start centers and the continuity of care for the children they serve.\n\nWe are particularly concerned about the 140 Head Start grantees serving nearly 65,000 children in over 40 states, who were expecting a federal grant renewal in October and November. As of November 5th, Head Start programs in 17 states and Puerto Rico have had to close their doors, leaving over 9,000 children and families without Head Start\u2019s comprehensive services. Without their next grant awards, more programs will face the imminent risk of closure, staff layoffs, and service interruptions\u2014impacting critical early learning and family support services for thousands of children nationwide.\n\nAdditionally, we are deeply concerned that some Head Start programs might have been forced to pay operational costs out-of-pocket, take out loans, or open private lines of credit during the shutdown to keep their doors open to children and families. These programs operate on tight budgets with little to no reserve funds. We strongly urge HHS to ensure that impacted Head Start grants are backdated to ensure programs can be reimbursed once funding is restored. No Head Start grantee should bear the financial burden of lapse appropriations or delayed federal disbursement.\n\nAs you are aware, the ICA prohibits executive branch officials from withholding or delaying the obligation of appropriated funds unless specific, limited statutory conditions are met.3 GAO has concluded that the Department violated the ICA by failing to disburse Head Start funds promptly, and notes that HHS has not provided GAO with the factual or legal rationale behind the delays. Furthermore, the Head Start Act provides clear statutory protections for grant recipients, including the requirement that financial assistance cannot be suspended unless there are emergency situations, and the affected grant recipients must be given notice and an opportunity to respond.\n\nCongress has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that funds it appropriates in law are executed faithfully without undue interference by the executive branch. The delays in disbursement to Head Start caused harmful consequences for vulnerable children and families who depend on services and raised serious concerns about HHS\u2019s compliance with statutory mandates and its regard for Congressional authority over federal spending. Many Head Start programs have had to issue layoff notices to staff as a result of delayed funds and notify families of a potential closure. When staff experience job insecurity, retention becomes a problem, leading to closed classrooms and fewer children being served. This uncertainty erodes trust with staff and families that Head Start programs have spent years building and threatens their ability to effectively staff and enroll their programs going forward.\n\nWe are particularly alarmed that there have been no assurances by HHS that funding delays for this critical program have been resolved, especially as Head Start programs continue to face issues drawing down their funding, which puts the livelihoods of their employees and families served at risk. Additionally, the Senate will soon be voting on key HHS nominations, including the nominees for General Counsel, Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources, and Assistant Secretary for Family Support. When asked during the confirmation process, none of these nominees would commit to working to prevent future delays.\n\nTo that end, we request your immediate response to the following:\n\nWho specifically within OMB authorized or approved the withholding or delay of Head Start disbursements during this period?\n\nDid OMB issue an apportionment that delayed HHS in awarding Head Start funds in a timely manner?\n\nWhat was the rationale for withholding disbursement rates under the ICA? What was the legal basis for the withholding of funds?\n\nGiven that the Head Start funds were finally released, what measures are in place to ensure future compliance with the ICA, and how does the Administration plan to prevent a recurrence of this unlawful conduct?\n\nCan HHS provide assurances that all future grants will be made on time, no later than the first of the month following the end of the previous performance period?\n\nHead Start provides critical services for children with disabilities, and the Head Start Act requires Head Start agencies to provide appropriate and inclusive services. Yet, Head Start programs report that they have been told by HHS officials that they cannot use funds to train staff on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 5 How will HHS ensure that Head Start programs continue to support children with disabilities and are not penalized for training staff and supporting inclusive settings?\n\nHead Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support. We strongly urge HHS to take immediate steps to ensure Head Start funds are delivered promptly and equitably to serve the children and families who depend on them, especially as the government shutdown and limited funding threaten to disrupt services for the 134 grantees whose programs are November 1st grant recipients. These programs, their staff, and the families they serve cannot afford further uncertainty or delay.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-defines-americas-spiritual-crisis-at-georgetown-universitys-center-on-faith-and-justice/", "Warnock Defines America\u2019s Spiritual Crisis at Georgetown University\u2019s Center on Faith and Justice", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock joined students and faculty of Georgetown University\u2019s Center on Faith and Justice, delivering a speech defining America\u2019s \u201cspiritual crisis\u201d\n\nFollowing his remarks, Senator Warnock took questions from the audience and urged the students not to give in to despair and fight to help fix a broken political system\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis is spiritual work. It is about restoring the covenant that we share with one another\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) delivered a speech at Georgetown University\u2019s Center on Faith and Justice, defining what he describes as America\u2019s spiritual crisis. The Senator made the case that decades of economic distress and a broken political system have created a spiritual crisis in our country. He argued that addressing economic needs is \u201choly work.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is spiritual work. It is about restoring the covenant that we share with one another,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nDuring his remarks, Senator Warnock addressed the continuing fight around affordable health care, the recent government funding resolution, the GOP tax bill from earlier in the year, and much more. Senator Warnock likened the economic distress of the past few decades to a \u201clow-grade fever\u201d. Arguing that failure by Washington to address these problems amount to a rupture in the creed that we share.\n\n\u201cDecades of this low grade fever left untreated has brought us to where we are today: A nation in crisis, a nation that has become disconnected from the values that make us who we are, a nation where we no longer see our neighbors as crucial to our own success, but as competitors in a competition for scarce resources, these deficits in a wealthy nation\u2026speak to a spiritual deficit that at its core is a lapse in the covenant that we have with one another,\u201d Senator Warnock explained.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re not only looking at a United States Senator. You\u2019re not just looking at the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, but you\u2019re looking at someone whose life is a testament to the transformative power of us leaning into we, the people,\u201d Senator Warnock concluded. \u201cI\u2019m a product of us keeping faith with the covenant that we have with one another. I know that all of our children can succeed if we give them a chance.\u201d\n\nThe speech is available to listen to HERE.\n\nSee below a transcript of Senator Warnock\u2019s remarks:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s always to be good to be with my friend, the Reverend Jim Wallace, a man who exemplifies faith in action, who moves from one position to the next, but he\u2019s always on the same assignment, the embodiment of God\u2019s love and God\u2019s justice in the world. Give the Reverend Jim Wallace a round of applause.\n\nI\u2019m always a little nervous when I\u2019m around Jim, because he always finds a way to make sure we\u2019re getting into some good trouble, and if you stick too close to him, you might get arrested. But always for always, for a good reason.\n\nBack this summer, when folks were working to pass the Big Ugly Bill Jim Wallace, brought a multi faith coalition to the steps of the Capitol so that we could speak with one voice in all of our various faith traditions, that we could say together that the acid test of your faith is the depth of your commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family in various ways. All of our great faith traditions have some version of what we in the Christian tradition call the Golden Rule, \u2018do unto others as you would have them do unto you\u2019. It\u2019s in Jewish tradition. It\u2019s in Hindu tradition. It\u2019s in Islamic tradition. All of the great faith traditions say that in some way.\n\nAnd so I was proud to stand with Reverend Wallace and many others to say to this administration, as they are trying to do more to fire thousands of dedicated federal workers, that we will not be silent as they are trying to do more than kick working people off SNAP and Medicaid, they\u2019re doing that to be sure, thousands of federal workers. When we talk about federal workers, we really are talking about the covenant we have with one another as an American people. The Federal Government is not some third person, some entity out there somewhere. First words of our Constitution are the Creed, the American creed, \u2018We the People\u2019. And these are the ways in which we organize ourselves to do the things for each other that we cannot do alone. And so they are attacking federal workers.\n\nThis business of pulling the people who are SNAP recipients in the recent fight around the government shutdown is the kind of cruelty for which I cannot find adequate words. We were in a fight to be sure. I\u2019m not asking you to take a position on who\u2019s right, Democrats or Republicans. Obviously, I\u2019m in a party, but I was a pastor a long time before I was in a party, and I know cruelty when I see it. And there was no reason to drag the SNAP recipients into this fight.\n\nThey were to be the beneficiaries of a contingency fund, and the administration decided we wouldn\u2019t use the contingency fund, because we would be better off politically to use poor people as pawns in a political fight. And now that the shutdown is over, we heard the Secretary of Agriculture, out of which we get SNAP, say this weekend that maybe we ought to ask everybody to reapply. What is with this making pawns and play things out of poor people?\n\nAnd I want you to think about that, because in a real sense, I think it bespeaks a deep kind of spiritual crisis in our nation, which we\u2019re seeing come to a head in these moments. But if we\u2019re honest, it did not begin with this administration there.\n\nThere is no sugar coating it. These are dark days. These are tough times. And I think maybe a strange thing for someone in elected office to say, but I think that the puny language and vocabulary of partisan politics is not adequate to the task. What ails us is deeper than that, even as we engage in the process, America is struggling with a spiritual crisis. There is a deep sense in this country in which we all realize that something is not right. People on the Left and people on the Right see that. We all know that there is something that\u2019s not quite right.\n\nHave you ever awakened in the morning and you just felt, didn\u2019t feel too good, anybody? That\u2019s what we do in the Baptist Church, talk back to me. Just wake up. You don\u2019t, you don\u2019t feel that good. And you can\u2019t quite put your finger on it, you know, it\u2019s the symptoms are not all that obvious. You just kind of \u2026 , and then you later discover, after stumbling around a bit, that you have a low-grade fever. And so it\u2019s a bit nondescript. You just kind of don\u2019t feel great.\n\nThat\u2019s how I talk about a country these days. I think America has a low-grade fever, and we\u2019ve had that for a long time, over the last decade or so. In fact, if we\u2019re honest, it\u2019s a fever that has transcended Democratic and Republican administrations, and that fever is caused, I believe, by a broken political system, a rupture in the creed that we share as an American people, first three words of the Constitution, \u2018We the People\u2019, the system that has failed to put the needs of the people first.\n\nOver the last 50 years, wages have been stagnant for many, and the price of everything from health care to housing to education has become more expensive. People are working harder and harder and seeing less and less for the work that they\u2019re putting in. And young people are wondering if they\u2019ll ever be able to afford a home. Older people are wondering if they\u2019ll ever be able to retire with dignity. Workers are seeing themselves create wealth for others, yet after creating all of that wealth for others that they can clearly see on the NASDAQ that wealth is not trickling down, and they can barely get by.\n\nDecades of this low-grade fever, stagnant wages for ordinary people, the inability to grasp the American dream, basic human dignity. And then on top of that, 20 years of what felt like an endless war, and then a pandemic that killed a million Americans, that\u2019s a lot of empty seats around the kitchen table. And I think because we\u2019ve had to go through it and keep moving, we have not then taken stock of really what\u2019s happened to us. But to put it in perspective, and I\u2019m trying to remember when most of you all were born, but in 2001, what happened on 9/11 was a sacking of the American conscience. And our sense of ourselves, we lost 4000 people, this pandemic, a million people, on top of all of this increasing wealth inequality.\n\nAnd so decades of this low grade fever left untreated has brought us to where we are today, a nation in crisis, a nation that has become disconnected from the values that make us who we are, a nation where we no longer see our neighbors as crucial to our own success, but as competitors in a competition for scarce resources, these deficits in a wealthy nation and on a plentiful planet speak to a spiritual deficit that at its core is a lap lapse in the covenant that we have one another. In other words, people feel out of control of their lives. They\u2019re lonely, they feel helpless, they feel broken. And here\u2019s the thing, politicians have been channeling that anger instead of trying to heal us into short term political gain.\n\nIf people cannot believe in the promise of opportunity, they choose then to put their faith in strong men who say the country\u2019s in a mess because they rightly see the vulnerability that people feel. But then after that diagnosis, the strong man says, I\u2019m the only one who can fix it.\n\nThe preacher, who happens to be a senator, has to ask himself, where was God Almighty? What was God Almighty in heaven thinking when he heard this mere mortal say, I\u2019m the only one who can fix it.\n\nSo this channeling of anger for short-term partisan purposes of what we\u2019re dealing with now, so it\u2019s why we are caught up in the throes of the politics of rage, anger, division and fear. It\u2019s why we see immigration raised near schools and churches, all of that work is doing something other than the obvious. It\u2019s why we see armed and masked officers and members of the military inciting fear in American cities. It\u2019s why you see uniform folks landing in Black Hawk helicopters, rappelling down buildings in the middle of an American city. Think about the imagery and the iconography \u2013 somebody is trying to convince us that we are at war with one another, and then that creates the context in which you can then move well from the bottom to the top, socialism for the rich. Robin Hood in reverse.\n\n15 million Americans lost their health care was called waste, fraud and abuse. What are you saying about those Americans? 22 million Americans will see their healthcare premiums double on average, waste, fraud and abuse. What are you saying about those people? They\u2019re trying to convince us that we are at war with one another. In fact, the President stood before our generals and spoke in no uncertain terms about what enemy within. Be afraid of politicians who tell you to be afraid of one another.\n\nAnd so the President\u2019s ascendance, to me, is symptomatic of a nation that is broken and in the throes of a spiritual crisis. We have to ask, what kind of country gives birth to that, and says yes to that a couple of times. And so in this way, creating the economic conditions for human thriving, I believe, is part of the spiritual work that we must do. It is holy work. It is why I am engaged in politics. If you\u2019re wondering, how is it that a pastor is engaged in something as messy as politics? It\u2019s because I believe in the incarnation. It is the manger in the messiness of human experience. And every now and then, I get to do something amazing, like cap the cost of insulin for seniors to know more than $35 of a pocket cost, that changes somebody\u2019s life. This is spiritual work. It is about restoring the covenant that we share with one another.\n\nAnd so as I close, and nobody believes a Baptist preacher when he says, \u2018As I close,\u2019 you\u2019re not only looking at a United States Senator. You\u2019re not just looking at the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, but you\u2019re looking at someone whose life is a testament to the transformative power of us leaning into we, the people. I know what good, good public policy can do. Long before I had a PhD or Senate seat or pulpit made famous by Martin Luther King, Jr, I was a head start kid. Somebody gave preschool-age kid a chance by stirring in me a love for learning and dealing with the word gap that poor kids often suffer from, that aided and abetted by parents who were poor but they had good sense. They bought me a set of World Book, encyclopedias. I think we only ones in the projects that had a whole volume of World Book \u2026 And Pell grants and low interest student loans enabled me to make my way through Morehouse College. I just wanted to go to the school that Dr King attended. I\u2019m a product of us keeping faith with the covenant that we have with one another, and I know that all of our children can succeed if we give them a chance.\n\nAnd so in closing, here\u2019s what political opponents, opponents all have in common here. Here\u2019s what mortal enemies have in common. We all love our children. We love our children. Part of the spiritual work that we have to do through public policy is enable each other to look into the eyes of other people\u2019s children and see our own. We\u2019re tired of the single garment of destiny caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality. Dr. King said, Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.\n\nI\u2019m a Matthew 25 Christian. I was hungry and you fed me. I was sick. I was in prison. You visited me. I was a stranger. You attended to me. You welcomed me. When were you hungry? When were you naked? When were you sick? Basic spiritual needs that the Savior sent us, he said, in as much as you\u2019ve done it to the least of these, you\u2019ve done it also unto me, I hope to be among those voices summoning to all of us to that higher calling.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-rounds-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-support-military-families-during-required-relocations/", "Warnock, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Military Families During Required Relocations", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock is introducing the Assuring Navigation of Compact Help for Ongoing Relocation (ANCHOR) for Military Families Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure military families receive clear information about relocation resources when they receive orders to relocate\n\nThese include school enrollment procedures, housing assistance, spouse employment support, and special education services\n\nMilitary families move every two to three years through the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process; the average military child changes schools six to nine times between kindergarten and high school\n\nThere are approximately 24,000 servicemembers with children living in Georgia\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will equip Georgia military families with the information and resources needed to make their required relocations as seamless as possible\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced bipartisan legislation to directly support military families when they are ordered to relocate to a new base. The Assuring Navigation of Compact Help for Ongoing Relocation (ANCHOR) for Military Families Act (or ANCHOR for Military Families Act) would require the Department of Defense (DOD) to give military families clear, timely information about relocation resources when they receive orders to relocate. Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and is being led by Congresswoman Emily Randall (D-WA-06) and Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-01). The legislation is also supported by several organizations, including Blue Star Families, Partners in Promise, Association of Secondary School Principals, and Secure Families Initiatives.\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation will equip Georgia military families with the information and resources needed to make their required relocations as seamless as possible,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our policies. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops and their families.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur men and women in uniform make enormous sacrifices in service to our nation, including regular moves across the country and around the world to answer the call of duty,\u201d said Senator Rounds. \u201cWe need to make these transitions between duty stations as easy as possible for our troops, many of them being young men and women with young children. Our legislation would require the Department of Defense to provide information on and access to these services in a proactive and organized manner to make sure they are aware of all of the benefits they have earned.\u201d\n\nMilitary families move every two to three years through the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process and the average military child changes schools six to nine times between kindergarten and high school. Military families can face challenges when relocating across state lines, including school enrollment, credit transfers, and access to special education services. In a recent survey, approximately 76% of active-duty military families with children faced problems with their kids changing schools during a required move. 47% faced problems accessing special medical and/or educational services for their child. A military-connected student with existing individualized educational support faces an average delay of special education services of nearly six months following a move. In addition, about 29% of servicemembers cite the impact of military life on their children\u2019s education as a primary reason for considering separation from service.\n\nBy requiring the DOD to give military families clear and timely information, the ANCHOR for Military Families Act would alleviate the burden put on servicemembers to find and utilize the information and resources needed for seamless transitions when required to relocate. Specifically, the legislation would:\n\nGive families relocation information in advance. The bill would require DOD to provide servicemembers and their families guidance at least 45 days before a required move, allowing time to plan for schools, housing, and other aspects of relocation.\n\nEnsure children\u2019s education is supported during a move. The bill would require DOD to provide clear instructions on enrolling children in new schools, transferring credits, and maintaining academic continuity.\n\nProvide guidance for children with special education needs. The bill would require DOD to provide families with information and resources connecting with the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), which provides educational and support services for children with special education needs.\n\nInform families about housing and relocation options. The bill would require DOD to ensure families have information about on-base housing, rental protections, and resources for off-base relocation.\n\nSupport spouses and family financial planning. The bill would require DOD to provide guidance on spouse employment programs, financial planning, and community integration resources to help families adjust.\n\nProvide access to health, counseling, and legal resources. The bill would require DOD to provide information on mental health services, legal assistance, and financial counseling available during relocation.\n\nDeliver information in multiple, accessible ways. The bill would require DOD to provide guidance through in-person briefings, printed handouts, and online resources and develop a communication strategy to increase awareness of relocation resources.\n\nTrack implementation and family satisfaction. The bill would require DOD to report annually to Congress for three years on implementation and how satisfied families are with the resources provided.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/listen-warnock-discusses-dual-role-of-pastor-in-the-senate-on-nprs-humankind/", "LISTEN:\u00a0Warnock Discusses Dual Role of Pastor in the Senate On NPR\u2019s Humankind", "2025-11-17", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock sat down with long-time NPR radio host David Freudberg to talk about the current political discourse and rhetoric on NPR\u2019s Humankind podcast\n\nDuring the conversation, Senator Warnock discussed how faith and service are intertwined in his work serving as the first Black Senator from Georgia\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cOrdinary people can change the world, can be a force in human history\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) sat down with David Freudberg, host of NPR\u2019s Humankind podcast. During the conversation, the two discussed the role of Senator Warnock\u2019s faith and some of his mentors have played in his work serving as the first Black Senator from Georgia.\n\n\u201cOrdinary people can change the world, can be a force in human history, and it is a reminder, when in moments like these, I\u2019m reminded that evil always goes too far, and therefore it contains within itself the seed of its own destruction. We just have to help it, and so I\u2019m going to keep pushing, and I\u2019m going to keep the faith,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nThe two also talked about the alarming rise in violent political speech and rhetoric.\n\n\u201cYou know, the wonderful thing about a democracy is that we have noisy arguments, rambunctious arguments, and we have to remind ourselves that the reason we have those noisy arguments is to avoid violence. We shouldn\u2019t have the arguments in order to encourage violence, but we have those arguments instead of war, instead of violence. It\u2019s something that I take very seriously,\u201d the Senator continued.\n\nThe episode is available to listen to HERE on NPR.\n\nSee below transcripts of key excerpts from the interview:\n\nSenator Warnock on the role faith plays in the political discourse:\n\n(DF): \u201cWhere does God\u2019s power enter into the picture?\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cOh, it\u2019s always in the midst of the struggle. If you want to see God, it\u2019s in the story of Jesus, born in Bethlehem, raised in a forgotten place called Nazareth. It\u2019s always in the faces of the poor and in the faces of ordinary people who are struggling.\u201d\n\n(DF): \u201cAnd does that empower the struggle?\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cYes, it certainly does. I think it is the recognition that ordinary people can change the world, can be a force in human history, and it is a reminder, when in moments like these, I\u2019m reminded that evil always goes too far, and therefore it contains within itself the seed of its own destruction. We just have to help it, and so I\u2019m going to keep pushing, and I\u2019m going to keep the faith,\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock on the rise in violent speech and rhetoric:\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cYou know, the wonderful thing about a democracy is that we have noisy arguments, rambunctious arguments, and we have to remind ourselves that the reason we have those noisy arguments is to avoid violence. We shouldn\u2019t have the arguments in order to encourage violence, but we have those arguments instead of war, instead of violence. It\u2019s something that I take very seriously.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock on the legacy of Congressman John Lewis:\n\n(SRW): \u201cOn the night before the funeral, I asked myself, \u2018What was John Lewis thinking about when he crossed that Edmund Pettus Bridge?\u2019 He and Hosea Williams, you\u2019ve seen it as a classic tape, wearing nothing but a trench coat and a backpack on his back. \u2018What were they thinking?\u2019 Brute force on the other side of that bridge, police officers with billy clubs, cattle prod. They were outgunned. They were outmanned, they were outfinanced, and yet they kept walking across that bridge. What was John Lewis thinking? I asked myself the night before his funeral, was he thinking that one day he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom? Of course not, if you ever knew John Lewis, he wasn\u2019t vain enough to think that. Was he thinking that one day he would be hailed as an American hero, and that at his funeral three American presidents on both sides of the aisle would attend?\u201d\n\n\u201cI think John Lewis was just trying to stay alive that day so he could live to fight the next day.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-marshall-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-celebrating-first-generation-college-students/", "Warnock, Marshall Introduce Bipartisan\u00a0Resolution Celebrating First-Generation College Students", "2025-11-14", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "November 8, 2025 is now designated as \u201cNational First-Generation College Celebration Day\u201d\n\nSenators Reverend Warnock and Marshall were both first-generation college students\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cAs the first in my family to graduate from college, I understand the importance of a college degree for students, their family, and oftentimes, their entire community\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating November 8, 2025, as \u201cNational First-Generation College Celebration Day.\u201d November 8th is the anniversary of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 becoming law. The HEA made landmark investments in increasing college access for first-generation college students, notably by expanding federal financial aid.\n\n\u201cAs the first in my family to graduate from college, I understand the importance of a college degree for students, their family, and oftentimes, their entire community. It is a major accomplishment that deserves recognition,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThat is why I am so proud to lead this bipartisan resolution that celebrates first-generation college graduates on November 8th.\u201d\n\n\u201cBeing a first-generation college student taught me that America offers incredible opportunities, but it takes grit and determination to seize them,\u201d said Senator Marshall. \u201cNational First-Generation College Celebration Day allows us to celebrate the first-generation students who are blazing new trails, embracing big dreams, and proving what\u2019s possible. Their journeys remind us why expanding access, support, and pathways to education remains so important. It\u2019s great to be partnering with Senator Warnock on this resolution.\u201d\n\nThe resolution recognizes the important role that first-generation college students play in helping develop the nation\u2019s future workforces. The resolution also celebrates the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the programs that have helped underrepresented students access higher education.\n\nSenator Warnock has long worked to increase access to higher education for all Americans and has continuously fought to make college more affordable. In June 2024, Senator Warnock introduced the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act, a bill that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, and automatically adjust Pell Grants for inflation. Additionally, Senator Warnock has repeatedly advocated for federal action to address the student debt crisis impacting millions of Americans and has celebrated the roughly $175 billion in student debt relief for nearly 5 million borrowers.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warnock and Marshall, the resolution was co-sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Barrasso (R-WY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Susan Collins (R-Maine).\n\nRead the full resolution HERE or below:\n\nRESOLUTION\n\nExpressing support for the designation of November 8, 2025, as \u2018\u2018National First-Generation College Celebration Day.\u201d\n\nWhereas a \u2018\u2018first-generation college student\u2019\u2019 means an individual whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree, or in the case of any individual who regularly resided with and received support from only 1 parent, an individual whose parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree;\n\nWhereas November 8 honors the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) by President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 8, 1965;\n\nWhereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 was focused on increasing postsecondary education access and success for students, particularly low-income and first-generation college students;\n\nWhereas the Higher Education Act of 1965 helped usher in programs necessary for low-income, first-generation college students to access, remain in, and complete postsecondary education, including the Federal TRIO programs under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a\u201311 et seq.) and the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.1070a);\n\nWhereas the Federal TRIO programs are the primary national effort supporting underrepresented students in postsecondary education and are designed to identify individuals from low-income backgrounds that would be first-generation college students and prepare them for postsecondary education, provide them support services, and motivate and prepare them for doctoral programs;\n\nWhereas the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) is the primary Federal investment in financial aid for low-income college students and is used by students at institutions of higher education of their choice;\n\nWhereas first-generation college students may face additional academic, financial, and social challenges that their peers do not face in pursuing higher education;\n\nWhereas 54 percent of all college students pursuing degrees at the time of the introduction of this resolution are first-generation college students;\n\nWhereas the Council for Opportunity in Education and FirstGen Forward, formerly the Center for First-generation Student Success, jointly launched the inaugural First-Generation College Celebration in 2017; and\n\nWhereas the First-Generation College Celebration has continued to grow, and institutions of higher education, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and elementary and secondary schools now celebrate November 8 as \u2018\u2018First-Generation College Celebration Day\u2019\u2019: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the Senate \u2014\n\nexpresses support for the designation of November 8, 2025, as \u2018\u2018National First-Generation College Celebration Day\u2019\u2019; and\n\nurges all people of the United States to \u2013\n\na. celebrate \u2018\u2018National First-Generation College Celebration Day\u2019\u2019 throughout the United States;\n\nb. recognize the important role that first-generation college students play in helping to develop the future workforce; and\n\nc. celebrate the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) and its programs that help underrepresented students access higher education.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-federal-investments-for-georgia-communities-in-government-funding-legislation/", "Warnock Secures Federal Investments for Georgia Communities in Government Funding Legislation", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock secured $396 million in federal funding for projects in communities across Georgia\n\nThe Senator voted to support the agriculture, rural development, and military construction bills on August 1, 2025\n\nThe funding includes $855,000 for the food bank Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia to build a kitchen to prepare meals for low-income children and seniors\n\nSenator Warnock also secured over $1 million for Baxley and Appling County Hospital to upgrade the hospital\u2019s HVAC system to ensure a safe, healthy, and energy-efficient environment for patients and employees\n\nOver $380 million of the funding will go towards infrastructure upgrades at military installations across Georgia, including $127 million to construct a new elementary school at Fort Benning in Columbus\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) secured approximately $396 million in federal funding for community improvement projects and infrastructure upgrades at military installations across Georgia in recently passed government funding legislation. The funding was secured in the agriculture and rural development and military construction bills, two of the twelve annual appropriations bills that fund the federal government. The Senator voted to pass this legislation on August 1, 2025. Over $380 million of the funding will go towards infrastructure upgrades at military installations across Georgia. Over $12 million will support projects in South Georgia, investing in public safety, food access for low-income Georgians, rural hospital infrastructure, and more.\n\nThe funding for South Georgia includes $855,000 for the food bank Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia to build a kitchen to prepare meals for low-income children and seniors. Senator Warnock also secured over $1 million for Baxley and Appling County Hospital to upgrade the hospital\u2019s HVAC system to ensure a safe, healthy, and energy-efficient environment for patients and employees.\n\nAs a champion for Georgia\u2019s servicemembers and military communities, Senator Warnock helped secure major investments for infrastructure projects at several bases, including $27 million to construct a new dining hall at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC), $127 million for the construction of Dexter Elementary School at Fort Benning, $166 million for an evidence storage facility at Fort Gillem, and more. Infrastructure projects at military installations across Georgia receiving direct federal investments were championed by both Senators Warnock and Jon Ossoff (D-GA).\n\nIn addition to funding specific projects across the state that were championed by Senator Warnock, the bill includes $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a $603 million increase from last year. The bill also provides $1.7 billion for rural housing assistance.\n\nSee below for a breakdown of Georgia-based projects championed by Senator Warnock:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-funding-bill-no-vote/", "Warnock Statement on Funding Bill \u201cNo\u201d Vote", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after he voted \u201cNO\u201d on government funding legislation that did not provide relief to the 1.2 million Georgians who risk seeing their health care premiums double next year.\n\nI voted \u201cNO\u201d on tonight\u2019s proposal because it doesn\u2019t provide relief to the 1.2 million Georgians who are about to see their health care premiums double and more. People cannot afford that. At the same time, I understand the overwhelming pain that has been inflicted on people in my state by President Trump and Republicans, from needlessly firing federal workers, including 600 CDC workers last month in Georgia, to forcing some of our most vulnerable families and children to go hungry by eliminating SNAP benefits. Choosing between making health care affordable and stopping the endless chaos and damage of this President, including starving hungry children and seniors, should never be a decision we have to make in the United States. But this is Donald Trump\u2019s terrifying vision of America. That\u2019s why we must continue the fight for health care, no matter the outcome of this vote, and we must hold the President accountable.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/its-not-about-them-and-its-not-about-me-its-about-the-people-we-represent-warnock-urges-colleagues-to-come-together-to-end-shutdown/", "\u201cIt\u2019s Not About Them, and It\u2019s Not About Me, It\u2019s About the People We Represent:\u201d Warnock Urges Colleagues to Come Together to End Shutdown", "2025-11-07", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "***WATCH HERE***\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) urged his Senate colleagues to come together and work towards an agreement to re-open the government and restore expiring health care premium tax credits on behalf of the 22 million Americans at risk of losing coverage under Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill. The compromise proposal would add a clean, one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit and reopen the government. This proposal ensures working families who get their coverage through the ACA marketplace would see minimal disruption to the cost of their monthly premiums in 2026.\n\n\u201cWe come to our sisters and our brothers on the other side and we extend the hand of compromise,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cBecause it hasn\u2019t taken me long to learn that really that\u2019s the only way you get anything done in this body. I work all the time with colleagues with whom I disagree about 90% of the time. Because it\u2019s not about them, and it\u2019s not about me, it\u2019s about the people we represent.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn the words of Scripture, \u2018let us reason together\u2019,\u201d continued Senator Warnock. \u201cLet us have a conversation. Let\u2019s re-open the government. Let\u2019s extend health care to folks who \u2013 in real time \u2013 are opening up the portal, and they have sticker shock. And then let\u2019s sit down and figure it out, because if we\u2019re honest, the status quo is not working very well for anybody. Anybody who\u2019s just trying to defend the status quo has not been talking to ordinary people. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed, and we can do that, but we got to re-open the government and give the people a little bit of hope.\u201d\n\nRead the full transcript of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s remarks below and watch HERE.\n\n\u201cI believe in health care. Your health, my mother told me a long time ago, is everything. So, take care of your health. It is vital. It is essential. And I believe that health care is a human right, and it is certainly something that the wealthiest nation on the planet and in the history of humankind can and ought to provide for all of its citizens. It is right, it is fair, but it is also smart. A healthy nation is a strong nation. Healthy children are ready to learn, and so that\u2019s why I\u2019ve worked so hard and so long with my colleagues on this issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cMatter of fact, long before I came to the Senate, I\u2019ve been focused on this issue of health care, trying to get my home state of Georgia to expand. And I keep preaching that sermon, because right now, there are more than 500,000 Georgians who are in the health care coverage gap.\u201d\n\n\u201cI came here in 2017 to this place, not as a senator, but as a pastor and as an activist. And I remember getting arrested, I believe in 2017 when they were major health care cuts on the table, and as I began to make my argument and gathered with other pastors in the rotunda. The Capitol Police \u2013 very professionally \u2013 began to say to us, \u2018Pastors, you can\u2019t gather and pray in the rotunda. We\u2019ll have to arrest you.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat they didn\u2019t understand is that I had already been arrested. My mind and my imagination had been arrested by this idea that surely the American nation can do better than this. Health care is a human right. Dr King \u2013 who led the church that I am still honored to lead \u2013 said that of all the injustices, inequality in health care is the most shocking and the most inhumane. That\u2019s why I was proud to join my colleagues, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues in this fight.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is about 22 million Americans who will see their health care premiums double, some triple, some quadruple. And this is not theoretical stuff for me. These are the people in my community. These are folks sitting in the pews of my church, and many of them will lose their health care if something doesn\u2019t happen\u201d\n\n\u201cA few weeks ago, I was at the Evans County Memorial Hospital in Evans County, and I got to tell you, that\u2019s a red district. I don\u2019t have a whole lot of votes \u2013 I got some. Claxton, Georgia, known for the fruitcakes. And I was at that hospital, and I can tell you that those folks were already worried because of the draconian cuts to Medicaid in the One Big, Beautiful Bill \u2013 so called Beautiful Bill. 15 million Americans already standing to lose their health care, and then the premiums raised for 22 million Americans? While giving Elon Musk and people like him a tax cut? That\u2019s beyond the pale of partisanship.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor me, that\u2019s not about Democrats and Republicans. You ask ordinary people on the street if they think that\u2019s fair. I can tell you that those folks in Evans County, many of whom who did not vote for me, but I am fighting for them because I am their senator too. They\u2019re worried about it. And so that\u2019s why we\u2019ve been in this fight. And that\u2019s why we continue to stand to this very day.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s day 38 and we\u2019re holding vigil because of the pain of the people we represent. And there\u2019s a lot of pain to go around. 22 million whose premiums may go up have gone up. They\u2019re seeing it on the portals right now, federal workers who have been furloughed. Me, the kids who were like me, are in Head Start. We got Head Start centers that are about to shutter because of the government shutdown. And let\u2019s be honest, the folks on SNAP were dragged into this fight. They were not a part of this; they were dragged into this fight. There are already legal provisions to make sure that they are cared for, and this administration \u2013 right now \u2013 is defying a court order to feed America\u2019s hungry people.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll of that pain from the crisis in health care from the ongoing government shutdown. We come to our sisters and our brothers on the other side, and we extend the hand of compromise, because it hasn\u2019t taken me long to learn that really that\u2019s the only way you get anything done in this body. I work all the time with colleagues with whom I disagree about 90% of the time. Because it\u2019s not about them, and it\u2019s not about me, it\u2019s about the people we represent. And the founders were wise to organize our government in such a way that that\u2019s the only way to have sustainable change is to do it in a bipartisan basis.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo, my colleagues have taken their position, we\u2019ve taken ours, and here we are at an impasse, but I represent a state that elected me and Donald Trump, and so they expect us to figure it out. Sometimes, when I\u2019m driving my car, I\u2019ve got a nine-year-old and a six-year-old, nine-year-old daughter, six-year-old son. Sometimes they\u2019re in the back seat having a disagreement: \u2018He looked at me\u2019. \u2018She touched me\u2019. And then they say, \u2018Daddy\u2019 \u2013 you know, they call on me. And here\u2019s what I say more often than not: \u2018Figure it out. The two of you on the back seat of the car, that\u2019s your sister, that\u2019s your brother. We\u2019re all in the same car. We\u2019re trying to get to the same destination. Figure it out.\u2019 We\u2019re all in the same car tonight.\u201d\n\n\u201cDemocrats and Republicans \u2013 there\u2019s a way in which the poor and the wealthy, there\u2019s a way in which they\u2019re all in the same car. COVID reminded us of that. Before we had a vaccine, if my neighbor had the virus, I too, was in peril. That didn\u2019t make my neighbor my adversary. That means that I have a vested interest in making sure that my neighbor has coverage.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd so, here\u2019s the proposal, one-year clean extension of the ACA subsidies. That\u2019s not what we want. If we had it our way, we would make it permanent. That\u2019s not what we fought for, 38 days for a one-year extension, but we\u2019re offering that after standing for 38 days. A one-year extension. And then let\u2019s sit down, and in the words of Scripture: \u2018Let us reason together.\u2019 Let us have a conversation. Let\u2019s re-open the government. Let\u2019s extend healthcare to folks who \u2013 in real time \u2013 are opening up the portal, and they have sticker shock. And then let\u2019s sit down and figure it out. Because if we\u2019re honest, the status quo is not working very well for anybody. Anybody who\u2019s just trying to defend the status quo has not been talking to ordinary people. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed, and we can do that, but we got to re-open the government and give people a little bit of hope. Give those 22 million Americans hope. Give the 44 million Americans who need SNAP some hope. Give our federal workers some hope.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s an African proverb that says: \u2018When the elephants fight, it\u2019s the grass that suffers.\u2019 It\u2019s the grass roots in Georgia and all across the nation right now who are suffering because too often the politicians make the politics about the politicians rather than about the people. Let\u2019s center the people, and if we center the people, we will compromise and we\u2019ll figure it out.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn closing, Mr. President \u2013 nobody believes the Baptist preacher when he says, \u2018in closing\u2019. I\u2019ve worked with members of your party on a whole range of things, and at the risk of embarrassing him, Ted Cruz and I even work together every now and then. And I mentioned him because early in my tenure here, he and I worked on a little thing, just a little provision, to try to get a little bit closer to building out this interstate I-14 that would run through Georgia all the way to Texas. Same road that runs through Texas runs through Georgia. And if we get that road built out, when it\u2019s time to get on that road, nobody asks you, \u2018Are you a Democrat or are you a Republican?\u2019 Nobody asks you about your religion or if you have a religious tradition at all. Nobody asks you. Some folks are going to church, some are going to the mosque, some are going to temple, some are going to the park, some are going to the beach, but they all get on the same road trying to get to wherever they\u2019re going.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is a road that runs through this American experience. There is a road that runs through our humanity that ought to connect all of us together, that ought to remind us that we all want our children to thrive and we all want our families to have a future. Let us make haste to that road and walk towards a brighter American future. I yield the floor.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-supports-bipartisan-legislation-to-pay-air-traffic-controllers-tsa-agents-during-government-shutdown/", "Warnock Supports Bipartisan Legislation to Pay Air Traffic Controllers, TSA Agents During Government Shutdown", "2025-11-06", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock is supporting the bipartisan Keep America Flying Act to ensure essential air traffic control, FAA, and TSA workers receive both back pay and ongoing pay during the shutdown\n\nGeorgia is home to the world\u2019s busiest airport and approximately 800 air traffic controllers and over 1,700 TSA agents who help ensure the safety of over 55 million air travelers each year\n\nWith holiday travel approaching, Senator Warnock is committed to ensuring Georgians can travel safely and federal workers get the pay they are owed\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cGeorgia\u2019s aviation workers keep our skies safe and communities connected. With the busy holiday travel season approaching, I am committed to ensuring these workers get the pay they are owed and ensuring Georgians can travel with peace of mind\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, ahead of the holiday travel season, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) cosponsored bipartisan legislation to pay air traffic control, FAA, and TSA workers during the federal government shutdown. Senator Warnock is committed to ensuring Georgians can travel safely and federal workers get the pay they are owed.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s aviation workers keep our skies safe and communities connected. With the busy holiday travel season approaching, I am committed to ensuring these workers get the pay they are owed and ensuring Georgians can travel with peace of mind. The American people and our federal workers must not be held hostage by Washington politicians\u2019 games,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nWith approximately 14,000 air traffic controllers and 61,000 Transportation Security Administration employees nationwide being forced to work without pay, the Keep America Flying Act is designed to avoid shutdown-related flight disruptions.\n\nThis bipartisan bill is supported by the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers. Senator Warnock previously broke with his own party and voted for the Shutdown Fairness Act, which would have provided funding to pay excepted federal employees and certain contractors during the current, and all future, government shutdowns. This legislation failed on the Senate floor. Senator Warnock also cosponsored the True Shutdown Fairness Act, which would provide funding to pay all federal employees during the current government shutdown.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-highlights-false-choice-between-health-care-and-food-access-during-government-shutdown/", "ICYMI:\u00a0Warnock Highlights False Choice Between Health Care and Food Access During Government Shutdown", "2025-11-04", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited Goodr Grocery in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood to highlight the harm of the Trump Administration\u2019s attempt to block SNAP benefits for 1.4 million Georgians\n\nThe Trump Administration attempted to cut off food access for working families to gain political leverage in shutdown negotiations\n\nThe visit follows recent federal court rulings demanding the administration use available funding to continue food aid for 42 million Americans during the shutdown\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013\u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) recently visited Goodr Community Market in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood to highlight the consequences of the Trump Administration\u2019s attempt to cut off SNAP access in order to gain leverage in shutdown negotiations. Senator Warnock met with owner Jasmine Crowe-Houston to discuss the impacts that the confusion over SNAP funding during the shutdown is having on her small business and on members of the community relying on this critical aid.\n\nMedia coverage of Senator Warnock\u2019s visit to Goodr can be found below:\n\nFox 5: Warnock criticizes Trump administration over SNAP funding pause\n\nDuring a visit to a community market in Atlanta\u2019s Edgewood neighborhood Monday, Warnock said the delay in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments, known as SNAP, is hurting families who depend on the aid.\n\n\u201cSNAP recipients were not in this fight,\u201d Warnock told reporters. \u201cThey were dragged in this fight by this administration. I want you to think about this. They are literally pitting sick people against hungry people.\u201d\n\nWarnock said Georgians trying to renew their health insurance during the shutdown are finding their costs sharply higher.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s at stake right now is that we have some 1.2 million Georgians who, are opening up the portal and they\u2019re seeing that their health care costs have doubled,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd for some, it is triple and quadruple. That\u2019s what this fight was about, and that\u2019s what it is about.\u201d\n\nAP: Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded after judges\u2019 rulings\n\nDemocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia on Monday visited a market near downtown run by Goodr, a group that provides food.\n\n\u201cSNAP recipients were not in this fight,\u201d Warnock said.\u201d They were dragged into this fight by the administration. And so I want you to think about this: They are literally pitting sick people against hungry people. I can\u2019t think of anything more craven than that.\u201d\n\nThe Georgia Democrat called on Trump to broker negotiations.\n\n\u201cWhat has he been doing during the shutdown?\u201d Warnock asked. \u201cI think there was a \u2018Great Gatsby\u2019 Halloween party over the weekend, putting a wrecking ball to the East Wing of the White House, while putting a wrecking ball to our economy.\u201d\n\n11 Alive: Atlanta small business, restaurant helping feed those impacted by loss of SNAP benefits\n\nOn Monday, Sen. Raphael Warnock stopped by the Goodr Community Market in the Edgewood neighborhood to see how the local nonprofit is supporting residents affected by the partial suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP.\n\nWarnock said he remains committed to protecting access to health care, calling it \u201ca matter of life or death.\u201d He added that ending the shutdown now depends on Republican leaders in Washington.\n\n\u201cSNAP recipients were not in this fight,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cThey were dragged into this fight by the administration.\u201d\n\nWarnock visited Crowe Houston\u2019s market on Monday to see how they\u2019re helping with free groceries and meal deliveries for seniors. He said he won\u2019t cave on the healthcare issue, but hopes the shutdown will end soon.\n\n\u201cThey are literally pitting sick people against hungry people,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t think of anything more craven than that.\u201d\n\nAccording to state data, about 1.[4] million Georgians \u2014 including one in six households in Fulton County \u2014 rely on SNAP benefits.\n\nAtlanta News First: Sen. Warnock tours community market, calls on Republicans to reopen government\n\nOn Monday, the senator visited the Goodr Community Market on Edgewood Avenue. Around 90% of its customers rely on SNAP benefits.\n\n\u201cI can tell you that people who live in this neighborhood, who sit in the pews of my church, aren\u2019t thinking about the politicians. They\u2019re thinking about their families,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Republicans have the White House. They have the House. They have the Senate. If they want to reopen the government, they can do it anytime they want.\u201d\n\nCBS Atlanta: Sen. Raphael Warnock emphasizes need for SNAP as Georgians wait for food assistance\n\nIn Atlanta, Sen. Raphael Warnock visited the Goodr Community Market on Edgewood Avenue to emphasize the critical need for the continuation of SNAP and the urgency to end the government shutdown.\n\n\u201cSNAP recipients were not in this fight,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cThey were dragged into this fight by this administration.\u201d\n\nAs the shutdown gets closer to a record 35 days, Warnock said he would keep fighting for SNAP recipients.\n\n\u201cFood is a matter of life and death,\u201d he said.\n\nAJC: State lawmakers pressure Georgia\u2019s congressional delegation on shutdown\n\nWarnock on Monday visited the Goodr Community Market on Edgewood, a grocery store near downtown that accepts SNAP payments for food. With tears in her eyes, Goodr CEO Jasmine Crowe-Houston told the senator, \u201cI worry when people don\u2019t have food. It\u2019s an unsafe situation.\u201d\n\nWarnock said he knows both parties are looking to score political points from the shutdown, but it should be focused on who is hurting.\n\n\u201cThe people who live in this neighborhood, who sit in the pews of my church, aren\u2019t thinking about the politicians. They\u2019re thinking about their families,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat\u2019s at stake right now is that we have some 1.2 million Georgians who are opening up the (ACA) portal, and they\u2019re seeing that their health care costs have doubled on average. For some, it has tripled and quadrupled.\u201d\n\nWJBF: Georgia families face hardship as SNAP benefits are cut amid government shutdown\n\nSenator Raphael Warnock toured the Goodr Community Market in Atlanta on Monday to see how the government shutdown is affecting families who rely on SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.\n\nThe market, located off Edgewood Avenue, has been open for 90 days and provides affordable produce, groceries, and deli items for seniors and families using EBT cards.\n\nJasmine Crowe-Houston, the founder and CEO of Goodr, says nine out of 10 customers rely on SNAP and are already struggling.\n\nSenators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use its authority to fund SNAP this month. Warnock called the shutdown a \u201cmanufactured crisis\u201d and emphasized that food and healthcare are fundamental human rights.\n\nFederal data shows more than 1.4 million Georgians rely on SNAP, including over 600,000 children.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-highlights-false-choice-between-health-care-and-food-access-during-government-shutdown/", "Warnock Highlights False Choice Between Health Care and Food Access During Government Shutdown", "2025-11-04", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited Goodr Grocery in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood to highlight the harm of the Trump Administration\u2019s attempt to block SNAP benefits for 1.4 million Georgians\n\nThe Trump Administration attempted to cut off food access for working families to gain political leverage in shutdown negotiations\n\nThe visit follows recent federal court rulings demanding the administration use available funding to continue food aid for 42 million Americans during the shutdown\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI\u2019ll tell you who was not in this [shutdown] fight. SNAP recipients\u2026 They were dragged into this fight by the administration, and so I want you to think about this. They are literally pitting sick people against hungry people\u2026 And so, as a voice for Georgia, I\u2019m going to continue to fight for health care because it\u2019s a matter of life and death, and I\u2019m going to keep fighting for these SNAP recipients, because food is a matter of life and death\u201d\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock meets with Goodr founder and owner Jasmine Crowe-Houston\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) visited Goodr Community Market in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood to highlight the consequences of the Trump Administration\u2019s attempt to cut off SNAP access in order to gain leverage in shutdown negotiations. Senator Warnock met with owner Jasmine Crowe-Houston to discuss the impacts that the confusion over SNAP funding during the shutdown is having on her small business and on members of the community relying on this critical aid.\n\n\u201cAs I stand here, this reminds me of the human costs of the public policy we make so often in Washington, D.C. People have made the politics about the politicians, and in no place do you see that clearer than when you have something like a government shutdown. Too often, the media wants to know who\u2019s winning, Democrats or Republicans, who\u2019s up and who\u2019s down. I can tell you that the people who live in this neighborhood, who sit in the pews of my church, aren\u2019t thinking about the politicians. They\u2019re thinking about their families. And what\u2019s at stake right now is that we have some 1.2 million Georgians who are opening the portal, and they\u2019re seeing that their health care costs have doubled on average, and for some it has tripled and quadrupled. That\u2019s what this fight was about, and that\u2019s what it is about,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock and Jasmine discuss how Goodr helps connect vulnerable Georgians to fresh food options\n\n\u201cI hate government shutdowns. I hate to see federal workers furloughed. All of that is challenging stuff, but I\u2019ll tell you who was not in this fight. SNAP recipients. SNAP recipients were not in this fight. They were dragged into this fight by the administration, and so I want you to think about this. They are literally pitting sick people against hungry people. I can\u2019t think of anything more craven than that, and it shows that the politicians are centering themselves rather than the concerns of ordinary people. And so, as a voice for Georgia, I\u2019m going to continue to fight for health care because it\u2019s a matter of life and death, and I\u2019m going to keep fighting for these SNAP recipients, because food is a matter of life and death. And in the meantime, I\u2019m grateful for people like Jasmine, just ordinary citizens who find creative ways to give poor people dignity and to remind us all that Dr. King was right. We\u2019re tied in a single garment of destiny,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nEarlier this year, Washington Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill. That legislation allowed for catastrophic cuts to health care funding for the 1.2 million Georgians who get their health care from Georgia Access (the ACA Marketplace). Because of Republican inaction, 1.2 million Georgians will see their monthly health care premiums double on average. Senator Warnock has voted seven times to both fund the government and avoid catastrophic health care cuts. Republicans killed that legislation all seven times.\n\nThe Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should not have been affected by a government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has always continued SNAP during government shutdowns and there is a SNAP contingency fund for these very circumstances. The Trump Administration has flip-flopped its position on continuing SNAP during a shutdown and falsely claimed that they did not have the authority to use the SNAP contingency fund. A plan outlining how the USDA could continue to fund SNAP during a government shutdown was removed from its website. Two federal judges have since required the Trump Administration to use these funds to continue funding for SNAP. Simply put: This Administration attempted to withhold food assistance from 42 million Americans in a cynical attempt to pit working people who struggle to afford health care against working people who struggle to afford groceries.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-cosponsors-bipartisan-legislation-to-pay-aviation-workers-during-government-shutdown/", "ICYMI:\u00a0Warnock Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Pay Aviation Workers During Government Shutdown", "2025-10-31", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock co-sponsored the bipartisan Keep America Flying Act to ensure essential air traffic control, FAA, and TSA workers receive both back pay and ongoing pay during the 2025 government shutdown\n\nGeorgia is home to the world\u2019s busiest airport and approximately 800 air traffic controllers and over 1,700 TSA agents who help ensure the safety of over 55 million air travelers each year\n\nWith holiday travel approaching, Senator Warnock is committed to ensuring Georgians can travel safely and federal workers get the pay they are owed\n\nRecently, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a 10% flight reduction at 40 high-traffic airports across the country, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport\n\nICYMI from Fox 5 Atlanta: Sen. Warnock: \u2018Georgians can travel with peace of mind\u2019\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) cosponsored the bipartisan Keep America Flying Act to pay air traffic control, FAA, and TSA workers during the federal government shutdown. Senator Warnock is committed to ensuring Georgians can travel safely and federal workers can get the pay they are owed.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s aviation workers keep our skies safe and communities connected. With the busy holiday travel season approaching, I am committed to ensuring these workers get the pay they are owed and ensuring Georgians can travel with peace of mind. The American people and our federal workers must not be held hostage by Washington politicians\u2019 games,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nWith approximately 14,000 air traffic controllers and 61,000 Transportation Security Administration employees nationwide being forced to work without pay, the Keep America Flying Act is designed to avoid shutdown-related flight disruptions.\n\nThis bipartisan bill is supported by the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers. Senator Warnock previously broke with his own party and voted for the Shutdown Fairness Act, which would have provided funding to pay excepted federal employees and certain contractors during the current, and all future, government shutdowns. This legislation failed on the Senate floor. Senator Warnock also cosponsored the True Shutdown Fairness Act, which would provide funding to pay all federal employees during the current government shutdown.\n\nMore coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s cosponsoring the Keep America Flying Act of the below:\n\nFox 5 Atlanta: \u201cSen. Warnock: \u2018Georgians can travel with peace of mind\u2019\u201d\n\nWLTZ (NBC): \u201cGeorgia Senator Raphael Warnock, today, cosponsored legislation to pay air traffic controllers and TSA workers\u201d\n\nWABE: \u201cGeorgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock has cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would pay aviation workers during the shutdown\u201d\n\nANF: \u201cGeorgia Senator Raphael Wanrock cosponsored legislation that would pay both air traffic controllers and TSA workers while the shutdown is going on\u201d\n\nWALB (NBC): \u201cGeorgia Senator Raphael Warnock is now cosponsoring legislation to pay them [air traffic controllers and TSA workers]\u201d\n\nWRDW: \u201cOn Thursday, Senator Raphael Warnock said he was cosponsoring legislation that would pay air traffic controllers as well as TSA workers during the shutdown. That group missed their second straight paycheck this week as many began to call off of work.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-confronts-usda-ig-nominee-on-past-record/", "ICYMI: Warnock confronts USDA IG nominee on past record", "2025-10-30", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Video of the exchange reached over 400,000 views across social media platforms overnight\n\nIn the exchange, Senator Reverend Warnock grills Trump nom on his characterization that now eliminated federal food bank funding was a \u201cslush fund\u201d\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cMr. Walk, do you still stand by your categorization of the emergency food assistance program as a quote slush fund\u2026 Food banks in Georgia disagree with that characterization, I\u2019ll tell you that. And they tell me that canceling this federal support has made it harder to feed hungry Georgians, and has meant that more families and children in Georgia go hungry\u201d\n\nICYMI from Agriculture Policy outlet The Hagstrom Report: Warnock confronts USDA IG nominee on past record\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 ICYMI, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) grilled U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General nominee John Walk about his May 2025 letter to Senator Warnock, which he called now eliminated federal food bank funding a \u201cslush fund.\u201d Mr. Walk said he had no recollection of referring to this life-saving funding as a \u201cslush fund.\u201d The video clip of the exchange has gone viral across social media platforms.\n\nPrior to this nomination, Mr. Walk served as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services when the Administration made the decision to cut $500 million from food banks. That included 2 million gallons of milk, 27 million pounds of chicken, 67 million eggs, and 10 million pounds of dried fruit that was set to go to millions of American children and families. Mr. Walk said he was not involved in the elimination of $500 million in food bank funding, but inexplicably was one of the leading voices at USDA defending the decision to members of Congress.\n\n\u201cMr. Walk, do you still stand by your categorization of the emergency food assistance program as a quote slush fund?\u201d Senator Reverend Warnock asked Mr. Walk. \u201cYou\u2019re not aware of your own letter? That\u2019s a pretty serious accusation that funds intended to go to food banks to support hungry people is a slush fund. Food banks in Georgia disagree with that characterization, I\u2019ll tell you that. And they tell me that canceling this federal support has made it harder to feed hungry Georgians, and has meant that more families and children in Georgia go hungry.\u201d\n\nThe Senator continued to question Mr. Walk on the Trump Administration\u2019s current decision to cut off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding for 42 million Americans next month despite having ample funds to continue the life-saving program. The nominee dodged questions on the $5 billion available to fund SNAP that the Trump Administration is choosing to not use.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re deciding to pit hungry people against sick people, and I think that\u2019s immoral,\u201d continued Senator Warnock. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing legally stopping the administration from making emergency food assistance funds that they\u2019re just sitting on available for Georgia kids and families in November\u2026 It is indisputable that the USDA under the Trump Administration is choosing to pull hungry children into this fight. They\u2019re not just in this fight. They\u2019re being pulled into this fight, used as pawns for short-term political gain. I think it\u2019s deeply immoral, and I think we can certainly do better than that.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock is a champion for SNAP, which helps families afford groceries. The Senator, along with Senator Ossoff, recently signed onto a new oversight effort urging USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure SNAP benefits continue in November.\n\nExcerpts from The Hagstrom Report here:\n\nWhen John Walk, President Trump\u2019s nominee to be Agriculture Department inspector general, testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., asked him whether he had been involved in a decision to cancel a food distribution grant that was supposed to go to a Georgia food bank.\n\nWalk, who was serving as Agriculture acting deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, said he had no involvement in that decision.\n\nWarnock replied that when he had written Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins about the decision, he had received a letter from Walk in which he described the food distribution program as \u201ca slush fund.\u201d\n\nWalk answered that he could not remember the letter.\n\n\u201cYou are not aware of your own letter?\u201d Warnock asked.\n\nWarnock also said the accusation was \u201cpretty serious\u201d and that \u201cfood banks in Georgia disagree with that characterization.\u201d\n\nWarnock then asked Walk whether he was aware of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contingency fund that Democrats say the Trump administration could use to make SNAP payments in November even though the government is closed.\n\nWalk said he could not discuss the contingency fund because it is the subject of litigation.\n\nThe SNAP contingency fund is in litigation because the Trump administration is pitting hungry people against sick people, Warnock said, a reference to the Democrats\u2019 insistence that they won\u2019t vote for a continuing resolution to reopen the government until the Republicans agree to negotiations to continue subsidies for premiums under the Affordable Care Act.\n\nCanceling this federal support has made it harder to feed hungry Georgians, Warnock said, putting more strain on food banks as 1.4 million Georgians are about to lose SNAP benefits.\n\nPulling poor children into the fight over ACA subsidies, Warnock said, \u201cis deeply immoral.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-demands-answers-from-trump-administration-on-hyundai-plant-immigration-raid/", "Warnock Demands Answers from Trump Administration on Hyundai Plant Immigration Raid", "2025-10-30", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock demanded answers from the Trump Administration regarding the recent immigration raid at the HL-GA battery plant construction site in South Georgia\n\nThis latest oversight effort builds on his recent efforts to fight for the fair treatment of detainees and oppose unnecessarily aggressive immigration enforcement tactics\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThe federal government has a duty to enforce its existing immigration laws, but we must do so in a manner that prioritizes public safety, protects civil rights, comports with due process, supports our economy, and strengthens our strategic relationships with key international allies\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) demanded answers from the Trump Administration on the September immigration raid at the HL-GA battery plant construction site in South Georgia. In an oversight letter to top Trump Administration officials, Senator Warnock expressed his concerns regarding harsh tactics in immigration raids and subsequent damaging impacts on economic investments in Georgia.\n\n\u201cThis raid\u2019s nearly 500 arrests have seemingly not resulted in any significant criminal or civil enforcement actions. Meanwhile, its handling raises serious questions regarding this Administration\u2019s enforcement priorities\u2014particularly its stated commitment to combating violent crime, respect for civil rights and due process, and support for economic growth in Georgia and international trade with our allies,\u201d Senator Warnock said in his oversight letter.\n\n\u201cThe federal government has a duty to enforce its existing immigration laws, but we must do so in a manner that prioritizes public safety, protects civil rights, comports with due process, supports our economy, and strengthens our strategic relationships with key international allies,\u201d Senator Warnock continued.\n\nThe letter closes with a series of questions for the Trump Administration, seeking clarity on the circumstances of the investigation into HL-GA, the motivations for the raid, the operational logistics and conduct of federal agents during the raid, the individuals detained, and the actions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) after the raid.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and below:\n\nDear Secretary Noem and Attorney General Bondi:\n\nI write in light of the recent immigration enforcement action at the HL-GA Battery facility in Bryan County, Georgia and President Trump\u2019s comments that he was \u201cvery much opposed\u201d to the handling of the raid. While I strongly believe that all companies operating in the United States must follow the law, I share many of President Trump\u2019s concerns. This raid\u2019s nearly 500 arrests have seemingly not resulted in any significant criminal or civil enforcement actions. Meanwhile, its handling raises serious questions regarding this Administration\u2019s enforcement priorities\u2014particularly its stated commitment to combating violent crime, respect for civil rights and due process, and support for economic growth in Georgia and international trade with our allies.\n\nOn September 4, 2025, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents led \u201cOperation Low Voltage,\u201d an immigration enforcement action at the HL-GA Battery facility. Over 400 federal, state, and local law enforcement agents participated in the operation \u2013 the largest at a single site in HSI history. The agents acted pursuant to a federal search warrant, which named four individuals as \u201ctarget persons\u201d and authorized agents to seize documents and records related to the alleged unlawful employment of migrant workers.\n\nAccording to eyewitness accounts of the enforcement action, masked and armed agents arrived at the HL-GA facility around 10:45 AM and began separating workers. Then, after ordering workers to put their belongings in mesh bags, the agents reportedly arrested the workers, loaded them onto buses in handcuffs and chains, and transported them to the Folkston Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center (\u201cFolkston\u201d) for detention. Those arrested have also alleged poor conditions at Folkston, as I have previously raised for your attention.\n\n475 workers were arrested during the HL-GA immigration action; around two-thirds of the arrested workers were South Korean nationals, while the rest were nationals of Mexico, Colombia, and other countries. All but one of the arrested South Korean workers have subsequently returned to their home country, alongside 14 non-Koreans, after negotiations between the U.S. and South Korean governments secured their release.\n\nAn unknown number of the detained workers appear to have violated no law, raising serious questions as to why they were arrested. Lawyers for multiple individuals taken into ICE custody during the immigration action say that their clients had valid work authorization, including people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protected Status, while others were in the process of seeking asylum. Many South Koreans arrested during the operation have also said that they were following the terms of their visas. For at least one of these individuals, ICE itself determined that no violation had occurred, yet local ICE leadership ordered that he be sent back to South Korea anyway.\n\nFollowing this action, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has warned that South Korean businesses \u201cwill hesitate to make direct investments in the United States\u201d going forward, while Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has emphasized how \u201cshocked and hurt\u201d the people of South Korea were by the treatment of their compatriots. The South Korean foreign ministry has also stated that it will investigate allegations of human rights abuses made by formerly detained South Korean workers.\n\nIn Bryan County, Georgia, HL-GA Battery is facing delays of at least 2 to 3 months, hampering and delaying the ability of thousands of Georgians to access good-paying manufacturing jobs.\n\nEven President Trump noted he was \u201cvery much opposed\u201d to the handling of the raid and characterized the workers as \u201cpretty well set\u201d prior to the ICE action.\n\nThe federal government has a duty to enforce its existing immigration laws, but we must do so in a manner that prioritizes public safety, protects civil rights, comports with due process, supports our economy, and strengthens our strategic relationships with key international allies. Given these concerns, I ask that you respond to the following questions by November 30, 2025:\n\nPresident Trump was stated that he was \u201cvery much opposed\u201d to the ICE raid at the HLGA plant. President Trump has also stated that removing individuals who have committed violent crimes\u2014the \u201cworst of the worst\u201d\u2014is the top priority of this Administration with respect to immigration enforcement. How does this raid advance the Administration\u2019s priorities?\n\nWere the four individuals described in the search warrant accused, or convicted, of a violent crime? If so, what crime(s)? What was the basis on which the search warrant was sought?\n\nWere those four individuals arrested as part of the September 4, 2025 operation?\n\nHad there been allegations of violent crime committed by other workers at the HLGA Battery facility? If so, what allegations? When were such allegations first made to the Administration?\n\nHow many witness interviews related to this investigation were conducted prior to September 4, 2025?\n\nHow many witness interviews have been conducted since September 4, 2025?\n\nHow much data and computer equipment were collected as a result of the September 4, 2025 operation?\n\nHow many criminal indictments have been prepared?\n\nWhen do you anticipate closing the investigation?\n\nPlease describe the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and components of those agencies involved in the enforcement action, including the number of personnel from each agency or component agency.\n\nWhat were the specific roles of each law enforcement agency?\n\nWhich specific officials at DOJ or DHS authorized this immigration enforcement action?\n\nWhen did federal officials first contact Georgia state officials regarding the September 4, 2025 operation? Which state officials approved the use of state resources in this immigration action?\n\nPlease provide a cost estimate for the operation, including personnel time, equipment, and security arrangements, both in total and broken out by category.\n\nWere Hyundai, LG, or HL-GA Battery given prior notification of the raid? If so, when were they notified?\n\nWhat assessment, if any, did DOJ or DHS conduct on the potential impact of this action on foreign direct investment, particularly in the electric vehicle and battery sectors? Were the Department of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative, or State Department consulted before proceeding with this operation against a major foreign-owned employer?\n\nFootage of the raid shows that individuals were shackled before being loaded onto buses. On what basis did DHS determine that shackles were necessary?\n\nReports allege that some officers pointed guns at workers during the raid. On what basis did DHS determine that pointing firearms at workers was necessary?\n\nHow many interpreters were brought on site by law enforcement for the operation, and for what languages?\n\nDid DHS or any law enforcement at any point separate individuals on the basis of language or English proficiency?\n\nSome detainees have alleged that officials \u201cnever read them their rights or explained why they were being arrested.\u201d When did officials discuss or share detainees\u2019 rights with them? In what language(s) did officials communicate these rights?\n\nWhat training did on-site agents, across all law enforcement agencies involved, receive prior to the raid on the types of visas they would be likely to encounter, including the B-1 visa, B-2 visa, and the Visa Waiver Program?\n\nDid DHS or any law enforcement at any point separate individuals on the basis of race or ethnicity?\n\nDid any of the workers detained describe themselves as caregivers of children, the elderly, or disabled individuals? What effort, if any, was made to allow them to make arrangements for the care of their children, elderly, or disabled loved ones?\n\nHave any children been placed in state services as a result of the detention of their parents in this enforcement operation? If so, how many?\n\nWere any elderly individuals or individuals with chronic illnesses detained? If so, what accommodations were made for these individuals?\n\nSome detainees have alleged that they were denied access to medical aid. How many detainees made requests for medical aid? How long was it before detainees were able to receive medical aid? What types of medical aid did detainees receive?\n\nWere workers provided with information about access to counsel?\n\nAt what point were workers given the opportunity to speak to counsel? How was this communicated to workers?\n\nWere workers provided with information about their rights regarding consular notification and access? Were consular officials from the affected countries (South Korea, Mexico, Colombia, etc.) notified, and if so, when?\n\nSome detainees have alleged that phones at Folkston did not permit them to make international calls. Are international calls permitted through the phones available at Folkston? If not, how should detainees contact lawyers who may be abroad?\n\nSome detainees allege that officials pressured them to sign voluntary departure or stipulated removal orders.\n\nHow many detainees agreed to voluntary departure? How many agreed to stipulated removal? What factors did DHS consider in determining whether to offer voluntary departure versus stipulated removal?\n\nWere any workers encouraged to sign documents on site? If so, what documents were presented to workers? How many workers signed documents?\n\nPlease provide data on the number of individuals arrested or detained in this operation by immigration status, including:\n\nCurrent visa holders (broken down by type of visa)\n\nThose who arrived under the Visa Waiver Program\n\nRecipients of Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals\n\nIndividuals lawfully authorized to work through an asylum or adjustment of status application, or similar\n\nLawful permanent residents\n\nU.S. citizens\n\nWhy were lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens detained?\n\nHow long were permanent residents or U.S. citizens detained?\n\nWhat opportunities were these individuals given to provide necessary documentation?\n\nWhat steps will DHS or DOJ take to ensure that those here legally are not detained in future operations?\n\nWhy were individuals with Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals unlawfully detained?\n\nHow long were these individuals detained?\n\nWhat opportunities were these individuals given to provide necessary documentation to demonstrate their lawful status?\n\nHow many of the people arrested in the operation were detained?\n\nHow many remain in custody as of October 30, 2025, and at what facilities?\n\nPlease list the number of individuals currently detained by nationality and immigration status.\n\nHow many have been repatriated to other nations? If so, how many and which nations?\n\nSouth Korean officials have publicly said they negotiated with the Trump Administration to win \u201cvoluntary\u201d departures of workers rather than deportations that could result in them being ineligible to return to the U.S. for a period of time. If South Korean nationals have been afforded the opportunity to repatriate voluntarily, will nationals of other nations be allowed to do so as well?\n\nThe South Korean government has announced that it has come to an agreement with the Trump administration to allow South Korean workers to travel to the U.S. on B-1 visas or through the Visa Waiver Program to \u201cinstall, service, or repair\u201d equipment brought from abroad to build South Korean factories in the U.S.\n\nWhat is your anticipated timeline for South Korean workers to be able to receive travel authorization and work in the U.S. under this agreement?\n\nWill this easing of visa restrictions be limited only to South Korean workers at South Korean facilities, or do you anticipate this change applying to nationals or investment projects from other nations?\n\nThis immigration enforcement action has, understandably, shaken the community in South Georgia and the Korean American community throughout the state. What specific actions have DOJ or DHS taken to restore community trust following this raid?\n\nWill DOJ or DHS release after-action reports on the immigration enforcement action to Congress and the U.S. public? If so, when? If not, why not?\n\nWhat metrics or criteria does DHS use to determine whether such an immigration enforcement action is considered \u201csuccessful?\u201d Was this raid, in DHS\u2019s view, \u201csuccessful\u201d?\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-grills-trump-nom-who-called-food-bank-funding-a-slush-fund/", "Warnock Grills Trump Nom Who Called Food Bank Funding a \u201cSlush Fund\u201d", "2025-10-30", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senator Reverend Warnock grilled Trump Administration nominee about his involvement in the Trump Administration\u2019s decision to cancel $500 million of funding for food banks in March 2025\n\nTrump Administration nominee did not recall referring to that now-eliminated funding as a \u201cslush fund\u201d\n\nThe Atlanta Community Food Bank, who was directly impacted by the $500 million cut, told Axios the organization is now helping 70% more people than it was three years ago due to the rising cost of living\n\nWATCH THE FULL EXCHANGE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) grilled U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General nominee John Walk about his May 2025 letter to Senator Warnock, which he called now-eliminated federal food bank funding a \u201cslush fund.\u201d Mr. Walk said he had no recollection of referring to this life-saving funding as a \u201cslush fund.\u201d\n\nPrior to this nomination, Mr. Walk served as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services when the Administration made the decision to cut $500 million from food banks. That included 2 million gallons of milk, 27 million pounds of chicken, 67 million eggs, and 10 million pounds of dried fruit that was set to go to millions of American children and families. Mr. Walk said he was not involved in the elimination of $500 million in food bank funding, but inexplicably was one of the leading voices at USDA defending the decision to members of Congress.\n\n\u201cMr. Walk, do you still stand by your categorization of the emergency food assistance program as a quote slush fund?\u201d Senator Reverend Warnock asked Mr. Walk.\u201cYou\u2019re not aware of your own letter? That\u2019s a pretty serious accusation that funds intended to go to food banks to support hungry people is a slush fund. Food banks in Georgia disagree with that characterization, I\u2019ll tell you that. And they tell me that canceling this federal support has made it harder to feed hungry Georgians, and has meant that more families and children in Georgia go hungry.\u201d\n\nThe Senator continued to question Mr. Walk on the Trump Administration\u2019s current decision to cut off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding for 42 million Americans next month despite having ample funds to continue the life-saving program. The nominee dodged questions on the $5 billion available to fund SNAP that the Trump Administration is choosing to not use.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re deciding to pit hungry people against sick people, and I think that\u2019s immoral,\u201d continued Senator Warnock.\u201cThere\u2019s nothing legally stopping the administration from making emergency food assistance funds that they\u2019re just sitting on available for Georgia kids and families in November\u2026 It is indisputable that the USDA under the Trump Administration is choosing to pull hungry children into this fight. They\u2019re not just in this fight. They\u2019re being pulled into this fight, used as pawns for short-term political gain. I think it\u2019s deeply immoral, and I think we can certainly do better than that.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock is a champion for SNAP, which helps families afford groceries. The Senator, along with Senator Ossoff, recently signed onto a new oversight effort urging USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure SNAP benefits continue in November.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymiwarnock-votes-to-pay-federal-workers-amid-shutdown/", "ICYMI: Warnock Votes to Pay Federal Workers Amid Shutdown", "2025-10-27", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock voted \u201cYes\u201d for the Shutdown Fairness Act. The legislation would have paid federal workers during the shutdown, including TSA Agents, federal law enforcement, and the military\n\nThe legislation failed by a 54-45 vote\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cWashington Republicans have created a false choice between reopening the government and preventing premiums from doubling on average for 1.2 million Georgians. It\u2019s not complicated, Congress can and must reopen the government, get paychecks out to all federal workers, and fund health care\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) voted \u201cYes\u201d on the Shutdown Fairness Act, legislation that would have provided permanent funding to federal agencies to pay the salaries and benefits of employees and contractors who are required to work during a government shutdown. Senator Warnock has also voted seven times on legislation to reopen the government and extend premium tax credits that would keep premiums from doubling on average for 1.2 million Georgians.\n\nSelect coverage of Senator Warnock\u2019s vote to support federal workers can be found below:\n\nCNN: Sen. Warnock says he supported GOP bill to pay some federal \u200bworkers because they shouldn\u2019t be \u201cpunished\u201d\n\nDemocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock explained today that his vote in favor of Republicans\u2019 bill to continue paychecks for some federal employees working through the shutdown was because he didn\u2019t want to see workers punished.\n\n\u201cI think that the Republicans are tragically holding the American people who need health care hostage. They\u2019re holding federal workers hostage, and just because they\u2019ve decided to shut down the government doesn\u2019t mean that these workers ought to be punished,\u201d the Georgia Democrat said. \u201cAnd so some of these folks that they\u2019re holding hostage had a path to get some relief, I\u2019m happy to offer that to them. Meanwhile, I\u2019m fighting for health care.\u201d\n\nWarnock was one of three Democrats who voted in favor of GOP Senator Ron Johnson\u2019s bill, which would not cover furloughed employees. The other two were Sens. Jon Ossoff and John Fetterman. Johnson\u2019s bill failed to advance Thursday.\n\nAtlanta Journal-Constitution: Crossing the aisle\n\nU.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock joined Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. John Fetterman as the only Democrats to vote with Republicans on a bill that would have paid federal employees still working during the shutdown. The bill failed because it did not have enough votes to overcome a filibuster.\n\n\u201cEssential workers shouldn\u2019t be punished because Washington Republicans chose to shut down the government,\u201d Warnock said.\n\nThe Hill: Ossoff, Warnock break with Democrats on bill to pay essential workers during shutdown\n\nOssoff\u2019s and Warnock\u2019s votes are notable because they have voted 12 times against a House-passed bill to reopen the government and fund it through Nov. 21. They have, however, voted repeatedly for a Democratic alternative to fund the government through Oct. 31, permanently extend enhanced health insurance premiums and restore nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts.\n\nWarnock said Republicans are \u201ctragically holding the American people who need health care hostage\u201d and \u201cholding federal workers hostage.\u201d He argued that federal workers who are required to work without pay throughout the shutdown should not be \u201cpunished.\u201d\n\n\u201cJust because they decided to shut down the government doesn\u2019t mean these workers ought to be punished,\u201d he said, referring to Republicans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-closure-of-gm-ga-innovation-center/", "Warnock Statement on Closure of GM GA Innovation Center", "2025-10-27", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "According to General Motors (GM), the Roswell-based Innovation Center will close in December\n\nReporting indicates the closure is due to increased tariffs and the Trump Administration\u2019s walk back of electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, which is slowing EV sales\n\nThe center employs approximately 900 Georgians\n\nICYMI from the NYT: Slowing Electric Vehicle Sales Will Cost GM $1.6 Billion\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after General Motors announced it would close its Roswell-based Innovation Center. According to GM, the Innovation Center serves as a hub for software development, IT operations, and connected vehicle technologies.\n\n\u201cReckless Washington policies are hurting our state\u2019s economy. The Republicans\u2019 Big Ugly Bill and the President\u2019s reckless tariffs are directly to blame for the termination of hundreds of Georgia jobs at the GM Innovation Center. Folks in Washington are working for billionaires and special interests, not hard-working Georgians. I will always fight to protect pro-business tax credits and smart tariff policies.\u201d\n\nIn his first term, Senator Warnock helped pass historic policies that spurred a new age of domestic manufacturing and increased demand for high-tech electric vehicles, including creating a $7,500 tax credit for American-made EVs and growing the nation\u2019s charging network. President Trump\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill, supported unanimously by Georgia\u2019s Governor and Republican Congressional delegation, rolled back key industry-boosting tax credits and policies, while the President illegally withheld money for states to grow their EV charging networks. These reckless policies not only harmed GM, but also Georgia-employer Hyundai, whose South Georgia Mega-site will manufacture EVs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-highlights-health-care-increases-impact-on-georgia-small-businesses-in-aging-committee-exchange/", "Warnock Highlights Health Care Increases, Impact on Georgia Small Businesses in Aging Committee Exchange", "2025-10-24", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In Wednesday\u2019s Senate Aging Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned businessman Mark Cuban on the impact higher premium costs will have on small businesses across the country\n\nGeorgians who get their health plans on GeorgiaAccess.gov could see health care premiums more than double for 2026 due to cuts allowed in Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill\n\nSenator Warnock has made protecting health care for the 1.2 million Georgians at risk of losing coverage because of the OBBB his highest priority during budget negotiations to reopen the government\n\nIn Georgia, over 99% \u2013 or 1.4 million businesses \u2013 are considered \u201csmall\u201d\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis gut punch for small businesses impacts the overall economy because small businesses are such a big part of our economy\u201d\n\nWatch Senator Reverend Warnock at Wednesday\u2019s Aging Committee hearing HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) questioned businessman Mark Cuban during a Senate Aging Committee hearing on the impact higher premium costs will have on small businesses across the country. Thanks to Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill, Georgians\u2019health care premiums have more than doubled for 2026. These increases could devastate Georgia\u2019s small business community, forcing business owners to spend more on their health costs, leaving less capital for investment and growth.\n\n\u201cThis [left] is the cost of the premium for a senior in 2025,\u201d said Senator Warnock gesturing toward the poster behind him. \u201cThis person is 62 years old, a small business owner in Georgia, taking home just $65,000 in 2025. The other side [right] shows the cheapest option for that same Georgian. So, $228.17 a month. Now with the expiration of these tax premiums, $1,142.71. That\u2019s quite a jump. How would this monthly jump affect that Georgian\u2019s ability to grow her small business or even just make ends meet?\u201d\n\nDue to health care cuts allowed in President Trump and Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Billsigned into law in July, ACA health insurance premium tax credits will expire at the end of the year unless extended by Congress. Georgia is one of the states that will be most harmed by these cuts, with more than 1.2 million Georgians at risk of losing coverage. Expiring ACA credits will increase insurance premiums for ACA customers across the country, and millions are expected to drop their ACA insurance because of higher premiums. Small business owners and entrepreneurs will feel these impacts with higher premiums cutting into profit margins in an already tight economy.\n\nAccording to George Washington University, Georgia is projected to lose more than 33,000 jobs in 2026 if Congress does not extend health care premium tax credits for Georgians who purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The economic impact of national health care losses is projected to be roughly $32 billion.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks HERE. See excerpts of the exchange below:\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis [left] is the cost of the premium for a senior in 2025. This person is 62 years old, small business owner in Georgia, taking home just $65,000 in 2025. The other side [right] shows the cheapest option for that same Georgian. So, $228.17 a month. Now with the expiration of these tax premiums, $1,142.71. That\u2019s quite a jump. How would this monthly jump affect that Georgian\u2019s ability to grow her small business or even just make ends meet?\u201d\n\nMark Cuban: \u201cIt makes her make a lot of hard choices. Either to try to find the money to pay for the premiums or to go without insurance. I think the greatest challenge has been in all of this is that small business owners \u2013 Americans that are on the ACA \u2013 haven\u2019t had enough time to plan for it [expiring health care credits]. It\u2019s one thing to know that your premiums are going up, it\u2019s another thing not to know how much and how soon. So now, we\u2019re just \u2013 in Texas, people are just now starting to see the open enrollment and more will see in a couple of weeks \u2013 and as a small business looking to the ACA for their employees, it\u2019s going to be terrifying for them.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cAnd if they forgo insurance, is it fair to say that that will drive up premiums for everybody?\u201d\n\nCuban: \u201cYeah, of course. Because healthy people are going to be most likely not to take insurance.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis gut punch for small businesses impacts the overall economy because small businesses are such a big part of our economy.\u201d\n\nCuban: \u201cWell, of course. If you take \u2013 there are 33 million companies in this country \u2013 30 million of them are \u201csolo-preneurs\u201d or one person entrepreneur companies and if you\u2019re taking $800 give or take a month out of their pocketbooks, they can\u2019t invest it in inventory, etc, etc. So, it makes it much more difficult to run your company.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-blasts-trump-administrations-decision-to-withhold-food-assistance-for-vulnerable-kids-families/", "Warnock Blasts Trump Administration\u2019s Decision to\u00a0Withhold\u00a0Food Assistance for Vulnerable Kids, Families", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In an interview with MSNBC\u2019s Chris Hayes, Senator Reverend Warnock called out the Trump Administration for using people as pawns following its choice to cut off food assistance amid the government shutdown despite having available resources\n\nIn a new oversight effort, Senator Warnock urged the USDA to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue in November\n\nSenator Warnock on MSNBC: \u201cThis is a choice Trump\u2019s USDA is making. There\u2019s no reason why those benefits could not be available to folks come November. But we are in a moment where we have craven politicians who are literally using people as pawns\u201d\n\nWatch a clip of Senator Warnock on MSNBC HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is calling out the Trump Administration\u2019s decision to use people as pawns amid the government shutdown by cutting off funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that support vulnerable Georgians despite the federal government having available resources to keep the benefits going into November.\n\n\u201cLet us be clear: this is a choice Trump\u2019s USDA is making. There\u2019s no reason why those benefits could not be available to folks come November. But we are in a moment where we have craven politicians who are literally using people as pawns. I was a free lunch kid. That\u2019s how I got through school. I know what it\u2019s like to need those benefits,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cBut here\u2019s the thing, the folks, particularly in rural Georgia and rural parts of our country who benefit from the SNAP benefits, whether we\u2019re talking about the beneficiaries themselves or the ways in which that is connected to the economy, those are the same folks who are also being robbed of their health care as they see those premiums double, triple, quadruple. Those are often the same people.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock concluded by urging Washington Republicans to stop playing games with people\u2019s lives and instead focus on the work of reopening the government, funding health care, and serving the people.\n\n\u201cPoliticians need to stop playing games. Stop centering the politics and center the people. We can fund the government, and we can fund health care. If Trump were focused on that, rather than building his own ballroom and creating a kind of gaudy situation in the White House, if he focused on the people, we could get this done. He\u2019s been busy doing that. They\u2019re in charge of the White House, the House, and the Senate. We\u2019re in a shutdown because Republicans are playing games,\u201d Senator Warnock said.\n\nThe latest comments from Senator Warnock come as the Senator, along with Senator Ossoff, are signing onto a new oversight effort urging USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure SNAP benefits continue in November.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-yes-vote-to-pay-essential-federal-workers-during-shutdown/", "Warnock Statement on \u201cYes\u201d Vote to Pay Essential Federal Workers During Shutdown", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senator Warnock voted \u201cYes\u201d on the Shutdown Fairness Act, legislation to pay essential federal workers, including TSA Agents, federal law enforcement, and the military\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on his \u201cYes\u201d vote for the Shutdown Fairness Act. The legislation provides permanent funding to federal agencies to pay the salaries and benefits of employees and contractors who are required to work during a government shutdown.\n\n\u201cEssential workers shouldn\u2019t be punished because Washington Republicans chose to shut down the government. This vote reflects my commitment to the people who work hard every day to keep us safe and keep our country moving. It\u2019s critical these hardworking public servants get the pay they are owed but let us be clear: Washington Republicans have created a false choice between reopening the government and preventing premiums from doubling on average for 1.2 million Georgians. It\u2019s not complicated, Congress can and must reopen the government, get paychecks out to all federal workers, and fund health care.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has voted seven times on legislation to reopen the government and extend premium tax credits that would keep premiums from doubling on average for 1.2 million Georgians.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-advances-bipartisan-bill-to-establish-national-scenic-trail-connecting-southern-states/", "Warnock Advances Bipartisan Bill to Establish National Scenic Trail Connecting Southern States", "2025-10-21", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The bipartisan Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025 would authorize review of the regionally renowned trail to be designated a National Scenic Trail\n\nThe legislation is first step toward granting federal designation of nearly 300-mile-long walking path along the Appalachian Mountains that connects Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina\n\nThe legislation passed out of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry unanimously\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cBy preserving the natural beauty of our landscapes, we invest in the endurance of our environment to pass along a world for future generations to enjoy. I am proud to work with Senator Tillis on this bipartisan legislation\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) advanced the bipartisan Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025, a key step towards designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail (NST) within the National Trails System. The Benton MacKaye Trail is a nearly 300-mile-long route that begins at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and spans over 80 miles in the state and an additional 200 miles in Tennessee and North Carolina. The trail has been protected and maintained by the volunteer organization the Benton MacKaye Trail Association since 1980. The legislation would authorize a mandatory study of the trail as a first step towards receiving an NST designation. Upon completion of the feasibility study, Congress may then add the trail to the National Trails System, ultimately establishing a new, federally protected footpath that will improve mobility for Americans traveling in and between Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.\n\nThe legislation is led by Senators Warnock and Thom Tillis (R-NC). It is cosponsored by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Ted Budd (R-NC).\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation is a key step towards strengthening Georgia\u2019s forests and green spaces, creating a bridge to connect communities, and investing in our rural economies,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cBy preserving our natural landscapes, we can ensure future generations of Georgians can enjoy all our state has to offer.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Senate Agriculture Committee\u2019s passage of this bipartisan legislation marks an important step toward designating a new National Scenic Trail along the Appalachian Mountains connecting North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia,\u201d said Senator Tillis. \u201cThe Benton MacKaye Trail will strengthen economic development in our rural communities and create new opportunities for thousands to experience the natural beauty of the region. I look forward to supporting its passage on the Senate floor.\u201d\n\n\u201cGeorgia families deserve access to world-class trails. Working alongside Senator Warnock, we are working to help preserve one of North Georgia\u2019s treasured forests and mountains,\u201d said Senator Ossoff.\n\n\u201cThe passage of this bipartisan legislation is a step in the right direction by prioritizing the preservation of our forests across the region while also driving investment in our rural economies. This bill is especially impactful for Western North Carolina as we continue working to revitalize our small businesses and revive our tourism economy. I look forward to supporting this legislation and welcoming visitors to North Carolina\u2019s beautiful Appalachian Mountains,\u201d said Senator Budd.\n\n\u201cThis is a major step forward for the BMTA and everyone who cherishes the beauty, solitude, and challenge the trail offers. The study will evaluate the trail\u2019s scenic, natural, and recreational value, which tens-of-thousands of hikers already enjoy every year,\u201d said Bob Cowdrick, President of the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. \u201cWe are grateful for the leadership from Senators Warnock and Tillis in advancing this legislation to protect the Benton MacKaye Trail and set it on the path to becoming our country\u2019s 12th National Scenic Trail. A National Scenic Trail designation will ensure this trail is protected for future generations and remains a premier recreation destination for hikers while expanding its positive economic impact on nearby communities.\u201d\n\nA National Scenic Trail designation would increase the trail\u2019s value as a recreation destination and help safeguard diverse flora and fauna located along the path. The designation would also attract even more hikers to the region and expand economic impacts for local north Georgia and Appalachian communities. The National Trails System Act of 1968 created the National Trails System to support and promote access to the nation\u2019s outdoor areas and connect communities by utilizing natural resources. National Scenic Trails (NSTs) are routes that showcase significant characteristics of the nation\u2019s natural resources and recreational opportunities. Congress has the authority to establish new NSTs and is responsible for funding trail management. Since 1968, Congress has established 11 NSTs, including the Appalachian NST, which runs through Georgia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-advances-bipartisan-priorities-through-key-committee-markup-2/", "Warnock Advances Bipartisan Priorities Through Key Committee Markup", "2025-10-21", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In Tuesday\u2019s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock advanced bipartisan priorities aimed at bolstering Georgia\u2019s forests\n\nThe legislative priorities help strengthen Georgia\u2019s nation-leading forestry industry by providing state forestry agencies an active role in national wildfire preparedness and authorizing a study on the designation of the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail\n\nGeorgia is the nation\u2019s #1 forestry state\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI\u2019m proud to advance these bipartisan priorities to help ensure Georgia\u2019s forest landowners are better protected from natural disasters, and so the people of Georgia can continue to enjoy our forests and green spaces for generations to come\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) successfully advanced bipartisan priorities aimed at bolstering Georgia\u2019s forests. Senator Warnock offered an amendment during the committee markup to the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA)that would provide state forestry agencies\u2019 a more active role in the federal government\u2019s effort to shore up wildfire preparedness. Senator Warnock also advanced his Benton MacKaye Trail Feasibility Study Act, a bill that would authorize a feasibility study on the designation of the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail (NST) within the National Trails System. More information HERE.\n\nDuring the markup, Senator Warnock highlighted his Disaster Reforestation Act, a bill that would amend the tax code to allow forest landowners to deduct the value of their timber prior to the loss caused by a natural disaster. Currently, forest landowners receive no guaranteed federal funding from disaster relief. The fix would provide permanent assurances and help landowners recover when their timber crops are destroyed by a natural disaster. The legislation was considered, but not voted on, during the markup.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s forests are vital to our state\u2019s economy,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to advance these bipartisan priorities to help ensure Georgia\u2019s forest landowners are better protected from natural disasters, and so the people of Georgia can continue to enjoy our forests and green spaces for generations to come.\u201d\n\nState foresters play a significant role in wildfire preparedness, particularly in Georgia and throughout the Southeastern U.S. Senator Warnock\u2019s amendment to the FOFA would ensure state forestry agencies have a voice in a new interagency National Hub, the Wildland Fire Intelligence Center, cementing state foresters\u2019 role as voting members in the federal governing board.\n\nThe bipartisan Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025 would authorize a review of the regionally renowned trail to be designated a NST. The legislation is the first step toward granting federal designation of nearly 300-mile-long walking path along the Appalachian Mountains that connects Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Upon completion of the feasibility study, Congress may then add the trail to the National Trails System, ultimately connecting new communities through a federally protected footpath that will improve mobility for Americans traveling in and between Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.\n\nSenator Warnock has long fought for federal funding for farmers and forest landowners in Georgia. After Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock remained on the frontlines of response efforts and pushed to deliver additional disaster assistance to Georgians, particularly Georgia\u2019s hard-hit agricultural communities. Georgia is the leading forestry state in the nation, leading in commercially available timberland, volume of timber harvested, exports of forest products, seedling production for reforestation, and much more.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-new-findings-that-ga-to-lose-33600-jobs-if-health-insurance-tax-credits-expire/", "Warnock Statement on New Findings that GA to Lose 33,600 Jobs if Health Insurance Tax Credits Expire", "2025-10-21", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock refuses to support a government funding bill that does not prevent health insurance premiums from spiking for 1.2 million Georgians\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a statement following new reporting from George Washington University finding that Georgia will lose 33,600 jobs in the next year if Congress does not extend health care premium tax credits for Georgians who get their insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, also known as Georgia Access. KFF found that, on average, Americans who rely on the marketplace for their health care will see their premiums double next year.\n\n\u201cFunding health care is not just the right thing to do, it\u2019s the smart thing to do. Georgia stands to lose 33,600 jobs in the next 12 months alone if Congress does not get back to work to extend these tax credits. Let\u2019s set partisan politics aside and prevent premiums from soaring for 1.2 million Georgians. \u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-joins-no-kings-rally-in-atlanta-to-reaffirm-power-of-the-people-over-politicians/", "Warnock Joins No Kings Rally in Atlanta to Reaffirm Power of the People Over Politicians", "2025-10-20", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "On Saturday, Senator Reverend Warnock joined an estimated 10,000 Georgians outside the Atlanta Civic Center for a No Kings Rally to denounce the executive overreach of the Trump Administration\n\nThe Atlanta rally was one of over 40 events held across Georgia\n\nICYMI from 11 Alive: Georgia\u2019s Sen. Warnock calls protest essential to democracy at \u2018No Kings\u2019 rally\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cYou cannot outsource democracy to anybody. You cannot outsource citizenship. It is all of us. That\u2019s why they\u2019re trying to divide us, because when all of us stand together and raise our voices, we win\u201d\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock speaks at the No Kings rally in Atlanta\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined an estimated 10,000 Georgians outside the Atlanta Civic Center for a No Kings rally to denounce the executive overreach of the Trump Administration. Senator Warnock encouraged the audience of thousands to stand up for democracy and make their voices heard every day.\n\n\u201cYou cannot outsource democracy to anybody. You cannot outsource citizenship. It is all of us. That\u2019s why they\u2019re trying to divide us, because when all of us stand together and raise our voices, we win,\u201d Senator Warnock said.\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock at the No Kings rally\n\nPhoto credit: Abbey Cutrer/AJC\n\n\u201cPeople are literally grabbing on me and they\u2019re saying, \u2018Keep fighting for us. Please fight for us.\u2019 They say, \u2018Keep standing up.\u2019 They look at their preacher, and they say, \u2018Give \u2019em hell\u2026keep fighting.\u2019 Well you have my promise. I am going to keep fighting for Georgia,\u201d Senator Warnock said.\n\nIn his remarks, Senator Warnock spoke out against cuts to the Atlanta-based CDC, which has seen its workforce cut by about 3,000 this year. According to the Georgia Recorder, the latest round of layoffs in October affected about 600 workers. Senator Warnock also spoke out against threats to health care tax credits, President Trump\u2019s cruel immigration policies, and ongoing ICE raids around the country led by masked agents breaking apart families and communities.\n\nRead the partial transcript of Senator Warnock\u2019s remarks below:\n\nThis is not about me today. This is about us. This is about the first three words of our charter, document. That is our covenant, that is our creed.\n\nSay it with me, we the people. Come on. Say, We the People. We the People.\n\nSay, no kings in America.\n\nWe the people.\n\nThank you all so much for being here in this moral moment in America, in these defining days of our democracy. This is what democracy looks like. [\u2026] And we are here today to ensure that we are always able to stand up and make sure our voices are heard. Are you ready to make sure your voices are heard in this moral moment?\n\nI heard y\u2019all were having a rally, and I had to drop by. I am much encouraged, and I\u2019ve got great hope because of the massive turnout that we are seeing all across our country, in 50 states, in 2700 cities, in red states and blue states, the people united shall never be defeated.\n\nBut it is especially heartening and significant that we gather in Atlanta, Georgia, the hometown of a great American, Martin Luther King, Jr, I I\u2019m proud to serve not only as your Senator, but as the pastor of Dr King\u2019s church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Dr King said, \u201cwe will have to repent in this generation, not only for the violent actions and vitriolic words of the bad people, but because of the appalling silence and indifference of the good people.\u201d Are you ready to raise your voice?\n\nAnd so it\u2019s so important in this moment that we stand up. It is so important that we make sure our voices are heard. [\u2026] I agree with the humanity of all people. I agree with the humanity of Palestinians, of Israelis, of children on all sides of the track of Ukrainian children, red, yellow, brown, Black, or white, young, young, rich or poor, gay or straight, because we all God\u2019s children and we\u2019re standing up in this moment.\n\nI\u2019m deeply concerned about what\u2019s happening in our country. I heard an American president stand up the other day and say to generals in our military that we\u2019ve got to stand up, he said, \u201cagainst the enemy within.\u201d\n\nListen, listen, listen to me. I don\u2019t care what your politics are today. I mean that, if you are an American citizen, you should be deeply concerned. I know you are. That\u2019s why you\u2019re gathered here today. We should all be deeply concerned about an American president who stood in front of our military and said that the real concern is the enemy within.\n\nThey are trying to divide us so that they might rule us, but we join united with one voice, Democrats and Republicans, red, yellow, brown, black and white, and saying together, no kings in America. Are you ready to fight for our American nation?\n\nSo what we\u2019re witnessing right now, this is what we\u2019re witnessing: We\u2019re witnessing the separation of families. We\u2019re witnessing awful actions by ICE agents who are masked, showing up in communities all across our country. Imagine this: agents of the government flying in Black Hawk helicopters into Chicago, rappelling down an apartment building in the middle of an American city. Literally separating Black people from brown people. I\u2019m a preacher, but I have to say this, what the hell is happening?\n\nAnd all of us have to be concerned, because this is what Martin Niem\u00f6ller, a pastor who lived during Hitler\u2019s Third Reich, he said, \u201cfirst they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak because I was not a trade unionist. They came for the socialists, and I did not speak because I was not a socialist. They came for the Jews, and I did not speak up because I was not a Jew. And then they came for me, and there was nobody left to speak up.\u201d\n\nWhen we speak up for our neighbors, we speak up for ourselves. When I stand up for your family, I stand up for my family. When I stand up for your children, I stand up for my own children.\n\nAnd that\u2019s why I\u2019m standing up in this moment, and I\u2019m saying, as a United States Senator, that you must restore the tax credits of the ACA, because all of God\u2019s children deserve health care. Atlanta, you have my promise I\u2019m going to stand up on this issue, because Atlanta is the city of the CDC, and I want to thank our CDC workers for fighting for us, for setting up for us, for keeping us healthy. CDC is not the enemy. CDC is not a hazard to our health. Robert F Kennedy is a hazard to the health of the American people, and he\u2019s got to go.\n\nSo let\u2019s stand up in this moment. I know that it is painful. I don\u2019t take any of my votes lightly. We need to reopen the government and extend health care. We don\u2019t have to do one or the other. We can do both at the same time, because we are America. And so isn\u2019t it interesting that the folks who have taken health care from 15 million Americans, the folks who are raising your health care premiums, have you opened up the portal to see that your health care premiums are doubling, tripling, quadrupling in order to give a tax cut to billionaires? And now the same folk who are trying, who are taking your doctors away, are now trying to doctor the maps by engaging in gerrymandering, by trying to squeeze your voices out of the democracy. There\u2019s a word for that. It\u2019s called fascism.\n\nAnd so in this moment, let me say to you, do not give in to those who are trying to weaponize despair. They are trying to convince you that they have already won, and if they convince you that they have already won, then you lose your fight. But you must never lose your fight. You must never lose your courage. You must never give up your voice, because your voice is your human dignity, and your human dignity is connected to your destiny, and our destiny as an American people.\n\nAnd so I\u2019m going to fight for your health care, because the health of our democracy is tied to the health of your families. Long before I came to the Senate, I came to the United States Capitol, not as a Senator, but as an activist pastor leading Ebenezer Baptist Church, because I remembered, as Republicans were trying to cut health care, remember in 2017, I remember Doctor King\u2019s words. Out of all the injustices, inequality and health care is the most shocking and the most inhumane. And so I showed up in the Capitol long before I represented you as a Senator fighting for your health care.\n\nAnd I said in 2017 to our elected representatives that a budget is more than a fiscal document. A budget is a moral document. Show me your budget, and I\u2019ll show you who you think matters and who does not. I said in 2017, that if this budget, which would cut the people\u2019s health care in order to give billionaires a tax cut, if this budget were an EKG, it would suggest that our elected representatives have a heart problem and are in need a moral surgery. And so I showed up in 2017 to perform moral surgery on those who allegedly represented us, but we\u2019re trying to take our health care.\n\nI\u2019m saying to you that when you show up on a Saturday morning like this, let me tell you what you\u2019re doing. You are the moral surgeons in America who are trying to heal our country, heal us of the divisions, heal us from the hate, heal us from the bigotry, heal us from the short sighted, craven politicians who would literally hear 30 and 40 year olds on a group chat using all kinds of ugly and racist and anti-semitic words, and have the audacity to say kids will be kids. That\u2019s not my America.\n\nAnd so let\u2019s send a clear message to Washington, I\u2019m done, as I close, and nobody believes a Baptist preacher when he says. As I close, everywhere I go, people are literally grabbing on me, and they\u2019re saying, keep fighting for us. Please fight for us. They\u2019re saying, keep standing up. They look at the preacher. They say, give them hell. Keep fighting for us.\n\nWell, you have my promise. I\u2019m going to keep fighting for Georgia. I\u2019m going to keep fighting for all of our children. I\u2019m going to keep fighting for what Dr King called the beloved community. However, let me say this to you, while I will continue to fight, I can\u2019t really fight for you. You cannot outsource democracy to anybody. You cannot outsource citizenship. It takes all of us. That\u2019s why they\u2019re trying to divide us, because when all of us stand together and raise our voices, we win.\n\nAre you ready to win? Are you ready to hold on to the best in the American covenant, and the American spirit? Are you ready to fight for health care? Are you ready to fight for workers? Are you ready to stand up for women? Are you ready to stand up for reproductive rights? Are you ready to stand up for voting rights? Are you ready to stand up for human dignity? Well, stand up every single day. Do it for all of our children. Do it for all of our grandchildren, and together, we will win.\n\nGod bless all of you. Keep the faith and keep looking up.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-urge-dod-inspector-general-to-call-for-inquiry-into-deployment-of-military-in-american-cities/", "Warnock, Colleagues Urge DOD Inspector General to Call for Inquiry into Deployment of Military in American Cities", "2025-10-17", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock and his Senate colleagues sent a letter to the Department of Defense (DOD) urging an inquiry into the recent deployments of active-duty and National Guard troops to American cities.\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, Lawmakers: \u201cNeither the active-duty military nor the National Guard are intended or trained at scale for the purposes that the Administration has claimed they are used for, including \u2018crime-fighting.\u2019 We are concerned that these domestic deployments erode the military\u2019s and National Guard\u2019s ability to prepare for their critical missions.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined 26 of his Senate colleagues in an effort to urge the U.S. Department of Defense Acting Inspector General (DOD IG) Steven Stebbins to launch an inquiry into the recent domestic deployments of active-duty and National Guard troops to Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Portland, and Memphis. In the letter, the Senators underscore the illegality of the domestic troop deployments, which undermines military readiness and politicizes the nation\u2019s military.\n\n\u201cWe write to express our concern about the deployment of U.S. troops to American cities, including in Los Angeles; Washington, DC; Portland; Chicago; and Memphis. The military\u2019s expanded use to support immigration operations and domestic law enforcement activities at home is fundamentally un-Constitutional, dangerous for American civil rights, and risks straining military readiness and resources, weakening troop morale, undermining recruitment and retention, and eroding public trust in the military,\u201d the Senators began the letter. \u201cNeither the active-duty military nor the National Guard are intended or trained at scale for the purposes that the Administration has claimed they are used for, including \u2018crime-fighting.\u2019 We are concerned that these domestic deployments erode the military\u2019s and National Guard\u2019s ability to prepare for their critical missions.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe urgently request that you initiate an inquiry into the cumulative effects of these domestic deployments of U.S. active-duty troops and the National Guard\u2014over the objections of state and local officials\u2014on military readiness, resources, personnel, and our military as an institution,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nThe Senators made clear that pulling National Guard troops away from their assigned duties to assist in law enforcement operations erodes public trust; diverts critical resources from communities in need, including those impacted by natural disasters; and costs American taxpayers millions of dollars. As the Senators note, the Pentagon has estimated the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles costs approximately $170 million for a 60-day deployment.\n\nIn addition to Senator Warnock, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Edward Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) signed today\u2019s letter.\n\nSenator Warnock has continued to be outspoken against unprecedented\u2014and in some cases, illegal\u2014actions from this administration. In August, he visited Atlanta small business owners to discuss the impact tariffs and higher prices are having on Georgia businesses. In April, Senator Warnock pressed U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for information on how the Administration\u2019s tariff taxes will impact farmers across the nation. In May, Senator Warnock pressured the Trump Administration to rehire hundreds of unfairly fired CDC workers, and in April, he rallied in the streets of Atlanta with current and former employees of the CDC to show support for the Georgians callously, and potentially illegally, fired from their life-saving work at the public health institution.\n\nRead the full text of the letter HERE or below:\n\nDear Acting Inspector General Stebbins,\n\nWe write to express our concern about the deployment of U.S. troops to American cities, including in Los Angeles; Washington, DC; Portland; Chicago; and Memphis. The military\u2019s expanded use to support immigration operations and domestic law enforcement activities at home is fundamentally un-Constitutional, dangerous for American civil rights, and risks straining military readiness and resources, weakening troop morale, undermining recruitment and retention, and eroding public trust in the military. Neither the active-duty military nor the National Guard are intended or trained at scale for the purposes that the Administration has claimed they are used for, including \u201ccrime-fighting.\u201d We are concerned that these domestic deployments erode the military\u2019s and National Guard\u2019s ability to prepare for their critical missions. We urgently request that you initiate an inquiry into the cumulative effects of these domestic deployments of U.S. active-duty troops and the National Guard\u2014over the objections of state and local officials\u2014on military readiness, resources, personnel, and our military as an institution.\n\nReadiness is the cornerstone of our national defense, yet repeated politicized domestic deployments place that readiness at risk. When military and Guard units are pulled away from scheduled training or mission preparation, the consequences extend beyond individual units and erode operational strength across the force, leaving the military less prepared for overseas operations and crisis response. The Guard\u2019s unique role as both a state and federal force makes it particularly vulnerable to strain, which could impact the ability of the Guard to protect and save local communities during natural disasters at home.\n\nService members commit to service with the understanding that their sacrifices will aid communities in times of disaster and defend our nation overseas. They are not trained nor prepared to act as a domestic police force. Assignments in support of politically charged law enforcement operations in Los Angeles; Portland; Washington, DC; Memphis; or Chicago erode trust in leadership and accelerate burnout. Military personnel who feel their service has strayed from its intended purpose may question their continued commitment, compounding the Army and the Guard\u2019s already significant retention challenges. At the same time, successfully recruiting new personnel depends on a clear, apolitical mission that honors the history of the active-duty force and the Guard. Associating military service with domestic law enforcement duties\u2014fundamentally contrary to our Constitution\u2014may deter recruits and shrink the pipeline of talent needed to sustain force levels essential to our national security. We cannot afford to drive out servicemembers by normalizing putting them in highly political and fraught conditions, including by forcing troops to confront fellow Americans as opposed to prepare for war, and forcing military officers to navigate unprecedented legal territory and worry about whether they are upholding their oath.\n\nThe domestic deployment of military personnel also is a significant waste of resources. The Pentagon initially estimated the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles to be approximately $170 million for a 60-day deployment. The Washington, DC, National Guard deployment is estimated to cost $2.5 million per day. Many of the Guard units deployed to Washington, DC, to \u201chelp restore law and order\u201d are now tasked with \u201cbeautification projects\u201d such as picking up trash and spreading mulch. These assignments are a misuse of military personnel and resources, trivialize the professionalism of our service members, and damage morale. Diverting military personnel and defense funds to such missions is inconsistent with the Constitution, congressional intent and responsible stewardship of resources entrusted to the Department of Defense (Department).\n\nThese domestic deployments also risk normalizing military involvement in contentious civilian law enforcement, which apart from being deeply contrary to the Constitution, raises serious concerns about the apolitical character of our armed forces and compliance with thePosse Comitatus Act. The Posse Comitatus Act reflects the founding principle\u2014reflected in the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments\u2014that separating civilian law enforcement from the military protects both individual liberties and states\u2019 rights. Several federal courts have found no credible evidence that the Administration\u2019s use of the military in this way is justified, finding that conditions on the ground have not reached the high threshold of crisis that merits such a militarized response, especially over the objection of local officials. Further, the Trump Administration\u2019s unprecedented deployment of out-of-state Guard personnel into a non-consenting jurisdiction is a significant overreach of executive power.\n\nAs such, we request that your office conduct an inquiry into these recent domestic deployments of active-duty and National Guard troops to Los Angeles; Washington, DC; Portland; Chicago; and Memphis. As part of that inquiry, we ask that you provide us with responses to the following:\n\n1. What assessment, if any, did the Department complete to examine whether the domestic deployment of active-duty or National Guard personnel to American cities fully complies with all applicable statutes, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1385, 10 U.S.C. \u00a7 12406, and 32 U.S.C. \u00a7 502, and Department directives, instructions, manuals, and other policy guidance?\n\na. Is the Department adhering to its own directives, instructions, manuals, and other policy guidance regarding the permissible scope of support under the applicable statutes?\n\nb. Have the interpretations of applicable statutes been applied consistently and in accordance with established legal standards, or have there been deviations from standard practice in these deployments?\n\n2. What assessments, if any, did the Department complete to examine the impact to readiness, resources, personnel, and the Armed Forces as an institution, of the deployment of military personnel to American cities for domestic law enforcement activities?\n\na. How does the Department plan to evaluate the cumulative effects of these prolonged or indefinite domestic deployments on the Guard?\n\n3. To what extent have these deployments disrupted military training schedules, delayed certification or qualification milestones, or otherwise degraded overall readiness for federal missions or overseas operations?\n\n4. How have DoD funds, personnel, and facilities allocated for military readiness and training been redirected to support these domestic deployments of the military for law enforcement activities?\n\na. What specific fund or funds are paying for the deployments of each active-duty or federalized National Guard unit?\n\nb. What impact has their diversion had on the Department\u2019s ability to fulfil its core defense responsibilities?\n\n5. Please provide a full accounting of DoD equipment and facilities within the United States that has been redirected for support to federal law enforcement since January 20, 2025.\n\na. How have readiness rates of each category of such redirected DoD equipment (e.g., airlift, surveillance equipment) been affected by these diversions?\n\nb. How many DoD facilities or installations have been directed to support federal law enforcement and what impact has their diversion had on the installations\u2019 or facilities\u2019 ability to fulfil their core missions?\n\n6. To what extent have military installations or facilities been used to support the training, staging, or housing of active-duty or National Guard personnel during these deployments, and what impact have these uses had on the day-to-day operations, training schedules, and readiness of those installations?\n\n7. Prior to deployment, what form of legal instruction or training does the Department provide military and Guard personnel regarding the lawful scope of their mission and limitations on their authority while deployed domestically? At what level within the Department are any such decisions about instruction or training made?\n\na. Does any such training or instruction include rules for the use of force, training in de-escalation, training in crowd or protest management, or training in community engagement? Please provide any written materials or documents used to convey this information.\n\nb. Does any such training include instruction on the limitations imposed by the Posse Comitatus Act? Please provide any written materials or documents used to convey this information.\n\n8. How is the Department ensuring service members operating in U.S. cities are not placed in direct law enforcement roles in violation of law and the Posse Comitatus Act?\n\n9. What benchmarks have been established to determine when the deployments will conclude?\n\na. Who within the Department is responsible for assessing whether those conditions have been met and authorizing the termination or extension of the mission?\n\n10. What steps, if any, has the Department taken since these deployments began to clarify or strengthen policies preventing military personnel from being used in a civilian law enforcement capacity in American cities?\n\n11. What assessment or review, if any, has the Department completed regarding the legal liability for the Department of deploying military personnel into American cities, including over the objections of state and local leaders, and in instances of out-of-state Guard personnel deployed to a non-consenting jurisdiction?\n\n12. What assessment or review, if any, has the Department completed regarding the potential legal liability for service members who may be placed at risk of violating 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1385?\n\nThese deployments place a burden on the military and create national security risks when defense funding and personnel are diverted from their core purpose. We urge your office to examine the matter of these military deployments to Los Angeles; Washington, DC; Portland; Chicago; and Memphis as well as the potential for further deployments to additional American cities, and report your findings to Congress no later than November 21, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-durbin-statement-on-voting-rights-supreme-court-case/", "Warnock, Durbin Statement on Voting Rights Supreme Court Case", "2025-10-15", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in Louisiana v. Callais, which has the potential to gut key portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock has long fought to protect the voting rights of Georgians, including introducing legislation to restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act\n\nIf Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is overturned, up to 19 members of Congress representing minority populations could be redistricted out of their seats\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on today\u2019s oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais:\n\n\u201cAll Americans should have a fair say in who represents them in Congress. Led by a President who tried stealing an election, Republicans have lost all respect for election integrity. We\u2019re now witnessing a never-before-seen political pressure campaign to rig elections by enabling politicians to choose their voters\u2014not the other way around.\n\n\u201cRather than tit-for-tat political games, the American people deserve stability at the voting booth. The Voting Rights Act has provided that consistency for decades\u2014but faces escalating attacks from Republicans dead-set on politicizing election administration.\n\n\u201cBy ruling in favor of Black voters in Louisiana, the Supreme Court can protect fair representation for all Americans, especially those who have been historically disenfranchised by racial gerrymandering and other discriminatory voting practices.\n\n\u201cEven better, we can secure our elections without relying on the Supreme Court. Congress must pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore voting protections and strengthen them.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock is a champion for voting rights, introducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in July 2025,which would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act of 1965. Named in honor of the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, the bill would strengthen protections against potentially discriminatory voting practices.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-advances-priorities-for-georgia-servicemembers-in-senate-passed-defense-legislation/", "Warnock Advances Priorities for Georgia Servicemembers in Senate-Passed Defense Legislation", "2025-10-09", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), annual legislation that sets defense policy and priorities, authorizes defense spending\n\nThe defense policy package includes numerous priorities Senator Reverend Warnock pushed for, including stronger transparency for military housing conditions and improved access to healthy, affordable food on military bases\n\nThe legislation authorizes $130 million for Georgia military construction projects\n\nThe priorities Senator Warnock secured in the NDAA ensure Georgia and its military bases remain at the cutting edge of our national defense and play a critical role in America\u2019s military strategic planning in the years to come\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our budgets and laws. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops who defend our freedoms\u201d\n\nWashington D.C. \u2014 Today, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 70-20, with numerous priorities secured by U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to support Georgia\u2019s servicemembers, military families, and bases. The bipartisan defense bill will improve military housing, raise servicemember pay, authorize $130 million for Georgia military construction projects, and more. The priorities Senator Warnock secured in the legislation will strengthen quality of life for servicemembers and military families and ensure Georgia and its military bases remain at the cutting edge of our national defense and plays a critical role in America\u2019s military strategic planning in the years to come. The bill will be reconciled with the U.S. House of Representatives before going to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our budgets and laws. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops who defend our freedoms,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cGeorgia servicemembers, their families, and our base communities are the winners of this legislation with new investments in base housing, food quality, servicemember pay, and infrastructure projects across the state. When we invest in our servicemembers and their families, we boost their morale and quality of life and bolster our national security.\u201d\n\nIn addition to authorizing critical funding for important military construction projects across Georgia, Senator Warnock secured three key bipartisan provisions in the Senate-passed version of the defense bill.\n\nThe Senator\u2019s bipartisan Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Wellness (CHOW) Act was included in the mega-bill and is an important step forward in strengthening access to affordable, nutritious food on military bases. The Senator\u2019s legislation will implement a common-sense pilot program at two installations to provide servicemembers with a monthly commissary credit. This pilot will strengthen access to affordable, healthy food and could expand nationwide should the benefit prove successful. It follows Senator Warnock\u2019s bipartisan oversight effort in March 2025 demanding answers from the Department of Defense (DOD) about poor-quality meals and food shortages at military bases in Georgia and across the country. For too long, the burden has been on junior enlisted servicemembers to make do with low allowances and limited dining options. This measure takes steps to promote military readiness and improve quality of life for those who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms.\n\nSenator Warnock is also continuing his efforts to increase transparency and accountability of privatized military housing conditions on bases across the country. The Senator secured his bipartisan Military Housing Performance Insight (MHPI) Act in the Senate-passed NDAA. This provision will help improve military housing conditions for servicemembers by requiring DOD to publicly release existing reports on privatized family housing on military installations. This expanded transparency will empower military families, advocates, and communities to hold DOD and housing companies accountable and ensure safer homes for servicemembers and their families. Despite numerous initiatives and improvements over the past five years due to focused Congressional and DOD oversight, continued vigilance is necessary to sustain these housing condition improvements. The frequent movement of local military installation leaders, mandated by the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process, often disrupts institutional knowledge and can reduce command attention to housing problems.\n\nAdditionally, Senator Warnock successfully passed an amendment that would enshrine into law Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations regarding how DOD determines housing availability in locations near bases for the purposes of making housing decisions, such as investing in new on-post housing or determining BAH rates.\n\nSee below for a detailed summary of the Georgia priorities Senator Warnock secured:\n\nServicemember pay raise: Provides a 3.8% pay raise to servicemembers, building on last year\u2019s 4.5% raise.\n\nFort Benning Elementary School: Authorizes $22 million to construct Dexter Elementary school at Fort Benning in Columbus for 400 students. Senator Warnock secured a $500,000 authorization for the initial design in the FY24 NDAA and an additional $14 million for design in the FY25 NDAA.\n\nMoody AFB 23rd Security Forces Squadron Operations Facility: Authorizes $35 million for a new base Security Forces headquarters.\n\nMoody AFB Military Working Dog Kennel Facility: Authorizes $14.5 million to provide safe and modern military working dog kennel facilities.\n\nA-10 Minimum Inventory Requirement: Includes an A-10 minimum inventory requirement, protecting the Moody AFB A-10 mission until it can transition to the F-35 in the late 2020\u2019s.\n\nF-35 Support: Provide thirty-four (34) F-35 aircraft, which is crucial to Moody AFB receiving the F-35 in the late 2020s.\n\nRobins AFB Air Traffic Control Tower: Authorizes $7.02 million to build a 10-story Air Traffic Control Tower to replace the cramped 52-year-old air traffic control tower at Robins AFB, which is currently posing a safety risk to both aircraft and tower personnel and hindering training capabilities.\n\nFort Gillem Evidence Storage Facility: Authorizes $45 million to build an evidence storage building supporting DOD law enforcement agencies.\n\nFueling Georgia-based Innovation: Authorizes $5 million for the Army Pathfinder Program, which is a collaborative initiative involving the U.S. Army and academic institutions like Georgia Tech, as well as civilian partners to solve real-world soldier challenges through technology development and field-testing.\n\nSavannah Combat Readiness Training Center Barracks: Authorizes $3.5 million to design a new 172-person barracks facility at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC).\n\nSavannah CRTC C-130 Corrosion Control Facility: Authorizes $1.13 million to design a new facility for the Georgia Air National Guard at the Savannah CRTC to reapply paint to the new C-130J transport aircraft, which the base secured thanks to Senator Warnock.\n\nSavannah Waste Disposal: Authorizes $1.06 billion for the Department of Energy to continue operations to remove Cold War-era liquid radioactive waste at the Savannah River Site located near Savannah. An additional $52.5 million is being authorized for the Department of Energy to continue constructing Saltstone Disposal Units to support the overall removal of liquid nuclear waste at the Savannah River Site.\n\nCamp Merrill Barracks: Authorizes $3.8 million for new barracks for Ranger School instruction at Camp Merrill near Dahlonega, Georgia. Senator Warnock previously secured $1.3 million for planning and design in the FY24 appropriations bill.\n\nHBCU Research and Collaboration Development: Establishes three Research and Development solicitations, which include HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and all other Minority Serving Institutions, to increase access to R&D funding for Tribal Colleges and HBCUs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-van-hollen-alsobrooks-lead-effort-to-protect-federal-workers-financial-health-during-shutdown/", "Warnock, Van Hollen, Alsobrooks Lead effort to Protect Federal Workers\u2019 Financial Health During Shutdown", "2025-10-09", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The effort urges financial industry regulators to issue guidance encouraging financial institutions to work with federal employees and small businesses impacted by a government shutdown\n\nSenator Warnock continues to fight for the rights of federal workers\n\nThe economic cost of a shutdown affects federal workers in every Congressional District in America, meaning that local economies will be harmed by federal worker furloughs\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) were joined by several of their colleagues in leading an effort to the heads of the federal financial regulatory agencies calling on them to immediately issue such guidance as federal workers, contractors, and small businesses face the prospect of struggling to make ends meet due to a crisis that was not of their doing.\n\nIn the letter that Senators Warnock, Van Hollen, and Alsobrooks and Congressman Mfume sent today with 20 of their Congressional colleagues, the lawmakers called on the federal financial regulators to immediately take the steps that would be required under the legislation, noting that similar actions were taken during past shutdowns and financial institutions need clear regulatory assurance to act swiftly. The letter was sent to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Acting Chair Travis Hill, Federal Reserve System Vice Chair Michelle Bowman, Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould, National Credit Union Administration Chair Kyle Hauptman, Russell Vought in his capacity as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and Conference of State Bank Supervisors Chair Tony Salazar.\n\n\u201cWe urge you to issue updated guidance encouraging your regulated institutions to work with individuals and small businesses impacted by the government shutdown,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cWe hope that financial institutions will recognize the temporary hardship caused by unexpected gaps in pay and respond by taking steps to prevent adverse information from being reported in a manner that harms consumers affected by a shutdown.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese actions would mirror steps financial regulators made in past shutdowns,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cHowever, since the last shutdown in 2019, the financial system has faced increased stress due to interest rate risk, and the bank failures in 2023 have highlighted a stronger need for focused, concerted balance sheet management. As institutions may be reluctant to take proactive steps to assist customers, it is critical that joint guidance be issued to reduce uncertainty and empower institutions to provide flexibility to federal employees and servicemembers while mitigating any clear risk factors.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe will make every effort to reopen the government quickly. In the meantime, we urge you to work with financial institutions to reduce burdens on federal employees and servicemembers who experience a lapse in pay through no fault of their own,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nSenator Warnock is a champion for federal workers, recognizing that they are critical to the fabric of our democracy. In May 2025, Senator Warnock questioned the unjust firings of thousands of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) employees and promised robust oversight. He has also rallied with fired CDC workers and held then Department of Human and Health Services Secretary Nominee Kennedy accountable for his dangerous rhetoric about the centers.\n\nJoining Senator Warnock and Congressman Mfume in signing the letter were Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ); and U.S. RepresentativesSuhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Don Beyer (D-VA-8), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Gabe Amo (D-RI-1), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-3), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-4), April McClain Delaney (D-MD-6), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-2), and James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11).\n\nRead the full text of the letter HERE or below:\n\nDear Acting Chairman Hill, Vice Chair Bowman, Comptroller Gould, Chairman Hauptman, Acting Director Vought, and Chair Salazar:\n\nAs Americans across the country face the consequences of a government shutdown, we write to you to address concerns about how this may impact our nation\u2019s government employees, and how this can be addressed through your oversight. While federal law mandates that federal employees and the military receive back pay when the government reopens, the lapse in pay creates serious challenges for families. We hope that you will encourage and support banks and credit unions in efforts to provide flexible financial arrangements for their customers who endure temporary financial hardship due to a government shutdown beyond their control.\n\nThis government shutdown will cause pay interruptions for millions of federal employees, servicemembers, and federal contractors. Unexpected income shocks are a key driver of penalty fees, such as credit card late fees, overdraft fees, and minimum balance fees. Customers facing a temporary income shock could easily fall below the standard minimum balance required to uphold the terms of free checking accounts, triggering account maintenance and penalty fees.\n\nUnexpected fees further strain government employees and servicemembers already struggling to cope with not being paid through no fault of these employees. Expenses continue even as income is halted, forcing even the most financially responsible federal employees and servicemembers to use savings to cover short-term expenses. Federal employees and servicemembers may be forced to utilize credit to make ends meet, adding to the concerningly high level of consumer credit card debt held nationwide. The monthly cost of holding credit card balances has increased as Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) have risen in tandem with the Federal Funds Rate, causing the overall cost of credit to rise significantly for those who use it. This will compound the harm that Americans are feeling right now from rising inflation fueled by tariffs, a declining labor market, and the possibility of healthcare becoming increasingly unaffordable \u2013 efforts that we are fighting for in our work to fund the government.\n\nWe urge you to issue updated guidance encouraging your regulated institutions to work with individuals and small businesses impacted by the government shutdown. We hope that financial institutions will recognize the temporary hardship caused by unexpected gaps in pay and respond by taking steps to prevent adverse information from being reported in a manner that harms consumers affected by a shutdown. Institutions can proactively work with customers to provide modified credit arrangements in order to prevent derogatory information from being reported to consumer reporting agencies. We ask that you work with, and encourage, your regulated institutions to provide flexible alternatives to financial arrangements that put their customers in a temporarily compromising financial position, recognizing that this is temporary and not reflective of the customer\u2019s true risk profile. Institutions that work with their customers to provide flexible financing arrangements and place loans in forbearance need reassurance that these actions will be taken into consideration in supervisory practices. We ask that you consider encouraging banks and credit unions to temporarily waive minimum balance, overdraft fees, and late fees for any individual or small business impacted by the shutdown.\n\nThese actions would mirror steps financial regulators made in past shutdowns. However, since the last shutdown in 2019, the financial system has faced increased stress due to interest rate risk, and the bank failures in 2023 have highlighted a stronger need for focused, concerted balance sheet management. As institutions may be reluctant to take proactive steps to assist customers, it is critical that joint guidance be issued to reduce uncertainty and empower institutions to provide flexibility to federal employees and servicemembers while mitigating any clear risk factors.\n\nThe economic cost of a shutdown is not isolated to just workers in the District of Columbia and surrounding regions. Data from the Census Bureau and the Office of Personnel Management demonstrates that federal workers reside in every Congressional District in America, meaning that local economies across the country will be harmed by federal worker furloughs.\n\nWe will make every effort to reopen the government quickly. In the meantime, we urge you to work with financial institutions to reduce burdens on federal employees and servicemembers who experience a lapse in pay through no fault of their own.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/this-is-what-im-fighting-for-warnock-highlights-georgians-shocking-premium-spikes/", "\u201cThis is What I\u2019m Fighting For\u201d:\u00a0Warnock Highlights Georgians\u2019 Shocking Premium Spikes", "2025-10-03", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "On October 1, Georgians who purchase their health care on Georgia Access \u2013 the state-based online health care marketplace \u2013 were able to log on and see the new cost of their health care premiums for 2026\n\nTo the surprise of many, most of the health care plans offered for 2026 have more than doubled their premiums thanks to health care cuts allowed by Washington Republicans\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock has made clear that protecting health care for the 1.2 million Georgians at risk of losing coverage due to the legislation is his highest priority during budget negotiations to reopen the government\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI cannot, in good conscience, support a budget that will allow health insurance premiums to double for more than 1.2 million Georgians\u201d\n\nAnthem Bronze plan with same deductible, same co-pay, but 2025 premiums vs 2026 premiums for someone making $65k a year\n\nNote: A provision in One Big Beautiful Bill Act now requires all Bronze plans to include HSA eligibility starting in 2026\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) highlighted shocking news from constituents showing the cost differences for health insurance options between 2025 and 2026, in some cases the difference is almost $20,000 a year more. Most of the health care plans offered for 2026 have more than doubled thanks to health care cuts in Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law in July and provided massive tax breaks for billionaires.\n\nOn October 1, Georgians who purchase their health care through the state-based online health care marketplace, Georgia Access, were, for the first time, able to see the new cost of their health care premiums for 2026.\n\n\u201cI cannot, in good conscience, support a budget that will allow health insurance premiums to double for more than 1.2 million Georgians. D.C. Republicans control Congress. They decide if the government stays open,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cIf they want my vote on their budget, they need to put forward a bill that funds health care.\u201d\n\nLowest cost insurance options for a small business owner and family of 4 in Chatham County (2025 vs 2026)\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock has long made it clear that protecting health care for the 1.2 million Georgians at risk of losing coverage due to the legislation is his highest priority during budget negotiations to reopen the government.\n\nDue to health care cuts allowed in President Trump and Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July, ACA health insurance tax credits will expire for Plan Year 2026 unless extended by Congress. The expiring ACA credits will increase insurance premiums for ACA customers across the country, and millions are expected to drop their ACA insurance because of higher premiums. As a result, Georgia faces some of the steepest cuts to its health care sector in the country at $3.7 billion. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute report, national health care losses are projected to be roughly $32 billion.\n\nGeorgia hospitals are bracing for these draconian cuts: in August, Senator Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia to discuss the risks to rural health care access following steep cuts to health care in the recently passed GOP tax law. Evans Memorial Hospital, a lifeline for rural Georgians, will be forced to cut $3.3 million annually to break even due to the GOP tax bill, which will kick as many as 750,000 Georgians off their health care. When rural hospitals have to provide care to people without insurance who cannot afford their medical bills, it makes it more likely that hospitals will be forced to cut services or close their doors. The GOP tax bill\u2019s health care cuts could mean Evans Memorial will have to scale back intensive care unit (ICU) or cardio-pulmonary rehab services. Recently, Evans Memorial Hospital had to shutter its labor and delivery unit because it was no longer financially viable.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-teamsters-728-strike/", "Warnock Statement on Teamsters Local 728 Strike", "2025-10-02", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a statement on the Teamsters Local 728 strike:\n\n\u201cIn the words of my spiritual mentor, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,: \u2018All labor has dignity,'\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201c\u2018One day our society will come to respect the sanitation worker if it is to survive. For the person who picks up our garbage, in the final analysis, is as significant as the physician, for if he doesn\u2019t do his job, diseases are rampant.\u2019 I stand with Teamsters Local 728 fighting for the dignity of work and their effort to secure fairer pay.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-warnock-report-finds-trump-admin-delaying-nearly-500-million-in-disaster-aid-for-recovering-ga-communities/", "New Warnock Report Finds Trump Admin Delaying\u00a0Nearly\u00a0$500 Million in Disaster Aid for Recovering GA Communities", "2025-09-30", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Following the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock released a report detailing the true cost of the Trump administration\u2019s delay in reimbursing Georgia communities for nearly half a billion dollars for recovery efforts\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThe Trump administration said they would support Georgians, instead they\u2019re skipping out on the bill. Georgians have come together to rebuild after Helene. Now, it\u2019s time for the Trump administration to do their job. This can\u2019t wait any longer\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a new report that shows nearly $500 million in promised federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts remains unpaid. The funding, part of a disaster recovery bill championed by Senator Warnock in 2024, is meant to reimburse local communities for funds spent on recovery. Despite bipartisan Congressional support for the immediate delivery of disaster recovery funds, the distribution of aid has been stifled by bureaucratic red tape and chaos in the Trump administration.\n\nThe report reveals that, as of September 22nd, counties across Georgia have millions of dollars in outstanding bills for recovery efforts which the federal government is required to reimburse. This includes $90 million in outstanding reimbursements for Toombs County, $78 million for Fulton County and the Georgia Department of Transportation, $38 million for Colquitt County, and $29 million for Richmond County. The funding is meant to cover expenses including emergency protective services, debris removal, and rebuilding public infrastructure.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration said they would support Georgians, instead they\u2019re skipping out on the bill. Georgians have come together to rebuild after Helene. Now, it\u2019s time for the Trump administration to do their job. This can\u2019t wait any longer.\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nThe report comes soon after the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene\u2019s landfall on September 26th, 2024. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan, bicameral effort to secure billions of dollars in federal funding for disaster recovery efforts in Georgia. The Senator also introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the tax deadline for Georgians impacted by Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters.\n\nThe report is the latest effort by Senator Warnock to hold the Trump administration accountable for chaos and dysfunction at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a result of the administration\u2019s reckless cuts to disaster response efforts. The Senator has continued to press Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for answers on funding cuts and the agency\u2019s preparation for the current storm season. Senator Warnock also joined a bipartisan effort to demand that the Trump administration reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which supports local disaster mitigation projects including a $30 million award to Savannah for flood reduction measures that was canceled earlier this year.\n\nThe full report can be found HERE.\n\n###\n\nTitle and affiliation are provided for identification purposes only. A pastor and social justice advocate, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock was elected to the United States Senate in 2021 and reelected for a full term in 2022. The Senator serves on the Senate Agriculture, Banking, and Finance committees, as well as the Senate Aging Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-if-d-c-republicans-want-my-vote-on-their-budget-they-need-to-put-forward-a-bill-that-funds-health-care/", "Warnock: If D.C. Republicans Want My Vote on Their Budget, They Need to Put Forward a Bill That Funds Health Care", "2025-09-29", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "According to a new report, Georgia\u2019s hospitals, doctors, and other health care businesses are facing nearly $4 billion in revenue cuts next year due to President Trump and Washington Republicans\u2019 catastrophic cuts to health care\n\nThe $3.7 billion cut is a direct result of Washington Republicans choosing to defund Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance tax credits, which are set to expire in December\n\nMost recent estimates find that about 460,000 Georgians are set to not renew their ACA health insurance\n\nLast week, Senator Warnock voted for legislation that would keep the government funded and protect health care for the more than 1 million Georgians set to see their premiums skyrocket under the current GOP spending agreement. Senate Republicans ultimately killed that legislation\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cD.C. Republicans control Congress. They decide if the government stays open. If they want my vote on their budget, they need to put forward a bill that funds health care\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) issued a statement outlining what it will take for Washington Republicans to secure his vote amid ongoing negotiations to fund the government. The Senator\u2019s statement follows a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute that shows Georgia\u2019s health care industry is set to lose nearly $4 billion in revenue next year as a result of Washington Republicans\u2019 decision to allow Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance tax credits to expire at the end of 2025, taking away health care for 460,000 Georgians who rely on the ACA marketplace.\n\n\u201cD.C. Republicans control Congress. They decide if the government stays open,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cIf they want my vote on their budget, they need to put forward a bill that funds health care.\u201d\n\nDue to health care cuts in President Trump and Washington Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July, ACA health insurance tax credits will expire at the end of the year unless extended by Congress. The expiring ACA credits will increase insurance premiums for ACA customers across the country, and millions are expected to drop their ACA insurance because of higher premiums. As a result, Georgia faces some of the steepest cuts to its health care sector in the country at $3.7 billion. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute report, national health care losses are projected to be roughly $32 billion.\n\nGeorgia hospitals are bracing for these draconian cuts: in August, Senator Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia to discuss the risks to rural health care access following steep cuts to health care in the recently passed GOP tax law. Evans Memorial Hospital, a lifeline for rural Georgians, is forced to cut $3.3 million annually to break even due to the GOP tax bill, which will kick as many as 750,000 Georgians off their health care. When rural hospitals have to provide care to people without insurance who cannot afford their medical bills, it makes it more likely that hospitals will be forced to cut services or close their doors. The GOP tax bill\u2019s health care cuts could mean Evans Memorial will have to scale back intensive care unit (ICU) or cardio-pulmonary rehab services. Recently, Evans Memorial Hospital had to shutter its labor and delivery unit because it was no longer financially viable.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-convenes-gun-violence-prevention-panel-to-address-national-epidemic/", "Warnock\u00a0Convenes Gun Violence Prevention Panel to Address National Epidemic", "2025-09-26", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "On Thursday, Senator Reverend Warnock hosted a solutions-oriented conversation focused on bringing down gun violence across the country\n\nThe panel included Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and the former deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Greg Jackson\n\n\u201cYouth Under Fire, Addressing Gun Violence in Our Communities\u201d panel took place at the 54th Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Caucus\n\nLeft to right: Senator Reverend Warnock, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and Greg Jackson\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 On Thursday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) hosted a solutions-oriented conversation focused on bringing down gun violence across the country. The panel included Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, who have both been responsible for significant drops in gun violence in their cities. The panel also included the former deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Greg Jackson, which successfully supported local gun violence prevention programs and shut down illegal gun suppliers.\n\nSenator Warnock uplifted the smart policies and leadership in Baltimore, Maryland, and Birmingham, Alabama, because both cities have seen declines in gun violence. Baltimore recorded its lowest annual rate of homicides in over a decade in 2024, which also marked a 23% total drop from 2023. Birmingham\u2019s Police Department has reported a 52% reduction in homicides compared to 2024. The mayors credited the drop in gun violence in their cities to youth intervention programs and mental health resources. The mayors and Jackson also discussed their success in going after suppliers to get dangerous ghost guns and Glock switches off the street.\n\n\u201cWhile we have made some progress\u2026 we have not done nearly enough. We have, in essence, told our children that in the face of this ugly specter of mass shootings\u2026 the best thing we can do for you is teach you how to hide,\u201d Senator Reverend Warnock told the panelist.\u201cWhat trauma are we visiting upon our children when we tell them the best thing we can do is to teach them how to hide? Not to mention the slow rolling crisis of mass shootings that happens in struggling urban communities, poor communities, Black and brown communities every single day. This is the worst kind of American exceptionalism. So I keep having this panel discussion because I know deep in my heart we are better than this.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has vocally championed efforts to address the gun violence crisis in the United States, as a pastor and legislator. Following the tragic shooting in Winder, Senator Warnock met with students and families from the Apalachee High School community, and honored the victims on the Senate floor while calling for Congress to come together to pass popular gun safety reforms supported by broad swaths of the American public, regardless of political ideology; the Senator\u2019s speech marked his third time lamenting a mass shooting in Georgia on the Senate floor. Additionally, since arriving to the Senate, Senator Warnock has championed several pieces of legislation to curb rampant, routine gun violence and help make communities safer, including cosponsoring legislation to ban assault weapons and institute universal background checks on firearms. He also championed the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first gun safety reform legislation passed by Congress in over 30 years.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-trump-admin-extending-georgia-pathways-program-after-nonpartisan-report-finds-failed-health-care-experiment-wasted-taxpayer-dollars/", "Warnock Statement on Trump Admin Extending\u00a0Georgia\u00a0Pathways Program After Nonpartisan Report Finds Failed Health Care Experiment Wasted Taxpayer Dollars", "2025-09-25", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Trump Administration signed off on the extension of Georgia Pathways even as a new report commissioned by Senator Reverend Warnock found the failed program came in over budget and under delivered\n\nThe nonpartisan report finds the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wrongly approved higher federal matching rates for certain administrative costs, wasting taxpayer dollars\n\nIn a new statement, Senator Warnock chastised the approved extension of Georgia Pathways as an immoral decision that only makes our country sicker and poorer\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThe only thing Pathways is incredibly effective at is barring working people from health coverage and making corporate consultants richer. If Republican politicians were serious about getting people to work, they would have closed the coverage gap nationwide and cut out the government bureaucracy\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a new statement after the federal government approved an extension of the Georgia Pathways health care program, which follows a new nonpartisan report commissioned by Senator Warnock highlighting how the program came in over budget and under delivered.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s Pathways program ironically provides no reliable path to affordable health care for Georgians,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThe only thing Pathways is incredibly effective at is barring working people from health coverage and making corporate consultants richer. If Republican politicians were serious about getting people to work, they would have closed the coverage gap nationwide and cut out the government bureaucracy. Today\u2019s decision will continue to keep health care away from Georgians who need it most. It is wrong, it is immoral, and it only makes our country sicker and poorer.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-hyde-smith-pass-bipartisan-resolution-marking-annual-gold-star-families-remembrance-week/", "Warnock, Hyde-Smith Pass Bipartisan Resolution Marking Annual Gold Star Families Remembrance Week", "2025-09-23", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The bipartisan resolution designates the week of September 21-27 to recognize families of servicemembers who died in the line of duty\n\nThis is the fifth year the Senators have collaborated on this bipartisan resolution to honor the contributions and sacrifices of the families of America\u2019s fallen servicemembers\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI am proud to recognize the bipartisan Gold Star Families Remembrance Week and honor the families of the servicemembers who sacrificed everything to keep us safe\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 This week, following the passage of their bipartisan resolution, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) marked the start of the annual Gold Star Families Remembrance Week. This resolution establishes September 21-27, 2025, as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week, honoring the sacrifices made by the families of servicemembers who have given their lives in defense of the nation.\n\n\u201cOur nation is indebted to the brave servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. And their families, who also sacrificed immensely, deserve our recognition and support,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201cI am proud to recognize the bipartisan Gold Star Families Remembrance Week and honor the families of the servicemembers who sacrificed everything to keep us safe. As long as I serve all Georgians in the U.S. Senate, I will be a champion for our servicemembers, veterans, and Gold Star families.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn the same sense that we honor the fallen and our veterans, I think we have a duty to honor the families of the service members who lost their lives in service to our nation. They, too, have sacrificed for our freedoms,\u201d Senator Hyde-Smith said. \u201cI hope people in Mississippi and across the country will take time to reach out to Gold Star families during the 2025 Gold Star Families Remembrance Week.\u201d\n\nThe Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) supports the annual resolution.\n\n\u201cThe Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) appreciates Senators Hyde-Smith and Warnock for introducing the 2025 Gold Star Families Resolution to designate a full week to honor all of our nation\u2019s Gold Star families,\u201d said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder. \u201cMemorial Day exists to honor the fallen, but Gold Star Families Remembrance Week provides the opportunity to honor surviving military families themselves.\u201d\n\nThe Gold Star Families Remembrance Week resolution recognizes the loss and sacrifices of families in support of fallen members of the Armed Forces, as well as veterans. It encourages Americans to perform acts of community service and good will to honor these families. The observance of Gold Star Families Remembrance Week follows Gold Star Mother\u2019s Day, which has been commemorated by presidential proclamation since 1936 on the last Sunday of September.\n\nWarnock and Hyde-Smith have introduced the resolution jointly since 2021.\n\nRead the resolution HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-press-trump-administration-over-deaths-in-ice-custody/", "Warnock, Ossoff Press Trump Administration Over Deaths in ICE Custody", "2025-09-23", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Ten people died in ICE custody in the first half of 2025, the highest total for the same period since 2018\n\nNPR: Georgia senators demand answers on more than a dozen deaths in immigration detention\n\nSenators Reverend Warnock, Ossoff: \u201cWe write with serious alarm regarding the rise in the number of deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody nationwide. We are especially concerned by the deaths of two individuals in ICE custody in Georgia this year\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) are urging the Trump Administration to address deaths in ICE custody in Georgia.\n\nIn a letter to Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons, the Senators cited the delayed reporting of two deaths in ICE custody in Georgia and requested information on agency oversight of detention facilities and contractors.\n\n\u201cWe write with serious alarm regarding the rise in the number of deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody nationwide. We are especially concerned by the deaths of two individuals in ICE custody in Georgia this year. We request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE immediately provide information about these individuals\u2019 deaths and about the Trump administration\u2019s plan to prevent further fatalities,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nAccording to ICE\u2019s Detainee Death Reporting website, ten people died in ICE custody in the first half of 2025, the highest total for the same period since 2018.\n\nIn Georgia, according to reporting, Abelardo Avellaneda-Delgado, 68, died on May 5 during transport from the Lowndes County Jail to Stewart Detention Center by TransCor, a CoreCivic subsidiary contracted by ICE. His family has said he had no prior health conditions.\n\nOn June 7, according to reporting, Jesus Molina-Veya, 45, died at Stewart Detention Center after being found unconscious in his cell. ICE reports indicate a ligature was found around his neck. His death is the thirteenth at Stewart since 2006.\n\n\u201cICE has reported fourteen deaths in custody since January 2025. There have been additional public reports of a fifteenth detainee death, which ICE has not yet confirmed. Ten of these deaths occurred between January and June\u2014the highest number of deaths in the first six months of any year listed in ICE\u2019s public records. DHS must address safety and conditions within detention facilities in Georgia and across the country to prevent more deaths in its custody,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\nConcern over conditions in detention also comes after DHS cut jobs in the oversight divisions focused on civil rights. This included widespread cuts within the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, which conducts oversight of ICE and Customs and Border Protection detention. The senator sent a letter earlier this week urging the administration to answer question about the conditions for pregnant individuals in ICE custody. In 2022, the senators pressed the Biden Administration for answers about allegations of sexual assault against women at the ICE Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia.\n\nThe letter text can be found HERE and below.\n\n\u201cDear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:\n\nWe write with serious alarm regarding the rise in the number of deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody nationwide. We are especially concerned by the deaths of two individuals in ICE custody in Georgia this year. We request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE immediately provide information about these individuals\u2019 deaths and about the Administration\u2019s plan to prevent further fatalities.\n\nICE has publicly confirmed that Abelardo Avellaneda-Delgado, a 68-year-old Mexican citizen, died in ICE custody during transport from a local jail to Stewart Detention Center (\u201cStewart\u201d) on May 5, 2025. Media reports indicate that his death occurred while he was in the care of TransCor, a wholly owned subsidiary of CoreCivic, contracted by ICE to transport detainees. Mr. Avellaneda-Delgado\u2019s family has stated publicly that he had no known preexisting health conditions before being detained in local custody.\n\nICE has also publicly confirmed that Jesus Molina-Veya, a 45-year-old Mexican citizen in the custody of ICE at Stewart, was pronounced dead by medical professionals at 6:42 p.m. on June 7, 2025. Mr. Molina-Veya\u2019s death has been reported as a suicide. His death marks the thirteenth death, and the third death by suicide, at Stewart since ICE began holding immigrants in the facility in 2006.\n\nStewart has faced numerous allegations of civil rights and civil liberties violations, including reports of sexual abuse, medical neglect, overuse of solitary confinement, overcrowding, barriers to accessing legal representation, forced labor, substandard food, and issues with grievance reporting. A 2017 Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties report assessing conditions at Stewart found the facility had an insufficient number of staff to manage the health needs of detainees, including highlighting a time when only one mental health provider would be available to serve a detainee population of 1,800. Persistent deficiencies in medical care may contribute to preventable deaths and serious illnesses among detainees.\n\nICE has reported fourteen deaths in custody since January 2025. There have been additional public reports of a fifteenth detainee death, which ICE has not yet confirmed. Ten of these deaths occurred between January and June\u2014the highest number of deaths in the first six months of any year listed in ICE\u2019s public records. DHS must address safety and conditions within detention facilities in Georgia and across the country to prevent more deaths in its custody.\n\nAdditionally, ICE is failing to meet its own standards for reporting detainee deaths, thereby hindering Congressional oversight efforts and leaving families in the dark as to their loved ones\u2019 fates. ICE\u2019s own guidance requires the agency to post an interim notice of any detainee death to ICE\u2019s website \u201cwithin 48 hours,\u201d and directs that \u201cevery effort should be made to post the interim notice\u201d sooner (\u201cas quickly as reasonably possible\u201d). Yet, of the fifteen detainee deaths so far this year, ICE published notice within two days in only six cases. For example, according to ICE reports, Mr. Avellaneda Delgado was pronounced dead on May 5. ICE did not publicly post notification of his death until May 8.\n\nGiven these issues, we ask that you provide both a briefing and written response to the following questions no later than October 31, 2025.\n\nPublic reporting indicates that, although he was apparently healthy when he was taken into local custody, Mr. Avellaneda-Delgado appeared ill the day before he died during transport. What was his health status when he was taken into ICE custody for transport?\n\nWhat was the official cause of Mr. Avellaneda Delgado\u2019s death, as reported on his autopsy?\n\nPlease provide a copy of the detainee death review, Healthcare and Security Compliance Analysis, Mortality Review, Root Cause Analysis, autopsy report, and psychological autopsy report for this death.\n\nHas ICE contacted local authorities to secure Mr. Avellaneda-Delgado\u2019s medical records and information about his medical history preceding his death?\n\nWhat corrective actions were recommended to the transportation provider by ICE Office of Professional Responsibility as a result of this death?\n\nWhat consequences or corrective actions have been levied on the transportation provider as a result of this death?\n\nWhen was Mr. Avellaneda-Delgado\u2019s family notified of his death? How were they notified? Who provided this notice?\n\nWhat health assessments and medical care does ICE require transportation contractors to provide?\n\nWhat health assessments does ICE require transportation providers to administer prior to transport, pursuant to their contracts?\n\nDo ICE contracts require transportation contractors to be able to provide medical care? If so, what care? If not, why not?\n\nWhat monitoring of detainees does ICE require during transport?\n\nHow frequently must transportation providers check on detainees?\n\nWhat video footage of transport is required to be captured? What measures are in place to ensure the protection of that video footage? How and when is it reviewed?\n\nWhat protocols does ICE have in place to ensure that detainees receive their prescribed medications on the day of a transport or during a transfer of custody?\n\nWhat oversight measures do DHS and ICE have in place for transportation contractors, such as TransCor?\n\nHow often are transportation contractors audited?\n\nHow often are contracts with transportation providers reviewed for compliance?\n\nPlease provide a copy of ICE\u2019s contract with TransCor.\n\nWhat were Mr. Molina-Veya\u2019s conditions of confinement at the time of his death? Please provide details regarding the conditions of his cell, access to support, and his interaction with detention staff members.\n\nDid Mr. Molina-Veya ever express thoughts of suicidal ideation to staff members or to other detainees?\n\nWas Mr. Molina-Veya held in segregation at any point during his confinement at Stewart? If so, why and for how long?\n\nWhat was the official cause of death, as reported on his autopsy?\n\nHow long was Mr. Molina-Veya detained at Stewart?\n\nHow many medical and mental health staff positions were vacant at the time of Mr. Molina-Veya\u2019s death? Which ones?\n\nHow many mental health personnel were on staff at the time of Mr. MolinaVeya\u2019s death?\n\nHow many detainees were held at the facility at the time of Mr. Molina-Veya\u2019s death?\n\nPlease provide a copy of the detainee death review, Healthcare and Security Compliance Analysis, Mortality Review, Root Cause Analysis, autopsy report, and psychological autopsy report for this death.\n\nWhat corrective actions were recommended to the facility by ICE OPR as a result of this death?\n\nWhat corrective actions were recommended to the facility by ICE OPR as a result of this death? What consequences have been levied on the facility operator as a result of this death?\n\nWhen was Mr. Molina-Veya\u2019s family notified of his death? How were they notified? Who provided this notice?\n\nWhat mental health screening, treatment, and suicide prevention protocols does ICE require to be in place at Stewart?\n\nHow frequently does ICE audit Stewart for compliance with said protocols?\n\nHas Stewart ever failed to meet these requirements? If so, when and how?\n\nHow many licensed mental health professionals are currently employed at Stewart?\n\nHow many mental health staff positions are currently vacant at Stewart?\n\nWhat steps is DHS taking to fill these workforce shortages?\n\nAn Office of Professional Responsibility inspection report on Stewart issued in May 2025 reported two deficiencies related to self-harm and suicide prevention and intervention\u2014 namely, that certain staff had failed to complete annual comprehensive suicide prevention training and due to deficiencies in continuous monitoring of detainees placed on suicide precaution.24 Have these deficiencies been fully remedied? If not, when will they be fully remedied?\n\nWhat additional steps are DHS and ICE taking to prevent further suicides in ICE custody?\n\nICE guidance on detainee death reporting requires it to publish an interim death notice within 48 hours. ICE\u2019s website and press releases note that agency practice is to publish the interim notice within two business days. Yet, as noted above, the death notifications for Mr. Avellaneda-Delgado and Mr. Molina-Veya were published later than two business days after their deaths. Why were these delayed?\n\nPlease provide a copy of current ICE guidance governing detainee death reporting.\n\nHave any third-party inspections been conducted at ICE detention facilities in Georgia this year? By whom? Please provide copies of those reports.\n\nWhat is the average duration of detention in ICE detention facilities in Georgia? How is ICE ensuring individuals are not subjected to prolonged or indefinite detention?\n\nDo detainees have adequate access to clean drinking water, healthy food, and medical care while detained, in compliance with national detention standards?\n\nHow does ICE ensure compliance with national detention standards regarding the availability of drinking water?\n\nHow many reports have you received from detainees or their representatives registering issues with the safety or quality of drinking water?\n\nHow many drinking water stations are available per detainee, and where are drinking water stations located?\n\nDo detainees have access to healthy food while detained, in compliance with national detention standards?\n\nHow does ICE ensure compliance with national detention standards regarding the availability of healthy food?\n\nHow does ICE ensure that the specific nutritional needs of detainees with chronic health challenges are met?\n\nHow many reports have you received from detainees or their representatives\u2019 registering issues with the safety, nutritional value, or quality of food?\n\nDo detainees have access to appropriate medical, dental, and mental health care, including emergency services, in compliance with national detention standards?\n\nHow does ICE ensure compliance with national detention standards regarding medical care?\n\nDo detainees have access to any and all prescribed medication that they took before being detained? If not, why not?\n\nHow frequently is a detainee\u2019s medical state evaluated by a physician? What process does ICE follow to ensure detainees who require or request medical care are promptly evaluated by a physician?\n\nHow many pregnant women are currently detained in Georgia? Do they have access to an obstetrics physician while detained? If so, how often?\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-accepts-prestigious-constituent-service-award-for-hurricane-helene-response/", "Warnock Accepts Prestigious Constituent Service Award for Hurricane Helene Response", "2025-09-19", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock accepted the bipartisan Congressional Management Foundation\u2019s (CMF) 2025 Democracy Award for Best Constituent Correspondence & Outreach Services\n\nThis honor was awarded to Senator Warnock to recognize his office\u2019s constituent communication on disaster response and recovery resources during and after Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Georgia in September of last year\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI often say that I\u2019m not a Senator who used to be a pastor. I\u2019m a pastor in the Senate. I\u2019m used to walking with people even as I work for them. Sometimes we can\u2019t solve these really big problems [\u2026] on a dime, but in the meantime, we do get to walk alongside people and just solve everyday issues\u201d\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock at the 2025 Democracy Awards\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) accepted the Congressional Management Foundation\u2019s (CMF) 2025 Democracy Award for the best Constituent Correspondence & Outreach Services. The award follows the Senator and his office\u2019s outreach efforts to communicate disaster response and recovery resources following Hurricane Helene\u2019s Georgia landfall in September of 2024. The Senator accepted the award at the CMF\u2019s Democracy Awards ceremony. In addition to Senator Warnock, the bipartisan CMF also recognized Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX-11) for his correspondence & outreach services.\n\n\u201cI often say that I\u2019m not a Senator who used to be a pastor. I\u2019m a pastor in the Senate. I\u2019m used to walking with people even as I work for them. Sometimes we can\u2019t solve these really big problems [\u2026] on a dime, but in the meantime, we do get to walk alongside people and just solve everyday issues,\u201d Senator Warnock said in his acceptance remarks.\n\nBelow are just a few of the Senator\u2019s efforts providing constituent correspondence and outreach services around the time of Hurricane Helene:\n\nAlerted Georgians of the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance.\n\nHosted community resource clinics across the state, helping connect 200 Georgians in rural communities to in-person federal resources and representatives.\n\nParticipated in a community roundtable following Hurricane Helene\u2019s landfall in Georgia.\n\nCreated a website as a one-stop shop of resources to help Georgians recover.\n\nVisited farmers in Ray City with President Biden to survey damage and hear from residents.\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock is presented with his 2025 Democracy Award by Randy Ford, President of National Write Your Congressman, Inc.\n\nThe CMF is a bipartisan non-profit foundation that has provided hands-on support and essential resources to Members and their staff to help govern effectively and better serve their constituents for nearly 50 years. Focusing on real-world solutions that drive congressional modernization, advance public service skills, and foster a culture of collaboration on Capitol Hill.\n\nA transcript of the Senator\u2019s remarks can be found below:\n\nGood morning, everybody. First, let me thank the Congressional Management Foundation for this recognition and for all the work that you\u2019ve done for nearly half a century to help public servants and their staff better serve the American people.\n\nLet me say that I am incredibly and deeply honored to receive the 2025 Democracy Award for Constituent Correspondence and Outreach Services for my office\u2019s work in the wake of Hurricane Helene last year. I have to say, I\u2019m a little bit embarrassed to receive this award. This is a perfect example of members getting credit for stuff their staff does. But you all give my staff a round of applause, please. They\u2019re the ones who do the work, not just my staff, but all of our staff.\n\nOne of the great things about this work is constituent services. Let\u2019s face it, we live in a time in which our nation is deeply divided, and we\u2019re so consumed with the culture wars. There\u2019s not much focus, not enough focus, on the real problems that confront us. And I think we could get together, if we would get together, focus on the real issues that we all have in common. If we would recognize that at the end of the day what we want is for all of our children to do well.\n\nThe amazing thing about constituent services is that it transcends partisan differences. I can\u2019t tell you how many Republicans have walked up to me and said, \u201cYou know, I didn\u2019t vote for you, but I called your office, and you solved the problem for me.\u201d I said, \u201cWell, you gonna vote for me the next time?\u201d \u201cNo.\u201d Occasionally I get a taker. I\u2019ll take that. But listen, I didn\u2019t run for the Senate to win awards. I ran to serve Georgians.\n\nI often say that I\u2019m not a Senator who used to be a pastor. I\u2019m a pastor in the Senate. I\u2019m used to walking with people even as I work for them. Sometimes we can\u2019t solve these really big problems, health care, you know, issues around creating opportunity in our changing economy. We can\u2019t solve these big problems on a dime, but in the meantime, we do get to walk alongside people and just solve everyday issues.\n\nAnd so I want to thank and congratulate my staff, the ways in which they responded in the wake of Hurricane Helene, hosting community resource clinics across the state, helping connect 200 Georgians and rural communities to in person federal resources, the way they arrived early on the scene to distribute water, food, and supplies. I was there with them for a little while, but they really did the work creating a digital one stop shop of resources to help Georgians recover, alerting Georgians of the deadline to apply for federal assistance, meeting with community leaders and frontline responders, and traveling with President Biden to South Georgia to hear directly from impacted farmers.\n\nWhen I was on the ground in Georgia, just trying to do the work, trying to connect folks with services, I was really taken by the spirit of the people of Georgia, their resilience, their commitment to one another. I was inspired by Wayne Lanier, owner of Lanier\u2019s Fresh Meat Market, a barbecue joint. And he sells his food every day. But he was out there just giving it away, giving it away, making sure that the most marginalized members of that community were well taken care of. And I can cite example after example after example like that, the Tabernacle Baptist Church and others standing up and just creating a response unit right in real time to respond to their neighbors. The man I ran into on my way to that area had a generator, and his neighbors didn\u2019t have a generator, and he just started cooking for everybody. And so this is the spirit, the American spirit, and at the end of the day, we need more of that. So thank you very much for this award. God bless all of you. Keep the faith.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-watchdog-report-spotlights-georgias-work-reporting-requirement-failures/", "New Watchdog Report Spotlights Georgia\u2019s Work Reporting Requirement Failures", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "A new report commissioned by Senator Warnock, Senate Finance Ranking Member Wyden, Senator Ossoff, and House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Representative Pallone shows how Georgia\u2019s Pathways to Coverage program came in over budget and under delivered\n\nThe report finds CMS wrongly approved higher federal matching rates for certain administrative costs, wasting taxpayer dollars\n\nGeorgia\u2019s Pathways to Coverage Medicaid work requirement program is the inspiration behind Congressional Republican\u2019s health care work requirements in President Trump\u2019s tax and spending legislation\n\nAs a result of the legislation, millions of Americans across the country will lose their health insurance or see their premiums increase. In Georgia, as many as 750,000 people could be impacted\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cNow the entire country can see what we in Georgia already know \u2013 Georgia\u2019s Medicaid work reporting requirement program is the real waste, fraud, and abuse\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report commissioned by U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06) unveiled for Georgia and the nation how Governor Kemp\u2019s Pathways to Coverage Medicaid work reporting requirement program came in over budget and under delivered. The report shows that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wrongly approved higher federal matching rates for certain Pathways administrative costs, wasting taxpayer dollars. The program was also found to be incredibly ineffective, enrolling only 3,500 individuals in the program in the first year, far short of the state\u2019s first year goal of 25,028 enrollees.\n\n\u201cNow the entire country can see what we in Georgia already know \u2013 Georgia\u2019s Medicaid work reporting requirement program is the real waste, fraud, and abuse,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThis report shows that Pathways is incredibly effective at barring working people from health coverage and making corporate consultants richer. If Republican politicians were serious about getting people to work, they would have closed the coverage gap nationwide and cut out the government bureaucracy. Instead, they have chosen to take health care away from millions of Americans who need it most to give a tax cut to the richest among us. It is wrong, it is immoral, and it only makes our country sicker and poorer.\u201d\n\nSince 2014, states have had the option to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Before the ACA, Medicaid was largely limited to low-income children, pregnant women, parents of children, elderly, and those with disabilities. The ACA allowed states to expand Medicaid to adults with up to 133% of the federal poverty line.\n\nIn lieu of full expansion, Governor Kemp created Pathways to Coverage. This program was created through a Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver. Georgia\u2019s Pathways program was initially approved by the Trump Administration, then disapproved by the Biden Administration, before a federal judge allowed it to move forward. The program went live July 2023.\n\nOver one year into the program, only 3,500 individuals were enrolled, far short of the estimated 640,000 people who could benefit under full expansion. 3,500 also fails to meet Georgia\u2019s own projected foal of 25,028 enrollees in the first year of the program. Most of the administrative spending ($47.4 million or about 88 percent) was financed by federal dollars. Typically, the federal government generally provides 50 percent of the funds for administrative activities (also called a 50 percent matching rate) but can pay up to 90 percent of certain administrative costs. The GAO report found weaknesses in CMS\u2019s initial consideration of Georgia\u2019s Pathways program and oversight of administrative spending of the program as a whole.\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. Most recently, Senator Warnock published a report, \u201cHealthy People, Healthy Economy\u201d finding that placing bureaucratic red tape between working people and their health care will lead to hospital closures, job loss, and economic slowdown. In addition to pushing for solutions to close the coverage gap, Senator Warnock led a delegation of Georgia lawmakers in urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide tools to Medicaid non-expansion states like Georgia to help them protect health care access for Medicaid enrollees who lose eligibility after the end of the public health emergency declaration. Senator Warnock also adamantly opposed Dr. Mehmet Oz\u2019s consideration to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), for his lack of commitment to protecting Medicaid services.\n\nRead the report HERE", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-press-trump-admin-over-mistreatment-of-pregnant-women-in-ice-detention/", "Warnock, Colleagues Press Trump Admin Over Mistreatment of Pregnant Women in ICE Detention", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock led 28 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem over allegations of mistreatment of pregnant women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities\n\nAccording to a Senate Judiciary report, the Trump Administration is increasingly detaining pregnant women in facilities ill-equipped to manage their well-being and safety\n\nSince the start of the Trump administration, accurate information about the number of pregnant women in ICE custody has been difficult to confirm. Until this year, ICE provided semiannual reports to Congress on the number and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in immigration detention; however, this previously required reporting has now ceased\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and 28 of his Senate colleagues expressed grave concerns over the prevalence and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.\n\nIn a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, the lawmakers demand that ICE stop detaining pregnant women absent exceptional circumstances and ask the agency to provide information about the number of pregnant women in its custody. The senators also ask for information on the treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women who are in ICE detention\u2014and ask for a response no later than September 26th.\n\nA Government Accountability Office (GAO) study published in 2020 found that between 2016 and 2018, ICE detained pregnant women over 4,600 times. As Congress increased its oversight into the detention of pregnant women, that number dropped to just 158 pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women detained in the first half of Fiscal Year 2024. After President Trump took office this year, the Administration has stopped providing reports to Congress on the number of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in their custody.\n\n\u201cWe write to express grave concerns about the prevalence and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. A recent Senate Judiciary Committee site visit and media reports point to the alarming detention of a significant number of pregnant women in ICE custody. We urgently request that ICE cease detaining pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women absent exceptional circumstances and that the agency provide information about the number and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in its custody,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\nIn their letter, the senators referenced reporting on 911 calls recorded from ICE facilities involving pregnant women in \u201cdistress, bleeding or suffering severe pain,\u201d as well as a recent Senate Judiciary Committee staff visit to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, LA that found 14 pregnant women\u2014a shockingly large number\u2014detained at the time of the visit, with many of them receiving little to no medical care.\n\n\u201cMedical research links ICE detention to high rates of pregnancy complications, with physicians finding serious risks to both fetal and maternal health. These already serious risks are heightened by the deteriorating conditions inside detention facilities, including severe overcrowding, reports of inadequate food and water, and lack of emergency medical care,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cAt this time, we do not know how many pregnant women are in ICE custody, whether U.S. citizen babies have been born in ICE custody, and what provisions have been made for mothers\u2019 and children\u2019s health, safety, and wellbeing.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has been a steadfast supporter of maternal rights. He has championed efforts to combat maternal mortality since coming to the Senate, including introducing the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2025 to reauthorize programs to preserve maternal health and the Kira Johnson Act to support bias training and data collection. Senator Warnock also partnered with then Senator Rubio (R-FL) to pass into law the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act which authorized new grant programs to reduce maternal mortality and improve implicit bias training for providers.\n\nIn addition to Senator Warnock, the following Senators joined the effort including: Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR)\n\nRead the full letter below or HERE.\n\nSecretary Noem:\n\nWe write to express grave concerns about the prevalence and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention. A recent Senate Judiciary Committee site visit and media reports point to the alarming detention of a significant number of pregnant women in ICE custody. We urgently request that ICE cease detaining pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women absent exceptional circumstances and that the agency provide information about the number and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in its custody.\n\nMedical research links ICE detention to high rates of pregnancy complications, with physicians finding serious risks to both fetal and maternal health. These already serious risks are heightened by the deteriorating conditions inside detention facilities, including severe overcrowding, reports of inadequate food and water, and lack of emergency medical care. According to one media investigation, since January 2025, at least four 911 calls have been recorded from ICE detention facilities involving pregnant women in \u201cdistress, bleeding or suffering severe pain\u201d\u2013 including one involving a facility staff member. A recent Senate Judiciary Committee staff visit to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana revealed that 14 pregnant women\u2014a shockingly large number\u2014were detained at the time of the visit. Women reported receiving little to no medical care and insufficient nutrition; some reported having never been seen by a physician in the facility, despite efforts to get care. The report shares an anecdote of \u201ca pregnant woman who had a miscarriage while detained and was allegedly still bleeding when she was deported.\u201d\n\nSince the start of the Trump administration, accurate information about the number of pregnant women in ICE custody has been difficult to ascertain. Until this year, ICE provided semiannual reports to Congress on the number and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in immigration detention; however this previously required reporting has now ceased. Moreover, the effective closure of the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman means that there is little visibility and independent oversight of the treatment of vulnerable populations, including pregnant women. At this time, we do not know how many pregnant women are in ICE custody, whether U.S. citizen babies have been born in ICE custody, and what provisions have been made for mothers\u2019 and children\u2019s health, safety, and wellbeing.\n\nICE\u2019s own standards are unambiguous on the detention, monitoring, and treatment of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in detention. ICE Directive 11032.4, Identification and Monitoring of Pregnant, Postpartum, or Nursing Individuals (2021 Pregnancy Directive), states that ICE should not detain pregnant, postpartum, or nursing individuals except under very limited circumstances. If detention of these individuals is deemed absolutely necessary, the directive provides detailed requirements for ensuring that they are monitored closely, kept in suitable facilities, and given access to both routine and emergency health care. ICE recently reaffirmed its commitment to the health and safety of detained pregnant women in the 2025 revisions to its National Detention Standards.\n\nIn response to our concerns that pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women may not be receiving necessary monitoring, health care, and treatment, we request answers to the following questions by September 26, 2025.\n\nAs of the date of receipt of this letter, how many women currently in ICE custody are known to be pregnant, postpartum, and nursing? Please provide totals for each category. How many of those women currently are in their third trimester of pregnancy? For the purposes of defining \u201cpostpartum,\u201d please use the number of women in the one-year period following the end of pregnancy.\n\nSection 5.4 of the 2021 Pregnancy Directive requires that pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women receive weekly evaluations to determine whether continued detention is appropriate.\n\nWhat is the process for conducting these evaluations and what criteria are used? From January 1, 2025 to the date of receipt of this letter, how many pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women have been released pursuant to one of these screenings? Who is conducting these evaluations and are they reported to ICE headquarters? If yes, what office?\n\nFrom January 1, 2025 to the date of receipt of this letter, how many have remained in ICE custody? Of those pregnant women who received determinations to remain in custody, how many were in their third trimester?\n\nHave any women given birth in ICE facilities from January 1, 2025 to the date of receipt of this letter, including both live and stillborn births? If so, how many live and stillborn births and in which facilities? In that same time frame, how many miscarriages have occurred?\n\nAll children born on U.S. soil, including at ICE detention facilities, are U.S. citizens. For any child born in ICE custody, what is the process for allowing their mothers to secure U.S. birth certificates and other vital documents? Have any women been deported before having an opportunity to seek and obtain a birth certificate for their child?\n\nHow many pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women have been deported since January 1, 2025? Please provide the monthly total.\n\nSection 2 of the 2021 Pregnancy Directive requires that pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women be detained in facilities that are suitable for their physical and mental health needs.\n\nWhat ICE facilities currently detain pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women? Please provide a list by facility name and location.\n\nWhat are the criteria for determining if a facility is suitable for pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women? Of the pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women in ICE custody, how many were detained in facilities that have been deemed suitable according to these criteria from January 1, 2025 to the date of receipt of this letter? What ICE office determined those facilities were suitable and when was that determination made?\n\nHow many women since January 1, 2025 have been transferred into a suitable facility once it is discovered that they are pregnant, postpartum, and nursing? How many of these transfers occurred because the woman was pregnant?\n\nSince January 1, 2025, how many approved referrals for offsite obstetrics and gynecology services have been completed? How many inpatient hospitalizations related to active labor and birth for ICE detainees have occurred since January 1, 2025?\n\nPlease describe pregnant women\u2019s access to prenatal and postnatal health care in all ICE facilities that detain pregnant women, including routine medical examinations, treatment for pregnancy complications, and access to medical specialists such as OB/GYNs.\n\nPlease describe the provisions for ensuring safe labor and delivery, including an opportunity for mother and child to bond immediately after birth.\n\nCurrent law (Section 528 of P.L. 118-47) and Section 2.3 of the 2021 Pregnancy Directive severely curtails the use of restraints on pregnant women at any time and prohibits them entirely during active labor and delivery. If restraints are used, documented medical approval is required. Since January 1, 2025, have any pregnant women been placed in restraints? If yes, how many and at which locations have restraints been used on pregnant women?\n\nPlease describe any provisions for ensuring that pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women have access to a diet that meets the U.S. government recommended dietary guidelines for pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women, which includes including fruits, dairy products, vegetables, to support a healthy pregnancy and ensure their safety after birth.\n\nGiven the urgent nature of pregnant women\u2019s health and safety needs, we request that you ensure all detention facilities are in full compliance with current law and the 2021 Pregnancy Directive. We also request as a sign of your agency\u2019s commitment to the care of all individuals in your custody that you immediately resume semiannual reporting on Pregnant, Postpartum, and Lactating Individuals in Immigration Detention.\n\nWe look forward to receipt of this reporting and responses to our questions.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-urge-va-to-protect-veterans-from-overprescription-of-opioids/", "Warnock, Colleagues Urge VA\u00a0to Protect Veterans from Overprescription of Opioids", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The son of a veteran, Senator Reverend Warnock has worked diligently to strengthen federal resources for Georgia\u2019s veterans and their families\n\nThe Senator\u2019s call follows a report finding Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is failing to comply with Jason\u2019s Law guidelines, which protect veterans from overprescription of opioids, since 2019\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), joined their colleagues in demanding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) strengthen compliance with Jason\u2019s Law and improve the VA\u2019s opioid prescribing practices for veterans. The effort comes after a report exposed internal VA audits which found lagging compliance with Jason\u2019s Law and recent reporting exposed severe staffing shortages at VA medical centers.\n\n\u201cThe opioid and substance use disorder epidemic continues to have deadly impacts across the country making the VA pain and opioid safety programs critical to our veterans\u2019 safety. We were troubled to see the lack of progress in compliance over recent years,\u201d wrote the Senators in a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins. \u201cJason\u2019s Law and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act are saving lives, but VA must reach full compliance to continue this work and fulfill our nation\u2019s promise to deliver world-class care to our veterans. There is urgency in ensuring each Veterans Health Administration facility achieves full compliance with the law and that funding is swiftly and effectively utilized.\u201d\n\nSigned into law in 2016, the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act focuses on strengthening the VA\u2019s opioid prescribing guidelines and improving pain management services.\n\nA recent report published by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Veterans Affairs identified internal VA audits that found there has not been significant improvement in compliance with Jason\u2019s Law since 2019. In response, Senator Warnock is calling for the VA to develop a plan to achieve 100% compliance and identify the resources needed to do so. Additionally, Senator Warnock is demanding that the VA spend every dollar available for opioid safety and treatment.\n\nThe son of a veteran, Senator Warnock has long worked to support our veterans, working diligently to strengthen federal resources for Georgia\u2019s veterans and their families. Senator Warnock has been a part of countless other fights to serve veterans, including securing over $500,000 for homeless veterans in the Atlanta area and passing the 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act to help the surviving spouses of fallen servicemembers. He also passed the PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans\u2019 health benefits in decades.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warnock and Baldwin , the letter was co-signed by Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).\n\nThe full text of the letter is available HERE and below:\n\nDear Secretary Collins,\n\nWe write to raise concerns regarding compliance with the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act (Jason\u2019s Law) that was signed into law as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016. Earlier this year, the Office of the Inspector General published its report on oversight of the VA\u2019s Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and Prescriptions Drug Monitoring Program, including its use of appropriated funds and compliance with Jason\u2019s Law. We write to draw your attention to the findings in this report and request your plan to achieve 100% compliance with the law.\n\nJason\u2019s Law requires all Veterans Health Administration facilities to have a pain management team responsible for coordinating and overseeing pain management therapy for pain unrelated to cancer. The opioid and substance use disorder epidemic continues to have deadly impacts across the country making the VA pain and opioid safety programs critical to our veterans\u2019 safety. We were troubled to see the lack of progress in compliance over recent years. The Inspector General reported that the Veteran\u2019s Health Administration audits of pain management teams found 32% of facilities were not in full compliance with the law in September 2019, and by October 2024, the share of facilities not in full compliance had risen to 33%. We do note that during the same timeframe, the percentage of facilities that were partially compliant increased from 28% to 32%, leading to a decrease in the number of facilities that were noncompliant (4% down to 1%). Despite the modest progress indicated by these numbers, we ask that your response include a plan to bring all facilities to full compliance.\n\nThe Inspector General identified several causes for the lack of compliance, including a lack of clarity regarding the standards for Pain Management Teams, their composition, function, and responsibilities, including how these requirements vary across types of medical facilities. It is our understanding that the Department has been working for several years to update this guidance. Please provide us with information on which individuals or organizations contributed recommendations for the new directive and how that input was collected, along with a timeline for its expected distribution.\n\nThe Inspector General noted additional barriers to compliance. For example, delays in the hiring process or long wait times to approve positions and hiring actions negatively impact medical facilities\u2019 ability to hire members of pain management teams to achieve compliance. Other factors include difficulties in attracting suitable candidates due to nationwide shortages of certain specialties or in rural locations and a possible lack of VA competitiveness when compared to other medical employers. Please provide your evaluation of all factors that impact the hiring of staff for pain management teams and your plan to address these factors in a way that will substantially improve compliance with the law. Please include your methods of measuring progress for each factor identified and a timeline for achieving full compliance. Please include resources needed, including funding, statutory language, coordination with other government agencies, or other needs.\n\nAn additional challenge the Inspector General identified was the lack of expenditure of Congressionally-appropriated funds for opioid safety and treatment programs. Congress includes funding designated for the implementation of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act in annual appropriations bills. In fiscal year 2022, however, the Department did not spend over $93 million, accounting for 44% of the appropriated funds provided for this purpose. This indicator did improve, with the Department\u2019s unexpended funds dropping to $33 million (16%) in fiscal year 2023 and $9 million (4%) in fiscal year 2024. We appreciate the attention the Department showed to this account that led to improved efficiency in utilizing the funds for their intended purpose, but underscore that VA should be spending every dollar available for opioid safety and treatment. Please provide us with your analysis of any difficulties that remain in fully expending the appropriated funds each fiscal year. Please also provide your expenditure rate for fiscal year 2025.\n\nJason\u2019s Law and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act are saving lives, but VA must reach full compliance to continue this work and fulfill our nation\u2019s promise to deliver world-class care to our veterans. There is urgency in ensuring each Veterans Health Administration facility achieves full compliance with the law and that funding is swiftly and effectively utilized. Thank you for your attention to this critically important, lifesaving matter. We look forward to working together to fulfill our shared responsibility to those who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-demand-answers-on-previously-unreported-cdc-staffing-cuts/", "Warnock, Ossoff Demand Answers on Previously Unreported CDC Staffing Cuts", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff pressed CDC Acting Director O\u2019Neill for an explanation as to why public health experts and scientists hired under the Title 42 Service Fellowship Authority are seeing their appointments expire\n\nUnder Secretary Kennedy\u2019s failed leadership, the CDC has seen a mass dismissal of its personnel \u2013 actions that have been deeply damaging to the agency\u2019s ability to fulfill its mission\n\nEarlier this month, Senator Warnock called on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy\n\nSecretary Kennedy\u2019s incompetence has impacted chronic disease and cancer research, harmed efforts to protect service member\u2019s health, and jeopardized America\u2019s public health infrastructure to respond to infectious disease\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) asked Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acting Director James O\u2019Neill for an explanation as to why public health experts and scientists hired under the Title 42 Service Fellowship Authority are seeing their appointments expire. The Senators urge the new acting Director to reverse any plans to allow these appointments to expire and request answers to their questions regarding the agency\u2019s plans.\n\n\u201cLetting these Title 42 service fellowship and term appointments lapse effectively terminates these scientists and public health experts and is counterproductive and harmful to the CDC\u2019s critical public health mission,\u201d the senators write.\n\nThe Title 42 Service Fellowship Authority allows CDC to hire \u201cphysicians, industrial hygienists, epidemiologists, health scientists, engineers, and data experts who provide the evidence that public health decisions are built on\u201d. Title 42 service fellows include highly skilled scientists with expectational subject-matter expertise in cutting-edge public health area who fill key technical gaps.\n\nLast month, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Georgia\u2019s CDC employees following the shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer. Senator Warnock pushed for accountability after the firing of CDC Director Monarez and the attack at the Atlanta campus in a September 5 hearing, subsequently calling on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans. Since the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe.\n\nRead full text of the letter HERE and below:\n\nActing Director O\u2019Neill,\n\nWe write to express deep concern over disturbing reports that the Trump administration is allowing the appointments of health scientists and public health experts hired under the Title 42 Service Fellowship Authority (42 U.S.C \u00a7 209 (g)) and other term appointments at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who have reached their renewal dates, to expire without extending their appointments. This action is one of several in direct conflict with Secretary Kennedy\u2019s May 14, 2025, testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, in which he stated, \u201cwe have not fired any working scientists\u2026 our policy was to make sure none of them were lost and that that research continues.\u201d Letting these Title 42 service fellowship and term appointments lapse effectively terminates these scientists and public health experts and is counterproductive and harmful to the CDC\u2019s critical public health mission. As the new Acting Director of CDC, we urge you to reverse any plans to allow these appointments to expire and request answers to questions regarding your plans.\n\nUnder Secretary Kennedy\u2019s leadership, the Department of Health and Human Services has overseen the mass dismissal of CDC personnel\u2014actions that have been deeply damaging to the agency\u2019s ability to fulfil its mission. We have seen evidence of employees being hastily recalled after their absence disrupted critical operations, raising serious questions about the planning and oversight of this process. To date, there has been no clear public accounting of how many staff were let go, how many were reinstated, or how many highly specialized researchers were terminated. The lack of transparency suggests that the scope of these layoffs is far greater than the administration has publicly acknowledged\u2014and that the consequences for our nation\u2019s public health infrastructure will be severe.\n\nThe Title 42 Service Fellowship Authority (42 U.S.C \u00a7 209 (g)) allows CDC to hire \u201cphysicians, industrial hygienists, epidemiologists, health scientists, engineers, and data experts who provide the evidence that public health decisions are built on.\u201d Title 42 service fellows include highly skilled scientists with exceptional subject matter expertise in cutting-edge public health areas who fill key technical gaps.\n\nFailure to renew Title 42 service fellows and term employee appointments at CDC has already led to the disruption of critical ongoing public health research and disease surveillance and the inability of CDC to retain and recruit the next generation of public health scientists from its public health training programs. By letting Title 42 service fellowship and term employee appointments expire or not allowing extensions to their renewal dates, this administration is facilitating the complete erosion of scientific expertise, institutional knowledge, and public health preparedness at the CDC. This damage will take decades to reverse.\n\nDue to the urgency of this issue, we request a response to the following questions by September 30, 2025:\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many Title 42 service fellowships at CDC lapsed after meeting the Not-To-Exceed (NTE) date? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many Title 42 service fellowships at CDC were terminated before the NTE date? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many Title 42 service fellowships at CDC have been renewed? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC where these fellows are placed.\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many Title 42 service fellowships expired despite being recommended for renewal by CDC leadership? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nAs of September 1, 2025, how many staff are employed at CDC?\n\nAs of September 1, 2025, how many Title 42 service fellows worked at CDC?\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many term and/or temporary employee appointments lapsed before their NTE date? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many term and/or temporary employee appointments have been subjected to reductions in force? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\na. Of these, how many have been separated? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many term and/or temporary appointments at CDC were terminated before the NTE date? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nSince January 21, 2025, how many term and/or temporary employee appointments expired despite being recommended for renewal by CDC leadership? Please list the Centers and divisions at CDC that were affected.\n\nAs of September 1, 2025, how many term and/or temporary full-time employment (FTE) appointments are there at CDC?\n\nHow do you plan to manage grants, contracts, and cooperative agreement funds, as required by law, when employees who oversee these funds are let go?\n\nIn keeping in line with Secretary Kennedy\u2019s commitment to radical transparency, we look forward to receiving answers to the above questions by the requested date.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-padilla-introduce-bill-to-ban-partisan-gerrymandering-nationwide/", "Warnock, Padilla Introduce Bill to Ban Partisan Gerrymandering Nationwide", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Redistricting Reform Act would establish independent redistricting commissions and end mid-decade redistricting nationwide\n\nThe introduction of the bill comes as Republicans lead state houses to bow to President Trump\u2019s orders to redraw congressional maps in their favor\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, a staunch advocate for voting rights, has long championed efforts that strengthen and protect the sacred right to vote\n\nIn July, Senator Warnock introduced his John Lewis R. Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill that would strengthen protections against discriminatory voting practices across the country\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThe redistricting fight playing out across the country is not healthy for our democracy\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the bicameral Redistricting Reform Act of 2025 to combat Republican efforts to rig the rules and implement partisan gerrymanders before the next census. The bill is co-led by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA),Angus King (I-Maine), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).\n\nAs Republicans in state houses across the country heed President Trump\u2019s orders to redraw congressional maps in their favor, the bill would prohibit states from mid-decade redistricting and would require every state to adopt nonpartisan, independent redistricting commissions (IRCs).\n\n\u201cThe redistricting fight playing out across the country is not healthy for our democracy,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cWe have to do everything we can to push back against the cynical attempt by the President and his allies to rig the maps, and hold them accountable for taking health care away from 15 million people. That is why passing legislation on the federal level, like the Redistricting Reform Act of 2025, is so important. This legislation would require every state to adopt nonpartisan, independent redistricting commissions and would prohibit states from mid-decade redistricting. We can end partisan gerrymandering today and ensure every American has a voice in their democracy. I encourage my colleagues across the aisle to join us in getting this done.\u201d\n\nThe introduction of the bill comes as Georgia is purging the state\u2019s voter rolls of nearly 500,000 voters, amounting to 6% of Georgia\u2019s 8.4 million registered voters. In addition to what is going on in Georgia, in Texas, state lawmakers are looking to add five additional Republican seats. The move comes in direct response to President Trump\u2019s fears that voters may flip the House in the 2026 midterms. This legislation builds on Senator Warnock\u2019s John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act of 1965 that have been eroded in recent years by federal court rulings.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-over-62-million-in-federal-funding-for-georgia-airports/", "Warnock Secures Over $62 Million in Federal Funding for Georgia Airports", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will receive $10,631,004 to reconstruct runway safety areas\n\nSpalding County will receive $8,585,737 to help construct a new Griffin-Spaulding airport\n\nAdditional communities receiving federal funding include Albany, Americus, Augusta, Brunswick, Dawson, DeKalb County, Floyd County, Greensboro, Louisville, Macon, Rome, Savannah, and Spaulding County\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI\u2019m proud to secure these federal funds, which will go towards essential upgrades at airports across Georgia, making travel safer, easier, and more efficient for Georgians and visitors to our state\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced he secured new federal investments to upgrade Georgia\u2019s airports. These awards were made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Senator\u2019s Congressionally Directed Spending items.\n\nSenator Warnock announced airports in Savannah, Brunswick, Macon, Atlanta, Augusta, Spaulding County, DeKalb County, and Floyd County will receive a total of $62,078,524 for infrastructure upgrades, including runway extensions, safety features, and reconstruction of pavement.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to secure these federal funds, which will go towards essential upgrades at airports across Georgia, making travel safer, easier, and more efficient for Georgians and visitors to our state,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nMore information on these federal grants can be found below:\n\nA longtime champion for Georgia\u2019s aviation industry, last year Senator Warnock secured provisions in the FAA Reauthorization law that will help transform the aviation industry, including provisions to bolster the aviation workforce pipeline and invest in our aviation economy. In June 2025, Senators Warnock and Ossoff announced more than $14 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade and help maintain Georgia\u2019s regional airports, which followed the announcement of $13 million in federal funding in May 2025. In 2023, Senator Warnock visited Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to review progress on federally funded projects, including the construction of a security checkpoint expansion. In April 2023, Senator Warnock met with local aviation workers and leaders at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Chamblee, Georgia to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing workers on the frontlines of the aviation industry; following his visit, the Senator introduced the AIRWAYS Act to strengthen the aviation workforce by recruiting and training future industry workers from all zip codes. Additionally, in 2022 Senators Warnock and Ossoff secured $13.5 million to update nine airports across Georgia, including Augusta Regional Airport and Columbus Airport.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-end-forced-arbitration-restore-accountability-for-consumers-workers/", "Warnock, Colleagues Introduce Bill to End Forced Arbitration & Restore Accountability for Consumers, Workers", "2025-09-16", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock is a champion for consumer rights and fairness\n\nThe FAIR Act includes several priorities championed by Senator Warnock, including ensuring consumers have access to justice in the courts\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cGeorgians deserve to have access to justice, and I\u2019m going to fight to pass the FAIR Act to protect those rights.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act. This bill will reestablish Americans\u2019 Seventh Amendment right to seek justice and accountability through the court system, eliminating forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, and civil rights cases. Rather than forcing arbitration, the FAIR Act would allow consumers and workers to choose between arbitration and the court system after a dispute occurs.\n\n\u201cGeorgian consumers deserve to have fair access to seeking justice, and I\u2019m going to fight to pass the FAIR Act to protect those rights,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThe FAIR Act ensures consumers have access to justice in the courts, a crucial component of a fair justice system.\u201d\n\nForced arbitration clauses restrict Americans\u2019 access to justice by taking away consumers\u2019 rights to pursue a trial by jury or to join a class action lawsuit. Consumers with disputes are forced into private, closed-door arbitration proceedings that are not only inconvenient and costly, but are also ones in which consumers rarely prevail. There is no meaningful judicial review, so consumers are often unable to appeal a decision even if the arbitrator gets it wrong.\n\nAs the ranking member of the Economic Policy subcommittee in the Senate Committee on Banking, Senator Warnock is committed to ensuring that Georgians are protected from unfair, abusive, and deceptive acts and practices in our financial system. In 2022, he co-sponsored the Arbitration Fairness for Consumers Act, which would prohibit banks and other financial institutions from using forced arbitration clauses against consumers seeking justice in the courts.\n\nAlong with Senator Warnock, the legislation was cosponsored by Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-W), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-hyde-smith-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-honoring-gold-star-families/", "Warnock, Hyde-Smith Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Gold Star Families", "2025-09-16", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The bipartisan resolution designates the week of September 21-27 to recognize families of servicemembers who died in the line of duty\n\nThis is the fifth year the Senators have collaborated on this bipartisan resolution to honor the contributions and sacrifices of the families of America\u2019s fallen servicemembers\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI am proud to recognize the bipartisan Gold Star Families Remembrance Week and honor the families of the servicemembers who sacrificed everything to keep us safe\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan 2025 Gold Star Families Remembrance Week Resolution. This resolution establishes September 21-27, 2025 as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week, honoring the sacrifices made by the families of servicemembers who have given their lives in defense of the nation.\n\n\u201cOur nation is indebted to the brave servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. And their families, who also sacrificed immensely, deserve our recognition and support,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI am proud to recognize the bipartisan Gold Star Families Remembrance Week and honor the families of the servicemembers who sacrificed everything to keep us safe. As long as I serve all Georgians in the U.S. Senate, I will be a champion for our servicemembers, veterans, and Gold Star families.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn the same sense that we honor the fallen and our veterans, I think we have a duty to honor the families of the service members who lost their lives in service to our nation. They, too, have sacrificed for our freedoms,\u201d Senator Hyde-Smith said. \u201cI hope people in Mississippi and across the country will take time to reach out to Gold Star families during the 2025 Gold Star Families Remembrance Week.\u201d\n\nThe Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) supports the annual resolution.\n\n\u201cThe Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) appreciates Senators Hyde-Smith and Warnock for introducing the 2025 Gold Star Families Resolution to designate a full week to honor all of our nation\u2019s Gold Star families,\u201d said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder. \u201cMemorial Day exists to honor the fallen, but Gold Star Families Remembrance Week provides the opportunity to honor surviving military families themselves.\u201d\n\nThe Gold Star Families Remembrance Week resolution recognizes the loss and sacrifices of families in support of fallen members of the Armed Forces, as well as veterans. It encourages Americans to perform acts of community service and good will to honor these families. The observance of Gold Star Families Remembrance Week follows Gold Star Mother\u2019s Day, which has been commemorated by presidential proclamation since 1936 on the last Sunday of September.\n\nWarnock and Hyde-Smith have introduced the resolution jointly since 2021.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-joins-bipartisan-effort-to-reintroduce-fertilizer-research-act/", "Warnock Joins Bipartisan Effort to Reintroduce Fertilizer Research Act", "2025-09-16", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock joined a bipartisan group of senators in reintroducing the Fertilizer Research Act\n\nSenator Warnock joins Senators Grassley, Baldwin, and Ernst\n\nThe Fertilizer Research Act would require USDA to conduct a study on competition and trends in the fertilizer market and their direct impacts on price\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will help farmers across Georgia get a fairer price when they need to purchase fertilizer and provides them a bit more transparency\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined a bipartisan group of senators in reintroducing the Fertilizer Research Act. The legislation would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a study on competition and trends in the fertilizer market and their direct impacts on price.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s reckless tariff agenda is hurting Georgia farmers\u2019 bottom line, and these policies are threatening our farmers ability to make ends meet,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will help farmers across Georgia get a fairer price when they need to purchase fertilizer and provides them a bit more transparency.\u201d\n\nWithin one year of the bill\u2019s passage, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Economic Research Service, would be required to issue a report on USDA\u2019s website regarding the U.S. fertilizer industry. Specifically, the report should include:\n\nA description of impacts on the fertilizer market that influence price;\n\nMarket trends in the past 25 years;\n\nA description of the imported fertilizer and market impacts;\n\nImpacts of anti-dumping and countervailing duties;\n\nA study of fertilizer industry concentration;\n\nA study of emerging fertilizer technologies; and\n\nA description of whether current public price reporting is sufficient for market transparency\n\nAs a veteran member of the Senate committee overseeing federal agriculture policies, and as a senator representing a state with a proud and prosperous history of agriculture excellence, Senator Warnock has been a strong supporter of programs that help Georgia farmers keep more profits in their pockets and keep the industry at the frontlines of Georgia\u2019s success. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock led the introduction of a bipartisan bill with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). That legislation would facilitate the adoption of precision agriculture technologies for farmers and ranchers, all in an effort to make Georgia producers more efficient and increase their bottom line.\n\nThe Fertilizer Research Act is endorsed by the National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, and the Farm Action Fund, among others.\n\nRead full text of the bill HERE\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-press-cdc-leadership-for-update-on-security-measures-at-atlanta-headquarters/", "Warnock, Ossoff Press CDC Leadership for Update on Security Measures at Atlanta Headquarters", "2025-09-16", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Ossoff joined onto Senator Warnock\u2019s effort\n\nSenator Reverend Raphael Warnock sent a letter to CDC Acting Director O\u2019Neill demanding an answer on the agency\u2019s plans to ensure a safe and secure environment for its employees return to work\n\nThe letter comes after a tumultuous six-week period for the public health agency, marked by a horrific violent attack at its Atlanta campus and the abrupt firing of recently confirmed CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez\n\nSenator Warnock has been a steadfast supporter of the CDC and its employees since morale at the agency has plummeted following baseless character attacks against agency staff by Secretary Kennedy\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) pressed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acting Director James O\u2019Neill for answers on the agency\u2019s plans to ensure a safe and secure environment for its employees return to work. The letter comes after a tumultuous six-week period for the health agency, marked by a horrific violent attack at its Atlanta campus and the abrupt firing of recently confirmed CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez.\n\n\u201cWe write to you on behalf of the employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) \u2013 dedicated and patriotic Georgians and our constituents \u2013 who are still reeling from a horrific attack reportedly motivated by extremist anti-vaccine ideology that occurred at the Atlanta campus on August 8, 2025. Weeks later, the CDC was plunged further into chaos with the abrupt firing of recently confirmed Director Dr. Susan Monarez and the mass resignation of senior officials objecting to Secretary Kennedy\u2019s dangerous mismanagement,\u201d the letter begins.\n\nIn the letter, the Senators lay out a series of actions agreed upon by more than 750 current and former staff from the CDC that outline concerns about safety and stability at the agency. The Senators ask for more accountability from Director O\u2019Neill and urge him to act on the following six steps immediately, and before CDC staff are required to return in-person to its Atlanta campus:\n\nConduct and report to Congress in writing a thorough analysis of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CDC\u2019s security protocols to examine any security vulnerabilities that contributed to the attack, assess any gaps or weaknesses in current security protocols and response procedures, identify any campus or facilities security deficiencies, and evaluate timely notification to employees in the case of a future security event.\n\nEnsure that CDC employees, their families, and any other individuals affected by the attack have access to free trauma support and adequate mental health resources, as well as flexible remote work options where appropriate.\n\nSubmit to Congress an emergency supplemental funding request for any emergency funding necessary to scale up both these physical security improvements and mental health services based on your assessment of CDC safety and employee support needs described above, with an emphasis on meeting the increased security and mental health needs amid increased and politically motivated threats to agency staff.\n\nWork with relevant agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, to:\n\na. Remove online material that targets or threatens the CDC federal workforce and establish additional security protocols to protect individuals targeted through these dangerous online watch lists.\n\nb. Investigate the role that misinformation and disinformation about the CDC, its work, or its workers, including the role that any disinformation or misinformation from any Administration officials, including Secretary Kennedy, had in contributing to the volatile atmosphere before this attack.\n\nc. Issue recommendations for countering CDC misinformation, CDC disinformation, and threats to the federal public health workforce.\n\nPause any terminations or restructuring of CDC divisions and staff for the remainder of the calendar year and until all investigations and analysis of this incident are complete and reported to Congress, and until all security reforms have been fully implemented.\n\nCollaborate with the local CDC union, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2883, including by holding a town hall with members within one month, and assigning a member of HHS leadership as the primary point of contact for AFGE Local 2883 to discuss and monitor employee well-being following this horrific attack.\n\nLast month, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Georgia\u2019s CDC employees following the shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer. Senator Warnock pushed for accountability after the firing of CDC Director Monarez and the attack at the Atlanta campus in a September 5 hearing, subsequently calling on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans. Since the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe.\n\nRead full text of the letter HEREand below:\n\nActing Director O\u2019Neill,\n\nWe write to you on behalf of the employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\u2014dedicated and patriotic Georgians and our constituents\u2014who are still reeling from a horrific attack reportedly motivated by extremist anti-vaccine ideology that occurred at the Atlanta campus on August 8, 2025. Weeks later, the CDC was plunged further into chaos with the abrupt firing of recently confirmed Director Dr. Susan Monarez and the mass resignation of senior officials objecting to Secretary Kennedy\u2019s dangerous mismanagement. In the aftermath of the August 8th attack, and amidst continued chaos and plummeting morale at this key public health agency, you must take immediate action to ensure a safe and secure environment for the CDC workforce and the highly sensitive facilities they operate.\n\nOn the afternoon of Friday, August 8, 2025, a gunman fired over 500 rounds at CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, targeting multiple buildings on the Clifton campus, including buildings near the CDC\u2019s day care. The gunman tragically killed DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, who bravely responded to the shooting. Many other law enforcement officials from multiple jurisdictions also rushed to respond to the shooting, placing themselves in harm\u2019s way to neutralize the threat and eventually secure the premises.\n\nImages taken after the attack show hundreds of bullet holes in the windows of at least four CDC buildings, an eerie reminder of how close these dedicated public servants were to harm\u2019s way. Public health workers at CDC wake up every day to protect us from unseen threats. They deserve to be and feel safe at their job.\n\nFollowing the shooting, former Director Monarez addressed CDC staff, in which she warned of \u201cthe dangers of misinformation and its promulgation.\u201d On August 25, 2025, Secretary Kennedy reportedly summoned Monarez to his office in Washington for a meeting, where he gave her an ultimatum: follow his orders that prioritized his extreme ideology over science or resign. On September 4, 2025, Secretary Kennedy testified before the Senate Finance Committee that you were present for this meeting, during which Secretary Kennedy also reportedly denigrated CDC employees, and, according to his own September 4 testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, called the agency \u201cthe most corrupt agency at HHS, and maybe the government.\u201d\n\nBefore this meeting, on August 20, 2025, more than 750 current and former staff from your agency wrote a letter to Secretary Kennedy outlining their concerns about their safety and stability as an agency. In light of the critical mission of the CDC, the August of turbulent upheaval for the agency, and the essential role played by CDC workers, we echo the calls from hundreds of CDC staff who ask for more accountability from you and urge you to take the following steps immediately, and before you require CDC staff to return in-person to its Atlanta campus:\n\n1. Conduct and report to Congress in writing a thorough analysis of HHS and CDC\u2019s security protocols to examine any security vulnerabilities that contributed to this attack, assess any gaps or weaknesses in current security protocols and response procedures, identify any campus or facilities security deficiencies, and evaluate timely notification to employees in the case of a future security event.\n\n2. Ensure that CDC employees, their families, and any other individuals affected by the attack have access to free trauma support and adequate mental health resources, as well as flexible remote work options where appropriate.\n\n3. Submit to Congress an emergency supplemental funding request for any emergency funding necessary to scale up both these physical security improvements and mental health services based on your assessment of CDC safety and employee support needs described above, with an emphasis on meeting the increased security and mental health needs amid increased and politically motivated threats to agency staff.\n\n4. Work with relevant agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations to:\n\na. Remove online material that targets or threatens the CDC federal workforce and establish additional security protocols to protect individuals targeted through these dangerous online watch lists.\n\nb. Investigate the role that misinformation and disinformation about the CDC, its work, or its workers, including the role that any disinformation or misinformation from any Administration officials, including Secretary Kennedy, had in contributing to the volatile atmosphere before this attack.\n\nc. Issue recommendations for countering CDC misinformation, CDC disinformation, and threats to the federal public health workforce.\n\n5. Pause any terminations or restructuring of CDC divisions and staff for the remainder of the calendar year and until all investigations and analyses of this incident are complete and reported to Congress, and until all security reforms have been fully implemented.\n\n6. Collaborate with the local CDC union, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2883, including by holding a town hall with members within one month, and assigning a member of HHS leadership as the primary point of contact for AFGE Local 2883 to discuss and monitor employee well-being following this horrific attack.\n\nThese steps are critical to ensure the longevity of the CDC and its work, which has spanned 80 years and 14 presidential administrations of both parties. The CDC has a long history of intervening in public health threats, from eradicating smallpox to reducing smoking rates in the U.S., lowering rates of chronic and infectious diseases.\n\nThe CDC also played a critical role in President Trump\u2019s Operation Warp Speed, which President Trump has correctly noted saved \u201ctens of millions of lives\u201d during the COVID-19 pandemic. By contrast, Secretary Kennedy has denigrated the COVID-19 vaccine spurred by Operation Warp Speed as the \u201cdeadliest vaccine ever made,\u201d undermining President Trump\u2019s signature accomplishment. Now, as Acting Director of CDC, you must be an advocate for this important public health agency and its workers, uplifting science and evidence amidst the Secretary\u2019s hostility.\n\nThe Georgians who work at the CDC and other federal and state public health agencies serve our nation with honor and protect us from public health threats every day. Their quiet and thankless work saves countless lives. They should not face threats or violence for carrying out their professional duties to the American people. Yet, under this administration, the CDC community has experienced incredible turmoil, unjust layoffs and illegal firings, purging of the agency\u2019s leadership and top immunization expertise, hostility from the highest voices of this Administration and the Secretary of HHS, and constant political attacks, culminating in the violence of August 8. The nation\u2019s premier public health agency deserves more.\n\nWe look forward to seeing you take the above-mentioned actions, as well as any additional actions to support CDC workers. Please provide a briefing on your progress by September 25, 2025.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-capito-put-forward-bipartisan-legislation-to-boost-maternal-health-data/", "Warnock, Capito Put Forward Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Maternal Health Data", "2025-09-15", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Shelley Moore Capito introduced the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2025\n\nThe bipartisan legislation would reauthorize programs to preserve maternal health throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum and would address disparities in maternal health outcomes through data collection, analysis, and strategies for prevention\n\nThese programs funded the Georgia study which found nearly 90% of maternal deaths in Georgia are preventable\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cReauthorizing data collection programs is an important piece of the puzzle to end the maternal mortality crisis, but we have so much more work\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2025. This bipartisan legislation would support states in preserving maternal health throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, addressing disparities in maternal health outcomes and finding solutions to enhance health care quality and outcomes for mothers. Georgia ranks among the highest maternal mortality rates in the country.\n\n\u201cReauthorizing data collection programs is an important piece of the puzzle to end the maternal mortality crisis, but we have so much more work,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\u201cGeorgia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country. This is unacceptable, and we owe it to expecting mothers to do all we can to ensure they have positive health outcomes during delivery. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Capito on this legislation to establish strategies for prevention.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was proud to sponsor the original version of the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act signed into law by President Trump in 2018. It established this framework to reduce preventable deaths and to work towards every mom having a safe and healthy pregnancy,\u201d said Senator Capito. \u201cThe bipartisan legislation we recently introduced will continue these efforts and both identify and provide best practices to help address our nation\u2019s maternal mortality crisis. Programs that support our mothers and young families are essential to the health and well-being of our nation, and I will continue to put solutions forward that provide the support they need.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has been a steadfast supporter of ending maternal mortality, including introducing the Kira Johnson Act to support bias training and data collection. Senator Warnock also partnered with then Senator Rubio (R-FL) to pass into law the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act which authorized new grant programs to reduce maternal mortality and improve implicit bias training for providers. Additionally, the Senator continues to be a strong advocate for closing the Medicaid coverage gap in Georgia. This effort alone would improve the maternal mortality rate, particularly for Black women.\n\nRead full text of the bill HERE\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-duckworth-reintroduce-bill-providing-affordable-and-accessible-child-care-for-parents-going-back-to-school/", "Warnock, Duckworth Reintroduce Bill Providing Affordable and Accessible Child Care for Parents Going Back to School", "2025-09-12", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act would increase funding that supports on-campus child care services\n\nIt is projected that over 60 percent of jobs in Georgia will require a degree or certification beyond high school\n\nAccording to CNBC, a year of child care in Georgia costs more than a year of in-state tuition at the University of Georgia\n\nSenators Reverend Warnock: \u201cYou should be able to raise your family and pursue your educational goals\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and 15 of their Senate colleagues reintroduced the Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act. The legislation would reauthorize and increase funding for the only federal program that exclusively supports on-campus child care services and ensure the U.S. Department of Education is meeting the needs of parenting students.\n\nThe bill would also help increase access to on-campus child care for the more than 3 million parenting students currently enrolled in postsecondary education programs, despite the latest cuts from the Trump Administration.\n\n\u201cYou should be able to raise your family and go back to school,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cDespite this Administrations\u2019 attack on working families, I\u2019m focused on supporting Georgians who are trying to better their lives through education. I\u2019m proud to work with Senator Duckworth to support parents across Georgia and the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhether by illegally withholding CCAMPIS funding or repeatedly calling to eliminate the program altogether, it\u2019s deeply cruel that Donald Trump is working to rip yet another lifeline away from student parents across the country,\u201d said Senator Duckworth. \u201cNo parent should be forced to drop out of college or take on even more debt just to complete their education. Our legislation would help provide student parents access to the child care they deserve so they can focus on their education and build a stronger future for their families.\u201d\n\nParenting students already graduate with much higher levels of debt compared to non-parenting students and have more difficulty paying that debt off while making ends meet. Since 2004, the number of parents enrolled in college has grown by 30 percent, while the share of institutions offering on-campus child care services has declined by 14 percent. This leaves parenting students stuck in the middle as they face both exorbitant tuition costs and a lack of options for safe, affordable, on-campus child care.\n\nThe number of community colleges and four-year institutions offering on-campus child care decreased over the past decade. For community colleges, access to on-campus child care dropped from 53 percent in 2003 to 42 percent in 2017 and at four-year institutions, access declined from 54 to 48 percent over the same time. In addition, in 2020, Georgia was one of only 10 states that did not allow the pursuit of a four-year college degree to count toward eligibility for subsidized child care.\n\nIt is projected that over 60 percent of jobs in Georgia will require a degree or certification beyond high school. Child care remains a big barrier to college completion to student-parents. Reportedly, more than 108,000 students are parents and nearly 50,000 college students are single mothers.\n\nThe Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) Reauthorization Act would:\n\nReauthorize the CCAMPIS program through Fiscal Year 2031\n\nAuthorize the CCAMPIS funding level at $500 million per year\n\nIncrease the minimum grant award that eligible institutions of higher education can receive to $75,000 per year and set a maximum grant award of $2 million per year\n\nEliminate barriers for parenting students to access child care services supported by a CCAMPIS grant\n\nStreamline program requirements and enhance U.S. Department of Education technical assistance to make it easier for eligible institutions to apply for a CCAMPIS grant\n\nHelp connect parenting students to benefit programs that help with food, housing, and health care services\n\nEnhance program transparency and accountability by collecting disaggregated data on the parenting students served by the program\n\nSenator Warnock has long supported access to affordable child care and programs that support working families. Senator Warnock returned to his hometown of Savannah, Georgia, to tour Early Head Start classrooms at the Economic Opportunity Authority (EOA) for Savannah-Chatham County and hear from local early learning leaders about the workforce shortages impacting this critical early education program serving low-income families and their children.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warnock and Duckworth, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/all-we-have-is-one-another-warnock-condemns-political-violence-on-the-senate-floor/", "\u201cAll We Have is One Another:\u201d Warnock Condemns Political Violence on the Senate Floor", "2025-09-11", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "***WATCH HERE***\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) condemned political violence and hate on the Senate floor following the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.\n\n\u201cLet me be clear, I disagreed with Charlie Kirk on just about everything, but I rise tonight, not in spite of those differences, but in a real sense, because of those differences. I rise to say that he had a right to speak, to think, to change his mind or not, to engage with others, to participate in the free exchange of ideas, to argue it out\u2014that is what it means to live in a democracy, that is who we are,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cWe Americans engage in loud, heated and sometimes rambunctious debates, not as a precursor to violence, but to avoid violence, and we must learn to disagree without becoming violently disagreeable.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me be clear, there is nothing more anti-democratic than political violence. Democracy is about creating space for competing voices and countervailing visions about who we are as one people, and that debate in the public square is what has made us better over time,\u201dcontinued Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cAnd so while pushing back, sometimes hard against those with whom we vigorously disagree, we must with the same voice and vigor, defend their right to be: their right to be heard, to be free. Our American family is held together by these democratic ideals, but I am afraid that what we are seeing increasingly around us is the tearing of those threads that bind us together.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmidst our fierce debates, I submit that at the end of the day, we are all we\u2019ve got. We the People. All we really have is one another, and a democracy is the imperfect institutionalization of that moral insight. All we have is one another,\u201d continued Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cYou either have a democracy or you have political violence. You cannot have a democracy awash in political violence.\u201d\n\nRead the full transcript of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s remarks below and watch HERE.\n\n\u201cMr. President, I rise tonight in deep sadness for a nation that is increasingly beset by political violence. Yesterday, political activist Charlie Kirk was killed while speaking to students on a college campus, a place that is set up for the exchange of ideas. He was just 31 years old, a husband, a father of young children. I pray for his wife, Erika, and for his children, who must now make their way without him.\n\n\u201cAnd his death comes on the heels of the devastating assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman of Minnesota, victims of premeditated political violence. This should shock the conscience of every American, and it should cause all of us to rise up and say enough.\n\n\u201cLet me be clear, I disagreed with Charlie Kirk on just about everything, but I rise tonight, not in spite of those differences, but in a real sense, because of those differences. I rise to say that he had a right to speak, to think, to change his mind or not, to engage with others, to participate in the free exchange of ideas, to argue it out\u2014that is what it means to live in a democracy, that is who we are. We Americans engage in loud, heated and sometimes rambunctious debates, not as a precursor to violence, but to avoid violence, and we must learn to disagree without becoming violently disagreeable.\n\n\u201cLet me be clear, there is nothing more anti-democratic than political violence. Democracy is about creating space for competing voices and countervailing visions about who we are as one people, and that debate in the public square is what has made us better over time.\n\n\u201cAnd so while pushing back, sometimes hard against those with whom we vigorously disagree, we must with the same voice and vigor, defend their right to be: their right to be heard, to be free. Our American family is held together by these democratic ideals, but I am afraid that what we are seeing increasingly around us is the tearing of those threads that bind us together.\n\n\u201cE pluribus unum, out of many, one. The ability to see past our political differences and see in the humanity of the other a glimpse of our own, and so we must condemn what happened to Charlie Kirk, whether we are on the right or on the left, because condemning that heinous crime is not about the difference between right and left, it is the difference between right and wrong, and what happened on yesterday was wrong, whatever the motivation. This, we know it was wrong, and we have to say that clearly. And without hesitation.\n\n\u201cI serve as pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, spiritual home of Martin Luther King, Jr, and we all know that Dr. King was a victim of gun violence. What fewer people remember or know is that in 1974, his precious mother, Alberta Williams King, the wife of the pastor of the church, Martin Luther King Sr., was shot and killed in our church one Sunday morning while playing the Lord\u2019s Prayer on the organ.\n\n\u201cMartin Luther King Sr. was asked what he thought about all of this, and I\u2019m struck and inspired by his words, having lost his precious wife on a Sunday morning, having witnessed his son struck down, Martin Luther King Sr. said, \u201cI will never let any man pull me down so low as to hate him?\u201d He said, \u201chate is too heavy a burden to bear.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s right, and that\u2019s why, in this moment, we must condemn political violence, but we must also condemn hate and hate speech. You cannot condemn one without condemning the other, for hate is itself a kind of violence that kills the spirit and corrupts the soul of a person and of a nation, and that vicious cycle of violence and hate, of hate and violence, can only lead to the demise of our country and the destruction of our humanity.\n\n\u201cAnd so in this defining moment, may we resist the seductive sirens of those who are trying to convince us that we are at war with one another. Amidst our fierce debates, I submit that at the end of the day, we are all we\u2019ve got. We the People. All we really have is one another, and a democracy is the imperfect institutionalization of that moral insight. All we have is one another. You either have a democracy or you have political violence. You cannot have a democracy awash in political violence.\n\n\u201cAnd so every single day, let us choose democracy, choose what the Apostle Paul called the more excellent way, the way of love. Love come alive in the complicated story of a diverse people who refuse to give up on one another. It takes strength to love. It takes courage to love. It takes patience and persistence to love. God grant us strength and courage. God grant us patience and persistence for the facing of this hour and for the living of these days.\n\n\u201cI yield the floor.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-marshall-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-strengthen-servicemember-food-quality-and-access-on-military-bases/", "Warnock, Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Servicemember Food Quality and Access on Military Bases", "2025-09-11", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Wellness (CHOW) Act would increase access to affordable healthy foods on military bases for servicemembers\n\nBipartisan legislation would launch a pilot program to provide servicemembers with a monthly commissary credit, giving servicemembers more food options\n\nLegislation expected to be incorporated into the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), annual legislation that sets defense policy and priorities, authorizes defense spending\n\nLegislation builds off March 2025 oversight effort led by Senator Warnock, which demanded answers from the Department of Defense (DOD) about poor-quality meals and food shortages at military bases in Georgia and across the country\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cFor too long, servicemembers have lacked reliable access to quality, nutritious food options on base. This bipartisan legislation will launch a program to provide commissary credits to help servicemembers put healthy, tasty, and quality meals on the table\u201d\n\nSenator Marshall: \u201cHealthy troops are ready troops \u2013 and ensuring the brave men and women who protect our country have access to healthy and nutritious food should be a top priority\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen access to healthy and affordable food options for servicemembers on military bases. The bipartisan Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Wellness (CHOW) Act would create a common-sense pilot program at two installations selected by the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide servicemembers with a monthly credit to use at their on-base commissary, ensuring they have access to affordable, healthy food. Commissaries, which are on-base grocery stores, provide better options for cooking at home, as well as ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare meals at lower prices than off-base options. By increasing commissary usage, the program would give servicemembers a reliable alternative to limited dining facilities and costly fast food.\n\n\u201cFor too long, servicemembers have lacked reliable access to quality, nutritious food options on base. This bipartisan legislation will launch a program to provide commissary credits to help servicemembers put healthy, tasty, and quality meals on the table, so they can stay focused on the hard work of keeping our country safe,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThis is a critical next step in addressing food access and quality for our military; if this program proves effective in boosting food security and improving our military readiness, Congress should move to expand this program nationwide.\u201d\n\n\u201cHealthy troops are ready troops \u2013 and ensuring the brave men and women who protect our country have access to healthy and nutritious food should be a top priority,\u201d said Senator Marshall. \u201cI am proud to partner with Senator Warnock on the CHOW Act to take another meaningful step towards providing healthy alternatives to our servicemembers. This helps to make certain our troops set the standard for strength and peak physical fitness. I am happy to see my MAHA agenda implemented within our armed forces.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur service members should never have to worry about whether they can access healthy and affordable meals while serving on base,\u201d said Representative Panetta. \u201cThe CHOW Act would create a pilot program to expand commissary access and provide new options for nutritious, cost-effective food, helping to ease the burden on those living and working on installations. By ensuring our troops are properly nourished, we can strengthen their readiness and reaffirm our responsibility to support those who serve our nation.\u201d\n\nUnder the pilot, the implementation of which would rest with DOD, junior enlisted servicemembers would receive monetary credits that can only be used at commissaries. The program could ultimately expand nationwide should the benefit prove successful. For too long, the burden has been on junior enlisted servicemembers to make do with low allowances and limited dining options. This measure takes steps to expand access to affordable and healthy food, promote military readiness, and improve quality of life for those who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms.\n\nAbout 70 percent of all active-duty service members are overweight, and 21 percent are obese, according to a 2023 report by the American Security Project, a military think tank. Reporting from the New York Times highlights how recipes at the official dining facilities are codified to meet various nutritional standards, but many servicemembers find the results so unappetizing that they eat instead at fast-food restaurants on and off the base.\n\nIn March, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan, bicameral oversight effort demanding answers from the DOD regarding issues in providing servicemembers adequate and healthy food on military bases. The oversight effort followed reporting on issues with food quality and access at several Army installations\u2019 dining facilities. Senator Warnock and the lawmakers expressed their concerns over underinvestment in food options for members of the military, which has a direct relation to military readiness and retention rates.\n\nSenator Warnock has long been a leading advocate in the Senate for Georgia\u2019s military families. In 2022, Senator Warnock helped to pass the bipartisan PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans\u2019 health benefits in decades. In March 2025, Senator Warnock introduced bipartisan legislation to lower housing costs for servicemembers and ensure servicemembers and their families receive their full housing allowance. He was also successful in securing multiple important wins for military families in the Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA, including helping secure a 14.5% raise for junior troops, who now earn about $3,000 to $6,000 more per year.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-highlights-concern-of-dwindling-small-community-banks-for-rural-georgians-americans/", "Warnock Highlights Concern of Dwindling Small Community Banks for Rural Georgians, Americans", "2025-09-10", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "During a Wednesday Senate Banking Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock addressed the growing concern of deposit flight from small community banks to larger Wall Street institutions\n\nSenator Warnock highlighted the continued growth of big banks, while smaller community banks have seen a roughly 50% decline in the last few decades\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock during the hearing: \u201cSmall businesses, in my view, should not be punished for the mistakes of failed bank executives\u201d\n\nWatch Senator Reverend Warnock at Wednesday\u2019s hearing HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, highlighted the importance of small community banks and their impact on rural areas across Georgia and the United States. Over the last twenty years, such banks have seen a 50% drop, while larger Wall Street institutions have continued to grow.\n\n\u201cWe have seen over the last two decades about a 50% drop in the number of community banks, and at the same time, Wall Street banks have continued to make more and more and more money, getting bigger and bigger,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cHow should we ensure that small community banks \u2013 And let me be clear, I think there\u2019s a role in the larger ecosystem for the big banks and small community banks. But clearly all the movement has been going in one direction.\u201d\n\nThe hearing was held to evaluate perspectives on deposit insurance reform. Deposit insurance is a measure to protect bank depositors from losses caused by a bank\u2019s inability to pay its debts when due.\n\n\u201cSmall businesses, in my view, should not be punished for the mistakes of failed bank executives,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nSenator Warnock has long advocated for smaller community banks and their support of small businesses and jobs in Georgia and across the country. The former chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, Senator Warnock, has spotlighted the important role of community financial institutions that provide financial support to underserved families, businesses, and non-profits.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks and line of questioning HERE.\n\nSee below the transcript of the key exchange between Senator Warnock and Kenneth Kelly, Chairman & CEO, First Independence Bank, and Bob Harrison, Chairman, President, and CEO, First Hawaiian Bank:\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cDuring the spring 2023 banking crisis, many small businesses struggled simply to pay their employees and cover expenses, only because those businesses chose the wrong bank to keep their money safe. Small businesses, in my view, should not be punished for the mistakes of failed bank executives, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m glad this committee is looking at ways to reform deposit insurance. However, we should be careful not to place additional strains on our community banks, many of which serve populations and communities that giant Wall Street banks don\u2019t. Mr. Kelly community banks in Georgia and across the country compete with big banks by knowing and investing in the communities they serve. Are you concerned about deposit flight to big banks, where small businesses rush to put their money in the biggest Wall Street banks because they\u2019re nervous about keeping their money safe?\u201d\n\nKenneth Kelly (KK): \u201cYes, Senator Warnock, thank you for the question. I will tell you whatever it\u2019s called, if you look at what took place in 2023 there was inherent flight that was moving because of nervousness and anxiety within the business community. And so the efforts that we\u2019re talking about today hopefully will bolster confidence and allow small businesses to feel more confident in putting their monies in the small businesses in the small towns in the state of Georgia.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cIn fact, we have seen over the last two decades about a 50% drop in the number of community banks, and at the same time, Wall Street banks have continued to make more and more and more money, getting bigger and bigger. How should we ensure that small community banks \u2013 And let me be clear, I think there\u2019s a role in the larger ecosystem for the big banks and small community banks. But clearly all the movement has been going in one direction. \u2013 So how should we ensure that small community banks do not foot the bill for deposit insurance reform legislation?\u201d\n\nKK: \u201cI think it has to be carefully considered. We also have to ensure that there is adequate regulation. Senator Warnock on this topic, regulation can run and cause our businesses to be challenged economically. And you see, really, in looking at what\u2019s happening in the consolidation, a lot of that is economics. One issue I will bring up that\u2019s probably not part of this topic is when you look at things that look like a bank, act like a bank, and can buy a bank, it should be taxed like a bank. And my point is, we have a lot of inequities across the system that we need to deal with. Taxation is one of those that will allow these small institutions to stay in small towns like Griffin, Georgia or Hahira, Georgia, that\u2019s important to be sure that they become the lifeblood for economic prosperity in these small towns.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo this issue is further complicated by technology and other disruptors?\u201d\n\nKK: \u201cAbsolutely. I think partnerships, et cetera, are needed to help overcome those technological [challenges].\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo we could see reform if we\u2019re not careful in Congress, that creates further consolidation?\u201d\n\nKK: \u201cThat is a concern. I think there could be unintended consequences\u2026\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThank you Mr. Keller. Mr. Harrison, how would a proposal to increase deposit insurance limits for business accounts help smaller community banks compete with big Wall Street?\u201d\n\nBob Harrison (BH): \u201cIt really levels the playing field. Senator, thank you for the question, and that\u2019s all we\u2019re asking for is being able to compete on a level playing field. When we saw some of those deposits leave after Silicon Valley, not only did they not come back, but then that introduced the larger banks into our customer base, and so you\u2019re fighting just to hold on to the customers you had and have serviced for many, many years. So by the higher deposit limit, knowing their operating account is safe, that you\u2019d be able to protect that and prevent that from happening next time.\n\nSRW: \u201cThank you very much. I think it\u2019s so important for us to get this right and to remain focused on getting this done but getting it done right so that we don\u2019t worsen the problem.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-leads-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-seniors-access-to-lab-testing/", "Warnock Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Seniors\u2019 Access to Lab Testing", "2025-09-10", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock introduced the bipartisan Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act with Senator Tillis to update Medicare\u2019s payment system for clinical diagnostic laboratory services\n\nThe legislation also protects patient access to laboratory services and strengthens the nation\u2019s clinical lab infrastructure\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with my colleague Senator Tillis to put forward this legislative fix that will help ensure Georgia seniors will continue to have access to high-quality diagnostic services\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the bipartisan Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act. The legislation would update Medicare\u2019s payment system for clinical diagnostic laboratory services, ensuring seniors have access to the most innovative tests and subsequently more timely treatments.\n\n\u201cAccess to quality clinical labs is essential to keeping our seniors living long, healthy lives,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with my colleague Senator Tillis to put forward this legislative fix that will help ensure Georgia seniors will continue to have access to high-quality diagnostic services.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is critically important that seniors have uninterrupted access to innovative diagnostic tests,\u201d said Senator Tillis. \u201cThe Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act is a necessary step toward ensuring this access and supporting seniors\u2019 health care needs. I\u2019m proud to work with my colleagues to permanently fix flawed data collection and reporting methods which will allow Medicare beneficiaries to continue receiving quality and affordable lab services.\u201d\n\nIn 2014, Congress passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) to ensure Medicare\u2019s clinical laboratory fee schedule (CLFS) aligned with the rates that were paid by private insurers. Under this legislation, many clinical labs were required to submit rate information to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to then be used to calculate rates under CLFS. Over time, the data collected and reported failed to capture a representative sample of the various segments of the clinical lab market.\n\nWithout Congressional action, analysis estimate that a cut of up to 15% will be imposed on over 800 tests on the CLFS in January 2026 and again in 2027 and 2028.\n\nThis bill aims to improve Medicare reimbursements for laboratories by:\n\nAdjusting data reporting requirements and allowing CMS to work with a third-party administer to collect data\n\nRemove Medicaid MCOs from the definition of private payors\n\nCap Medicare reductions at 5% instead of 15%\n\nChange data reporting for widely reported tests from labs to a third-party qualifying claims database\n\nMake payment rates subject to administrative or judicial review\n\nRead the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services HERE", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-merkley-lead-bipartisan-effort-urging-education-department-to-stop-blocking-federal-grants-supporting-low-income-students/", "Warnock, Merkley Lead Bipartisan Effort Urging Education Department to\u00a0Stop Blocking\u00a0Federal Grants Supporting Low-Income Students", "2025-09-10", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Warnock helped secure nearly $2 billion for TRIO programs, but over 2,000 TRIO grant awards\u2014affecting almost 650,000 students\u2014have not been released by the Trump Administration, even though most of these programs had a September 1 start date\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock participated in TRIO\u2019s Upward Bound, which put him on a college campus for the first time\n\nTRIO programs help approximately 870,000 students prepare for, enter, and graduate from college\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led a bipartisan group of 34 Senators in urging Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought to immediately release critical grant funding for TRIO programs, a long-standing set of federal programs that support low-income, first-generation high school and college students.\n\n\u201cAll of the TRIO programs support postsecondary access, retention, and completion for low-income, first-generation students from all backgrounds. TRIO programs are located on campuses across our country, in every state, and in rural, suburban, and urban communities,\u201d wrote the bipartisan group of Senators. \u201cThe individualized counselling, advising, and other supportive services that TRIO programs provide to students in both high school and college are critical to the success of low-income, first-generation higher education students.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cThese programs help approximately 870,000 students prepare for, enter, and graduate from college each year. Congress annually appropriates funding for TRIO on a bipartisan basis, and the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which President Trump signed into law, appropriated $1.191 billion for TRIO programs.\u201d\n\nOver 2,000 TRIO grant award notifications (GANS) for UpwardBound, which Senator Warnock is an alumnus of, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Educational Opportunity Centers\u2014affecting almost 650,000 students\u2014have not been released by the U.S. Department of Education, despite the fact that most of these programs had a September 1 start date. On August 26, instead of sending TRIO Programs their GANS to ensure that programs could start on September 1, TRIO programs received a \u201cNo Cost Extension\u201d through September 30, 2025. However, for programs that start their funding year on September 1, this leaves many TRIO programs without funding to do their work during the month of September. These TRIO Programs were previously advised by the Department of Education to \u201cspend down\u201d their money by August 31, which is the end of their funding year.\n\n\u201cBy delaying notification of these grant awards and funding amounts, programs have already been forced to make difficult decisions, including laying off staff or scaling back services. This has a direct impact on the timeliness and quality of TRIO services, and it will result in many students losing access to the help they need to succeed,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nA companion letter was led in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-D-04) and signed by 53 House members.\n\nSenator Warnock is a proud alumnus of the Upward Bound grant program, a division of the federal TRIO program. Warnock\u2019s access to grants and student loans allowed him to become the first in his family to graduate with a four-year college degree.\n\nJoining Senators Warnock and Merkley in signing the bipartisan letter were Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Patty Murray (D-WA).\n\nRead the full text of the letter HERE and below:\n\nDear Secretary McMahon and Director Vought:\n\nWe write to urge you to immediately release TRIO grant awards for the following programs: Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Educational Opportunity Centers. All of the TRIO programs support postsecondary access, retention, and completion for low-income, first-generation students from all backgrounds. TRIO programs are located on campuses across our country, in every state, and in rural, suburban, and urban communities. The individualized counselling, advising, and other supportive services that TRIO programs provide to students in both high school and college are critical to the success of low-income, first-generation higher education students. These programs help approximately 870,000 students prepare for, enter, and graduate from college each year. Congress annually appropriates funding for TRIO on a bipartisan basis, and the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which President Trump signed into law, appropriated $1.191 billion for TRIO programs.\n\nThe data proves that TRIO works. Since its inception in 1964, TRIO has produced over 6 million college graduates. This, in turn, leads to higher rates of college enrollment, completion, employment, and compensation for TRIO graduates, a boon to local economies as program participants are transformed into taxpayers who help their communities thrive. Students in Upward Bound, for example, are more than twice as likely to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree by age 24 than other students from some of the United States\u2019 poorest households. Similarly, Veterans Upward Bound participants are 42% more likely than their peers to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree within six years. In addition, data from 2022 indicates that 67.5% of Talent Search participants enrolled in a postsecondary education program immediately after high school graduation, and that 73% of eligible participants in the Education Opportunity Centers applied for college admission. We must do what we can to support our low-income, first-generation, veteran, and disabled students, which means supporting federal TRIO programs and the students who benefit from them.\n\nYet on August 26, instead of sending TRIO Programs their Grant Award Notifications (GANs), Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Educational Opportunity Center programs received a letter indicating that \u201cSeptember start dates will have their current budget period end dates extended through September 30, 2025.\u201d The letter further explained: \u201cThis will allow your project to remain open and continue operations with available program funds through this date while the Department of Education finalizes the issuance of this year\u2019s NCC awards.\u201d\n\nA \u201cNo Cost Extension\u201d is not helpful to programs that start their funding year on September 1 because many programs do not have funding to do their work during the month of September. These TRIO Programs were previously advised by the Department to \u201cspend down\u201d their money by August 31, which is the end of their funding year. In addition, because of the grant cancellations in other programs, many institutions will not provide other funding to their TRIO programs in the absence of those award notices for 2025-2026 out of fear that their TRIO programs will ultimately see their federal grants cancelled.\n\nWe are concerned that TRIO programs nationwide will experience an unnecessary, increased burden and that students\u2019 futures will be less successful if they do not receive their appropriated funds immediately. The delayed delivery of notifications for the June 1 Upward Bound, for example, has already increased strain on program administrators and, more importantly, students. By delaying notification of these grant awards and funding amounts, programs have already been forced to make difficult decisions, including laying off staff or scaling back services. This has a direct impact on the timeliness and quality of TRIO services, and it will result in many students losing access to the help they need to succeed.\n\nWe are deeply concerned that a further delay in award notifications will result in irreversible damage to our students, families, and communities, as many rely on the vital programs and services provided by TRIO programs. Therefore, we respectfully urge you to send all TRIO grant award notifications immediately.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-reverend-warnock-statement-on-bryan-county-immigration-raid/", "Senator Reverend Warnock Statement on Bryan County Immigration Raid", "2025-09-06", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on the immigration raid in Bryan County.\n\n\u201cFollowing this raid, we need answers.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration owes Georgia and the country an explanation as to how this raid, which separated children from working parents, advances the President\u2019s stated immigration priority of removing dangerous and violent criminals from our streets.\n\n\u201cAnd the companies involved must explain how so many workers were allegedly employed with improper documentation.\n\n\u201cCompanies should not be able to get rich in Georgia by exploiting immigrant workers and putting them at risk of politically motivated raids and violations of due process. It\u2019s bad for our economy, bad for Georgia\u2019s workers, and bad for law-abiding Georgia families living in fear of this administration.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-calls-on-president-trump-to-fire-secretary-kennedy-following-turmoil-at-cdc/", "ICYMI: Warnock Calls on President Trump to Fire Secretary Kennedy Following Turmoil at CDC", "2025-09-05", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In Thursday\u2019s Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy on his incompetent leadership overseeing the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\n\nSecretary Kennedy\u2019s incompetence has impacted chronic disease and cancer research, harmed efforts to protect servicemember\u2019s health, and jeopardized America\u2019s public health infrastructure to respond to infectious diseases\n\nThe hearing follows last month\u2019s shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer and turmoil over firings and resignations of top CDC leadership\n\nSenator Warnock to Secretary Kennedy: \u201cYou are a hazard to the health of the American people. I think that you ought to resign. And if you do not resign, the President of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you\u201d\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock questioning Secretary Kennedy in a Senate Finance Committee hearing\n\nWatch the exchange HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) called on President Trump to fire Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his gross mismanagement of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Senate Finance Committee hearing follows last month\u2019s shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer and turmoil over firings and resignations of top CDC leadership. Secretary Kennedy\u2019s incompetence has impacted chronic disease and cancer research, harmed efforts to protect servicemember\u2019s health, and jeopardized America\u2019s public health infrastructure to respond to infectious diseases.\n\nDuring his line of questioning, Senator Warnock pressed Secretary Kennedy on his extremist beliefs that are dismantling the nation\u2019s public health infrastructure, leaving hundreds of Georgia public health workers without a job, and putting children at risk by spreading misinformation about vaccines.\n\nLast month, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Georgia\u2019s CDC employees following the shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans. Since the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe.\n\nSee more stories about Senator Warnock\u2019s questioning of Secretary Kennedy below:\n\nNBC News: Sen. Warnock says Kennedy should resign or be fired\n\nSen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., told Kennedy, \u201cYou are a hazard to the health of the American people.\u201d\n\n\u201cI think that you ought to resign, and if you don\u2019t resign, the president of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you,\u201d he concluded.\n\nWABE: Warnock, Ossoff criticize Kennedy\u2019s COVID-19 policy, attacks on CDC\n\nGeorgia\u2019s two United States senators are among the Democrats in Congress demanding that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign from his post as head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At a three-hour hearing Thursday before the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Raphael Warnock, other committee Democrats and some Republicans questioned Kennedy about his public health views and policies.\n\nKennedy defended his program cuts and thousands of staff cuts at federal health agencies, including the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\n\n\u201cI want to fix the system, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing,\u201d Kennedy said.\n\nAfter the hearing, Warnock said Kennedy is undermining U.S. ability to safeguard public health and safety.\n\n\u201cFor him to say that the CDC is the most corrupt agency in the history of the world, to say that they don\u2019t care about children \u2013 those comments are certainly unhelpful at best and dangerous at worst,\u201d Warnock said.\n\n11Alive: Georgia Sen. Warnock, RFK Jr. verbally spar at Senate committee hearing: \u2018You oughta resign\u2019\n\nRobert F. Kennedy Jr., the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, faced sharply critical questioning Thursday from Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock during a Senate committee hearing.\n\nSen. Warnock\u2019s and HHS Sec. Kennedy\u2019s back-and-forth reached levels of open contempt, with the Georgia Democrat telling Sec. Kennedy he is a \u201chazard to the health of the American people.\u201d The two clashed over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with Warnock questioning Kennedy whether he called it the \u201cmost corrupt federal agency in the world.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot the history of the world but definitely within HHS,\u201d Kennedy responded. \u201cI did not say that, but I did say it\u2019s the most corrupt agency in HHS and maybe the government.\u201d\n\nWarnock focused the bulk of his questions on Sec. Kennedy\u2019s reactions to the shooting last month at the Atlanta campus of the CDC, in which a gunman fired hundreds of rounds at CDC buildings and killed DeKalb County Officer David Rose.\n\nAJC: Warnock grills RFK Jr.: \u2018You ought to resign\u2019\n\nU.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock accused Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of undermining public health and putting the safety of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees at risk by his rhetoric and vaccine skepticism.\n\n\u201cYou are a hazard to the health of the American people,\u201d Warnock said as he questioned Kennedy. \u201cI think that you ought to resign. And if you don\u2019t resign, the president of the United States \u2014 who put forth Operation Warp Speed, which worked \u2014 should fire you.\u201d\n\nThe contrast between Kennedy\u2019s praise for Trump, whose Operation Warp Speed initiative helped fast track the development of COVID-19 vaccines, and his criticism of those same vaccines was a running theme during Thursday morning\u2019s Senate Finance Committee hearing.\n\nU.S. senators from both sides of the aisle said Kennedy had broken promises he made during his confirmation hearing to follow the science when it comes to vaccines. They said he had instead pushed out career scientists who challenged his point of view.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-calls-on-president-trump-to-fire-secretary-kennedy-following-turmoil-at-cdc/", "Warnock Calls on President Trump to Fire Secretary Kennedy Following Turmoil at CDC", "2025-09-04", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In Thursday\u2019s Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy on his incompetent leadership overseeing the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\n\nSecretary Kennedy\u2019s incompetence has impacted chronic disease and cancer research, harmed efforts to protect servicemember\u2019s health, and jeopardized America\u2019s public health infrastructure to respond to infectious diseases\n\nThe hearing follows last month\u2019s shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer and turmoil over firings and resignations of top CDC leadership\n\nSenator Warnock to Secretary Kennedy: \u201cYou are a hazard to the health of the American people. I think that you ought to resign. And if you do not resign, the President of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you\u201d\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock questioning Secretary Kennedy in a Senate Finance Committee hearing\n\nWatch the exchange HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) called on President Trump to fire Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his gross mismanagement of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Senate Finance Committee hearing follows last month\u2019s shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer and turmoil over firings and resignations of top CDC leadership. Secretary Kennedy\u2019s incompetence has impacted chronic disease and cancer research, harmed efforts to protect servicemember\u2019s health, and jeopardized America\u2019s public health infrastructure to respond to infectious diseases.\n\n\u201cYou are a hazard to the health of the American people. I think that you ought to resign. And if you do not resign, the President of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you,\u201d Senator Warnock said to Secretary Kennedy.\n\nDuring his line of questioning, Senator Warnock pressed Secretary Kennedy on his extremist beliefs that are dismantling the nation\u2019s public health infrastructure, leaving hundreds of Georgia public health workers without a job, and putting children at risk by spreading misinformation about vaccines.\n\n\u201cDespite your lack of credentials and expertise, clearly, you have an agenda. It is a threat to the public health of the American people. It\u2019s clear that you are carrying out your extremist beliefs,\u201d Senator Warnock said to Secretary Kennedy.\n\nLast month, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Georgia\u2019s CDC employees following the shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans. Since the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe. This includes joining them at a rally, delivering a floor speech opposing Secretary Kennedy\u2019s nomination, demanding answers from administration nominees at Congressional hearings, and more. Since coming to the Senate, the Senator has led the effort to secure federal funding for the CDC, and he will continue those critical efforts.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks and line of questioning HERE.\n\nSee below a transcript of key exchanges between Senator Warnock and Secretary Kennedy:\n\nSenator Warnock (SW): \u201cLess than a month ago, we received the heartbreaking news that a gunman opened fire at the C-D-C campus in Atlanta, Georgia. [\u2026] DeKalb County police officer David Rose was killed, and shots hit the buildings on campus in at least 180 places, narrowly missing the C-D-C\u2019s day care center. Law enforcement recovered nearly 500 shell casings. Clearly, he came to do a lot of damage. It\u2019s a miracle that thanks to the quick action of Atlanta and state law enforcement, more people were not killed. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that, prior to the attack, the gunman expressed discontent with the COVID vaccine and, quote, \u2018wanted to make the public aware of his\u2026distrust of the vaccines.\u2019 Secretary Kennedy, I assume you\u2019re aware of these disturbing reports of the gunman\u2019s motives?\u201d\n\nSecretary Kennedy (SK): \u201cYes.\u201d\n\n[\u2026]\n\nSW: \u201cHad you ever even been to the C-D-C as Secretary before the shooting on August 8?\u201d\n\nSK: \u201cNo.\u201d\n\nSW: \u201cLet\u2019s return to the shooting and aftermath. Secretary Kennedy, I\u2019m about to ask a series of yes or no questions about the events of the past month. And I would appreciate just a yes or no response. [\u2026] Did you criticize Dr. Monarez for her statements to C-D-C following the shooting where she said, quote, \u2018misinformation can be dangerous\u2019?\u201d\n\nSK: \u201cI don\u2019t believe so. I have no record of that.\u201d\n\nSW: \u201cDid you demand that she fire career scientists or public experts at the C-D-C?\u201d\n\nSK: \u201cYes.\u201d\n\n[\u2026]\n\nSW: \u201cDid you say the C-D-C was, quote, \u2018the most corrupt federal agency in the history of the world\u2019?\u201d\n\nSK: \u201cNot the history of the world, but definitely in HHS. I did not say that. But I did say it\u2019s the most corrupt agency in HHS, and maybe the government.\u201d\n\nSW: \u201cSo you called the C-D-C corrupt. And did you say that C-D-C employees are, quote, \u2018horrible people\u2019? Did you say they are killing children and they do not care?\u201d\n\nSK: \u201cNo.\u201d\n\nSW: \u201cOkay, I think that we all have a history of listening to you and these answers, but you\u2019re on the record for a number of these statements. Despite your lack of credentials and expertise, clearly, you have an agenda. It is a threat to the public health of the American people. It\u2019s clear that you are carrying out your extremist beliefs, which is why you attempted to fire\u2014\u201d [CROSS SPEAKING] \u201cI\u2019m speaking. Secretary Kennedy, for the first time, we\u2019re seeing deaths from children from measles. We haven\u2019t seen that in two decades. We\u2019re seeing that under your watch. You are a hazard to the health of the American people. I think that you ought to resign. And if you do not resign, the President of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-defends-americans-401ks-by-protecting-an-independent-federal-reserve/", "Warnock Defends Americans\u2019 401Ks by Protecting an Independent Federal Reserve", "2025-09-04", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "During a Thursday Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock attacked the President\u2019s attempts to fill the Federal Reserve with \u201cyes men\u201d by illegally firing Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook\n\nDuring the hearing, Senator Warnock highlighted the Federal Reserve Governor nominees\u2019 lack of commitment to the Federal Reserve\u2019s independence, which risks millions of retirement accounts and the health of the U.S. economy\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock during the hearing: \u201cAmerica\u2019s economy is the envy of the world. I think the independence of the Fed is an important part of that, and based on the statements that I have seen so far, I\u2019m convinced that you\u2019re not going to exercise that kind of independence\u201d\n\nWatch Senator Reverend Warnock at Thursday\u2019s hearing HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, defended the importance of an independent Federal Reserve while questioning Dr. Stephen Miran, President Trump\u2019s Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors and nominee to serve on the independent Federal Reserve Board. During the hearing, Senator Warnock continued to voice his support of Lisa Cook, a renowned Georgia economist and the first Black woman on the Federal Reserve board. Recently, President Trump attempted to illegally fire Cook to fill the Federal Reserve with \u201cyes men,\u201d which would endanger not only millions of retirement accounts but the health of the entire American economy.\n\n\u201cLisa Cook is a first-rate economist and a Georgian that we\u2019re all very proud of,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nThe hearing was held for the nominations of Dr. Stephen Miran to be a Governor for the Federal Reserve Board, as well as Ben Hobbs and Ronnie Kurtz, to be Assistant Secretaries for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Christopher Pilkerton and Jonathan Burke, to be Assistant Secretaries Department of the Treasury (USDT).\n\nSenator Warnock also used the hearing to highlight Dr. Miran\u2019s failure to commit to the Federal Reserve\u2019s independence.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s economy is the envy of the world. I think the independence of the Fed is an important part of that, and based on the statements that I have seen so far, I\u2019m convinced that you\u2019re not going to exercise that kind of independence,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI think you\u2019re conflicted in this role, that you would be a mouthpiece and a proxy vote on the Fed board for President Trump, if you were confirmed, and I find that deeply alarming and concerning, as I think about the retirement accounts of people of Georgia, as well as the strength of our overall economy.\u201d\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks and line of questioning HERE.\n\nSee below transcript of the key exchange between Senator Warnock and Dr. Stephen Miran:\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cOn Monday, August 25, President Trump escalated his continuing assault on the independence of the Federal Reserve by attempting to illegally fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook. Lisa Cook is a first-rate economist and a Georgian that we\u2019re all very proud of.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo president has ever attempted to fire a Fed Governor before. This stems from unsubstantiated allegations that Governor Cook has denied. Everyone understands what\u2019s happening here. The President\u2019s tariffs are damaging the economy. We can all see that. The economy is struggling, as he\u2019s created a 10% tax on virtually everything, making Americans poorer and poorer, all to give a tax cut to billionaires, and now he\u2019s insisting that the Fed cut interest rates to try and mask the fact that his economic policies are failing miserably. Families deserve a fed that will work for them, not for the President. And Lisa Cook is simply being scapegoated for Trump\u2019s failed economic policies.\u201d\n\n\u201cDr Myron, the Fed\u2019s job is to maximize employment and keep prices stable. That\u2019s it. Not to soothe the President\u2019s ego, not to inflate his poll numbers, not to carry out his political agenda. A strong central bank serves families, investors and the entire world by just relying on economic data and focusing on employment and prices. There\u2019s a reason why our economy, even when it struggles, is the envy of the world. There\u2019s a reason why people invest in America, and I think that the independence of the Fed has a lot to do with that. You seem to believe the opposite.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor example, in this Manhattan Institute paper published last year that I would like to enter into the record. You proposed reforming the Federal Reserve by explicitly tying Fed board membership to the result of elections, giving the President control over the Fed and allowing the President to have complete authority to fire Fed governors. Congress would need to implement these reforms, is that correct?\n\nDr. Stephen Miran (SM): \u201cThank you, Senator, that is not correct. I did not recommend giving the President control over the Fed, because what I recommended doing was a package of checks and balances, and one of the other checks and balances included in that package was strengthening the system of reserve of regional Reserve Banks and ensuring that they voted every meeting which would then get majority of the Board of Governors.\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cI\u2019ve read your paper, and I disagree with your characterization of the argument. Do you think our economy would be better off with President Trump setting interest rates unilaterally?\u201d\n\n(SM): \u201cThank you, Senator. I don\u2019t believe that\u2019s a situation which is currently happening.\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cBut my question is, do you think our economy would be better off if he were able to set interest rates unilaterally? Yes or No?\u201d\n\n(SM): \u201cI think the President has had a series of excellent calls in monetary policy over the recent so you think yours however, I do think that independence of the central bank from political cycle is key to its long-term success in delivering superior economics.\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cSo, if a Fed Governor disagrees with the President over interest rates, should the President be able to fire them based solely on that policy disagreement?\n\n(SM): \u201cI\u2019m afraid that I have no legal training, particularly not in constitutional employment law, so that question is not one that I am capable of answering.\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cDo you think the President should be able to fire someone based solely on a policy disagreement. You\u2019ve been nominated to serve on the Fed?\u201d\n\n(SM): \u201cAgain, I have no means with which to evaluate that claim, lacking any\u2026\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cDo you think it\u2019s appropriate for the President to threaten to fire them as he\u2019s threatened to fire Chair Powell?\u201d\n\n(SM): \u201cAgain, it\u2019s, it\u2019s not my prerogative to have views on such and such a question.\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cWell, I think you have opined on such questions. Here\u2019s the problem with your answer. Trust in institutions takes years. It takes decades to build, and this political assault on the Fed\u2019s independence threatens market stability, reducing investment in our country, costing jobs, and jeopardizing the retirement accounts of millions of Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cDr Myron, in your view, what happens when businesses and consumers and investors lose faith in the Fed\u2019s ability to act independently from politics, whether it\u2019s from the left or the right?\u201d\n\n(SM): \u201cThank you, Senator. Should financial markets and households and firms come to view the Fed as not independent, it presumably will have a material effect on bond yields and inflation expectations. That would be adverse for economic outcomes.\u201d\n\n(SRW): \u201cI think that there\u2019s a reason, again, that America\u2019s economy is the envy of the world. I think the independence of the Fed is an important part of that, and based on the statements that I have seen so far, I\u2019m convinced that you\u2019re not going to exercise that kind of independence. I think you\u2019re conflicted in this role, that you would be a mouthpiece and a proxy vote on the Fed board for President Trump, if you were confirmed, and I find that deeply alarming and concerning, as I think about the retirement accounts of people of Georgia, as well as the strength of our overall economy.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-visits-rural-hospital-facing-3-3-million-in-annual-cuts-due-to-gop-tax-bill/", "ICYMI: Warnock Visits Rural Hospital Facing $3.3 Million in Annual Cuts Due to GOP Tax Bill", "2025-09-02", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia\n\nThe hospital is forced to cut $3.3 million annually to break even because of the GOP tax bill, which will kick 750,000 Georgians off their health care\n\nPhotos available HERE\n\nClaxton, GA \u2013 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia to discuss the risks to rural health care access following steep cuts to Medicaid in the recently passed GOP tax law. Evans Memorial Hospital, a lifeline for rural Georgians, is forced to cut $3.3 million annually to break even due to the GOP tax bill, which will kick 750,000 Georgians off their health care. When rural hospitals have to provide care to people without insurance who cannot afford their medical bills, it makes it more likely that hospitals will be forced to cut services or close their doors. The GOP tax bill\u2019s health care cuts could mean Evans Memorial will have to scale back intensive care unit (ICU) or cardio-pulmonary rehab services. Recently, Evans Memorial Hospital had to shutter its labor and delivery unit because it was no longer financially viable.\n\nThe inappropriately named One Big Beautiful Bill puts pressure on hospitals to close, putting more than 16,000 rural healthcare jobs at risk, according to the GA Hospital Association. The GOP Tax bill will kick up to 93,000 Georgians off Medicaid and raise premiums on 1.2 million Georgians who get their health insurance on the marketplace, or Georgia Access. About 52% of kids in rural areas in Georgia are covered by Medicaid, according to Georgetown University\u2019s Center for Children and Families (CCF).\n\nMedia coverage of Senator Warnock\u2019s visit to Evans Memorial Hospital can be found below:\n\nWJCL: Georgia US Senator visits Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton\n\nMany rural hospitals are struggling to stay vibrant, and some are even in danger of closing.\n\nThere are some who believe that the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill will put even more in peril.\n\nWith that as a backdrop, Georgia U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock paid a visit to Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton.\n\nGeorgia U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock was an extremely interested observer Monday afternoon as he got a firsthand look at the operations of Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton.\n\nSenator Warnock was also a concerned observer, worried about the viability of these rural hospitals in the wake of the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.\n\n\u201cThe folks in this building do heroic work every single day, and often they are doing it, against great odds,\u201d said Warnock. \u201cAnd sadly, those odds have been increased.\u201d\n\nEvans Memorial Hospital president and CEO Bill Lee was grateful for the senator\u2019s visit.\n\n\u201cThis is about relevance and survivability,\u201d said Lee. \u201cAnd so for the senator to take time to come and try to understand and hear from our team, that here are some of the issues that we really fight on a daily battle basis. It\u2019s exciting to me to be able to have him take time and come visit with our team.\u201d\n\nWarnock, though, is hoping it won\u2019t come to that.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not too late for Congress to turn back, to make a course correction and ensure that hospitals like Evans Memorial not only survive, but thrive,\u201d said Warnock.\n\nAJC: Georgia\u2019s rural hospitals tighten budgets ahead of Medicaid, ACA changes\n\nBut without changes to federal funding plans, Evans faces a $3.3 million budget shortfall next year, CEO Bill Lee said Monday.\n\nLee, his fellow administrators and even nurses and physicians made their case to U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. The Democrat toured Evans Memorial as part of a multi-stop swing through the state to raise awareness of the impact President Donald Trump\u2019s federal spending plan \u2014 known as the \u201cbig beautiful bill\u201d\u2014 will have on Georgians.\n\nWarnock on Monday praised \u201cthe folks in this building who do heroic work every single day.\n\n\u201cAnd often they are doing it against great odds, and sadly, those odds have been increased by the GOP bill that was recently passed,\u201d Warnock told reporters in a press conference following the tour. \u201cWhen I think about the work that these folks have to do in this building, that bill is not beautiful at all.\u201d\n\nWarnock called on congressional Republicans, such as U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter of St. Simons Island, to \u201ccourse correct\u201d on their health care decisions. Carter\u2019s district stretches the length of the Georgia coast and covers 15 counties, 13 of them rural, including two that border Evans County. Carter, a retired pharmacist, supported the GOP bill and said the Medicaid changes target waste, fraud and abuse and that the legislation\u2019s tax breaks increase health care accessibility and affordability.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s senators have never treated patients \u2014 as a pharmacist, I have, and I understand the importance of providing accessible, affordable, and quality health care to Georgians,\u201d he said.\n\nWTOC: Local rural hospital losing millions of dollars following cuts from One Big Beautiful Bill Act\n\nDemocratic Senator Raphael Warnock visited Evans Memorial and looked at not only their new services, but services they will be forced to cut due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.\n\n\u201cLet me tell you I have not seen people more committed to their work. The folks in this building do heroic work,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nSenator Warnock says some hospitals will be forced to close.\n\n\u201cThis is a matter of life and death and in spite of the heroic work that people in this building are doing every single day,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cIt increases the likely hood of this hospital or hospitals like it will close. Or if they don\u2019t close, they will have to face critical services.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-discusses-tariff-impacts-on-georgia-farmers-during-visit-to-augusta-area-farm/", "ICYMI: Warnock Discusses Tariff Impacts on Georgia Farmers During Visit to Augusta Area Farm", "2025-08-29", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited Three Bees Pecan Farm to speak with Georgia farmers about how the uncertainty around Trump\u2019s tariffs are bad for business\n\nSenator Warnock is the top Democrat on the Finance subcommittee that handles trade and tariffs\n\nICYMI from the Augusta Chronicle: SEE IT: Sen. Raphael Warnock visits Georgia pecan farmers to discuss tariffs\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock and Jeb Barrow Jr. at Three Bees Pecan Farm\n\nPhoto credit: Katie Goodale of the Augusta Chronicle\n\nWrens, GA \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) visited Three Bees Pecan Farm to speak with Georgia producers about the impact of the ongoing tariffs on their farms\u2019 operation. The Senator received a tour of the farm from owner Jeb Barrow Jr. and heard directly from growers about how tariffs are further threatening already thinning profit margins for the agriculture industry and making it harder for farmers to make long-term investments, including creating Georgia jobs. Senator Warnock is the top Democrat on the Finance subcommittee that handles trade and tariffs.\n\nSenator Warnock believes that President Trump\u2019s tariff policies aren\u2019t just abstract policies; they\u2019re a tax that will show up on grocery store shelves and in monthly bills for Georgia families. Farmers and producers have been particularly affected by tariffs, facing high input costs, increased prices for farm machinery, and obstacles to their ability to sell their products internationally. The administration\u2019s erratic tariff strategy has alienated U.S. trade partners and strategic allies while destabilizing markets and making it harder on Georgia\u2019s farmers. The continued uncertainty does little to ease the anxiety of Georgia\u2019s farmers and leaves many producers unable to plan or make long-term investments in their farms.\n\nSenator Warnock has worked to lower trade barriers for Georgia pecan farmers since coming into office, including lowering the trade barrier with India by 70% in 2022. Notably, 28% of U.S. pecans are exported, making access to international markets critical for pecan farmers.\n\nMedia coverage of Senator Warnock\u2019s visit to Three Bees Pecan Farm can be found below:\n\nWRDW: Sen. Warnock visits farmers in Wrens to discuss tariffs\n\nSenator Reverend Raphael Warnock visited three local pecan farmers to discuss the impact of the ongoing tariff war on Georgia farmers. Georgia is the largest grower of pecans in the nation, and nearly 30 percent of the pecans grown in the U.S. are exported to other countries.\n\nJeb Barrow\u2019s family has run Three Bees Pecan Farm for nearly 130 years. This year, fewer of his crops are going to China due to higher tariffs. He and other local farmers told Warnock they support trade with India, and marketing pecans to the country could help fill in the gap left by China.\n\nWarnock says he supports tariffs, but only when they support and do not hurt American farmers and the rest of American citizens. \u201cI have a great deal of respect for farmers. It\u2019s tough work. There is so much you don\u2019t control, like the weather. The profit margin is already narrow, and so this kind of uncertainty, it seems to me, is unhelpful. What I want to see us do is have a bipartisan conversation that centers around ordinary people that put forward reasonable solutions. There is no question people have been struggling for a long time,\u201d said Warnock.\n\nWJBF: Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock visits with Georgia Farmers in Keysville\n\nThree Bee\u2019s Farm in Keysville was the backdrop for Warnock\u2019s visit to discuss the affects of tariffs on farmers in Georgia.\n\nSenator Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, U.S. Senator for Georgia, told WJBF, \u201cIt was really important for me to be here in the region today. I promised Georgians that I would always walk with them even while working for them. Our farmers are the best among us, it\u2019s very hard work, lot of uncertainty. So we should do everything we can to try to lighten that burden for farmers.\u201d\n\nJeb Barrow, owner of Three Bee\u2019s Farms, was grateful to host Senator Warnock and was grateful for his work to support Georgia farms in Washington. Barrow says, \u201cHe\u2019s a supporter of Georgia agriculture and he\u2019s serious about it as evidenced by him being on the Senate Ag Committee. He takes a genuine interest in our problems and you noticed when we sit down at the table he listened to what we had to say. He didn\u2019t try to project a point of view, he just was here to listen so, that\u2019s all good.\u201d\n\nWarnock says that President Trump\u2019s 10% tariffs on consumer goods has serious negative affects on Georgia farmers and families and many farmers and still recovering from Trump\u2019s trade war with China during his first presidency.\n\nWFXG: The impact of \u201cClose to Home\u201d: Senator Warnock meets Georgia farmers\n\nU.S. Senator Raphael Warnock visited a local farm, 3 Bee\u2019s Farm, on Saturday to hear directly from Georgia farmers about the challenges they face\u2014from rising tariffs to limited access to foreign markets.\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s visit was part of his ongoing commitment to support those who work the land. \u201cIt was really important for me to be in the region today,\u201d he said. \u201cI promised Georgians that I would walk with them even while working for them. Our farmers are the best among us\u2014it is very hard work.\u201d\n\nInside the barn, the discussion turned to tariffs and trade policies\u2014issues that have a direct impact on Georgia\u2019s farming economy. Senator Warnock, who was appointed Ranking Member of the Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness in January 2025, asked a pointed question: \u201cWhat worries you the most?\u201d\n\nThe answer from farmers was clear: Mexican imports and the lack of access to new foreign markets. Barrow and others stressed that it\u2019s not just about tariffs\u2014it\u2019s about building a stronger domestic market. \u201cIf we could build a robust domestic market for pecans, which we should have\u2014it\u2019s the only native nut to this continent\u2014we\u2019ve got 16 states. So by all accounts, we should have a great homegrown market for the product.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to Georgia\u2019s agricultural community. \u201cAs the ranking member on trade, I will continue to push my Republican colleagues to recognize that trade and tariffs are really in the purview of Congress. They have ceded that power, but Congress does have the ability to bring some common sense to this\u2014if it chooses to do so.\u201d\n\nAccording to Warnock\u2019s office, he helped lower trade barriers with India by 70% in 2022, a move aimed at expanding export opportunities for Georgia farmers. But Saturday\u2019s visit made clear: there\u2019s still work to be done.\n\nTruth Seekers Journal: From Pecans to Hospitals: Warnock Highlights Tariff and Health Care Struggles in Georgia\n\nOn Saturday, Warnock toured Three Bees Pecan Farm in Wrens with owner Jeb Barrow Jr., meeting local producers to discuss the financial uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariff policy. Georgia farmers, already operating on thin margins, said shifting trade rules make it difficult to plan investments and sustain jobs.\n\n\u201cI just know how hard farmers work in this state, and if you talk to them, they\u2019re not interested in aid, they\u2019re interested in trade,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cThey want to see their products make it to India. But right now, this whole thing is being operated willy-nilly, from Donald Trump\u2019s back pocket. One announcement, then a reversal. How do you plan a farm around that?\u201d\n\nBarrow praised Warnock\u2019s approach: \u201cHe takes a genuine interest in our problems, and when we sit down at the table, he listens.\u201d\n\nGeorgia is the nation\u2019s top pecan producer, and nearly 28% of U.S. pecans are exported, making access to foreign markets critical. In 2022, Warnock helped lower India\u2019s trade barriers on pecans by 70%, opening a major market for Georgia growers.\n\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Warnock has pressed administration officials for relief, voting to roll back tariffs on Canada, urging expedited USDA action on pecan exports, and demanding answers on how tariffs impact small producers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-visits-atlanta-small-business-owners-to-discuss-the-impact-tariffs-higher-prices-are-having-on-georgia-small-businesses/", "ICYMI: Warnock Visits Atlanta Small Business Owners to Discuss the Impact Tariffs, Higher Prices Are Having on Georgia\u00a0Small Businesses", "2025-08-28", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Last week, Senator Reverend Warnock visited Xocolatl Chocolate to meet with its owners and discuss the impact the Trump administration\u2019s tariffs are having on Georgia small businesses\n\nXocolatl has been forced to pay tariff rates as high as 50% on some of the key ingredients it relies on to make its award-winning chocolate, including cocoa beans, which cannot be grown in the U.S. at scale due to climate limitations\n\nThese unanticipated costs have forced the company to pause its plans to hire additional employees in Georgia and invest in expanding its production capacity\n\nAnalysts estimate that tariffs will cost the average American household $2,400 in 2025\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cIt\u2019s inspiring to see this Georgia business. Here\u2019s a young couple that\u2019s come back to the state and they are growing their business \u2013 which means they\u2019re creating jobs and sustaining families. The last thing they need is government adding another burden to the work that they\u2019re trying to do\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock (center) with Xocolatl Chocolate owners Matt (left) and Elaine (right)\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) stopped by Atlanta small business Xocolatl Chocolate last week to hear first-hand how the Trump administration\u2019s trade agenda is impacting Georgia small businesses. Xocolatl employs more than a dozen Georgians in its award-winning factory and had plans to expand its operations until tariff rates instituted by President Trump forced Xocolatl owners Matt and Elaine to pause their plans. The company imports cocoa beans from central America and Africa due to climate limitations in the U.S., and imports sugar from Brazil\n\nBefore the tariffs, Matt and Elaine said rising costs were already impacting the company. The couple was paying between $4,500 and $6,000 a ton for cocoa before the tariffs and are now paying $14,000 a ton on some of their beans. Despite their current challenges, Xocolatl continues to purchase paper for its packaging from a paper mill in Michigan rather than lower-cost options from China, supporting American industry. However, the wood pulp used in its paper products originates in Canada, which means tariffs are raising costs on the domestically sourced packaging as well.\n\nSee more stories about Senator Warnock\u2019s visit to Xocolatl Chocolate in Atlanta below:\n\n11Alive: Warnock talks concerns about tariffs with small business owners in Atlanta\n\nSen. Raphael Warnock continued his August recess tour of Georgia small businesses on Tuesday with a stop at Xocolatl Chocolate in Atlanta.\n\nThe senator met with co-owners Matt Weyandt and Elaine Read, in their small craft chocolate factory, where they make their chocolate from bean to bar. The husband and wife duo started their business in 2014 after discovering chocolate making while living in Costa Rica and said federal trade policies have created a climate of uncertainty that is especially tough on small businesses.\n\n\u201cOur price even before the tariffs went into effect more than doubled over the last two years,\u201d he said. \u201cWe were paying between $4,500 to $6,000 a ton for cocoa today before the tariffs, now we\u2019re paying $14,000 a ton on some of our beans. And the price of our sugar has gone up\u2026Cocoa just doesn\u2019t grow in the United States. It\u2019s the core of all of our products.\u201d\n\nWarnock acknowledged the struggles Matt and Elaine described, saying they echoed what he has heard across Georgia.\n\n\u201cWhether I\u2019m in a red part of the state down in south Georgia, or in Atlanta, the story is the same,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a real burden on small businesses. We are seeing a 10% tariff tax on virtually everything from chocolate to cars.\u201d\n\nThe senator tied those issues together as part of a broader concern about Washington policies weighing on Georgia families.\n\n\u201cThis is a burden on our ability to grow businesses, to hire new people,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd 99% of the businesses in Georgia are small businesses. When you put this kind of burden on them, it\u2019s a real damper on the job market.\u201d\n\nThe Atlanta Voice: \u2018Reckless and Unorganized\u2019 tariffs are hurting small businesses in Georgia, says Senator Warnock\n\nThe smell of raw chocolate immediately hits your nose upon entering through the front door of Xocolatl Chocolate in Atlanta\u2019s Mechanicsville neighborhood. The small business, which employs 19 people, including the owners Matt Weyandt and Elaine Read, calls the once historic all-Black neighborhood home to its factory and tasting room. Set among a cluster of low-slung brick buildings, this was once home to small mechanic shops.\n\nSmall business is the foundation of Mechanicsville, and Xocolatl Chocolate is one of those small businesses that has been birthed out of a newer Mechanicsville. Small business is also the foundation of commerce in Georgia, which has over one million registered small businesses, according to date from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Tariffs on countries that produce goods being used by small businesses in Georgia can negatively affect the business ecosystem.\n\n\u201c99 percent of the businesses in Georgia are small businesses,\u201d Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock said while seated next to Weyandt and Read on Tuesday morning. \u201cCongress could put forward a more coherent tariff policy if it chose to do so, and so far, my Republican colleagues have ceded all of their power and authority to the Executive Branch.\u201d\n\nWSB Radio: Local chocolate factory in Atlanta says business is strained under tariff uncertainty\n\nA local chocolate factory in Atlanta says they have been under some strain amid the tariff uncertainty.\n\nThe local business employs 19 people and co-owner Matt Weyandt says times have been challenging.\n\n\u201cWe have had to raise prices on our wholesale prices. We did that over the summer,\u201d Weyandt said.\n\nWarnock says tariffs are costing small businesses.\n\n\u201cThis tariff agenda is a job killer,\u201d Warnock said.\n\nGPB: A small Atlanta chocolate factory is feeling the impacts of tariffs\n\nGeorgia small businesses are feeling the impacts of tariffs on products they need to import. Tuesday, Senator Raphael Warnock visited a chocolate factory in Atlanta to learn how they are coping.\n\nXocolatl is Atlanta\u2019s only chocolate factory. The company imports cacao beans from central America and Africa since it is difficult to grow in the U.S., and imports sugar from Brazil.\n\nXocolatl founder Matt Weyandt says increasing costs on raw materials and uncertainty around tariffs are presenting a unique financial challenge.\n\nWarnock emphasized his opposition to tariffs implemented by the President Donald Trump administration.\n\n\u201cThat tax is not something that Brazil is eating. It\u2019s passed on to these small businesses. So, this tariff agenda is a job killer,\u201d Warnock said.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-visits-mana-nutrition-to-uplift-organizations-work-to-nourish-hungry-children-georgias-economy/", "ICYMI: Warnock Visits MANA Nutrition to Uplift Organization\u2019s Work to Nourish Hungry Children, Georgia\u2019s Economy", "2025-08-27", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited MANA Nutrition\u2019s Pooler facility to meet with the organization\u2019s leadership and discuss the importance of protecting federal investments fueling Georgia jobs, humanitarian aid\n\nMANA Nutrition was notified earlier this year that its contracts and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were canceled by the federal government; those contracts were officially restored on March 5, but they were still waiting on $18.6M in federal funds they are owed from completed and delivered contracts\n\nThe Senator spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get this funding restored, and their reimbursements were eventually received\n\nMANA employs over 100 Georgians and fuels Georgia\u2019s peanut industry, purchasing 2 million pounds of Georgia peanuts a month to manufacture lifesaving aid for hungry children\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cAs a Georgian and Savannahian, I\u2019m proud of the work that MANA does on behalf of the hungry children around the world. As they are nourishing children around the world, they are nourishing the Georgia economy with jobs all across Georgia, and this work must continue\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock and MANA CEO Mark Moore hold a box of RUTF product made with Georgia peanuts\n\nPhoto credit: Justin Taylor of The Current\n\nPooler, GA \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) emphasized his commitment to supporting MANA Nutrition\u2019s work in nourishing hungry children around the globe and Georgia\u2019s economy during a recent visit to their Pooler facility. MANA Nutrition is a Georgia-based non-profit and a leader in combating acute malnutrition in children. They produce Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a fortified peanut paste that can save the lives of malnourished children. RUTF is easy to use, requiring no cooking, water, or refrigeration, and it can dramatically improve a child\u2019s health in a matter of weeks. MANA employs 125 Georgians between its Fitzgerald and Pooler operations. MANA purchases approximately 2 million pounds of peanuts per month, helping fuel Georgia\u2019s agriculture economy and sustain peanut farmers. A 2024 report shows MANA has invested $66.2 million in Georgia communities.\n\nMANA Nutrition was notified earlier this year that its contracts and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were canceled by the federal government. Those contracts were officially restored on March 5, but they were still waiting on $18.6M in federal funds they are owed from completed and delivered contracts. The Senator and his team worked aggressively on a staff level to get this funding restored, and the Senator even spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get this funding restored, and their reimbursements were eventually received.\n\nSee more stories about Senator Warnock\u2019s visit to MANA\u2019s Pooler facility below:\n\nThe Current: Warnock praises producer of emergency food for malnourished children abroad\n\nU.S. Senator Raphael Warnock on Monday cautioned against a policy on foreign aid that confuses \u201cAmerica First\u201d with \u201cAmerica Only\u201d as he praised the work of a Georgia-based nonprofit group that manufactures vitamin-fortified, peanut-based packets of food to treat acute malnutrition among children abroad.\n\nAt a sprawling, 315,000-square-foot production and storage facility in Pooler operated by Mana Nutrition, Warnock said the group\u2019s purchase of 2 million pounds of peanuts a month from Georgia farmers and employment of 100 Georgians showed that \u201ceven as they are nourishing hungry children all over the world, they are nourishing the Georgia economy.\u201d\n\nIn remarks to reporters, Warnock, who was born and raised in Savannah, criticized the view, widely held among \u201cAmerica First\u201d supporters of President Trump and opponents of U.S. foreign aid, that the people of the U.S. must choose between taking care of their own or saving those in foreign lands.\n\n\u201cVery often people have this false dichotomy where they\u2019re saying, either we\u2019re supporting America or we\u2019re supporting those people \u2018over there,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cMana is a great example of ways in which, when we invest in this, we are investing in\u201d Georgia.\n\nIn April, as Elon Musk and the Trump administration took a chainsaw to U.S. foreign aid and the agency that oversees it, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Warnock said he phoned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to urge the administration to pay its outstanding debt of $18.6 million to Mana for so-called ready-to-use therapeutic food that the government had already purchased and had been produced.\n\nHe and Mana officials said Monday the bill had been paid. According to Warnock and Mark Moore, Mana\u2019s co-founder and CEO, the secretary of state has indicated a willingness on the part of the administration to fund production of the organization\u2019s lifesaving peanut paste at its Pooler plant as well as one in Fitzgerald, in south-central Ben Hill County.\n\nSavannah Morning News: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock visits Pooler nonprofit after USAID funds pulled, then reinstated\n\nMonday morning, MANA Nutrition CEO Mark Moore gave Sen. Raphael Warnock a tour of the global non-profit\u2019s facilities in Pooler, showing him boxes upon boxes of the company\u2019s meal replacements, still waiting to be shipped out to the sub-Saharan African countries of South Sudan, Chad, and Nigeria, among others, since March.\n\nMonday was Warnock\u2019s first time ever visiting the facility, after helping the nonprofit organization secure funding following the Trump administration\u2019s cuts to USAID contracts.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s been great just to have to have the support and positive attention of [Warnock\u2019s] staff,\u201d Moore said. \u201cHaving him advocate for us on the Hill is huge, so to have him come see it in person is amazing and a big honor.\u201d\n\nMANA produces ready-to-use therapeutic food, a peanut-butter based meal replacement product with protein, vitamins and milk powder to supplement childhood nutrition across the globe. The product requires no cooking, water, refrigeration and can improve a child\u2019s health in a matter of weeks, according to MANA.\n\nIn March, 35% of MANA\u2019s ready-to-box-and-ship orders, totaling $12 million, dried up overnight when the Trump administration eliminated funding and dismantled aid to foreign countries. Although the contracts were eventually reinstated a week later, MANA was still waiting on $18.6 million in federal funds owed from completed and delivered contracts since October. Warnock worked with his staff to get the funding restored, securing $12.8 million of the total amount MANA was owed in early April.\n\n\u201cI was happy to support their efforts in April by directly appealing to Secretary [Marco] Rubio,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cI was able to talk with him directly on the phone about that, and we were able to get that money released, but it\u2019s important that we continue to support this work.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s shameful and shows a complete lack of moral imagination when this administration would literally have, in some cases, food sitting on docks, that was deteriorating, and costs money to incinerate it,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cHaving food sitting on docks that\u2019s already been delivered rather than feeding hungry people is both immoral and fiscally irresponsible.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a Georgian and Savannahian, I\u2019m proud of the work that MANA does on behalf of the hungry children around the world,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cAs they are nourishing children around the world, they are nourishing the Georgia economy with jobs all across Georgia, and this work must continue.\u201d\n\nWSAV: Sen. Raphael Warnock visits Pooler nonprofit warehouse\n\nGeorgia Senator Raphael Warnock spent Monday morning touring MANA Nutrition, a Georgia non-profit organization fighting child malnutrition worldwide.\n\nWarnock applauded the work of MANA nutrition as he toured their warehouse. The company employs over 120 Georgians between their Fitzgerald and Pooler operations.\n\n\u201cI think it\u2019s important to stress this because very often people have this false dichotomy where they\u2019re saying either, we\u2019re supporting America or we\u2019re supporting those people over there somewhere else,\u201d Warnock said. \u201cNo, MANA is a great example of the ways in which when we invest in this, we are investing in the Georgia economy.\u201d\n\nFollowing the Pooler visit, Warnock toured Irwin County\u2019s Evans Memorial Hospital, meeting with staff to discuss the risks to rural health care access following steep cuts to Medicaid in the recent GOP tax law.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-visits-atlanta-small-business-owners-to-discuss-the-impact-tariffs-higher-prices-are-having-on-georgia-businesses/", "Warnock Visits Atlanta Small Business Owners to Discuss the Impact Tariffs, Higher Prices Are Having on Georgia Businesses", "2025-08-22", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "On Tuesday, Senator Reverend Warnock visited Xocolatl Chocolate to meet with its owners and discuss the impact the Trump administration\u2019s tariffs are having on Georgia small businesses\n\nXocolatl has been forced to pay tariff rates as high as 50% on some of the key ingredients it relies on to make its award-winning chocolate, including cocoa beans, which cannot be grown in the U.S. at scale due to climate limitations\n\nThese unanticipated costs have forced the company to pause its plans to hire additional employees and invest in expanding its production capacity\n\nAnalysts estimate that tariffs will cost the average American household $2,400 in 2025\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cIt\u2019s inspiring to see this Georgia business. Here\u2019s a young couple that\u2019s come back to the state and they are growing their business \u2013 which means they\u2019re creating jobs and sustaining families. The last thing they need is government adding another burden to the work that they\u2019re trying to do\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock (center) with Xocolatl Chocolate owners Matt (left) and Elaine (right)\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) stopped by Atlanta small business Xocolatl Chocolate this week to hear first-hand how the Trump administration\u2019s trade agenda is impacting Georgia businesses. Xocolatl employs more than a dozen Georgians in its award-winning factory and had plans to expand its operations until tariff rates instituted by President Trump forced Xocolatl owners Matt and Elaine to pause their plans. The company imports cocoa beans from central America and Africa due to climate limitations in the U.S., and imports sugar from Brazil\n\n\u201cHere\u2019s an American business \u2013 a Georgia business \u2013 that is sourcing everything that they can from the U.S. They don\u2019t need anybody convincing them to bring business back to Georgia,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cHere\u2019s a young couple that\u2019s come back to the state and they are growing their business \u2013 which means they\u2019re creating jobs and sustaining families. The last thing they need is government adding another burden to the work that they\u2019re trying to do.\u201d\n\nThe Trump administration\u2019s varying tariff rates on goods from U.S. trading partners has made it difficult for Xocolatl to plan long-term. Cocoa is the foundation for everything the company does, and the company sources its beans directly from small farms in Nicaragua (18% tariff rate), Peru (10%), Uganda (15%), Dominican Republic (10%), and Tanzania (10%). The administration\u2019s recent 50% tariff on goods from Brazil has made purchasing the sugar the company relies on much more expensive. As a result of the uncertainty, Matt and Elaine have been forced to stockpile raw materials they regularly use as a means of saving money.\n\n\u201c99% of the businesses in Georgia are small businesses. Small businesses really are the lifeblood of the Georgia economy, and businesses like this, they don\u2019t have a lot of margin. Small businesses aren\u2019t sitting on a large amount of capital that they can wait to see what\u2019s going to happen on the other side of a 90-day pause in a reckless, unorganized tariff program that the President is conducting. Small businesses feel that almost immediately and higher costs get passed onto the consumer. It\u2019s a drag on jobs, it\u2019s a drag on small businesses\u2019 ability to grow, to expand, and create more jobs. It is a drag on the Georgia economy,\u201d Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nBefore the tariffs, Matt and Elaine said rising costs were already impacting the company. The couple was paying between $4,500 and $6,000 a ton for cocoa beforethe tariffs and are now paying $14,000 a ton on some of their beans. Despite their current challenges, Xocolatl continues to purchase paper for its packaging from a paper mill in Michigan rather than lower-cost options from China, supporting American industry. However, the wood pulp used in its paper products originates in Canada, which means tariffs are raising costs on the domestically sourced packaging as well.\n\nSenator Warnock continues to push back against the Trump administration\u2019s reckless tariff policy and the uncertain market conditions it creates for Georgia businesses. As ranking member of the Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, the senator has oversight jurisdiction over federal trade policies. In April, Senator Warnock pressed United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on the economic fallout that the president\u2019s tariffs are having on Georgia\u2019s small businesses. During his comments, the senator stressed that the administration\u2019s indiscriminate tariff policy is providing no avenue for relief for small business owners and Georgia producers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-visits-mana-nutrition-to-uplift-organizations-work-to-nourish-hungry-children-georgias-economy/", "Warnock Visits MANA Nutrition to Uplift Organization\u2019s Work to Nourish Hungry Children, Georgia\u2019s Economy", "2025-08-22", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "On Monday, Senator Reverend Warnock visited MANA Nutrition\u2019s Pooler facility to meet with the organization\u2019s leadership and discuss the importance of protecting federal investments fueling Georgia jobs, humanitarian aid\n\nMANA Nutrition was notified earlier this year that its contracts and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were canceled by the federal government; those contracts were officially restored on March 5, but they were still waiting on $18.6M in federal funds they are owed from completed and delivered contracts\n\nThe Senator spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get this funding restored, and their reimbursements were eventually received\n\nMANA employs over 100 Georgians and fuels Georgia\u2019s peanut industry, purchasing 2 million pounds of peanuts a month to manufacture lifesaving aid for hungry children\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cAs a Georgian and Savannahian, I\u2019m proud of the work that MANA does on behalf of the hungry children around the world. As they are nourishing children around the world, they are nourishing the Georgia economy with jobs all across Georgia, and this work must continue\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock and MANA CEO Mark Moore hold a box of RUTF product made with Georgia peanuts\n\nPhoto credit: Justin Taylor of The Current\n\nPooler, GA \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) emphasized his commitment to supporting South Georgia-based MANA Nutrition\u2019s work in nourishing hungry children around the globe and the state\u2019s economy during a recent visit to their Pooler facility. MANA Nutrition is a leader in combating acute malnutrition in children. They produce Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a fortified peanut paste that can save the lives of malnourished children. RUTF is easy to use, requiring no cooking, water, or refrigeration, and it can dramatically improve a child\u2019s health in a matter of weeks. MANA employs 125 Georgians between their Fitzgerald and Pooler operations. MANA purchases approximately 2 million pounds of peanuts per month, helping fuel Georgia\u2019s agriculture economy and sustain peanut farmers. A 2024 report shows MANA has invested $66.2 million in Georgia communities.\n\n\u201cAs a Georgian and as a Savannahian, I\u2019m proud of the work that MANA does on behalf of hungry children all over the world. And even as they are nourishing hungry children all over the world, they are nourishing the Georgia economy. Some 2 million pounds of peanuts are bought by MANA from farmers every month, and it was important for me to be here today to continue to advocate for them. They are creating and supporting jobs all across our state with the work they\u2019re doing in Fitzgerald, Georgia, and here in Savannah. And this work must continue, again, both to nourish hungry children and to nourish the Georgia economy. This operation shows once again that very often the right thing to do is also a smart thing. This makes sense for Georgia. This makes sense for the American economy,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nMANA Nutrition was notified earlier this year that its contracts and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were canceled by the federal government. Those contracts were officially restored on March 5, but they were still waiting on $18.6M in federal funds they are owed from completed and delivered contracts. The Senator and his team worked aggressively on a staff level to get this funding restored, and the Senator even spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to get this funding restored, and their reimbursements were eventually received.\n\n\u201cIt shows a complete lack of moral imagination when this administration would literally have, in some cases, food sitting on docks that was deteriorating, and it costs money to incinerate. To be incinerating food that\u2019s already sitting on docks rather than feeding hungry people is both immoral and it\u2019s fiscally irresponsible. So the good news is that MANA has been doing the Lord\u2019s work. I have to say, as a preacher, I love that word, MANA. It comes from our Judeo-Christian tradition. And you know, I\u2019ve been thinking about hungry children in Sudan, Ethiopia, in Kenya, faraway places, and this is literally lifesaving food,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock tours MANA\u2019s Pooler facility\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-wins-prestigious-constituent-service-award-for-hurricane-helene-response/", "Warnock Wins Prestigious Constituent Service Award for Hurricane Helene Response", "2025-08-22", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The bipartisan Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) announced Senator Reverend Warnock won the 2025 Democracy Award for Best Constituent Correspondence & Outreach Services\n\nThis honor was awarded to Senator Warnock to recognize his office\u2019s constituent communication on safety and resources during and after Hurricane Helene, which made land fall in Georgia in September of last year\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cI instructed my staff to use every tool at our disposal to communicate critical safety and support information to every impacted Georgian. This award recognizes my staff\u2019s heroic service to Georgians across our state. In times of great hardship, Georgians can always count on me and my office to provide resources and support\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) has awarded him the 2025 Democracy Award for the best Constituent Correspondence & Outreach Services. The award follows the Senator and his office\u2019s outreach efforts to communicate safety and support resources following Hurricane Helene\u2019s Georgia landfall in September of 2024.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m extremely proud to accept the CMF 2025 Democracy Award. Last fall, I instructed my staff to use every tool at our disposal to communicate critical safety and support information to everyaffected Georgian. This award recognizes my staff\u2019s heroic service to Georgians across our state. In times of great hardship, Georgians can always count on me and my office to provide resources and support. I would especially like to thank my State Director, Bee Nguyen, for her steadfast and tireless leadership of my staff in Georgia.\u201d\n\nBelow are just a few of the Senator\u2019s efforts providing constituent correspondence and outreach services around the time of Hurricane Helene:\n\nAlerted Georgians of the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance.\n\nHosted community resource clinics across the state, helping connect 200 Georgians in rural communities to in-person federal resources and representatives.\n\nParticipated in a community roundtable following Hurricane Helene\u2019s landfall in Georgia.\n\nCreated a website as a one-stop shop of resources to help Georgians recover.\n\nVisited farmers in Ray City with President Biden to survey damage and hear from residents.\n\nThe CMF is a bipartisan non-profit foundation that has provided hands-on support and essential resources to Members and their staff to help govern effectively and better serve their constituents for nearly 50 years. Focusing on real-world solutions that drive congressional modernization, advance public service skills, and foster a culture of collaboration on Capitol Hill. In addition to Senator Warnock, the bipartisan CMF also recognized Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX-11) for his correspondence & outreach services.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-discusses-tariff-impacts-on-georgia-farmers-during-visit-to-augusta-area-farm/", "Warnock Discusses Tariff Impacts on Georgia Farmers During Visit to Augusta Area Farm", "2025-08-18", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited Three Bees Pecan Farm to speak with Georgia farmers about how the uncertainty around Trump\u2019s tariffs are bad for business\n\nSenator Warnock is the top Democrat on the Finance subcommittee that handles trade and tariffs\n\nSenator Warnock tours Three Bees Pecan Farm with owner Jeb Barrow Jr.\n\nWrens, GA \u2013 On Saturday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) visited Three Bees Pecan Farm to speak with Georgia producers about the impact of the ongoing tariffs on their farms\u2019 operation. The Senator received a tour of the farm from owner Jeb Barrow Jr. and heard directly from growers about how tariffs are further threatening already thinning profit margins for the agriculture industry and making it harder for farmers to make long-term investments, including creating Georgia jobs. Senator Warnock is the top Democrat on the Finance subcommittee that handles trade and tariffs.\n\n\u201cI just know how hard farmers work in the state, and if you talk to them, they\u2019re not interested in aid, they\u2019re interested in trade. They wanna see their products make it to India, that\u2019s what I heard today, they want to seemarkets open up,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cAnd so there is a push and pull conversation that goes on, but right now this whole thing is being operated willy-nilly. It seems to me, from Donald Trump\u2019s back pocket. He announces one thing and then, within hours, changes his mind, puts everything on pause. If you\u2019re a farmer or producer trying to figure out what to do, I don\u2019t know how you plan on the other side of that pause. So it\u2019s creating a lot of uncertainty in the market. I think we saw the impact of that in the most recent jobs report. So, I\u2019m very concerned, and I wanted to hear directly from the growers in Georgia, and I wanted them to know that I\u2019m fighting for them.\u201d\n\n\u201c[Senator Warnock] is a supporter of Georgia agriculture, and he\u2019s serious about it as evidenced by him being on the Senate Ag Committee,\u201d said Jeb Barrow, owner of Three Bee\u2019s Farms. \u201cHe takes a genuine interest in our problems, and you noticed when we sit down at the table, he listened to what we had to say. He didn\u2019t try to project a point of view, he just was here to listen.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock believes that President Trump\u2019s tariff policies aren\u2019t just abstract policies; they\u2019re a tax that will show up on grocery store shelves and in monthly bills for Georgia families. Farmers and producers have been particularly affected by tariffs, facing high input costs, increased prices for farm machinery, and obstacles to their ability to sell their products internationally. The administration\u2019s erratic tariff strategy has alienated U.S. trade partners and strategic allies while destabilizing markets and making it harder on Georgia\u2019s farmers. The continued uncertainty does little to ease the anxiety of Georgia\u2019s farmers and leaves many producers unable to plan or make long-term investments in their farms.\n\nSenator Warnock has worked to lower trade barriers for Georgia pecan farmers since coming into office, including lowering the trade barrier with India by 70% in 2022. Notably, 28% of U.S. pecans are exported, making access to international markets critical for pecan farmers.\n\nHow Senator Warnock is fighting back against President Trump\u2019s harmful tariffs:\n\nIn January, Senator Warnock was appointed Ranking Member of the Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness. In this role, Senator Warnock has oversight jurisdiction over federal trade policies.\n\nIn April, the Senator joined a bipartisan majority of Senators in voting to rollback of tariffs against our ally, Canada and voted to end the President\u2019s potentially illegal use of international Emergency Economic Powers used to put many of these tariffs in place.\n\nIn April, Senator Warnock pressed United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on the economic fallout that President Trump\u2019s tariffs are having on Georgia\u2019s farmers, producers, and small businesses. Senator Warnock focused on the ways the administration\u2019s indiscriminate tariffs are providing no avenue for relief for small business owners and Georgia producers.\n\nIn May, Senator Warnock pushed Secretary Rollins to open new markets for Georgia pecan growers by expediting the USDA process to meet India\u2019s import requirements for in-shell pecans.\n\nIn May, Senator Warnock demanded answers from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs nominee Luke Lindberg regarding the president\u2019s tariff rates. Mr. Linberg specifically highlighted the impact tariffs are having on the Georgia pecan industry and agreed with the Senator that more work needed to be done to alleviate the pressures producers were feeling.\n\nIn March, Senator Warnock urged the President to reconsider tariffs that threaten American agriculture. The Senator asked the President to consider a more targeted approach.\n\nThe Senator pressed for answers from USTR Ambassador Greer about the impact the administration\u2019s tariff agenda on the nation\u2019s farmers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-visits-rural-hospital-facing-steep-cuts-due-to-gop-tax-bill/", "Warnock Visits Rural Hospital Facing Steep Cuts Due to GOP Tax Bill", "2025-08-18", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia\n\nThe hospital is forced to cut $3.3 million annually to break even because of the GOP tax bill, which will kick 750,000 Georgians off their health care\n\nIn 2022, Senator Warnock secured $1 million for Evans Memorial to secure a new roof after leaks threatened medical equipment, patient safety\n\nSenator Warnock tours Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia\n\nAdditional photos available HERE\n\nClaxton, GA \u2013 Today, Senator Reverend Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Georgia to discuss the risks to rural health care access following steep cuts to Medicaid in the recently passed GOP tax law. Evans Memorial Hospital, a lifeline for rural Georgians, is forced to cut $3.3 million annually to break even due to the GOP tax bill, which will kick 750,000 Georgians off their health care. When rural hospitals have to provide care to people without insurance who cannot afford their medical bills, it makes it more likely that hospitals will be forced to cut services or close their doors. The GOP tax bill\u2019s health care cuts could mean Evans Memorial will have to scale back intensive care unit (ICU) or cardio-pulmonary rehab services. Recently, Evans Memorial Hospital had to shutter its labor and delivery unit because it was no longer financially viable.\n\n\u201cThis is a matter of life and death, and in spite of the heroic work that people in this building are doing every single day, it increases the likelihood that this hospital, or hospitals like it, will close, or they don\u2019t close, and they will have to cut critical services,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cAnd the question you have to ask yourself is, why are they doing this? Who does this pain serve? And the answer is [that] it\u2019s all being done to give billionaires a tax cut. So we\u2019re cutting services, endangering rural health care, increasing the likelihood that more rural hospitals will close, and if they don\u2019t close, they will have to cut services while adding $4 trillion to the debt. That is the definition of bad public policy, and it is what happens when you center the politics rather than the people.\u201d\n\nThe inappropriately named One Big Beautiful Bill puts pressure on hospitals to close, putting more than 16,000 rural healthcare jobs at risk, according to the GA Hospital Association. The GOP Tax bill will kick up to 93,000 Georgians off Medicaid and raise premiums on 1.2 million Georgians who get their health insurance on the marketplace, or Georgia Access. About 52% of kids in rural areas in Georgia are covered by Medicaid according to Georgetown University\u2019s Center for Children and Families (CCF).\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s Efforts to Protect Rural Hospitals:\n\nThe Senator has spent over 15 years pushing Georgia to expand Medicaid, from his activism as a pastor to advocating for legislation to close the health care coverage gap as a United States Senator.\n\nThe Senator is working to pass the Health Care Affordability Act, which would prevent a spike in health care premiums for the Georgians who get care through Georgia Access.\n\nSenator Warnock secured $1 million in federal funding to fix Evans Memorial Hospital\u2019s leaky roof and prevent damage to life-saving equipment and protect the health and safety of patients from mold.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-urge-governor-kemp-to-deliver-summer-meals-to-hungry-kids/", "Warnock, Colleagues Urge Governor Kemp to Deliver Summer Meals to Hungry Kids", "2025-08-11", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock and Rep. Lucy McBath led colleagues from Georgia\u2019s congressional delegation in a letter to Governor Brian Kemp urging immediate action to feed vulnerable GA kids next summer\n\nMore than 1.1 million low-income children in Georgia are eligible for the Summer EBT program administrated by USDA\n\nIn 2024, Gov. Kemp left over $138 million in summer nutrition benefits unclaimed\n\n2025 is the second consecutive year Georgia has not participated in the program\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), alongside Representatives Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), David Scott (D-GA-13) Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02) and Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) urged Governor Brian Kemp to ensure vulnerable Georgia children can access nutritious food by opting into the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Summer EBT nutrition program for 2026. The move could help feed more than 1.1 million low-income children in Georgia next summer.\n\n\u201cSummer EBT would provide the poorest children and families with a $40 benefit per eligible child per month, totaling $120 dollars for the summer. Of the roughly 2.8 million children in Georgia, over 40% of them are eligible for this benefit but are prevented from participating due to your continued decision to not participate in the program. Committing to participate in Summer EBT is a basic step to ensuring that every child in our state, regardless of where they live or how much money their parents make, has access to the basic necessity of food when they are not in school,\u201d the delegation said.\n\nSummer is often the most challenging season for food insecure kids across the country, as millions of kids that rely on the federal school lunch program during the academic year are forced to go without regular access to nutritious meals. USDA\u2019s Summer EBT program, also known as SUN Bucks, helps low-income families bridge the gap by providing $40 in grocery buying benefits per eligible child, totaling $120 for the summer months. Since its inception in 2024, Gov. Kemp has refused to opt Georgia into the USDA summer nutrition program. Nearly a quarter of Georgia students live in households without enough food, making Georgia one of the most food insecure states for children in the country.\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 letter to Governor Kemp comes at a time when impending cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outlined in President Trump\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill may make accessing free and reduced-price school meals harder for the low-income students who need them. Cuts to these federal programs will leave millions of low-income Americans without some or all of the food assistance they need to put meals on the table. In Georgia, over 1.4 million people rely on the SNAP program and over 77% of Georgia counties with the highest rates of SNAP participation are rural.\n\nSenator Warnock has long fought for continued federal support of food assistance programs like SNAP and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) which provides federal funds for food banks and other emergency food providers. In March, Senator Warnock led his Senate colleagues in urging the Trump administration to reconsider cuts to the TEFAP program, which could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of hungry Americans.\n\nRead full text of the letter HERE and below:\n\nGovernor Kemp,\n\nWe write to you again to request your commitment to Georgia\u2019s participation in the United States Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Summer EBT program.\n\nThis month marks the end of the second consecutive year that you have refused to participate in USDA\u2019s Summer EBT program despite the overwhelming rates of hunger and food insecurity across our state. Additionally, your office never responded to either of our letters requesting that Georgia participate in Summer EBT in 2025 nor did your office provide families in our state with more information on how you came to the decision to not participate.\n\nAs mentioned in previous letters, Summer EBT would provide the poorest children and families with a $40 benefit per eligible child per month, totaling $120 dollars for the summer. Of the roughly 2.8 million children in Georgia, over 40% of them are eligible for this benefit but are prevented from participating due to your continued decision to not participate in the program.\n\nCommitting to participate in Summer EBT is a basic step to ensuring that every child in our state, regardless of where they live or how much money their parents make, has access to the basic necessity of food when they are not in school.\n\nChildren in Georgia again went without consistent access to food this summer. A May 2025 newsletter from Georgia\u2019s Department of Early Care and Learning stated that only 103 of Georgia\u2019s 159 counties had a Summer Food Service Program meal site in 2024 and identified 56 counties without a meal site. Participating in Summer EBT will help bridge that gap and ensure that families have an effective resource to rely on while the state continues to make progress on its self-stated goal to expand meal sites to every county.\n\nThis matter takes on another level of importance given the impending cuts to Medicaid and SNAP as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Because of these cuts, children will lose access to free and reduced priced school meals. Families in Georgia also needlessly face increased food insecurity during the summertime due to your refusal to participate in Summer EBT.\n\nWe again ask that you commit to participating in the summer of 2026 and submit Georgia\u2019s Interim Plan for Operations and Management (iPOM) no later than August 15, 2025, and the appropriate Notice of Intent (NOI) to participate no later than January 1, 2026, to USDA for consideration and approval. We encourage you to engage in good faith on this issue and submit all appropriate materials as soon as possible.\n\nWe look forward to your response.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-on-todays-shooting-targeting-the-cdc/", "Statement on today\u2019s shooting at the CDC", "2025-08-09", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on today\u2019s shooting outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):\n\n\u201cI am mourning the tragic death of the officer who was killed in the line of duty today, and I am praying for the officer\u2019s family and friends. Georgia law enforcement saved countless lives, and we are grateful for their service.\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cEarlier this year, I stood where this shooting occurred, rallying for fired CDC employees who work tirelessly to protect our public health and national security. CDC workers are our friends, our colleagues, and our neighbors. I will always have the backs of Georgia\u2019s dedicated public health workers.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-escalates-fight-for-answers-on-fema-cuts/", "Warnock\u00a0Escalates Fight\u00a0For Answers on FEMA Cuts", "2025-08-07", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Warnock first pressed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for answers on major cuts to FEMA in June. Secretary Noem has yet to answer critical questions, even in the midst of hurricane season.\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThe residents of Georgia and other coastal states deserve to know whether their government is prepared to support them in the face of disaster. If the actions of this Administration have rendered FEMA unable to fulfill its mission, then our state and local governments deserve to know so they can prepare to provide life-saving aid where the Trump administration will not.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is escalating his fight to get answers from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on FEMA\u2019s ability to respond to hurricanes in Georgia this storm season. Senator Warnock renewed his call for answers after Noem failed to provide substantive answers to his inquiry at the beginning of hurricane season in June.\n\nSenator Warnock first pressed Secretary Noem for answers after leaked internal assessments revealed that FEMA is unprepared for the current storm season that began on June 1. The Senator\u2019srenewed effort follows widespread criticism over FEMA\u2019s response to recent catastrophic flooding in Texas.\n\nSenator Warnock asked Secretary Noem to commit to ensuring that FEMA\u2019s Region IV office in Atlanta, which oversees disaster response for all of Georgia and much of the southeast, remains fully staffed and resourced for the 2025 hurricane season.\n\n\u201cWe are now well into what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects will be an above-average hurricane season,\u201d and yet you have neither clarified why an internal agency review determined \u201cFEMA is not ready,\u201d nor explained how FEMA will respond if the Southeast faces another catastrophic storm like Hurricane Helene,\u201d The Senator said in a follow-up letter to Secretary Noem.\n\nThis is Senator Warnock\u2019s latest effort to ensure that FEMA has the resources needed to protect Georgians from natural disasters and assist with recovery. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan, bicameral effort to secure billions of dollars in federal funding for disaster recovery efforts in Georgia. The Senator also introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the tax deadline for Georgians impacted by Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters. Senator Warnock also joined a bipartisan effort to demand that the Trump Administration reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which supports local disaster mitigation projects including a $30 million award to Savannah for flood reduction measures that was canceled earlier this year.\n\nFull text of the letter can be found HERE and below:\n\nDear Secretary Noem,\n\nI write to urge you to provide assurances to the people of Georgia that the Trump administration is willing and able to support them during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Unfortunately, your July 11, 2025 response to my June 5, 2025 letter failed to provide information about the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) current disaster preparedness capabilities or address the potentially devastating effects that efforts to dismantle FEMA will have on Georgians. The stakes are too high to leave the communities I care about without clear answers, a sense of accountability, or a plan, so I write again to seek answers, particularly in light of recent deadly flooding across the country.\n\nWe are now well into what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects will be an above-average hurricane season, and yet you have neither clarified why an internal agency review determined that \u201cFEMA is not ready,\u201d nor explained how FEMA will respond if the Southeast faces another catastrophic storm like Hurricane Helene. This lack of transparency heightens public anxiety and erodes public confidence in our emergency systems at a time when Georgia families are looking to their government for clarity and direction. The residents of Georgia and other coastal states deserve to know whether their government is prepared to support them in the face of disaster. If the actions of this administration have rendered FEMA unable to fulfill its mission, then our state and local governments deserve to know, so they can prepare to provide life saving aid where the Trump administration will not.\n\nJust last month, catastrophic flooding in Texas claimed the lives of at least 130 people. This heartbreaking loss of life illustrates how quickly disasters can overwhelm state and local capacity and why a strong federal response is essential. These deadly floods tragically demonstrate why the Trump administration\u2019s decision to eliminate a $30 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant to reduce flooding in Savannah, Georgia\u2014a fully approved project designed to save lives in one of the Southeast\u2019s most vulnerable coastal cities\u2014is all the more difficult to understand. Your refusal to reinstate funding for Savannah, Georgia to mitigate flood risks and potentially save lives, coupled with your unwillingness thus far to articulate a clear plan for FEMA\u2019s capabilities or future, continues to run afoul of the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) statutory mission to protect all Americans. Your job is to keep Americans safe here at home, and thus far, you are falling short of this sacred duty. Your response to my June 5, 2025 letter pointed to the President\u2019s establishment of the Council to Assess FEMA, which you co-chair, as a justification for proposed and implemented changes. This Council is responsible for conducting \u201ca full-scale review of FEMA,\u201d developing recommendations, and producing a report by November 16, 2025, just two weeks before hurricane season officially ends. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already proposed and implemented dramatic, top-down changes to FEMA\u2019s staffing, budget, and policies, long before this Council has even issued a single recommendation. That disconnect raises serious questions about whether this process is truly driven by evidence and stakeholder engagement.\n\nIn your response, you also said that FEMA must be \u201csurvivor-centric.\u201d I agree, but being survivor-centric means investing in our communities before disaster strikes to improve the chances of survival. Pre-disaster mitigation is the most survivor-centric policy we have, and eliminating BRIC\u2014FEMA\u2019s most comprehensive disaster mitigation and preparedness program\u2014and proposing cuts to Flood Mitigation Assistance funding for 2025 strips Georgia communities of the tools they need to save lives. Moreover, telling local governments to \u201cuse existing grant funding\u201d for first responder training is no substitute for a serious disaster management strategy. As any disaster response expert will tell you: what we do before the storm is just as, if not more, important as what we do after. Instead, your changes undermine the very foundation of a survivor-centric approach.\n\nWhile I remain concerned that the Trump administration\u2019s recent decisions are jeopardizing the lives and livelihoods of Georgians as they prepare to weather the next storm, I am committed to engaging in good faith with you and the entire Trump administration on disaster mitigation, response, and reform. In fact, I welcome thoughtful, transparent reforms developed in close partnership with Congress, states, and local officials. But serious accountability requires serious answers. Your response, which offered little in the way of concrete information or assurances that the constituents we both represent deserve from their government, only reinforced my concern that this administration is making critical decisions without adequate public explanation or engagement while Georgians\u2019 lives are on the line.\n\nPlease find attached my original questions, along with new questions made more urgent by the terrible situation in Texas. I respectfully request a full, substantive response\u2014including data, documentation, and justification\u2014by September 6, 2025:\n\n1. In light of recent deadly flooding in Texas, will DHS commit to reinstating the $30 million BRIC grant awarded to the City of Savannah?\n\nIf not, how does FEMA justify eliminating a fully approved, life-saving mitigation project in one of the Southeast\u2019s most flood-prone cities?\n\nPlease provide a cost-benefit analysis supporting the cancellation of the BRIC program and awarded projects like Savannah, Georgia\u2019s flood reduction measures, including how such cancellations make communities like Savannah more resilient and safer in the event of a severe storm.\n\n2. If the genuine purpose of the Council is to determine whether FEMA\u2019s current structure serves the American people, why is DHS already gutting FEMA before the Council has completed its work?\n\nQuestions from my June 5, 2025 letter:\n\n3. How would a budget cut of $646 million, as proposed in your FY26 budget request, help FEMA better prepare for and respond to future disasters in Georgia?\n\nWhat analyses did DHS conduct to ensure that these budget cuts will not diminish the safety of Americans during hurricane season?\n\n4. Of the FEMA employees who were terminated or accepted voluntary buyouts, how many performed a hurricane preparedness, logistic, or safety function, including those who collaborated with state and local governments before, during, and after a disaster?\n\n5. What analyses, if any, has DHS conducted to assess the impact of implemented and proposed workforce reductions on FEMA\u2019s ability to perform its emergency management functions? Please provide copies of any written communications, analyses, and other documentation concerning how workforce reductions will limit FEMA\u2019s ability to carry out its core functions.\n\n6. How many counties in Georgia that received federal assistance in the aftermath of previous disasters would have been denied that assistance if FEMA\u2019s proposal to\n\nquadruple the damage threshold had been implemented prior to those disasters? Please provide a list of affected disasters and Georgia counties, including how much federal\n\ndisaster assistance would have been lost by each county under FEMA\u2019s new proposed threshold.\n\nWhat public process or consultation, if any, did FEMA conduct before proposing an increase to the per capita impact indicator threshold?\n\n7. What contingency plans are in place if FEMA staff and resources are overwhelmed during the 2025 hurricane season?\n\n8. Are there plans to further adjust or reduce staffing at FEMA\u2019s Region IV office in Atlanta, Georgia, which oversees disaster response for all of Georgia and much of the southeast?", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-leads-bipartisan-bill-to-protect-georgia-taxpayers/", "Warnock Leads Bipartisan Bill to Protect Georgia Taxpayers", "2025-08-07", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced the bipartisan Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Actto provide Georgia taxpayers more transparency and protections from the IRS\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Barrasso to ensure the IRS is transparent with taxpayers and that my constituents have the tools to protect their reputations\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and John Barrasso (R-WY), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced the Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act. The bipartisan legislation gives additional protection to taxpayers by providing more transparency from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).\n\nCurrent law requires the IRS to notify taxpayers before contacting third parties \u2013 such as banks or employers \u2013 when investigating whether or not a person owes taxes, but does not require the IRS to disclose to taxpayers what specific information they are seeking. The Warnock-Barrasso legislation would require the IRS to disclose exactly what information it is seeking from third parties and give taxpayers 45 days to provide that information directly to the IRS themselves.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m always focused on securing stronger consumer protections for Georgians,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Barrasso to ensure the IRS is transparent with taxpayers and that my constituents have the tools to protect their reputations.\u201d\n\n\u201cWyoming taxpayers shouldn\u2019t have to worry about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) soliciting personal financial information behind their backs. They deserve to have the option to provide this sensitive information to the IRS directly,\u201d said Senator Barrasso. \u201cBy providing that opportunity, our bipartisan bill will safeguard the reputation of taxpayers and small business owners across the country. It will also force the IRS to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the privacy of hardworking Americans.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act:\n\nRequires the IRS to tell taxpayers what information it plans to request from third parties and identify which parties it intends to contact.\n\nMandates the IRS allows taxpayers 45 days to provide information directly, rather than through a third-party outlet.\n\nProvides taxpayers an opportunity to supply the requested information directly from their own records, protecting taxpayers\u2019 reputation and eliminating the need for many third-party contacts entirely.\n\nFull text of the legislation can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-pushes-trump-admin-to-reinstate-savannah-flood-prevention-grant/", "Warnock Pushes Trump Admin\u00a0To Reinstate Savannah Flood Prevention Grant", "2025-08-07", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock pressed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to reinstate a $30 million flood reduction grant for coastal Georgia that was canceled by the Trump admin earlier this year\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201celiminating BRIC, FEMA\u2019s most comprehensive disaster mitigation and preparedness program, and proposing cuts to Flood Mitigation Assistance funding for 2025 strips Georgia communities of the tools they need to save lives.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is escalating his fight to reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which supports local disaster mitigation projects. The program supported a $30 million award to Savannah for flood reduction measures that was canceled earlier this year.\n\nThe Senator first joined joined a bipartisan effort to demand the Trump administration reinstate the program in May of this year. Senator Warnock is renewing his efforts to pressure the Trump administration to reinstate the flood prevention grant following deadly flooding in Texas which claimed the lives of over 130 people.\n\n\u201cJust last month, catastrophic flooding in Texas claimed the lives of at least 130 people\u2026These deadly floods tragically demonstrate why the Trump administration\u2019s decision to eliminate a $30 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant to reduce flooding in Savannah, Georgia\u2014 a fully approved project designed to save lives in one of the Southeast\u2019s most vulnerable coastal cities\u2014 is all the more difficult to understand,\u201d wrote Senator Warnock.\n\nSenator Warnock also asked Secretary Noem to commit to ensuring that FEMA\u2019s Region IV office in Atlanta, which oversees disaster response for all of Georgia and much of the southeast, remains fully staffed and resourced for the 2025 hurricane season. In June, Senator Warnock pressed Secretary Noem for answers on cuts to disaster response after leaked internal assessments revealed that FEMA is unprepared for the current storm season that began on June 1. The Senator\u2019s latest effort comes as Secretary Noem has failed to substantively respond to any of the Senator\u2019s inquiries.\n\nThis is Senator Warnock\u2019s latest effort to ensure that FEMA has the resources needed to protect Georgians from natural disasters and assist with recovery. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan, bicameral effort to secure billions of dollars in federal funding for disaster recovery efforts in Georgia. The Senator also introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the tax deadline for Georgians impacted by Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters.\n\nFull text of the letter can be found HERE and below:\n\nDear Secretary Noem,\n\nI write to urge you to provide assurances to the people of Georgia that the Trump administration is willing and able to support them during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Unfortunately, your July 11, 2025 response to my June 5, 2025 letter failed to provide information about the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) current disaster preparedness capabilities or address the potentially devastating effects that efforts to dismantle FEMA will have on Georgians. The stakes are too high to leave the communities I care about without clear answers, a sense of accountability, or a plan, so I write again to seek answers, particularly in light of recent deadly flooding across the country.\n\nWe are now well into what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects will be an above-average hurricane season, and yet you have neither clarified why an internal agency review determined that \u201cFEMA is not ready,\u201d nor explained how FEMA will respond if the Southeast faces another catastrophic storm like Hurricane Helene. This lack of transparency heightens public anxiety and erodes public confidence in our emergency systems at a time when Georgia families are looking to their government for clarity and direction. The residents of Georgia and other coastal states deserve to know whether their government is prepared to support them in the face of disaster. If the actions of this administration have rendered FEMA unable to fulfill its mission, then our state and local governments deserve to know, so they can prepare to provide life saving aid where the Trump administration will not.\n\nJust last month, catastrophic flooding in Texas claimed the lives of at least 130 people. This heartbreaking loss of life illustrates how quickly disasters can overwhelm state and local capacity and why a strong federal response is essential. These deadly floods tragically demonstrate why the Trump administration\u2019s decision to eliminate a $30 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant to reduce flooding in Savannah, Georgia\u2014a fully approved project designed to save lives in one of the Southeast\u2019s most vulnerable coastal cities\u2014is all the more difficult to understand. Your refusal to reinstate funding for Savannah, Georgia to mitigate flood risks and potentially save lives, coupled with your unwillingness thus far to articulate a clear plan for FEMA\u2019s capabilities or future, continues to run afoul of the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) statutory mission to protect all Americans. Your job is to keep Americans safe here at home, and thus far, you are falling short of this sacred duty. Your response to my June 5, 2025 letter pointed to the President\u2019s establishment of the Council to Assess FEMA, which you co-chair, as a justification for proposed and implemented changes. This Council is responsible for conducting \u201ca full-scale review of FEMA,\u201d developing recommendations, and producing a report by November 16, 2025, just two weeks before hurricane season officially ends. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already proposed and implemented dramatic, top-down changes to FEMA\u2019s staffing, budget, and policies, long before this Council has even issued a single recommendation. That disconnect raises serious questions about whether this process is truly driven by evidence and stakeholder engagement.\n\nIn your response, you also said that FEMA must be \u201csurvivor-centric.\u201d I agree, but being survivor-centric means investing in our communities before disaster strikes to improve the chances of survival. Pre-disaster mitigation is the most survivor-centric policy we have, and eliminating BRIC\u2014FEMA\u2019s most comprehensive disaster mitigation and preparedness program\u2014and proposing cuts to Flood Mitigation Assistance funding for 2025 strips Georgia communities of the tools they need to save lives. Moreover, telling local governments to \u201cuse existing grant funding\u201d for first responder training is no substitute for a serious disaster management strategy. As any disaster response expert will tell you: what we do before the storm is just as, if not more, important as what we do after. Instead, your changes undermine the very foundation of a survivor-centric approach.\n\nWhile I remain concerned that the Trump administration\u2019s recent decisions are jeopardizing the lives and livelihoods of Georgians as they prepare to weather the next storm, I am committed to engaging in good faith with you and the entire Trump administration on disaster mitigation, response, and reform. In fact, I welcome thoughtful, transparent reforms developed in close partnership with Congress, states, and local officials. But serious accountability requires serious answers. Your response, which offered little in the way of concrete information or assurances that the constituents we both represent deserve from their government, only reinforced my concern that this administration is making critical decisions without adequate public explanation or engagement while Georgians\u2019 lives are on the line.\n\nPlease find attached my original questions, along with new questions made more urgent by the terrible situation in Texas. I respectfully request a full, substantive response\u2014including data, documentation, and justification\u2014by September 6, 2025:\n\n1. In light of recent deadly flooding in Texas, will DHS commit to reinstating the $30 million BRIC grant awarded to the City of Savannah?\n\nIf not, how does FEMA justify eliminating a fully approved, life-saving mitigation project in one of the Southeast\u2019s most flood-prone cities?\n\nPlease provide a cost-benefit analysis supporting the cancellation of the BRIC program and awarded projects like Savannah, Georgia\u2019s flood reduction measures, including how such cancellations make communities like Savannah more resilient and safer in the event of a severe storm.\n\n2. If the genuine purpose of the Council is to determine whether FEMA\u2019s current structure serves the American people, why is DHS already gutting FEMA before the Council has completed its work?\n\nQuestions from my June 5, 2025 letter:\n\n3. How would a budget cut of $646 million, as proposed in your FY26 budget request, help FEMA better prepare for and respond to future disasters in Georgia?\n\nWhat analyses did DHS conduct to ensure that these budget cuts will not diminish the safety of Americans during hurricane season?\n\n4. Of the FEMA employees who were terminated or accepted voluntary buyouts, how many performed a hurricane preparedness, logistic, or safety function, including those who collaborated with state and local governments before, during, and after a disaster?\n\n5. What analyses, if any, has DHS conducted to assess the impact of implemented and proposed workforce reductions on FEMA\u2019s ability to perform its emergency management functions? Please provide copies of any written communications, analyses, and other documentation concerning how workforce reductions will limit FEMA\u2019s ability to carry out its core functions.\n\n6. How many counties in Georgia that received federal assistance in the aftermath of previous disasters would have been denied that assistance if FEMA\u2019s proposal to\n\nquadruple the damage threshold had been implemented prior to those disasters? Please provide a list of affected disasters and Georgia counties, including how much federal\n\ndisaster assistance would have been lost by each county under FEMA\u2019s new proposed threshold.\n\nWhat public process or consultation, if any, did FEMA conduct before proposing an increase to the per capita impact indicator threshold?\n\n7. What contingency plans are in place if FEMA staff and resources are overwhelmed during the 2025 hurricane season?\n\n8. Are there plans to further adjust or reduce staffing at FEMA\u2019s Region IV office in Atlanta, Georgia, which oversees disaster response for all of Georgia and much of the southeast?", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-fort-stewart-shooting/", "Warnock Statement on Fort Stewart Shooting", "2025-08-06", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on today\u2019s shooting at Fort Stewart:\n\n\u201cI join all Georgians in praying for the five injured soldiers, their families, and the entire Fort Stewart community after this tragic shooting. Georgia\u2019s servicemembers represent the best among us, and their safety must continue to be a top priority,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201cI am grateful to the local and federal law enforcement and first-responders who acted to save lives, and my office stands ready to support Fort Stewart however we can to ensure they have the federal support needed to protect our servicemembers and base communities.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-gives-words-of-encouragement-to-georgia-students-in-back-to-school-video/", "Warnock\u00a0Gives Words of Encouragement to\u00a0Georgia Students in Back-to-School Video", "2025-08-04", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock released a new video wishing all Georgia students a happy first week back to school\n\nIn the video, Senator Warnock urges students to find their passions and pursue them with purpose\n\nSenator Warnock has championed efforts to expand access to higher education, increase funding for public education, and bolster support for mental health within schools\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWhen I think of all the challenges facing our country, and there are many, I know that many of our solutions lie with young people sitting in schools all across Georgia, pursuing with purpose what makes them come alive\u201d\n\nWatch Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s Back-to-School message HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) shared a new video message wishing all Georgia students a happy first week back to school. The Senator used his video message to urge students to find their passions and pursue it with purpose as well as get ready for any challenges or opportunities the new year will bring them.\n\n\u201cWhen I think of all the challenges facing our country, and there are many, I know that many of our solutions lie with young people sitting in schools all across Georgia, pursuing with purpose what makes them come alive. Go and do that. So, Georgia students, we need you more than ever. So, get up, get dressed, put your shoes on, and get ready for everything this school year will bring,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nThe Senator has continuously fought for all students to have access to education across Georgia. Earlier this year, he reintroduced the Advancing Student Services in Schools Today (ASSIST) Act that would increase federal Medicaid funding for school-based mental health services and establish a grant program at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to hire and retain mental health professionals in schools, helping increase mental health services, resources, and accessibility. Additionally, the Senator championed the Clean Commute for Kids Act to transition old yellow diesel school buses to greener, emission-reducing ones so that millions of Georgia students and students across the country will have cleaner air to breathe on their way to school.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-leads-bipartisan-legislation-to-spur-innovation-for-georgias-forestry-industry-and-create-rural-jobs/", "Warnock Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Spur Innovation for Georgia\u2019s Forestry Industry and Create Rural Jobs", "2025-08-04", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced the Forest Bioeconomy Act to help expand forest product research and create new market opportunities for Georgia\u2019s forestry sector, helping create new jobs in rural Georgia\n\nGeorgia\u2019s forestry industry is a boon for the state, injecting $41.3 billion in economic impact in 2021\n\nIn 2023, Senator Warnock introduced the Disaster Reforestation Act to help Georgia\u2019s landowners recover from the loss of timber after natural disasters\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cGeorgia\u2019s forestry industry is vital to our state\u2019s economy and I\u2019m proud to work with my colleagues to find a bipartisan solution to invest in the future success of this sector\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jim Justice (R-WV), and Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the bipartisan Forest Bioeconomy Act. The legislation would help expand forest product research and build new markets by formally establishing an Office of Technology Transfer at the United States Forest Service (USFS) and authorize $5 million in appropriations. By expanding product research, this legislation will help create new jobs in rural Georgia.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s forestry industry is vital to our state\u2019s economy and I\u2019m proud to work with my colleagues to find a bipartisan solution to invest in the future success of this sector,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\n\u201cTo protect our communities from increasingly catastrophic wildfires, we need to make forest management more effective and scalable,\u201d said Senator Heinrich. \u201cBy expanding technology transfer at the Forest Service and turning small-diameter trees into marketable wood products, we can create new revenue streams, scale up fuels reduction, and accelerate the work needed to reduce wildfire risk.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn West Virginia, we know the value of our forests and the importance of managing them wisely\u2014not just for the beauty and recreation they offer, but also for the jobs and strengthening our economy,\u201d said Senator Justice. \u201cThis bipartisan bill supports our rural economies, protects our communities from wildfires, and make the most of what our land gives us. It\u2019s a win for the economy, environment and for our people.\u201d\n\n\u201c70 percent of Montana\u2019s forests are federally owned, and we need to be doing all we can to ensure we\u2019re good stewards of these lands,\u201d said Senator Daines. \u201cI\u2019m proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill that will support proper forest management and create new markets for low value woody biomass.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has long fought for federal funding for communities, farmers, and forest landowners in Georgia. After Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock remained on the frontlines of response efforts and pushed to deliver additional disaster assistance to Georgians, particularly Georgia\u2019s hard-hit agricultural communities. Georgia is the leading forestry state in the nation, leading in commercially available timberland, volume of timber harvested, exports of forest products, seedling production for reforestation, and much more.\n\nThe Forest Bioeconomy Act would establish a new Mass Timber Science and Education program at colleges and universities across the country to respond to emerging research needs of architects, developers, and the forest products industry. Senator Warnock has been a leader in this space, cosponsoring legislation in 2023 aimed at modernizing and improving the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program to ensure the continued availability of reliable data and carbon analysis.\n\nRead full text of the bill HERE", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-federal-investments-for-georgias-rural-communities-in-government-funding-bill/", "Warnock Secures Federal Investments for Georgia\u2019s Rural Communities in Government Funding Bill", "2025-08-04", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock secured $9.1 million in federal funding for projects in rural communities across Georgia\n\nThe funding includes $855,000 to construct a community kitchen to feed children and seniors at risk of hunger in Savannah\n\nSenator Warnock also secured over $1,000,000 for the Baxley and Appling County Hospital Authority to upgrade the hospital\u2019s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system\n\nThe funding was secured in the agriculture and rural development appropriations bill, one of the twelve annual bills that funds the federal government\n\nThe legislation now goes to the House; if passed, it will then go to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThese investments in public health and public safety will go a long way in ensuring our rural communities have the resources needed to deliver for Georgians in every corner of the state\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) secured critical funding for public health and safety projects in rural communities across Georgia. The funding was secured in the agriculture and rural development appropriations bill, which is one of several legislative vehicles used to annually fund the federal government. The funding includes $855,000 to construct a community kitchen to feed children and seniors at risk of hunger in Savannah, as well as over $1,000,000 for the Baxley and Appling County Hospital Authority to upgrade the hospital\u2019s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Several of the projects receiving direct federal investments were championed by both Senators Warnock and Jon Ossoff (D-GA).\n\n\u201cAs a senator for all Georgians, I am committed to delivering federal investments that improve the health and well-being of our state\u2019s rural communities. These investments in public health and public safety will go a long way in ensuring our rural communities have the resources needed to deliver for Georgians in every corner of the state. We cannot let Washington politics get in the way of delivering this bipartisan funding to Georgia\u2019s rural communities, and I will keep fighting until we get this across the finish line,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nIn addition to funding specific projects across the state that were championed by Senator Warnock, the bill includes $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a $603 million increase from last year. The bill also provides $1.7 billion for rural housing assistance.\n\nSee below for a breakdown of Georgia-based projects championed by Senator Warnock in the agriculture and rural development government funding legislation:\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-cut-zoning-regulations-increase-housing-supply/", "Warnock, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Cut Zoning Regulations, Increase Housing Supply", "2025-08-01", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock and five of his Senate colleagues introduced the Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act\n\nThe legislation would encourage local communities to cut burdensome regulations, promote the adoption of more housing options, and bring a new level of transparency to the community development process for millions of Americans\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWe need to make sure communities are supporting the development of affordable housing for working-class Americans\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined his colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act. The bill would encourage local communities to cut burdensome zoning regulations, promote more housing options, and provide increased transparency the development process. The Senator introduced the legislation with Senators Todd Young (R-ID), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).\n\nThe introduction of the legislation comes as many communities across the U.S. are suffering because of a myriad of housing regulations that negatively impact working-class Americans. This legislation would help ensure localities do their part to increase housing supply and make it more affordable for all Americans.\n\n\u201cWe have a housing affordability and availability crisis in this country. We need to make sure communities are supporting the development of affordable housing for working-class Americans,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cIt is important to me that every person has access to affordable housing.\u201d\n\nAs a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees federal housing policies, Senator Warnock has worked to increase affordable housing and illuminate a path to homeownership, a cornerstone of the American Dream. As one of twelve brothers and sisters growing up in public housing in Savannah, Senator Warnock deeply understands the importance of having a place to call home and homeownership. In March 2025, Senator Warnock introduced a comprehensive legislative package of housing bills to address the ongoing housing affordability and availability crisis in the United States. In the past few years, Senator Warnock voted for government funding legislation that increased America\u2019s housing supply, strengthened housing affordability, and addressed the homelessness crisis, including by: increasing the supply of affordable housing nationwide with funding to build 10,000 new rental and homebuyer units; extending funding for the Yes In My Backyard (\u201cYIMBY\u201d) grant program to support efforts to increase our nation\u2019s housing supply and lower housing costs through state and local zoning changes; and delivering $275 million in new funding for Homeless Assistance Grants to help address homelessness in communities across the country and providing new resources to better connect people experiencing homelessness with health care services. Senator Warnock has also secured nearly $80 million in housing investments to provide affordable housing options for Georgians at all income levels and repair hazardous housing conditions in low-income housing units.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-critical-bipartisan-funding-for-defense-projects-benefiting-georgias-military-communities/", "Warnock Secures Critical Bipartisan Funding for Defense Projects Benefiting Georgia\u2019s Military Communities", "2025-08-01", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock, working alongside Senator Ossoff, voted to deliver over $500 million for Georgia\u2019s military base communities and families in the bipartisan funding bill\u2013the largest military construction investment in Georgia since 2010\n\nSenator Warnock secured over $127 million for construction of Dexter Elementary School at Fort Benning in Columbus\n\nThis generational investment in Georgia\u2019s military communities was secured in one of the annual appropriations bills focused on military construction and veterans affairs\n\nThe legislation must now be reconciled with the House version before going to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cWe cannot let Washington politics get in the way of delivering this bipartisan funding to Georgia\u2019s military communities, and I will keep fighting until we get this across the finish line\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) secured critical funding for defense projects benefiting Georgia\u2019s servicemembers, military families, and base communities. The funding was secured in the military construction and veterans affairs appropriations bill, which is one of several legislative vehicles used to annually fund the federal government. The nine-digit funding total for Georgia\u2019s military communities reflects Senator Warnock\u2019s commitment to our servicemembers, their families, and our nation\u2019s military readiness. This generational investment in Georgia\u2019s military communities and installations is the largest military construction appropriation in over a decade.\n\n\u201cGeorgia is a military state with 1 in 10 Georgia connected to our Armed Forces, so it was a top priority for me to secure the necessary federal funding to ensure our servicemembers, their families, and base communities have the support they need to continue defending our freedoms with dignity and ensure our nation\u2019s military readiness. We cannot let Washington politics get in the way of delivering this bipartisan funding to Georgia\u2019s military communities, and I will keep fighting until we get this across the finish line,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nIn addition to funding specific projects across the state that were championed by Senator Warnock, the legislation would also provide vital funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA). Senator Warnock voted to provide the VA $342 million to improve access to rural health care, including expanded access to transportation and telehealth, $3.5 billion to support housing assistance services for veterans and their families, $18.9 billion to get veterans the mental health services they deserve, $698 million of which is for suicide prevention outreach, $30 million to improve oversight and maintenance of privatized military housing, and more.\n\nSee below for a breakdown of Georgia-based military projects championed by Senator Warnock in the government funding legislation:\n\nAdditional projects for military communities in Georgia receiving federal funding include Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, which is getting $119 million for a submarine maintenance facility, as well as Moody Air Force Base, which is receiving $3.7 million for the design phase of their F-35 simulator, and Fort Stewart, which is receiving $45 million for barracks renovations.\n\nA champion for Georgia\u2019s veterans, military families and servicemembers, Senator Warnock has been active in the Senate working to strengthen federal support for Georgia\u2019s military communities. In 2022, Senator Warnock helped to pass the PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans\u2019 health benefits in decades. In 2023, Senator Warnock introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster access to affordable and quality housing for servicemembers. In 2024, the Senator expanded his leadership on military housing and introduced separate bipartisan legislation to improve military housing conditions for servicemembers. This year, Senator Warnock introduced legislation to allow spouses of fallen servicemembers to retain certain survivor benefits if they remarry. In March 2025, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan, bicameral oversight effort demanding answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding issues in providing servicemembers adequate and healthy food on military bases following reporting on issues with food quality and access at several Army installations\u2019 dining facilities. As long as Senator Warnock has the honor to serve all Georgians in the U.S. Senate, supporting Georgia\u2019s servicemembers, military families, and base communities will remain a top priority for his office.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/yallywood-warnock-co-leads-bipartisan-legislation-to-boost-georgias-growing-film-music-industries/", "Y\u2019ALLYWOOD:\u00a0Warnock Co-Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Georgia\u2019s Growing Film, Music Industries", "2025-08-01", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock is championing bipartisan legislation to further incentivize film, television, and music production in the United States, boosting Georgia\u2019s economy\n\nGeorgia is often referred to as the \u201cHollywood of the South\u201d with entertainment productions providing billions of dollars in economic impact and thousands of Georgia jobs\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cOur continued investments in incentivizing domestic production for film, television, and music benefit our culture and our economy. That is why I am proud to help lead this bipartisan legislation to support domestic entertainment productions that will continue creating good-paying jobs\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced bipartisan legislation to extend and expand tax credits for American-based film, television, and live theatre productions. The Creative Relief and Expensing for Audio and Television Enterprises (CREATE) Act would support the film, TV, and music recording industries by extending a tax provision that allows these businesses to deduct expenses incurred in the United States more quickly than they would otherwise be able to.\n\nThis would increase the incentive to keep production in the United States. The legislation would also extend the tax credits to now include music recording productions. Georgia is often referred to as the \u201cHollywood of the South\u201d with entertainment productions providing billions of dollars in economic impact and thousands of Georgia jobs.\n\n\u201cFrom productions like The Color Purple, to The Hunger Games, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Georgia has become a national leader in the arts and entertainment industry,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cOur continued investments in incentivizing domestic production for film, television, and music benefit our culture and our economy. That is why I am proud to help lead this bipartisan legislation to support domestic entertainment productions that will continue creating good-paying jobs and unleash economic opportunity.\u201d\n\n\u201cThousands of singers and songwriters call Tennessee home, and they should be able to write off recording production expenses that are critical to their work,\u201d said Senator Blackburn. \u201cThe CREATE Act would support creators and keep America\u2019s music industry strong by ensuring they can still count on this tax relief.\u201d\n\nThe CREATE Act would:\n\nExtend the expiration date of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 181 from 2025 to 2030.\n\nMake it more financially viable to shoot films and television shows in the United States, rather than moving to lower-cost foreign locations.\n\nProvide predictable long-term planning through annual cost-of-living adjustments starting in 2027 to ensure that the dollar limits keep pace with rising production costs over time.\n\nThe CREATE Act is endorsed by the Motion Picture Association, the Independent Film & Television Alliance, the Recording Industry Association of America, the American Association of Independent Music, and the Recording Academy.\n\n\u201cThis legislation reflects a bipartisan, bicameral effort to strengthen the U.S. film and TV industry, which proudly supports more than 2.32 million jobs nationwide,\u201d said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). \u201cExtending and strengthening Section 181 will lead to more domestic film and TV production, and more American jobs. The MPA applauds Senators Blackburn and Warnock, alongside Representatives Malliotakis and Chu, for introducing the bill in their respective chambers and looks forward to Congress enacting this vital legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Independent Film & Television Alliance\u00ae (IFTA\u00ae) deeply appreciates the leadership of Senators Marsha Blackburn and Raphael Warnock in championing the independent sector through their introduction of legislationto extend Sec. 181 of the Internal Revenue Code,\u201d said Jean Prewitt, IFTA\u2019s President and CEO. \u201cSince 2004, this important provision has supported independent producers and played a vital role in keeping film and television production, and the jobs it creates, here in the U.S., contributing to local economies nationwide. We applaud their support in advancing this critical measure.\u201d\n\n\u201cRIAA applauds Senators Blackburn and Warnock and Representatives Malliotakis and Chu for their leadership strengthening and extending Internal Revenue Code Section 181 including the newly enacted HITS Act, which will boost America\u2019s music economy by allowing production expenses to be deducted when they are incurred. Without Congressional action, the HITS Act and all of Section 181 will expire this year, unnecessarily putting tens of thousands creative community jobs at risk and dragging down one of America\u2019s strongest export sectors,\u201d said Mitch Glazier, Chairman & CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America.\n\n\u201cWith sound recording production finally eligible for the Section 181 domestic production incentive, A2IM is proud to support this bill, which would help independent labels support more great artists as they contribute to economic growth. America leads the globe in creating film, television, theater, and music that entertains and inspires the rest of the world. Congress can make sure we have every tool to continue this important work by extending this commonsense provision,\u201d said Dr. Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of American Association of Independent Music.\n\n\u201cThe CREATE Act will protect and extend the important victory we achieved this year for independent music through the HITS Act. The Recording Academy appreciates Senators Blackburn and Warnock and Reps. Chu and Malliotakis for their commitment to the creative community, and we look forward to working with them to advance this legislation,\u201d said Todd Dupler, Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer of the Recording Academy.\n\nSenator Warnock is a proud supporter of Georgia\u2019s arts and entertainment scene. In June 2024, Senator Warnock urged the Sundance Institute to give a full and fair consideration of Georgia\u2019s three bidding cities to host the Sundance Film Festival.\n\nThe bill text can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:47Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-calls-for-immediate-access-to-humanitarian-aid-in-gaza/", "Warnock Calls for Immediate Access to Humanitarian Aid in Gaza", "2025-07-31", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock spoke about the need for Israel, the United States, and the global community to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza to prevent further death and starvation during a speech on the floor of the Senate\n\nWatch Senator Warnock\u2019s speech HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) called for immediate access to humanitarian aid to end starvation among innocent Palestinian children and families in Gaza during a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate. In his remarks, Senator Warnock highlighted how starvation is being weaponized in Gaza and how Israel, the United States, and the world need to be doing more to get food and aid to these people. Senator Warnock called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop using forced starvation as a weapon of war and instead focus on a lasting, moral peace that secures the return of the remaining hostages while respecting the dignity of Palestinian families and children who want the same peace as Israelis.\n\n\u201cIn Gaza today, starvation is being weaponized; famine isn\u2019t a forecast but a fact, despite the denials of the Netanyahu government. I rise today, not only as a Senator, but as a pastor, as a pastor of the church where Martin Luther King Jr. served, who told us that we are tied in a single garment of destiny, caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality; whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I rise today as a father to say there is devastating starvation going on right now, and all of us, Israel, the United States, and the world cannot turn our eyes away. We must get to these people the food, the medicine, the dignity that their humanity requires,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nDuring the speech, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his support for the state of Israel and its right to defend itself while also acknowledging it is wrong to starve children and other innocent civilians to death. Senator Warnock continued his call for a ceasefire and for Hamas to return the hostages. The Senator looks forward to resuming the work of securing peace and safety for all those in the region.\n\n\u201cHistory may not remember the debates we had in these chambers, but it will remember whether we acted when children were starving and hostages were languishing. Silence is complicity; inaction in the face of famine is a choice, so let us choose life, dignity, and a peace worthy of the ideals we claim to pursue,\u201d Senator Reverend Warnock concluded.\n\nThis month, Senator Warnock joined more than forty of his colleagues in calling for the large-scale expansion of humanitarian aid and urged the Trump administration to resume diplomatic efforts to end this war. Senator Warnock also called on the administration to end the United States\u2019 support for and financing of the shady, private organization that has been connected to deadly violence against starving people seeking food in Gaza, and instead resume support for the existing UN-led aid efforts with enhanced oversight to ensure help reaches those in need. In February 2024, Senator Warnock called for a moral ceasefire in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.\n\nA full transcript of Senator Warnock\u2019s remarks can be found below:\n\nM. President, I rise today in the wake of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. As we say in my church\u2019s preaching tradition, let me make it plain! It is wrong to starve children to death. It is wrong to starve people to death.\n\nYet, in this moment, we are witnessing a famine unfold among children and innocent men and women in Gaza, the world\u2019s largest open-air prison, a pit of human misery.\n\nReports estimate 18,500 Palestinian children have been killed in the conflict. Over 20,000 children were treated for acute malnutrition between April and mid\u2011July of this year, and at least 3,000 were severely malnourished.\n\nIn Gaza today, starvation is being weaponized; famine isn\u2019t a forecast but a fact, despite the denials of the Netanyahu government. I rise today, not only as a Senator, but as a pastor, as a pastor of the church where Martin Luther King Jr. served, who told us that we are tied in a single garment of destiny, caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality; whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I rise today as a father to say there is devastating starvation going on right now, and all of us, Israel, the United States, and the world cannot turn our eyes away. We must get to these people the food, the medicine, the dignity that their humanity requires.\n\nThe images of mass starvation are sickening. Children with no family, bare feet, empty bellies, hollowed eyes, who are seeking aid only to be trampled to death by other desperate people. And in their most desperate moments, some have been met not with mercy or medicine, but with malice. Young people seeking bread have been met with bullets.\n\nPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must stop using indiscriminate bombing and forced starvation, and instead focus on a lasting, moral peace that secures the return of the remaining hostages while respecting the dignity of Palestinian families and children who want the same peace as our Israeli brothers and sisters. All of us are children of the living God. And in the eyes of suffering children, we see a glimpse of God\u2019s face.\n\nAfter international outcry and public shaming, it was a welcomed announcement that Prime Minister Netanyahu would allow more aid into Gaza and enact military pauses to allow food to reach people. But what has been delivered so far is just a drop in the bucket of what this moment requires. The people of Gaza deserve the same access to food and medicine that any one of us would want for our own children.\n\nNow, there\u2019s no question that peace in the Middle East is a tough issue. If it were easy, it would have been resolved by now. We cannot forget about what happened on October 7 and we must continue to call on Hamas to free the hostages. These folks deserve to go home. They deserve to be home with their families. So we call on Hamas to release the hostages.\n\nAs I\u2019ve said time and time again, including in the wake of October 7, Israel has a right to defend itself. But what is happening now?\n\nChildren are being wounded, many of them have been orphaned. Pregnant and nursing mothers are having to navigate a war zone while nourishing their children. And beyond the obvious moral atrocity, the question is how has this continuing bombing and mass starvation made our friend Israel safer? How has this made Israel safer? And at what cost?\n\nI urge President Trump, who has said that there is \u201creal starvation\u201d in Gaza, to leverage American leadership to bring an end to this human suffering. Human lives are at stake and America\u2019s moral credibility is on the line.\n\nInflicting human misery for its own sake is not a strategy. Starving the people of Gaza has not released any hostages or gotten us any closer to a ceasefire. The current trajectory is unsustainable. I do not believe that the answer to death and destruction is more death and destruction.\n\nThere\u2019s this phrase in Gaza, it\u2019s an acronym. W-C-N-S-F. Wounded child, no surviving family. I can\u2019t think of a worse way to begin your life than to be a child or baby wounded with no family. This phrase takes on new meaning as we are hearing stories out of Gaza of parents starving to death to give what little food they have to keep their children alive.\n\nHere\u2019s what I believe. I believe in the humanity of all of God\u2019s children and that\u2019s why I pressed the previous administration AND the Netanyahu administration to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza. I voted to give $10 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza and other humanitarian crises.\n\nAnd just this month, I joined more than forty of my colleagues calling for the large-scale expansion of humanitarian aid and I urged the Trump administration to resume diplomatic efforts to end this war.\n\nI also called on the administration to end the United States\u2019 support and financing for the shady, private organization that has been connected to deadly violence against starving people seeking food in Gaza. We must instead resume support for the existing UN-led aid efforts with enhanced oversight to ensure that help reaches those in need.\n\nMy North Star in this whole conflict is a world that embraces children on both sides of this conflict. Because here\u2019s the thing that even mortal enemies have in common, all of us want our children to be okay. We all want our children to be safe. And as I said this on the floor of the Senate when I called for the ceasefire at a time when folks felt like you couldn\u2019t even say the word. This pressure has prompted temporary pauses in violence and some aid, but it is clear these piecemeal steps are failing.\n\nAmerica is Israel\u2019s friend. However, being a friend to Israel does not mean being complicit in its government\u2019s immoral actions unfolding even as I speak. Israel\u2019s strength is rooted in its allies. But allyship, true allyship, involves accountability. Here\u2019s how I know when I\u2019ve got a good friend\u2013good friends tell you the truth.\n\nWe must tell Netanyahu he must change course. The Israeli government\u2019s current path is hurting the country\u2019s global standing and support in the world. So in the end, this growing humanitarian crisis is not good for Israel. Good friends tell you the truth.\n\nAnd that is why yesterday, I voted in favor of the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval. I\u2019ve been thinking of the words of my mentor, my hero, who happened to also be my parishioner, the late, great, John Lewis, who said that when you see something is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up.\n\nSo I\u2019m speaking up, I\u2019m speaking with my lips and my legs because the acid test of your faith is your commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family. We must work towards saving lives and centering our common humanity, returning the hostages home to their families, and securing peace and safety for all those in the region.\n\nLast year, I had the honor of meeting with the late pontiff, Pope Francis, at the Vatican, and I was struck by something the Pope said to me. He said to me that there was a small parish in Gaza that he called practically every night just to check on them, just to pray for them. Leader of Catholics all over the world, he called that little parish to pray with them.\n\nWell the other day that church was bombed. As it turns out, there was no sanctuary for them, even in the sanctuary. And so tonight, I\u2019m going to say a special prayer, not only for the people of that parish, but for the people all around them. I\u2019m going to pray for peace. But we don\u2019t just pray with our lips. We have to pray with our legs. We have to work for the world that we dream of for our children.\n\nHistory may not remember the debates we had in these chambers, but it will remember whether we acted when children were starving and hostages were languishing. Silence is complicity; inaction in the face of famine is a choice, so let us choose life, dignity, and a peace worthy of the ideals we claim to pursue. I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:48:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-joint-resolutions-of-disapproval/", "Warnock Statement on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval", "2025-07-31", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) issued the following statement on his intentions to vote \u201cYES\u201d on two joint resolutions of disapproval amid mass starvation in Gaza.\n\n\u201cIt is wrong to starve children and other innocent civilians to death. Yet, whether through gross incompetence, woeful indifference, or some combination thereof, that is exactly what is happening right now in Gaza under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. It is a moral atrocity that cannot abide the conscience of those who believe in human dignity, freedom, and human thriving. That is why I will vote to support the Joint Resolution of Disapproval put before the Senate tonight.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve made clear I support the state of Israel and its right to defend itself. Today, I urge the state of Israel, the United States, and the world to move as quickly as possible to get the people of Gaza the same nourishment and care that we would want for our own children.\n\n\u201cI pray for a ceasefire and the return of the hostages home to their families, and look forward to resuming the work of securing peace and safety for all those in the region.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:48:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/watch-following-introduction-of-voting-rights-bill-warnock-highlights-voter-suppression-tactics-in-georgia-and-texas/", "WATCH: Following Introduction of Voting Rights Bill, Warnock Highlights\u00a0Voter Suppression Tactics in Georgia and Texas", "2025-07-31", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "During a Wednesday Senate Rules Committee spotlight forum, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about recent and widespread voter suppression tactics led by Washington Republicans\n\nThe forum followed Senator Warnock\u2019s reintroduction of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill that would strengthen protections against discriminatory voting practices across the country\n\nGeorgia\u2019s state government is currently purging nearly half a million registered voters from the voter rolls, one of the largest voter purges in the state\u2019s history\n\nIn Texas, state lawmakers, at the direction of President Trump, are looking to add five additional Republican seats in a cynical ploy to maintain the House of Representatives\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock during the forum: \u201cVoting rights are preservative of all other rights\u201d\n\nWatch Senator Warnock during the spotlight forum HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined members of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the Senate Judiciary Committee for a spotlight forum titled \u201cProtecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.\u201d During the forum, Senator Warnock questioned former Attorney General Eric Holder on the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts in Texas and other states to implement mid-decade racial redistricting for partisan political purposes.\n\nThe forum was one day after Senator Warnock led the reintroduction of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill, named in honor of the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, would strengthen protections against potentially discriminatory voting practices like voter purges across the country.\n\n\u201cVoting rights are preservative of all other rights,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cWe talk about a lot of rights, but voting is the whole game. Democracy is the house we live in, and it\u2019s the foundation and the framework in which we get to fight for the things that matter. And so, it\u2019s almost impossible to overstate the importance of this conversation, when every citizen can make their voice heard.\u201d\n\nThe forum came as the Secretary of State\u2019s office in Georgia is purging the state\u2019s voter rolls of nearly 500,000 voters, amounting to 6% of Georgia\u2019s 8.4 million registered voters. Senator Warnock\u2019s voting rights legislation would strengthen protections against racially discriminatory voting procedures, which include improper voter purges. Most of the cancellations affect voters in metro Atlanta\u2019s counties of DeKalb, Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett.\n\nIn addition to what is going on in Georgia, in Texas, where, following historic disapproval of Congressional Republicans\u2019 Tax Bill, Texas state lawmakers are looking to add five additional Republican seats. The move comes in direct response to President Trump\u2019s fears that voters may flip the House in the 2026 midterms.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks and line of questioning HERE.\n\nSee below a full transcript between Senator Warnock and the witnesses below:\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cVoting rights are preservative of all other rights. We talk about a lot of rights, but voting is the whole game. Democracy is the house we live in, and it\u2019s the foundation and the framework in which we get to fight for the things that matter.\n\nAnd so it\u2019s almost impossible to overstate the importance of this conversation. When every citizen can make their voice heard, our democracy serves all of us better.\n\nHowever, the reverse is true, and we see it playing out right now in Texas. By shamelessly re-engineering their maps in the middle of the decade, Washington and Texas Republicans are trying to allow politicians to pick their voters, rather than their voters selecting their representatives.\n\nAnd it\u2019s ironic, literally, these were the folks who, a few weeks ago in this building, were taking people\u2019s doctors away. 16 million people. As many as 16 million people would lose Medicaid, 20 million people see their health care premiums go up. So they\u2019re taking away people\u2019s doctors, and they know it\u2019s unpopular, so now they\u2019re trying to doctor the maps to squeeze the people\u2019s voices out of their democracy.\n\nGood to see you, General Holder. The Supreme Court, of course, paved the way for shameless acts like these we\u2019ve seen in Texas. You are at the center of that fight.\n\nIf these redistricting attempts took place not in 2025 but in 2005 before the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, would it be as easy for Texas to gerrymander its maps, to create more Republican seats?\u201d\n\nAG Eric Holder (EH): \u201cNo, it would not be. I mean, you would have the Justice Department would have a series of tools that it could use, chief among them being the ability to preclear in a covered jurisdiction, I believe Texas was a covered jurisdiction.\n\nThe Justice Department would have the ability to oppose, to stop that which Texas was attempting to do. Texas would have the ability to go into court and then to try, in the three judge panel in Washington to challenge what the Justice Department was trying to do.\n\nBut it also had a prophylactic effect, because the Justice Department had that power. States did not attempt to do the kinds of things that they knew the Justice Department would say no to. In the Shelby County case, in 2013 took away, really weakened the tool, that vital tool that the Justice Department had.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYeah, I like what you said, is having a prophylactic effect. I seem to recall Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg in her dissent saying we\u2019re getting rid of our umbrella in the middle of a rainstorm, because we\u2019re not getting wet.\n\nAnd the argument was that, you know, a lot has changed since the 1960s and that\u2019s true. I\u2019m sitting here, after all, a lot has changed. But it\u2019s interesting that the very states, and they\u2019re not the only ones, though, but in the case of Texas, the places where we saw discrimination before Shelby versus holder, we\u2019re seeing it again.\n\nSo could you say more about how the Supreme Court\u2019s undermining of the Voting Rights Act in is the last two decades, getting rid of the umbrella, how has that enabled what we are seeing right now?\u201d\n\nEH: \u201cWell, the Supreme Court decisions, as I was saying before, you know, Shelby County, the Rucho decision was said, you can\u2019t bring partisan gerrymandering cases in federal courts. These suite of Supreme Court cases, has made possible that which you\u2019re seeing happen in the States: the closure of polling places, the purging of voter rolls, which disproportionately happen in communities of color or places where it is perceived that Democratic voters actually reside.\n\nAll of these things have been made possible by a Supreme Court that I think has acted in a way that\u2019s inconsistent with precedent, inconsistent with principle, and really just a function of who serves on the court.\n\nYou know, we get a six, three majority, and all the kinds of things that previous Supreme Courts said you couldn\u2019t do. They said, well now we have the power so we\u2019re going to exercise. And we see that in a whole range of cases, but in particular with regard to the cases that have come out of the Supreme Court in the democracy.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cAnd now you have a President of the United States literally announcing that we\u2019re getting ready to do, or as we say in the south, fixing to do, what they wouldn\u2019t have been able to do a few years ago.\n\nTell me, what are the long term consequences for our democracy when politicians hand pick their voters. You know, there\u2019s a tendency in our country to think about the short term, about the very next election. I\u2019m thinking about the next generation as a father of a eight year old and a six year old. What are the consequences for the democracy?\u201d\n\nEH: \u201cYeah, I think you know, by underestimating the capacity of the American people, by turning their backs on the American people, by being afraid of the American people, they sow division, they balkanize our country.\n\nI mean, you look at the impact of gerrymandering, people are not concerned about a general election. You know, you\u2019re worried about a primary challenge, which pushes people in the Republican Party further and further to the right to make sure that you don\u2019t get a challenger.\n\nIt means that people in the Republican Party less likely to reach across the aisle and work with their democratic counterparts, because that is seen as a sign of weakness and invites a primary challenge, and therefore things don\u2019t get done at the state legislative level, don\u2019t get done in Congress.\n\nSo there\u2019s not substantive change, and then there is dissatisfaction on the part of the American people to think, well, our institutions don\u2019t work. All of that goes back to gerrymandering and to the other things that the folks in power, this President, his party, have put in place to make it more difficult for the American people to participate in a process and to have people who participate in that process think, I hear it all the time when I\u2019m out there, my vote doesn\u2019t count, you know. And unfortunately, in a lot of places, that is, to some degree true. It\u2019s true.\n\nDoesn\u2019t mean that people shouldn\u2019t participate, but they have made it very difficult for people\u2019s votes in certain places to have the 100% impact that it you know that it should.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo this corrosive effect on the democracy means it\u2019s hard to get anything done. People become more cynical, politicians become increasingly craven, and it sets the tone for authoritarianism. That\u2019s a good context for would be strong men. I don\u2019t know how much time I have. Could I ask one more question?\n\nSo Justice Riggs, you saw firsthand in North Carolina the challenges, the burdens that happen when there\u2019s these kinds of attacks on democracy, when your challenger tried and then failed to throw out 10s of 1000s of votes.\n\nWe\u2019ve seen voter purges in Georgia. We also have a law on the books, by the way, in Georgia, that allows a single voter to challenge unlimited numbers of voters. And so we literally saw six right wing activists tie up the whole process challenging 89,000 voters, six people.\n\nDo these challenges make voters, especially those who decide to skip elections from time to time, feel welcome to continue participating in our democracy again? What\u2019s the impact on the democracy?\u201d\n\nJustice Allison Riggs (AR): \u201cIt\u2019s obvious that they don\u2019t. When we erect barriers to political participation, we are sending a clear message about whose voice matters, whose say we want heard in the political process.\n\nBut I will also say there, having lived through some very trying times. I would be remiss if I didn\u2019t leave you with some notes of optimism too. Which is that, as we were litigating $2 million we were also planning to chase and cure 68,000 votes. We identified and made contact with a military voter stationed in Antarctica.\n\nSo if the American people, if North Carolinians, can reach as far as the South Pole to make sure that each other\u2019s voices are heard. If we play a game of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, who do you know whose vote might be at risk, then a state like North Carolina, which is likely to have the most competitive US Senate race in the country next year, is going to have a critical North Carolina Supreme Court race, where my colleague, Justice Anita Earls is in a tough fight to keep her seat.\n\nWe can do this. I want folks to understand that folks only try and silence voices and votes that they\u2019re scared of. And so we will find that silver lining, keep fighting, and even though we know these will keep coming until policymakers push us in a different direction we\u2019re up to that fight.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:48:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/amid-purge-of-ga-voter-rolls-senator-reverend-warnock-calls-for-restoration-of-voting-rights-act/", "Amid Purge of GA Voter Rolls, Senator Reverend\u00a0Warnock Calls for Restoration of Voting Rights Act", "2025-07-29", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Georgia\u2019s state government is currently purging nearly half a million registered voters from the voter rolls, one of the largest voter purges in the state\u2019s history\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock\u2019s John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would strengthen protections against potentially discriminatory voting practices like voter purges across the country\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock served as Congressman John Lewis\u2019 pastor at Atlanta\u2019s Ebenezer Baptist Church\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock at the introduction press conference: \u201cA vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and our children\u201d\n\nLink to press conference HERE\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and 43 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act of 1965 that have been eroded in recent years by federal court rulings. The legislation would strengthen our democracy by reestablishing preclearance for jurisdictions with a pattern of voting rights violations, protecting minority communities subject to discriminatory voting practices, and defending election workers from threats and intimidation. It is named in honor of voting rights champion and former Georgia Congressman John Lewis.\n\nThis legislation is especially relevant in Georgia, where the Secretary of State\u2019s office is purging the state\u2019s voter rolls of nearly 500,000 voters, amounting to 6% of Georgia\u2019s 8.4 million registered voters. This legislation would strengthen protections against racially discriminatory voting procedures, which include improper voter purges. Most of the cancellations affect voters in metro Atlanta\u2019s counties of DeKalb, Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett.\n\n\u201cAs I often say, a vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and our children,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock during the press conference. \u201cOur prayers are stronger when we pray together. Democracy is the political enactment of a spiritual idea that each of us has within ourselves the spark of the divine. We all have value, and if we all have value, we ought to have a voice in the direction of our country; we ought to have a vote.\u201d\n\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court\u2019s damaging Shelby County decision in 2013\u2014which crippled the federal government\u2019s ability under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to prevent discriminatory changes to voting laws and procedures\u2014states across the country have unleashed a torrent of voter suppression efforts, including SB 202 in Georgia. The Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Brnovich v Democratic National Committee delivered yet another blow to the Voting Rights Act by making it significantly harder for plaintiffs to win lawsuits under the landmark law against discriminatory voting laws or procedures.\n\nIn addition to Senator Warnock, Ranking Member Durbin, and Leader Schumer, the legislation was also introduced by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The legislation is cosponsored by the entire Democratic caucus.\n\nThe VRAA is endorsed by 178 organizations. These organizations understand that voting rights are preservative of all other rights and progress on a range of critical issues cannot take place if citizens cannot make their voices heard. The list of endorsing Georgia and national organizations of The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act can be found HERE.\n\nBill text for the Voting Rights Advancement Act can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:48:13Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 242, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "GA", "p2": "2025"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 242, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2025&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 242, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "GA", "label": "GA", "count": 242, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 242, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2025-07-29,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarnock~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Famid-purge-of-ga-voter-rolls-senator-reverend-warnock-calls-for-restoration-of-voting-rights-act~2F", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2025&_next=2025-07-29%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarnock~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Famid-purge-of-ga-voter-rolls-senator-reverend-warnock-calls-for-restoration-of-voting-rights-act~2F&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 244.5375348906964, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}