{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"GA\" and year = 2026 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/11alive-gwinnett-woman-highlights-struggles-with-health-insurance-authorization/", "11Alive: \u201cGwinnett woman highlights struggles with health insurance authorization\u201d", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "11Alive: \u201cOssoff reportedly received dozens of reports from Georgia patients, who have reported that prior authorization issues with their insurance companies have resulted in delays and denials of medically necessary health care that lead, in some cases, to untreated life-threatening conditions and severe financial hardship.\u201d\n\nAtlanta, Ga. \u2014 11Alive Atlanta is highlighting U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff\u2019s investigation that details reports from Georgians who say insurance companies are denying or delaying care doctors say they need.\n\nIn the last month, Sen. Ossoff has released the second and third reports of his ongoing investigation, which highlight stories from Georgia patients who have reported that insurance delays and denials of medically necessary health care have led, in some cases, to untreated life-threatening conditions, and/or severe financial hardship.\n\nSen. Ossoff\u2019s first report detailed stories of Georgians who report they have been delaying necessary care and are paying thousands more for care after the loss of the ACA tax credits, with some saying they\u2019ve lost insurance altogether because of the high costs.\n\nSee key excepts below from 11Alive\u2019s report:\n\n9/25: Gwinnett woman highlights struggles with health insurance authorization\n\n11Alive // Joe Ripley\n\nOn the outside, it might look like smiles, laughter and bliss. But on the inside, Megan Bliss was dealt a brutal blow. From rising healthcare costs to cuts to medical services to delays in critical care, she has experienced all three firsthand as she fights to regain a sense of normalcy.\n\nA stroke left her in immense pain and out of work for years.\n\n\u201cAbout five years ago, I had a hemorrhagic stroke,\u201d Bliss said. \u201cIt affected the left side of my body and basically a lot of the typical things, really had to learn how to walk again.\u201d\n\nShe said doctors prescribed her a DRG stimulator, a medical device designed to help ease her pain. But insurance denied her for months, saying Bliss had not met the proper requirements.\n\n\u201cThis puts a ton of pressure on my husband being the only income, and it\u2019s emotionally very defeating,\u201d Bliss said. \u201cIt\u2019s pure insanity to me that those people who are not my doctor were making decisions about my healthcare. We pay money to the insurance company every two weeks, a huge chunk of money. I feel like that should be enough.\u201d\n\nBliss was denied due to prior authorization, a process that acts as a check or balance between a provider\u2019s recommendation and what an insurer agrees to pay for.\n\nOssoff reportedly received dozens of reports from Georgia patients, who have reported that prior authorization issues with their insurance companies have resulted in delays and denials of medically necessary health care that lead, in some cases, to untreated life-threatening conditions and severe financial hardship.\n\nMeantime, Megan Bliss finally got approved for her device after seven months. Now, the wait is on to book her procedure and pursue a less painful life.\n\n\u201cHopefully it\u2019s not too long a wait before I can do the permanent implant and get a little bit of my normal life back,\u201d Bliss said.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-reverend-warnock-receives-2026-mpa-industry-champion-award-for-film-advocacy/", "Senator Reverend Warnock Receives 2026 MPA Industry Champion Award for Film Advocacy", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "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 received the 2026 Motion Picture Association\u2019s Industry Champion Award\n\nThe award was presented during the 2026 MPA Awards on Wednesday night\n\nSenator Warnock has advocated for film and TV production in Georgia and the U.S. since joining the Senate\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cI will continue to work in Washington and across the aisle to ensure Georgia-based film productions continue to be supported and Georgians, whose livelihoods depend on the film industry, have all the resources they need to succeed\u201d\n\nICYMI: The Power of Storytelling: 2026 MPA Industry Champion Honoree Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock on Georgia\u2019s Production Future\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) received the 2026 Motion Picture Association Industry Champion Award for his continued work supporting the creative community and strengthening Georgia\u2019s thriving film industry.\n\n\u201cGeorgia continues to be a national leader in the arts and entertainment industry. It fills me with immense pride whenever I see Georgia and my constituents\u2019 work represented in a movie or TV show,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI will continue to work in Washington and across the aisle to ensure Georgia-based film productions continue to be supported and Georgians, whose livelihoods depend on the film industry, have all the resources they need to succeed.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock received the 2026 Motion Picture Association Industry Champion Award from MPA Chairman and CEO Charles H. Rivkin during the MPA Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (Photo Credit: Motion Picture Association)\n\nSenator Warnock is the co-lead of the bipartisan CREATE Act, which would extend the Section 181 tax deduction and increase the incentive to keep production in the United States. Before Section 181 expired, film and TV studios could claim the deduction if they incurred at least 75% of their production costs in the United States. The provision allowed studios to deduct up to $15 million in production expenses but expired at the end of 2025.\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\nSenator Warnock also co-leads the recently-introduced the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, which would establish a federal film tax credit.\n\nSenator Warnock has championed workforce development since coming to the Senate, particularly technical colleges and apprenticeship programs that lead to good-paying film industry jobs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-warnock-report-finds-save-act-imposes-poll-tax-on-millions-of-married-american-women/", "New Warnock Report Finds SAVE Act Imposes Poll Tax on Millions of Married American Women", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "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 released a new report examining the extra hurdles married women would need to go through to register or update their voter registration if the SAVE Act became law\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s new report finds that, in Georgia, married women could pay up to $75 in administrative and processing fees to obtain the documents required to vote\n\nDonald Trump and Republicans in Congress are attempting to impose a \u201cMarriage Tax\u201d on millions of American women across the country\n\nThe SAVE Act disproportionately harms married women who have changed their legal name by requiring them to produce both their birth certificate and marriage license to register or re-register to vote\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThey\u2019re not trying to save our democracy. They\u2019re not trying to save our elections. They\u2019re trying to save Donald Trump\u2019s power\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), one of the Senate\u2019s leading advocates for voting rights, released a new report examining the costly and time-intensive process married women in eight Georgia counties would have to navigate to verify their voter status under the SAVE America Act. The proposed bill requires women who have changed their last names to present their birth and marriage certificates to meet voter verification requirements. The report found women who do not have these documents readily available could pay up to $75 in administrative and processing fees and wait over 3 months to receive the required identification materials.\n\n\u201cThis is a poll tax on married women,\u201d said Senator Warnock on MSNOW\u2019s Deadline White House. \u201cThey\u2019re not trying to save our democracy. They\u2019re not trying to save our elections. They\u2019re trying to save Donald Trump\u2019s power.\u201d\n\nThe SAVE America Act purports to protect election integrity but instead imposes unnecessary restrictions that would disenfranchise over 760,000 Georgians and millions more nationwide through its onerous requirements. While the SAVE America Act disproportionately impacts married women, men and unmarried women are also subject to voter suppression under the proposed bill. For the more than 5.4 million Georgians who do not have a valid passport, they would need to bring their birth certificate, or another federally issued identification document, alongside their photo ID to register to vote.\n\nDespite the Trump administration\u2019s sensationalized and baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, a Republican-led audit of the 2024 election revealed nine non-U.S. citizens out of 8.2 million registered voters in Georgia had cast a ballot in a previous election, with most having voted in elections before 2012.\n\nSenator Warnock is a leading voting rights advocate. Earlier this year, he unveiled a comprehensive policy agenda to repair and strengthen American democracy in the wake of escalating attacks on the right to vote. Following the Supreme Court decision to gut the Voting Rights Act in April, Senator Warnock argued that voting rights legislation must be the number one priority for Democrats when they regain the majority in the U.S. Senate. He is also a proud proponent of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would strengthen protections against discriminatory voting practices.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-working-across-the-aisle-to-improve-sewer-and-stormwater-infrastructure-across-georgia/", "Sen. Ossoff Working Across the Aisle to Improve Sewer and Stormwater Infrastructure Across Georgia", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working to improve sewer and stormwater infrastructure across Georgia.\n\nSen. Ossoff is cosponsoring the bipartisan Clean Water Allotment Modernization Act of 2026 to help Georgia communities receive more support to address wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs.\n\nThe bipartisan legislation, first introduced by Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), would replace the outdated funding formula for the EPA\u2019s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, which determines how much Federal funding for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure is distributed to different states, with a formula that better reflects states\u2019 population and infrastructure demands.\n\n\u201cInvesting in Georgia\u2019s sewer and stormwater infrastructure means protecting our families, homes, and communities. I am working across the aisle to help upgrade Georgia\u2019s water infrastructure to keep communities safe and upgrade quality of life,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues to upgrade sewer and stormwater infrastructure across the State of Georgia.\n\nIn May, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock and Reps. Williams and McBath brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver $1,092,000 in Federal funding for key stormwater infrastructure upgrades along Norman Berry Drive in East Point, including a storm water main replacement and headwall restoration to improve stormwater flows and prevent sinkholes in the area.\n\nIn April, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock and Rep. McBath brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $1,092,000 in Federal funding to help improve South Fulton\u2019s stormwater infrastructure, including the replacement of old stormwater pipes and measures to mitigate the effect of flooding near homes.\n\nAlso in April, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver $954,000 in Federal funding to help the City of Hampton implement critical stormwater infrastructure improvements and reduce flooding along Woolsey Road.\n\nLast year, Sen. Ossoff passed into law his Georgia Stormwater Management Act, which created a new authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct water infrastructure projects across the Henry County, Clayton County, and Muscogee County. This year, Sen. Ossoff delivered $3,120,000 in Federal funding through the new authority to help upgrade the South Columbus Water Resources facility, which serves the City of Columbus and Fort Benning.\n\nClick here to read the Clean Water Allotment Modernization Act of 2026.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/read-here-marriage-tax-report/", "READ HERE: MARRIAGE TAX REPORT", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s report on the \u201cMarriage Tax\u201d that would be imposed on married women under the SAVE Act is available HERE.", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-britt-push-trump-department-of-justice-for-guardrails-on-state-local-use-of-flock-cameras/", "Warnock, Britt Push Trump Department of Justice for Guardrails on State, Local Use of Flock Cameras", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a new bipartisan letter, Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Katie Britt urged Attorney General Todd Blanche to provide state and local law enforcement with guidance on how to prevent the misuse of automatic license plate readers, like Flock Safety cameras\n\nThe bipartisan effort follows growing national concern over the misuse of Flock cameras amid reports of law enforcement officers using them to stalk romantic partners, track Americans without warrants, and monitor personal contacts\n\nThis is the first bipartisan Senate action on automatic license plate readers, like Flock cameras\n\nICYMI in Punchbowl News: Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) are urging Attorney General Todd Blanche to provide guidance to state and local law enforcement on how they can prevent \u201cmisuse\u201d of Flock cameras\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, Britt: \u201cWe are deeply concerned about the misuse of ALPR systems and believe that appropriate safeguards are necessary to protect against unauthorized access and abuse, including by individuals who might misuse the technology to stalk and harass their victims\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) are urging Attorney General Todd Blanche to provide state and local law enforcement agencies with new guardrails on how to prevent the misuse of automatic license plate readers (ALPR) like Flock Safety cameras. The senators\u2019 new letter follows growing national concern over the misuse of Flock cameras amid reports of law enforcement officers using them to stalk romantic partners, track Americans without warrants, and monitor personal contacts. Increasingly, communities across the country and in Georgia are concerned with law enforcement officials potentially monitoring and tracking their movements without their consent.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned about the misuse of ALPR systems and believe that appropriate safeguards are necessary to protect against unauthorized access and abuse, including by individuals who might misuse the technology to stalk and harass their victims. We also want to ensure that funding of these technologies is paired with appropriate oversight to ensure that the funding is not used to facilitate such abuse,\u201d said Senator Warnock and Britt.\n\nFlock Safety cameras are automated license plate readers that capture the plate, make, model, and color of passing cars. The cameras\u2014developed by Flock Safety in Atlanta, Georgia\u2014are used by law enforcement agencies across the country to find stolen vehicles, locate missing people, and investigate other crimes.\n\nIn recent months, the debate over privacy and police access has intensified, leading to pushback against the use of Flock cameras in local communities. In Georgia, the debate has taken several forms, from protests to town hall meetings, where Georgians are urging their local leaders to end contracts with Flock Safety.\n\nAs the use of artificial intelligence spreads into every aspect of American life, Senator Warnock continues to center the privacy and data protection concerns of Georgians in his work in the U.S. Senate. In August 2025, Senator Warnock introduced bipartisan legislation alongside Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) to provide Georgia taxpayers with greater transparency and stronger protections for their personal data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In August, Senator Warnock traveled to Effingham County to meet with residents and discuss the impact of OpenAI\u2019s new 3.2-gigawatt data center, the largest proposed site in the country. During his visit, Senator Warnock called for a moratorium on data center construction unless certain safeguards around utility bills, transparency, and pollution are in place.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\n\u201cDear Attorney General Blanche,\n\n\u201cWe write with great concern over widespread reports regarding the misuse of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems, which may be purchased with federal funding. Specifically, reporting indicates that in dozens of cases across the country, police officers have improperly and, in some cases, illegally used ALPR technology to stalk and harass their current, former, or prospective romantic partners. While law enforcement agencies around the country appropriately use ALPR for legitimate public safety purposes including the investigation of violent crime and the location and recovery of missing and abducted persons, misuse of these systems undermines the public\u2019s confidence in the technology. We, therefore, write to request information about the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) funding and oversight of such systems to prevent such misuse and ensure compliance with applicable federal statutes and regulations.\n\n\u201cState and local law enforcement agencies have widely adopted ALPR systems in recent years to conduct traffic enforcement and support criminal investigations. Flock\u2019s ALPR network, the largest in the country, currently contains more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states, with 140,000 monthly active users. ALPRs perform billions of scans of vehicles in the U.S. per month, converting those scans into searchable data on the vehicle\u2019s features, its location, and the time. This data is then uploaded into databases and retained for a certain period depending on state laws and regulations, sometimes as long as several years. In some cases, the agency can also choose to share its local data with other law enforcement agencies across the country.\n\n\u201cALPR systems thus enable law enforcement officials to identify vehicles associated with criminal activity and comprehensively track them across jurisdictional boundaries for investigative purposes.\n\n\u201cHowever, law enforcement officers have also faced numerous allegations of misusing ALPR systems. In Georgia, at least 20 law enforcement officers have been arrested after abusing their access to ALPR systems. Law enforcement officers in 11 other states have resigned, lost their jobs, or faced investigations after abusing ALPR systems. In total, at least 50 law enforcement officers to date have been charged with, or accused of, using ALPR systems for unauthorized purposes.\n\n\u201cAt least 30 of these cases involve law enforcement officers stalking their current, former, or prospective romantic partners. In one case, a police chief used an ALPR system to stalk a former partner by searching the vehicle tags for her and her daughter around 600 times over the course of thirteen months. These cases demonstrate the importance of strong guardrails and safeguards \u2013 such as appropriate access controls, auditing, supervisory review, and meaningful consequences of intentional misuse \u2013 to ensure that ALPRs\u2019 tracking capabilities cannot be utilized by rogue bad actors to threaten, manipulate, and inflict harm on unsuspecting victims. Individuals who abuse their law enforcement access to ALPR systems to harass or otherwise harm another person should be held accountable, including through termination and criminal prosecution where warranted. They shouldn\u2019t be permitted to undermine the legitimate use of ALPR technology to protect the public. Furthermore, the misuse of ALPR systems may violate requirements for the implementation of federal funding. This includes a requirement that federal funds and associated programs be \u201cimplemented in full accordance with the U.S. Constitution, applicable Federal statutes and regulations,\u201d including provisions protecting public welfare.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned about the misuse of ALPR systems and believe that appropriate safeguards are necessary to protect against unauthorized access and abuse, including by individuals who might misuse the technology to stalk and harass their victims. We also want to ensure that funding of these technologies is paired with appropriate oversight to ensure that the funding is not used to facilitate such abuse.\n\n\u201cWe urge the DOJ to provide guidance to state and local law enforcement agencies on how they can best prevent the misuse of ALPR technology. We also request responses to the following questions by no later than October 21, 2026.\n\n\u201cHow much DOJ funding has supported the purchase of ALPR systems?\n\nWhat grant oversight and accountability mechanisms does DOJ have in place to address potential misuse and unauthorized access involving federally funded ALPR systems?\n\nWhat, if any, DOJ training is provided to grant recipients on best practices for retaining and accessing data collected by ALPR systems to prevent misuse or unauthorized data access? Does such training address appropriate auditing, supervisory review, and consequences for intentional misuse?\n\nIn order to mitigate misuse or unauthorized data access, does DOJ have policies in place regarding the collection, use, storage, disposal, and access to data collected from ALPR systems operated by federal agencies?\n\nIs DOJ aware of whether any state or local law enforcement officers have been accused of misconduct or illegal activity related to the use of federally-funded ALPR systems?\n\nIf DOJ becomes aware of such misconduct, what steps does DOJ take to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations? Do these steps ever include financial penalties or requirements that agencies take corrective, disciplinary, or other remedial action against individuals responsible for intentional misuse?\n\nDoes DOJ require applicants for federal funding, for ALPR systems or otherwise, to disclose misuse or abuse of ALPR data? Does DOJ distinguish between misconduct by an individual user and systemic failures by a recipient agency when determining an appropriate response?\n\nHas DOJ audited the use of ALPR systems within federal law enforcement agencies for non-law enforcement purposes, including stalking? What controls are in place to identify unauthorized queries and hold federal personnel accountable for misuse\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-working-to-improve-public-transportation-across-georgia/", "Sen. Ossoff Working to Improve Public Transportation Across Georgia", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working with Republicans and Democrats to improve public transportation across Georgia.\n\nSen. Ossoff is cosponsoring the bipartisan Streamline Transit Projects Act, legislation to help reduce transit project delays by streamlining the environmental review process for projects that would have little to no environmental impact.\n\nThe bill aims to more quickly deliver critical public transportation improvements and improve transit access and service for riders.\n\nThe bipartisan bill was first introduced by Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA).\n\n\u201cMany Georgians depend on public transportation to get around their communities,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will help expand transit programs across Georgia by cutting back on unnecessary and costly administrative delays.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to upgrade Georgia\u2019s infrastructure.\n\nLast year, Sen. Ossoff announced grant funding was available for key transportation projects through the bipartisan infrastructure law.\n\nAlso last year, Sen. Ossoff delivered Federal resources through the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, created and funded through the bipartisan infrastructure law, to help eliminate blocked railroad crossings across Georgia.\n\nIn March 2024, Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock announced the State of Georgia will receive $122,457,266 in Federal resources for transit infrastructure upgrades across the state in partial Fiscal Year 2024 funding, authorized by the bipartisan infrastructure law.\n\nIn March 2024, Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock and Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) announced two Federal grants for The Stitch and for a new multi-use trail connecting the Atlanta BeltLine with the Flint River Trail.\n\nClick here to read the Streamline Transit Projects Act.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-scott-unveil-bipartisan-effort-to-reverse-fort-gordons-hospital-closure/", "Warnock, Scott Unveil Bipartisan Effort to Reverse Fort Gordon\u2019s Hospital Closure", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "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 Tim Scott introduced an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act bill to reverse the closure of inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center\n\nAccording to reporting by WRDW, the Defense Health Agency confirmed its intent to transition Eisenhower Army Medical Center on Fort Gordon in Augusta to an ambulatory care center\n\nFort Gordon\u2019s Army Medical Center serves 30,000-40,000 Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families in the Augusta area.The proposed plan would end inpatient care and turn the emergency room into an urgent care facility\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced an amendment last week to the Senate\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act bill that would ensure that inpatient services remain active at Fort Gordon\u2019s Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta.\n\n\u201cFort Gordon military personnel and their families deserve the best care possible. That\u2019s why I\u2019m working across the aisle to stop this shortsighted closure,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThe Defense Health Agency needs to reconsider its proposal and ensure that our military heroes and their families can still get adequate and top-notch medical care at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur men and women in uniform have earned the highest quality of care our nation can provide,\u201d said Senator Scott. \u201cEisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon should remain open so South Carolina\u2019s service members, military families, and veterans continue to have access to timely, quality health care. Those who make tremendous sacrifices to defend our freedoms should not have to worry about whether they or their families can get the care they need. We owe them nothing less.\u201d\n\nIn May, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) announced that it is proposing to reduce care options at Fort Gordon\u2019s Army Medical Center. Under the proposal, the Army Medical Center would no longer have general inpatient hospital beds and would turn its emergency room into an urgent care facility.\n\nThe DHA has already submitted a congressional notification regarding this proposed change. Currently, Fort Gordon\u2019s Army Medical Center serves 30,000-40,000 Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families in the Augusta area.\n\nShortly after the announcement, Senator Warnock issued a statement about the plans, expressing concern about the impact of this closure on Augusta\u2019s already-strained civilian health care system. Senator Warnock, along with Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), has sent letters to DHA Director Vice Adm. Darin K. Via and the Department of Defense demanding answers on their decision to reduce care options at Fort Gordon\u2019s Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/video-sen-ossoff-celebrates-hispanic-heritage-month/", "VIDEO: Sen. Ossoff Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Atlanta, Ga, \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a new video message.\n\n\u201cThis is U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, and it is my pleasure to join with Georgians across our state who are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. It is a deep honor to represent Georgia\u2019s Latino community and to join you in honoring the extraordinary contributions that Latinos have made to the State of Georgia, to the United States, and to the world,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nClick here to watch Sen. Ossoff\u2019s Hispanic Heritage Month message.\n\nPlease find a transcript of Sen. Ossoff\u2019s message below:\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cGreetings. This is U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, and it is my pleasure to join with Georgians across our state who are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.\n\n\u201cIt is a deep honor to represent Georgia\u2019s Latino community and to join you in honoring the extraordinary contributions that Latinos have made to the State of Georgia, to the United States, and to the world.\n\n\u201cAnd from the moment I took office, my goal has been to be the most visible, the most accessible, and the most responsive and effective Federal representative that Georgia\u2019s Latino community has ever had.\n\n\u201cWhenever and however I can be of service, just reach out at ossoff.senate.gov.\n\n\u201cAgain, this is U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, joining you in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-leads-panel-highlighting-impact-of-fatherhood-engagement-on-black-maternal-health/", "Warnock Leads Panel Highlighting Impact of Fatherhood Engagement on Black Maternal Health", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Yesterday, Senator Reverend Warnock convened a panel of advocates dedicated to improving Black maternal health outcomes by promoting fatherhood engagement\n\nThe panel included Dr. Lynne Lightfoote, OB-GYN at Washington Wellness Group; Charles Johnson, founder of 4Kira4Moms; Omari Maynard, founder of ARIAH Foundation; and Lamman Rucker, an actor and advocate\n\nSenator Warnock has worked to combat maternal mortality and improve health outcomes for Black families across the country\n\n\u201cBEYOND THE STATISTICS: A Conversation on Black Fathers Protecting Black Motherhood\u201d took place during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation\u2019s 55th Annual Legislative Conference\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThere is no reason that in the United States of America\u2014the most powerful and wealthiest country on the planet and in the history of humankind\u2014to have the kind of maternal mortality rate that we have\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) hosted a panel with prominent community advocates focused on improving Black maternal health outcomes through investing in and creating programs that promote fatherhood engagement. The panel, titled \u201cBEYOND THE STATISTICS: A Conversation on Black Fathers Protecting Black Motherhood,\u201d builds on Senator Warnock\u2019s legislative record addressing maternal mortality and improving health outcomes for Black families. In his opening remarks, Senator Warnock highlighted the need to pass his bipartisan Dads Matter Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving maternal health outcomes. Senator Warnock was joined by Dr. Lynne Lightfoote, OB-GYN at Washington Wellness Group; Charles Johnson, founder of 4Kira4Moms; Omari Maynard, founder of ARIAH Foundation; and Lamman Rucker, an actor and advocate. Thursday\u2019s panel follows a panel Senator Warnock hosted earlier this year that emphasized these findings.\n\n\u201cMy goal is for all of you to leave feeling compelled to advocate for including dads in maternal and infant health,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThere is no reason that in the United States of America\u2014the most powerful and wealthiest country on the planet and in the history of humankind\u2014to have the kind of maternal mortality rate that we have.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are all about all the clinical and non-clinical risk factors associated with this crisis, but a huge part of our theory of change is we believe that if we can empower a new generation of fathers to understand how to show up, how to advocate, how to demand better, how to support that mother in ways that they weren\u2019t able to, we can quickly make a drastic change and improve maternal outcomes,\u201d said Charles Johnson.\n\n\u201cThe primary misconception is that Black men aren\u2019t there, and that they don\u2019t care, and in my experience, both as a father since 17, and as an educator, as an activist, as an artist, advocate, and someone who\u2019s worked in this space, even on the policy side, and who also can reference data, we are there, and we care,\u201d said Lamman Rucker. \u201cBlack men have been showing up and have even been raising kids that don\u2019t belong to them for years and years.\u201d\n\n\u201cPregnancy should be something joyous, and pregnancy should be something that you should not be afraid of, but now we\u2019re afraid to get pregnant, Black women are afraid to get pregnant and that\u2019s not okay,\u201d said Dr. Lynne Lightfoote.\n\n\u201cI need to use my voice. I need to use my heart. I need to use our story in order to help inspire people in order to create change and make sure that you know we all do this together in solidarity,\u201d said Omari Maynard.\n\nNationwide, Black women are 3.5 times more likely to die during childbirth than white women, and, in Georgia, a recent study revealed nearly 90% of maternal deaths were preventable. In response to these devastating findings, Senator Warnock and the panelists highlighted data showing that father involvement during and after a child\u2019s birth is associated with improved maternal and child health outcomes.\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed efforts to combat maternal mortality and improve health outcomes for Black families in Georgia and across the country. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock joined a bicameral coalition to introduce the Kira Johnson Act, legislation that funds community-based organizations working to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-delivering-12-million-in-federal-funds-to-support-tybee-island-beach-renourishment-project/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Delivering $12 Million in Federal Funds to Support Tybee Island Beach Renourishment Project", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "In 2022, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock passed into law their \u201cTybee Island Storm Risk Management Act\u201d to support ongoing renourishment & storm risk management projects\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock, in separate letters, urged the Army Corps to allocate Federal funding for the Tybee Island project & again urged the Army Corps in June\n\nTybee Island Mayor West: \u201cSenators Ossoff and Warnock are persistent advocates for Tybee Island and worked with us in our efforts to secure the federal funding to nourish our beach and protect our island.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are delivering Federal funding to support Tybee Island\u2019s beach renourishment project.\n\nAfter successfully pushing the Trump Administration, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock today announced they are delivering $12 million in Federal funding to renourish Tybee Island\u2019s beaches and protect the shoreline.\n\nAccording to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after Federal funding cuts, the Trump Administration\u2019s U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its 2026 work plan earlier this year, which did not include funding for Tybee Island\u2019s project.\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff Rev. Warnock, in separate letters, first urged Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle to allocate Federal funding needed to help complete the shovel-ready Tybee Island Shoreline Protection Project, noting the project is ready to begin and has already completed its environmental review. Sen. Ossoff again urged the Army Corps in June to allocate the Federal funding for the renourishment project.\n\n\u201cBeach nourishment at Tybee Island has been a successful partnership between the City of Tybee Island and the Corps for nearly five decades,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cSenator Reverend Warnock and I are delivering Federal funding to help protect Tybee\u2019s residents and businesses.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to have secured this funding with Senator Ossoff to ensure Tybee Island\u2019s beaches remain among the best in the country. This funding will not only help restore the beaches and continue to be an economic boost for the region, but will also protect Georgia businesses, families, and the local economy from damaging storm surge and erosion,\u201d Senator Reverend Warnock said. \u201cCoastal Georgia is my home, and I plan to continue to advocate for it in Washington.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenators Ossoff and Warnock are persistent advocates for Tybee Island and worked with us in our efforts to secure the federal funding to nourish our beach and protect our island. They understand that Tybee\u2019s shoreline is not only vital to our residents and visitors, but also to the broader coastal economy and Georgia\u2019s economy,\u201d Tybee Island Mayor Brian West said. \u201cWe are grateful for their continued advocacy and for assisting in reallocating $12 million for Tybee\u2019s beach nourishment project. Senator Ossoff first made us aware that funds were available this year from other states for this project. This has truly been a team effort, and I am grateful to both Senators and everyone who stayed at the table, making the calls, asking the questions, and fighting for this project. We are ready to get to work this winter.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect Tybee Island from the effects of sea-level rise and flooding.\n\nIn 2022, Sen. Ossoff, alongside Senator Reverend Warnock, passed into law his Tybee Island Storm Risk Management Act as part of the Water Resources and Development Act reauthorization, which extended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 authority to partner with Tybee Island on beach renourishment and storm risk management projects for 12 years.\n\nIn 2023, Sen. Ossoff delivered a new $380,000 Federal grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)\u2019s National Coastal Resilience Fund to help protect residents and homes from flooding on Tybee Island.\n\nAlso in 2023, Sen. Ossoff delivered new resources through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to construct a new hurricane and tornado safe room on Tybee Island, providing a safe area for emergency personnel who must remain on the Island during hurricanes and other disaster situations.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-warnock-calls-out-ai-developers-social-media-companies-after-bizarre-health-hoax/", "VIDEO: Warnock Calls Out AI Developers, Social Media Companies, After Bizarre Health Hoax", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock warned about the risk to democracy after AI-generated social media posts with false health news about the Senator went viral\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWhat if hours before an election, someone created a page with AI-generated images, fake stories about the candidates? How will voters know what\u2019s true and what\u2019s not true?\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a video (WATCH HERE) on the dangers of AI for democracy after an AI-generated hoax regarding his health circulated social media. The AI-generated posts claimed that Senator Warnock had collapsed on stage, and another said he had undergone surgery and was recovering from cancer. In response, Senator Warnock stressed the need for congressional action on AI.\n\n\u201cWhat if hours before an election, someone created a page with AI-generated images, fake stories about the candidates? How will voters know what\u2019s true and what\u2019s not true?\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cSocial media companies have to move quickly to label this material. Congress needs to act.\u201d\n\nThis follows a recent visit by Senator Warnock to the proposed site of OpenAI\u2019s new 3.2-gigawatt data center in Effingham County. After meeting with residents and members of the Protect Effingham Alliance who raised serious concerns about the impact of OpenAI\u2019s plan on their community, Senator Warnock announced his support for a statewide moratorium on data center construction.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s video on the dangers of AI to democracy HERE\n\nAdditional AI-generated photos showed the Senator with a full head of hair, while one post falsely announced he was the grandparent of twins.\n\nSee below for a transcript\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201dI recently ran across this Facebook page that was posting tons of fake AI-generated images and stories about me.\n\n\u201cSome of it was funny. This post, for example, says that apparently I have regrown a full head of hair. I should be so lucky. I checked the mirror this morning. Not true.\n\n\u201cSome of it was bizarre, like this post that says I\u2019ve had twin grandchildren.\n\n\u201cBut then there were other stories that were scary, suggesting that I was having some major health issues, and had even undergone surgery. Posts like these have received thousands of likes, thousands of views. Some well-meaning constituents and friends, well-wishers, actually called, saying that they were praying for my speedy recovery.\n\n\u201cAs these tools become increasingly powerful, it will get harder and harder to distinguish fact from fiction, and there are already bad actors out there who are doing everything they can to divide us and confuse us, and this has huge implications for our democracy.\n\n\u201cWhat if hours before an election, someone created a page with AI-generated images, fake stories about the candidates? How will voters know what\u2019s true and what\u2019s not true?\n\n\u201cWe have a whole lot of work to do where AI is concerned. AI is here; it is a part of our lives. We must deal with issues related to safety and jobs, but this underscores yet another issue: our democracy itself.\n\n\u201cSocial media companies have to move quickly to label this material. Congress needs to act. We need guardrails. We need regulations. We need to figure this out. The future is already here.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-clarity-act-vote/", "Warnock Statement on Clarity Act Vote", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "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 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after voting \u201cNO\u201d on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.3633, the Clarity Act.\n\n\u201cSenate Republicans\u2019 insistence on protecting this president\u2019s rampant corruption killed the Clarity Act. Like many of my Democratic colleagues, I was ready to continue negotiations and make reasonable compromises to provide much-needed regulatory certainty. But I will never look away when it comes to the President illegally enriching himself at the expense of the American people. To make it plain: Senate Republicans gave us no choice.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy work is not done today. I look forward to continuing to work with consumers and investors, and with industry stakeholders to pass a market structure bill into law that protects consumers and ensures that there are clear rules for digital asset investors, customers, and businesses so that Americans can innovate and prosper by owning their future in our financial system.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/after-gops-historic-medicaid-cuts-sen-ossoff-delivering-federal-funding-to-strengthen-georgias-rural-hospitals/", "After GOP\u2019s Historic Medicaid Cuts, Sen. Ossoff Delivering Federal Funding to Strengthen Georgia\u2019s Rural Hospitals", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 After Congressional Republican\u2019s historic cuts to Medicaid last year, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is delivering Federal funding to strengthen Georgia\u2019s rural hospitals.\n\nSen. Ossoff is delivering Federal funding to 18 rural hospitals across Georgia through the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program (RHPAP), a new program created earlier this year that offers Federal funding to rural hospitals to strengthen care and prevent hospital closures.\n\nAs a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Ossoff helped pass into law funding for this new Federal grant program as part of the bipartisan government funding bill that became law on February 3, 2026.\n\nAccording to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded hospitals may use this funding to retain physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, allowing hospitals to preserve essential services, including emergency, inpatient, and other critical health care services.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s rural hospitals have been under strain for years, made worse by recent cuts to Medicaid. Bringing Republicans and Democrats in Congress together, I helped pass into law this new Federal funding to combat the GOP\u2019s Medicaid cuts and help strengthen Georgia\u2019s rural hospitals. Now the Federal funding is on its way,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nAccording to HHS and the Federal funding notice, each hospital is expected to receive the same amount of Federal funding, or roughly $187,500 in Federal funding ($24,750,000 split between 132 hospitals).\n\nPlease find Federal grant funding below:\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to support Georgia\u2019s rural hospitals.\n\nThis year, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver health care upgrades for Southwest Georgia communities, including Federal funding to upgrade hospital infrastructure in Crisp County, deliver a new MRI machine to Irwin County, fund a new CT Scanner, mammogram machine, and ambulance in Clinch County, and purchase new medical equipment for maternal and neonatal care in Valdosta.\n\nSen. Ossoff also brought Republicans and Democrats together to expand health care services for families across North Georgia, including expanding health care transportation services in Rome, delivering a new Cardiac CT Scanner for a rural hospital in Union County, and delivering new equipment in Calhoun.\n\nIn 2024, Sen. Ossoff delivered Federal resources to Crisp Regional Hospital to help construct a new health clinic facility in Warwick, Georgia.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/watch-sen-ossoff-commemorates-25th-anniversary-of-september-11th-terrorist-attacks/", "WATCH: Sen. Ossoff Commemorates 25th Anniversary of September 11th Terrorist Attacks", "2026-09-11", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Atlanta, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.\n\n\u201cToday, I would like to pause and honor and remember all of those who were killed in New York, in Virginia, in Pennsylvania \u2013 all of the extraordinary first responders who lost their lives or put their lives on the line to rescue those who were stranded and wounded,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\n\u201cWe will never forget 9/11. We will never forget the heinous terrorist attack on American soil, and we will never cease our vigilance in defending the United States and the American people,\u201d Sen. Ossoff continued. \u201cToday, we remember those who lost their lives and all the heroes whose service on that day remains an example of American heroism and patriotism that will live on for centuries.\u201d\n\nClick here to watch Sen. Ossoff\u2019s message for your use on air.\n\nPlease find a transcript of Sen. Ossoff\u2019s message below:\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe it\u2019s been 25 years, and I know none of us can forget where we were when we first heard the news and saw the shocking images.\n\n\u201cToday, I would like to pause and honor and remember all of those who were killed in New York, in Virginia, in Pennsylvania\u2013all of the extraordinary first responders who lost their lives or put their lives on the line to rescue those who were stranded and wounded.\n\n\u201cWe will never forget 9/11. We will never forget the heinous terrorist attack on American soil. And we will never cease our vigilance in defending the United States and the American people.\n\n\u201cToday, we remember those who lost their lives and all the heroes whose service on that day remains an example of American heroism and patriotism that will live on for centuries.\n\n\u201cThank you so much.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-12T09:02:30Z", "2026-09-12T09:03:27Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-delivering-nearly-500-million-to-improve-water-infrastructure-damaged-by-hurricane-helene/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Delivering Nearly $500 Million to Improve Water Infrastructure Damaged by Hurricane Helene", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff today announced they are delivering nearly $500 million in Federal funding to upgrade water infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are delivering nearly $500 million to upgrade water infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Helene, including nearly $360 million for drinking water upgrades and nearly $125 million for wastewater upgrades.\n\nThe Federal grants come through the Federal bipartisan disaster funding package that Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock helped passed in December 2024.\n\n\u201cBringing Republicans and Democrats together, we are delivering these resources to help improve Georgia\u2019s water infrastructure after Hurricane Helene,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\n\u201cHurricane Helene was a wake-up call: our state\u2019s water infrastructure is not ready to handle extreme weather. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to work alongside Sen. Ossoff to unlock federal relief funding to help prevent dangerous flooding and keep clean drinking water flowing when the next storm hits,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nThe Federal funding will be delivered to the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), who will then distribute the Federal funds to local projects. According to the State and GEFA, the Federal funding is distributed across five funding categories:\n\nHRF (Helene Resilience Funding) for wastewater: $124.9 million\n\nHRF (Helene Resilience Funding) for decentralized wastewater (septic systems): $8.96 million\n\nHRF (Helene Resilience Funding) for drinking water: $359.5 million\n\nEmergency wastewater: $3.3 million\n\nEmergency drinking water: $2.75 million\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to upgrade infrastructure throughout the State of Georgia.\n\nIn June, Sen. Ossoff delivered over $37 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law to remove lead pipes and conduct essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades across Georgia through the Lead Service Line Replacement Program.\n\nIn May, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock and Reps. Williams and McBath brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver $1,092,000 in Federal funding for key stormwater infrastructure upgrades along Norman Berry Drive in East Point, including a storm water main replacement and headwall restoration to improve stormwater flows and prevent sink holes in the area.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver $954,000 in Federal funding to help the City of Hampton implement critical stormwater infrastructure improvements and reduce flooding along Woolsey Road.\n\nAlso in April, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock and Rep. McBath brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $1,092,000 in Federal funding to help improve South Fulton\u2019s stormwater infrastructure, including the replacement of old stormwater pipes and measures to mitigate the effect of flooding near homes.\n\nIn March, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock and Reps. Williams and McBath brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver over $2.1 million in Federal funding to help the City of College Park upgrade its drinking water infrastructure.\n\nIn December, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act to improve water infrastructure systems across rural Georgia.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-meets-with-gullah-geechee-community-members-visits-historic-harrington-school/", "Warnock Meets with Gullah Geechee Community Members, Visits Historic Harrington School", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "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 met with Gullah Geechee community members at the historic Harrington School in St. Simons Island to discuss environmental health concerns, land ownership, and cultural preservation\n\nCommunity members discussed high levels of toxic chemicals found in the blood of Glynn County residents living near Brunswick Superfund sites\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cCoastal Georgia families should not have to choose between their history or their health\u201d\n\nSt. Simons, GA \u2013 Last Friday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) met with members of the Gullah Geechee community in St. Simons, Georgia to hear about challenges facing coastal Georgia communities. The Gullah Geechee are descendants of Africans who were enslaved along the coastal regions of the Southeast and have preserved cultural traditions and connections to the land. Senator Warnock discussed environmental health concerns, generational land ownership, and preservation of Gullah Geechee culture.\n\nThe meeting was held at the Historic Harrington School, the last remaining African American schoolhouse on St. Simons Island. Senator Warnock toured the schoolhouse, viewing exhibits on the building\u2019s history and Gullah Geechee culture. The schoolhouse, built in 1924, is the last remaining African American schoolhouse on St. Simons Island and a central site of Gullah Geechee heritage. Senator Warnock has requested $233,000 in congressionally directed spending to support the rehabilitation of the Harrington School.\n\nDuring the meeting, Senator Warnock discussed research examining the health impacts of Brunswick Superfund sites on the community. Research from Emory University found that these superfund sites have contributed to higher levels of toxic chemicals in the blood of Glynn County residents, compared to the general population. Senator Warnock questioned how living near these Superfund sites has affected the Gullah Geechee community\u2019s sense of safety and connection to the local environment.\n\n\u201cCoastal Georgia families should not have to choose between their history or their health,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m grateful to the Gullah Geechee community members who shared their experiences and ideas on how we can protect their health while preserving lands that have been passed down for generations.\u201d\n\nThe conversation also focused on economic pressures facing community members, as rising property taxes and the cost of living have driven Gullah Geechee families off their ancestral lands. Senator Warnock has made it a priority to lower the rising cost of everyday essentials like housing, gas, groceries, and childcare.\n\nSenator Warnock has been a longtime advocate for the Gullah Geechee community. He has introduced a billto extend authorization for the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor and secured over $2.3 million for McIntosh County to improve emergency response following the Sapelo Island dock collapse.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-wyden-open-inquiry-into-trump-administrations-political-targeting-of-non-profits/", "Warnock, Wyden Open Inquiry into Trump Administration\u2019s Political Targeting of Non-Profits", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The senators\u2019 probe follows reports that the Trump administration is politically targeting non-profit, non-partisan organizations\n\nSenators Reverend Warnock, Wyden: \u201cAmericans of every political persuasion must be able to trust that the IRS applies the tax code objectively under one set of rules\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, and Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, launched an inquiry into reports that the Trump administration is developing plans to weaponize the Internal Revenue Service\u2019s (IRS) tax enforcement authority to target perceived ideological opponents.\n\n\u201cAmericans of every political persuasion must be able to trust that the IRS applies the tax code objectively under one set of rules,\u201d wrote Senators Warnock and Wyden. \u201cRather than targeting actual violence, these directives explicitly conflate terrorism with subjective political viewpoints\u2014such as \u2018anti-capitalism,\u2019 \u2018anti-Christianity,\u2019 and views on race, migration, and gender.\u201d\n\nThe senators demand that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano disclose any details about the development of the Trump administration\u2019s directive targeting non-profit organizations for political reasons, any communications to direct IRS employees to conduct prohibited enforcement actions, and to preserve any documents or communications associated with this effort.\n\nThis latest effort to target non-profit organizations over baseless claims of impropriety further demonstrates the Trump administration\u2019s willingness to put political interests ahead of the American people and substantiates concerns raised by Senator Warnock during Mr. Bisignano\u2019s appearance before the Senate Finance Committee in April. In a similar hearing earlier this year, Senator Warnock pressed Secretary Bessent on the Trump administration\u2019s continued indifference to the economic concerns of ordinary Americans.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\n\u201cDear Secretary Bessent and Mr. Bisignano:\n\n\u201cWe write regarding disturbing reports that senior Treasury officials are developing plans to target left-leaning tax-exempt organizations with IRS enforcement scrutiny and potentially revoke their tax-exempt status. These reports suggest that political considerations\u2014including the timing of the 2026 midterm elections\u2014are influencing that effort.\n\n\u201cThe New York Post reported on August 27, 2026, that Treasury officials are reviewing tax-exempt organizations\u2019 tax-exempt status, including the Open Society Foundations, Southern Poverty Law Center, Council on American-Islamic Relations, and other left-leaning \u2018anti-corporate\u2019 and labor-aligned organizations. It reported that members of Secretary Bessent\u2019s \u2018inner circle\u2019 are developing a \u2018blueprint\u2019 for possible revocations of these organizations\u2019 tax-exempt status, and that Administration officials want to complete \u2018a good chunk of the crackdown\u2019 before the midterm elections.\n\n\u201cFollowing the 2013 controversy regarding the IRS\u2019s treatment of conservative organizations\u2019 applications for tax exemption, the Senate Finance Committee conducted a two-year bipartisan investigation. Republican leaders repeatedly argued that tax administration must never be influenced by political bias or viewpoint. That principle should apply equally regardless of the political views of the organizations involved.\n\n\u201cIf accurate, the New York Post report raises serious questions about whether political officials are influencing IRS decisions concerning particular taxpayers in ways prohibited by federal law.\n\n\u201cSection 7217 of the Internal Revenue Code makes it unlawful for senior Executive Branch officials to \u2018request, directly or indirectly,\u2019 that the IRS conduct or terminate \u2018an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer.\u2019 IRS employees who receive prohibited requests must report them to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). A willful violation is punishable by a fine, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.\n\n\u201cThe New York Post\u2019s reporting fits a wider pattern of the Trump administration actively using national security directives to weaponize the IRS against protected First Amendment speech. In September 2025, President Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7) and an Executive Order directing the IRS and federal agencies to target the financial networks of \u2018Antifa\u2019 and domestic terrorists.\n\n\u201cHowever, rather than targeting actual violence, these directives explicitly conflate terrorism with subjective political viewpoints\u2014such as \u2018anti-capitalism,\u2019 \u2018anti-Christianity,\u2019 and views on race, migration, and gender.\n\n\u201cFormer Attorney General Bondi made this explicit in her December 4, 2025 memorandum, which ordered law enforcement to map the financial sponsors of \u2018Antifa-aligned extremists,\u2019 and pursue applicable tax crimes based on those same ideological viewpoints. Consequently, IRS Criminal Investigation is now actively working with the FBI to scrutinize nonprofits in response to these partisan directives.\n\n\u201cThe reported \u2018blueprint\u2019 targeting left-leaning nonprofits is consistent with the Trump Administration\u2019s campaign against higher education. In the spring of 2025, Trump said \u2018Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting \u2018Sickness?\u2019\u2019 He also said he is targeting Harvard because he disapproves of its diversity and inclusion admissions programs and claims it has not sufficiently addressed antisemitism on campus.\n\n\u201cIn contrast to NSPM-7, the Bondi memo, and Trump\u2019s statements on social media, section 501(c)(3) and longstanding IRS authorities establish the objective standards for non-profit organizations to receive tax-exempt status. While unlawful activity may jeopardize exemption, these authorities do not authorize the government to withdraw tax exemption because it disfavors an organization\u2019s views. Indeed, earlier this year, CEO Bisignano testified before the Senate Finance Committee that IRS has \u2018never\u2019 acted on the President\u2019s various statements criticizing his political opponents and that they have \u2018no influence\u2019 on the IRS.\n\n\u201cIRS procedures similarly require impartial and consistent examination selection and independent classification review. IRS examiners must evaluate evidence impartially and determine exempt status \u2018strictly on the laws that govern qualification.\u2019 Whether an organization complies with section 501(c)(3) cannot properly depend on whether enforcement can be completed before Election Day.\n\n\u201cFinally, auditing specific taxpayers is the IRS\u2019s responsibility, not the responsibility of political officials at Treasury. If Treasury officials have accessed taxpayer-specific tax return information, including audit files or internal enforcement information, they may have violated section 6103, which permits access to protected taxpayer information only when required for an employee\u2019s tax-administration duties.\n\n\u201cPlease provide the following information and documents by September 15, 2026:\n\n1. Provide the reported \u2018blueprint,\u2019 including all policies, directives, guidance, criteria, and other documents concerning Treasury and IRS implementation of NSPM-7 as it relates to tax-exempt organizations, including criteria for selecting organizations for examination or possible revocation.\n\n2. Identify the Treasury, IRS, White House, and other Executive Branch officials who developed those policies or criteria or recommended particular tax-exempt organizations for review.\n\n3. State whether Treasury, the White House, or another Executive Branch office has identified or recommended particular organizations\u2014including any of those named in the Post report\u2014for IRS examination, investigation, compliance review, or revocation. If so, identify the recommending office and the legal authority and criteria relied upon, without disclosing protected return information.\n\n4. State whether Secretary Bessent, any Treasury political appointee, any White House employee, or any other person covered by section 7217 has communicated directly or indirectly with IRS personnel about an audit or investigation of a particular taxpayer. If so, state whether any IRS employee made a report to TIGTA under section 7217(b). Provide any written request by Secretary Bessent that Treasury contends falls within the exception in section 7217(c)(3)for requests made \u2018as a consequence of the implementation of a change in tax policy\u2019 and identify the change in tax policy that Treasury contends gave rise to the request.\n\n5. State whether any Executive Branch official has asked IRS personnel to accelerate, prioritize, complete, or take enforcement action concerning particular tax-exempt organizations before the November 2026 elections.\n\n6. State whether political affiliation, ideological viewpoint, electoral timing, classifications such as \u2018Antifa-aligned,\u2019 or any of the ideological concepts identified in NSPM-7 have been used, formally or informally, to identify organizations for IRS scrutiny. If so, identify the statutory or regulatory authority and objective criteria supporting their use.\n\n7. Explain the legal and evidentiary standards Treasury and IRS are applying to determine when a tax-exempt organization has \u2018directly or indirectly\u2019 financed political violence or domestic terrorism (as stated in NSPM-7), including the required nexus, knowledge, intent, materiality, and substantiality, and identify the relevant statutes, regulations, published guidance, and judicial decisions.\n\n8. Describe the safeguards in place to ensure that referrals resulting from NSPM-7 are subject to the IRS\u2019s ordinary classification and examination-selection procedures and state whether any official outside the IRS can direct examination of an organization over the objection of career IRS personnel.\n\n9. State whether the President or White House personnel have requested or received return information concerning tax-exempt organizations in connection with this initiative and, if so, whether the requirements of section 6103(g), including applicable reporting and recordkeeping requirements, were satisfied.\n\n10. Given Secretary Bessent\u2019s prior senior roles at Soros Fund Management and Soros Fund Management\u2019s relationship with the Open Society Foundations, describe any ethics review, recusal determination, waiver, screening arrangement, or other measure addressing Secretary Bessent\u2019s participation in matters involving the Open Society Foundations.\n\n\u201cPlease also preserve all potentially responsive records, including emails, text and encrypted-message communications, memoranda, notes, calendar entries, meeting materials, and draft documents.\n\n\u201cAmericans of every political persuasion must be able to trust that the IRS applies the tax code objectively under one set of rules. Organizations that violate section 501(c)(3) should face appropriate enforcement regardless of their politics\u2014and organizations should never face IRS scrutiny because political officials disapprove of their views.\n\n\u201cWe expect your prompt cooperation with this inquiry.\n\nSincerely,\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-backing-bipartisan-bill-to-expand-technical-skills-training-programs/", "Sen. Ossoff Backing Bipartisan Bill to Expand Technical Skills Training Programs", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is backing a bipartisan bill to expand housing construction training programs in Georgia.\n\nSen. Ossoff is cosponsoring the bipartisan Creating Opportunities for New Skills Training at Rural or Underserved Colleges and Trade Schools (CONSTRUCTS) Act of 2025 to help address the affordable housing crisis by helping train more students in housing construction.\n\nThe bill, first introduced by Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), would establish a new Federal grant program for residential housing construction programs at technical schools and community colleges.\n\nAccording to the National Association of Home Builders, the residential housing industry faces a shortage of between 200,000 and 400,000 construction workers in any given month.\n\n\u201cGeorgia families urgently need more affordable housing. I am working with Republicans and Democrats to pass this legislation to create good-paying jobs and help build more homes across our state,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to lower housing prices for Georgia families.\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff helped pass the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, aimed at making housing more affordable in Georgia and across the Nation.\n\nIn 2026, Sen. Ossoff delivered $1,005,000 in Federal resources to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County to support efforts to build a new home development in the City of Gainesville, and delivered $1,312,000 to the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners, which plans to work alongside Habitat for Humanity Milledgeville-Baldwin County, to build new affordable housing units in Baldwin County.\n\nLast August, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to require a Federal watchdog investigation into the housing affordability crisis and to help ID solutions.\n\nIn 2025, Sen. Ossoff launched an investigation into large, out-of-state companies purchasing single-family homes across the State of Georgia, raising prices for families and reducing the supply of family homes available for purchase.\n\nAlso in 2025, Sens. Ossoff and Ashley Moody (R-FL) introduced the bipartisan Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder (HELPER) Act of 2025, which would establish a new home loan program under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to help law enforcement, fire fighters, medical first responders, and teachers buy homes in the communities they serve.\n\nIn 2024, Sen. Ossoff introduced the Access to Homeownership Act to require landlords that receive financing through the Federal government, including through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, for multifamily properties like apartment buildings to offer tenants the ability to have their on-time rental payments reported to credit bureaus.\n\nClick here to read the CONSTRUCTS Act of 2025.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-calls-for-data-center-moratorium-after-visiting-openai-site-meeting-with-effingham-county-neighbors/", "ICYMI: Warnock Calls for Data Center Moratorium After Visiting OpenAI Site, Meeting with Effingham County Neighbors", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "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 Raphael Warnock called for a statewide moratorium on all data center construction that can only be lifted for specific projects that adopt comprehensive safeguards around utility costs, transparency, and pollution\n\nSenator Warnock met with residents in Effingham County to discuss the impact of OpenAI\u2019s proposed data center on their community\n\nGuyton, GA \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) called for a statewide moratorium on all data center construction after visiting the proposed site of OpenAI\u2019s new 3.2-gigawatt data center in Effingham County. Ahead of this announcement, the Senator met with several residents who raised serious concerns about the impact of OpenAI\u2019s massive data center on their community, specifically higher utility costs and more water, light and noise pollution.\n\nUnder Senator Warnock\u2019s proposal, the moratorium can be lifted for a specific project only if:\n\nThere are no water or electric bill increases because of the data center\n\nThere are no sweetheart tax giveaways to data center developers\n\nThere are no NDAs\n\nThe data center will not cause air and water pollution\n\nThere is no ambiguity around noise and light pollution\n\n\u201cThe lack of transparency here in Effingham County and in counties across our state and across the country is unacceptable, and that\u2019s why today I\u2019m calling for a moratorium on data centers,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warnock sent a letter calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to provide local communities with tools, resources, best practices, and protections as they negotiate with multi-billion-dollar data center corporations. Specifically, this letter focused on concerns about data centers straining community water supplies, especially while Georgia experiences a historic drought.\n\nMore coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s call for a statewide data center moratorium below:\n\nWSAV: U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is calling for a statewide moratorium on data center construction after meeting with Effingham County residents Friday who raised concerns about OpenAI\u2019s proposed Project Camellia.\n\nWTOC: Sen. Raphael Warnock called for a moratorium on data centers Friday during a visit to Effingham County, saying OpenAI\u2019s data center project moved forward without input from the community.\n\nWJCL: Effingham County residents met with U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock on Friday to express concerns about the proposed Camellia Data Center, which would be located near their homes.\n\nWSB-TV: A U.S. senator representing Georgia is calling for a state moratorium on data center construction, starting with one of the largest in the nation in southeast Georgia\u2019s Effingham County.\n\nAtlanta Journal-Constitution: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock had sharp words for Effingham County officials and OpenAI, which recently announced a $20 billion data center there, calling for a moratorium on similar projects in Georgia unless big tech companies and developers can promise specific economic and environmental protections for residents.\n\nCBS Atlanta: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock has called for a statewide moratorium on data centers in Georgia unless safeguards for the community are put in place.\n\nWABE: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock is calling for a statewide moratorium on data centers after visiting the site where OpenAI plans to build a massive data center in coastal Georgia.\n\nThe Current: U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock on Friday called for a moratorium on data center construction in Georgia, describing the secrecy surrounding plans to build a $20 billion data center in Effingham County \u201cunacceptable.\u201d\n\nEffingham Herald: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., came home to coastal Georgia Friday to visit the proposed site of OpenAI\u2019s $20 billion Project Camellia in Effingham County \u2014 and called for a moratorium on data center development until residents have a meaningful voice in whether such projects are built in their communities.\n\nSavannah Morning News: U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is calling for a statewide moratorium on data centers. The announcement came Friday morning during a press conference at Zion Lutheran Church in Guyton, where Warnock met with residents and stakeholders regarding the planned data center in Rincon. He also laid out the only reasons the moratorium should be lifted if implemented.\n\nColumbus Ledger-Enquirer: Friday, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) pushed for a moratorium on data centers in a video on Instagram after visiting the construction site for OpenAI\u2019s Project Camellia.\n\nThe Post-Searchlight: Speaking at the site of a planned OpenAI data center in Effingham County, Sen. Raphael Warnock called for a statewide moratorium on data centers Friday.\n\nWRBL: U.S. Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) met with community stakeholders and media on Friday to discuss concerns related to a planned data center near Savannah.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-delivering-nearly-50-million-to-upgrade-robins-air-force-base/", "Sen. Ossoff Delivering Nearly $50 Million to Upgrade Robins Air Force Base", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Robins AFB, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is delivering Federal funding to upgrade Robins Air Force Base.\n\nSen. Ossoff, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Military Construction and VA Subcommittee, is delivering nearly $50 million in Federal funding to upgrade infrastructure at Robins Air Force Base.\n\nSen. Ossoff and his team worked to help ensure Robins AFB got the funding needed for these upgrades, which include repairs to HVAC and fire alarm systems, lighting upgrades, a new decontamination area, sewer system improvements, and new office spaces.\n\nSen. Ossoff serves as the top Democrat on the Military Construction and VA Appropriations Subcommittee, positioning him to fight for and deliver Federal funding for key Georgia projects impacting national security, military readiness, quality-of-life for servicemembers and military families, and more.\n\n\u201cThe team protecting our nation at Robins Air Force Base needs continued support for their heroic efforts. I helped bring Republicans and Democrats together to fund these important projects to help our servicemembers and civilian personnel serving at Robins do their jobs and be safe,\u201dSen. Ossoff said.\n\nFunding for the projects came through U.S. Air Force\u2019s budget for operations and maintenance projects and the Air Force\u2019s Working Capital Funds, both of which received additional funding in this year\u2019s bipartisan government funding package that became law on February 3, 2026.\n\nPlease find more details about the Federal funding for Robins Air Force Base below:\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to support Robins AFB.\n\nIn May, Sen. Ossoff held a hearing about funding priorities for military construction projects and highlighted the need to improve quality of life on Georgia\u2019s defense installations, including at Robins.\n\nLast June, Sen. Ossoff held a hearing about funding priorities for military construction projects and highlighted key projects in Georgia, including upgrades needed at Robins.\n\nIn January 2024, Sen. Ossoff passed into law his Robins Air Force Base Battle Management Enhancement Act through the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorized the first step in construction of the Battle Management Combined Operations Complex. Then in April 2024, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $50 million for the new Battle Management Combined Operations Complex at Robins AFB.\n\nIn 2022, Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock brought Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-RI) to Robins AFB to highlight the important role Robins AFB plays in U.S. national security.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/new-report-georgians-report-insurance-companies-are-denying-or-delaying-care-doctors-say-they-need/", "NEW REPORT: Georgians Report Insurance Companies Are Denying or Delaying Care Doctors Say They Need", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Click hereto read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s new report on insurance companies denying or delaying Georgians care their doctors say they need\n\nAtlanta, Ga. \u2014 A new report from U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff reveals insurance companies are denying or delaying care Georgians\u2019 doctors say they need.\n\nToday, Sen. Ossoff released a new report that details how Georgians are suffering delays or denials of medically necessary health care due to issues with \u201cprior authorization,\u201d where an insurance company can deny care even if doctors prescribe patients the treatment and say they need it.\n\nThe report includes dozens of reports from Georgia patients, who have reported that prior authorization issues with their insurance companies have resulted in delays and denials of medically necessary health care, leading, in some cases to untreated life-threatening conditions, and/or severe financial hardship.\n\nIn January, Sen. Ossoff launched an investigation into the impacts of rising health care costs and cuts to health care services, and in June, Sen. Ossoff urged Georgians to share stories of insurance companies denying or delaying medically necessary health care.\n\n\u201cNo American should be delayed or denied needed health care. It is unacceptable that Americans, who are paying record premiums to insurers making record profits in the world\u2019s richest country, are nevertheless denied medically necessary care,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cI will continue exposing these practices and working to ban insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care.\u201d\n\nGeorgia cancer patients and their family members have reported to the Senator\u2019s staff that their medically necessary cancer treatments have been delayed and denied by their insurance companies. As detailed in the report:\n\nKathy Lemoine, based in Lawrenceville, is a mother whose son, Andrew, was diagnosed at 29 years old with colon cancer and passed away six months later, shortly after turning 30. Ms. Lemoine reported that the process of watching her son deteriorate was \u201cunbearable.\u201d \u201cMany parts of his treatment required prior authorization. And the one thing you don\u2019t have with cancer is time to waste,\u201d Ms. Lemoine observed. During his initial hospital stay after having a colostomy bag, Andrew was given and subsequently prescribed certain medications. However, Ms. Lemoine was unable to initially pick up Andrew\u2019s medication because his prescriptions required prior authorization, meaning their insurance company had not yet approved them. Ms. Lemoine reports, \u201cstopping these medications would have been life threatening for Andrew.\u201d Ms. Lemoine was forced to pay out-of-pocket for the medications. During his chemotherapy, Andrew also suffered from extreme nausea and struggled to eat, and his mother requested that he receive intravenous nutrients. However, his insurance refused to pay for the nutrient solution reportedly because Andrew was still being seen on an outpatient basis. Ms. Lemoine reported that for close to three months, the insurance company still refused to approve the solution, despite her many requests. Even when Andrew transitioned to inpatient care after being unable to eat, the insurance company still would not approve the solution for another month. Ms. Lemoine reports that during those two months Andrew lost 70 pounds and was constantly nauseated. Ms. Lemoine notes, \u201cAndrew would still be gone today because his cancer was so advanced, but he may have lived longer and suffered so much less if he had proper nutrition.\u201d\n\nGeorgia parents have reported to the Senator\u2019s staff that, even when their child\u2019s doctor prescribes a specific medication or treatment, insurance companies have delayed or denied medically necessary care, placing their children at unnecessary risk of harm or injury. As detailed in the report:\n\nJulia McCool, based in Buford, is a mother who has a two-year-old son. When he was about one year old, he was wheezing and having difficulty breathing, and Mrs. McCool took him to the ER where he was diagnosed with RSV and was prescribed an albuterol inhaler to force his airways open if he had an asthma attack. About one month later, her son started wheezing again, and Mrs. McCool took him back to the ER where she reported his doctors prescribed Flovent, a preventive medication that would lessen the risk of asthma attacks and wheezing over time. However, a day later, after leaving the hospital, Mrs. McCool had not heard from her pharmacy that the prescription had been filled. She called, only to learn that the medication required a prior authorization, which she said had not been approved. When she called her insurance company, they told her to \u201cget the hospital to prescribe something else.\u201d Even though the company eventually approved the medication, Mrs. McCool reported that she was \u201cdesperate\u201d and \u201cmaking calls to get this done\u201d while her son was sick and still wheezing:\u201cMy child was prescribed his doctor\u2019s first choice medication, and that should be what he gets. My insurance company should not decide what medication my child takes.\u201d\n\nGeorgia patients, including those with disabilities, have reported to the Senator\u2019s staff that delays and denials of their medically necessary health care have led to untreated conditions, resulting in extreme pain, risk of injury, dangerous symptoms, financial stress, and even suicide. As detailed in the report:\n\nLindsay Morrison, based in Fayetteville, learned that there was a problem with the discs in her spine in April 2025. She was diagnosed by an orthopedist with degenerative disc disease of the spine and was told she needed an immediate surgery to address one of the discs in her neck. Her doctor told her that if she had the surgery within 15 days, she would be guaranteed not to have nerve issues. The surgery was scheduled for mid-May, and then the day before the surgery, Ms. Morrison said she received a call from her doctor informing her that the insurance company would not cover the surgery because she had not first gone to physical therapy to address the issue. For four months, between May and August, Ms. Morrison said that her insurance company continued to delay and deny her access to the surgery, requiring her to \u201cjump through hoops\u201d to get the approval, including physical therapy sessions and obtaining a third-party opinion from a different doctor. Within two weeks of physical therapy, Ms. Morrison said she was in so much pain that she had to quit therapy and could not even tie her own shoes, take her dog outside, walk around the block, or participate in her daughter\u2019s birthday party. Ms. Morrison finally received approval for the surgery from her insurance company in August. She told the Senator\u2019s office that she now must take daily medication to deal with nerve issues that have emerged in her arm due to the delay in getting the surgery. \u201cEvery aspect of my life was affected,\u201d she reports. \u201cAny faith I had in religion or people was completely gone after this experience.\u201d\n\nA Johns Hopkins study found that the practice of prior authorization, where patients must seek approval from their insurance company before receiving care, was \u201cassociated with disease exacerbation, preventable hospitalization, prolonged hospital stay, and lower rates of disease-free survival.\u201d\n\nAccording to KFF, virtually all seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage must obtain prior authorization for some services, and in 2024 over four million of these requests were denied.\n\nAdditionally, KFF also found that of the approximately 85 million Affordable Care Act (ACA) in-network denied claims in 2024, less than 1% were appealed, forcing patients either to pay for services out-of-pocket, despite having \u201ccoverage,\u201d or forgoing care \u2013 solely because of decisions made by insurance companies.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues to work to ban insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care.\n\nLast month, Senate Republicans blocked a Senate resolution cosponsored by Sen. Ossoff to stop the Trump Administration from allowing artificial intelligence to improperly deny seniors\u2019 needed health care.\n\nIn June, during the Senate\u2019s vote series, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care, but Senate Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment. This followed Senate Republicans blocking Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment during a Senate budget debate in April.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz about insurance practices that lead to denied claims and delayed health care that patients need.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s new report: Georgians\u2019 Health at Risk: Insurance Companies Denying Necessary Health Care.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-visits-future-openai-data-center-site-calls-for-statewide-moratorium/", "Warnock Visits Future OpenAI Data Center Site, Calls for Statewide Moratorium", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock met with residents in Effingham County to discuss the impact of OpenAI\u2019s proposed data center on their community\n\nIn July, OpenAI announced it would construct a 3.2-gigawatt data center in Effingham County, Georgia\n\nSenator Warnock called for a moratorium on data center construction that can only be lifted for specific projects if certain safeguards around utility bills, transparency, and pollution are put in place\n\nVIDEO: Senator Reverend Warnock Calls for Statewide Data Center Moratorium\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThe lack of transparency here in Effingham County and in counties across our state and across the country is unacceptable, and that\u2019s why today I\u2019m calling for a moratorium on data centers\u201d\n\nGuyton, GA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) visited the proposed site of OpenAI\u2019s new 3.2-gigawatt data center in Effingham County. Senator Warnock viewed the site of the proposed project with Effingham resident John Smith who lives across the street from the site. Then, Senator Warnock met with several residents and members of the Protect Effingham Alliance who raised serious concerns about the impact of OpenAI\u2019s plan on their community, specifically higher utility costs and more water, light, and noise pollution.\n\nAfter speaking with local residents, Senator Warnock announced his support for a statewide moratorium on data center construction.\n\nUnder Senator Warnock\u2019s proposal, the moratorium can be lifted for a specific project only if:\n\nThere are no water or electric bill increases because of the data center\n\nThere are no sweetheart tax giveaways to developers\n\nThere are no NDAs\n\nThe data center will not cause air and water pollution\n\nThere is no ambiguity around noise and light pollution\n\n\u201cData center developers across the country are not operating in partnership with communities, and that\u2019s why everyday citizens on both sides of the aisle are rightly and equally concerned about this,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThe lack of transparency here in Effingham County and in counties across our state and across the country is unacceptable, and that\u2019s why today I\u2019m calling for a moratorium on data centers.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, announced plans to construct a new 1,400-acre data center in Effingham County, Georgia. The $20 billion proposal, named \u201cProject Camellia,\u201d will require 3.2 gigawatts, the equivalent of providing power for 2.3 million homes.\n\nEffingham County residents were effectively excluded from the decision-making process, despite well-founded concerns that \u201cProject Camellia\u201d could raise electricity rates, create disruptive light and noise pollution, and otherwise affect the local community and nearby elementary school.\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warnock sent a letter calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to provide local communities with tools, resources, best practices, and protections as they negotiate with multi-billion-dollar data center corporations. Specifically, this letter focused on concerns about data centers straining community water supplies, especially while Georgia experiences a historic drought.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-working-across-the-aisle-to-improve-maternal-health-in-georgia/", "Sen. Ossoff Working Across the Aisle to Improve Maternal Health in Georgia", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working across the aisle to improve maternal health in Georgia.\n\nSen. Ossoff is cosponsoring the NIH Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Act to provide funding for the National Institutes of Health\u2019s IMPROVE Initiative, which conducts research to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity.\n\nThe NIH IMPROVE Act, introduced by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), would authorize $73.4 million annually for the NIH IMPROVE initiative for seven years and would ensure consistent resources for ongoing research to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths and improve health care for women before, during, and after pregnancy.\n\n\u201cThe shockingly high maternal mortality rate for women in Georgia is a travesty. It is unacceptable for any mother to suffer or die because she lacks proper care,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cI am working to pass this bipartisan bill to reduce maternal deaths and improve health care for women before, during, and after pregnancy.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to support the health and safety of Georgia mothers and children.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the Social Determinants for Moms Act to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce the maternal mortality rate in Georgia and across the country.\n\nLast summer, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Ossoff worked across the aisle to secure key provisions in the U.S. Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill, including restoring staffing for Safe Motherhood and Infant Health programs; increasing funding for implementation of the Kira Johnson Act, which provides funding for community-based organizations working to advance maternal health; and restoring NIH\u2019s participation in the Safe to Sleep campaign.\n\nIn May 2025, Sen. Ossoff released findings from his investigation into the impacts of Georgia\u2019s 6-week abortion ban, in which Georgia OBGYNs revealed they had personally encountered cases in which Georgia\u2019s six-week abortion ban contributed to a health complication or death of the mother.\n\nLast March, Sen. Ossoff and other members of Congress demanded the Trump Administration provide answers on the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).\n\nLast February, Sen. Ossoff introduced an amendment to protect children\u2019s and maternal health care through Medicaid that Senate Republicans blocked.\n\nAlso in 2024, as Chair of the Senate Human Rights Subcommittee, Sen. Ossoff convened two public hearings at which Georgia women and Georgia OBGYNs testified to the harmful impacts of Georgia\u2019s abortion ban.\n\nClick here to read the NIH IMPROVE Act.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-rev-warnock-upgrading-savannah-hilton-head-international-airport-through-bipartisan-infrastructure-law/", "Sen. Ossoff\u00a0& Rev. Warnock Upgrading Savannah/Hilton\u00a0Head International Airport Through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff today announced new bipartisan infrastructure law resources to upgrade Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.\n\nToday, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock announced they are delivering more than $4 million in Federal funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law to upgrade and help maintain Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.\n\nThe Federal funding, delivered through the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program, will help reconstruct a taxiway at the airport.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s airports are a key driver of job creation and economic competitiveness. That\u2019s why we are pleased to deliver this funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law for Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. Our bipartisan infrastructure law will continue to deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia\u2019s infrastructure for years to come,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\n\u201cThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Georgia, and I\u2019m proud to have worked with Senator Ossoff and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this done,\u201d said Sen. Rev. Warnock. \u201cGeorgia is one of the most important aviation states in the nation. I will always champion our airports and aviation community to ensure that our economy and travelers can reach new heights.\u201d\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock continue delivering resources to upgrade Georgia\u2019s airports and strengthen economic growth.\n\nIn May, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock delivered $10 million in Federal funding through the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) Airport Terminal Program (ATP), authorized by the bipartisan infrastructure law, to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.\n\nIn September 2024, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock delivered over $60 million in Federal investments for Georgia\u2019s airports through the bipartisan infrastructure law, including over $11 million for taxiway construction at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.\n\nIn May 2024, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock delivered over $120 million in Federal grant funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law for airport infrastructure upgrades, including nearly $6 million for Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.\n\nIn 2023, Sen. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock delivered $6.5 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law to support security screening checkpoint expansion projects already underway at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport \u2014adding 23,000 square feet to the south side of the terminal building, and an additional two screening lanes to create a smoother traveling experience for millions of flyers.\n\nIn June 2021, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock delivered a new $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to expand the tarmac at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-26T05:33:32Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-pushes-federal-reserve-chair-to-include-labor-in-new-federal-reserve-ai-task-force/", "Warnock Pushes Federal Reserve Chair to Include Labor in New Federal Reserve AI Task Force", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "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 is calling on Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh to include worker perspectives as the Fed assesses the implications of new technologies for the American workforce\n\nAll three individuals tapped to advise the Fed on artificial intelligence have financial ties to the industry\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed protections for American workers as automation and AI reshape the workforce and economy\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, colleagues: \u201cA task force asked to assess AI\u2019s real economic impact on the labor force and the Fed\u2019s mandate to promote maximum employment cannot do so accurately while excluding the very people best positioned to describe how that impact is unfolding: American workers\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, led a Senate coalition demanding that Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh include worker perspectives as the Fed assesses the implications of new technologies for the American workers whose jobs may be displaced by artificial intelligence (AI).\n\n\u201cAI\u2019s potential to reshape work is significant, and the stakes for workers are high: even a partial shift in how tasks are automated could affect millions of jobs across the economy, and workers have the necessary first-hand accounting of how AI is currently reshaping day-to-day tasks,\u201d wrote Senator Warnock and his colleagues. \u201cA task force asked to assess AI\u2019s real economic impact on the labor force and the Fed\u2019s mandate to promote maximum employment cannot do so accurately while excluding the very people best positioned to describe how that impact is unfolding: American workers.\u201d\n\nLast month, Chairman Warsh launched the Federal Reserve\u2019s Task Force on Productivity and Jobs to evaluate how AI and other emerging technologies could affect the economy and the labor market. Yet, in an alarming conflict of interest, all three advisors selected to advise the Fed on AI have financial ties to the industry.\n\nAt a Senate Banking Committee hearing in July, Senator Warnock pressed Chairman Warsh on how the Fed would protect American workers from potential job losses and economic disruption as AI reshapes the economy. In February, Senator Warnock introduced the bipartisan Investing In Tomorrow\u2019s Workforce Act to strengthen worker training and help Americans prepare for an economy increasingly shaped by automation and AI.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warnock and Warren, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Andy Kim (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Jack Reed (D-RI).\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\n\u201cDear Chair Warsh:\n\n\u201cWe write to request that you ensure that the Federal Reserve\u2019s (\u201cthe Fed\u201d) newly announced Task Force on Productivity and Jobs includes the perspective of individuals who represents the interests of workers. Congress gave the Fed a dual mandate that includes promoting maximum employment, and Artificial Intelligence\u2019s (AI) potential to disrupt the labor market bears directly on the Fed\u2019s ability to fulfill that mandate. We welcome the Fed evaluating AI\u2019s effects on productivity and jobs, but it is important that the Fed search outside of industry when appointing alternative, diverse viewpoints for this new task force.\n\n\u201cOn June 17, 2026, you announced the creation of five task forces to \u2018advance the conduct of monetary policy.\u2019 The task forces have been directed to \u2018follow the evidence, provide candid feedback, and produce rigorous findings for the Federal Open Market Committee\u2019 (FOMC). This included a Task Force on Productivity and Jobs, which is tasked with \u2018assess[ing] the economic impact of new general-purpose technologies, including artificial intelligence, to inform the Federal Reserve\u2019s policy judgments.\u2019 The Fed explained that the task forces would be \u2018co-led by external advisers . . . with deep expertise in their fields\u2019 and \u2018supported by Federal Reserve Staff.\u2019\n\n\u201cOn July 9, 2026, the Fed announced the three individuals who would lead the Task Force on Productivity and Jobs: Marc Andreessen, cofounder and general partner of Andreessen Horowitz; Charles Jones, a researcher at the Anthropic Institute; and Asha Sharma, executive vice president at Microsoft and Xbox CEO. All three have direct financial ties to the AI industry.\n\n\u201cThese potential conflicts were raised directly at your press conference on July 29, 2026, where you defended your selection process by explaining that your approach to building each task force was to find \u2018the best subject matter experts anywhere in the world and put them together,\u2019 particularly with people who \u2018might disagree with them.\u2019 You added that this design was meant to ensure each panel could have its own \u2018family fight\u2019 of divergent views. By your standard, however, a task force whose members are all financially tied to the AI industry cannot produce the genuine \u2018divergence of views\u2019 that you say you support.\n\n\u201cMultiple members on the Senate Banking Committee, including Senators Warnock and Smith, raised these questions during your hearing before the Committee on July 15, 2026. Senator Warnock asked you, \u2018Yes or no, will the Fed include anyone on this task force with an alternative viewpoint on AI? For example, anyone who represents the workers whose lives may be upended by increased adoption of AI tools and technology?\u2019 You replied that a task force member is an academic, yet this member (Professor Charles Jones) is currently on leave at Anthropic.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re glad the Fed is assessing the economic effects of AI, among other emerging technologies, and we generally support your assertion that the Fed must have a \u2018divergence of views,\u2019 while undertaking this assessment, including but not limited to perspectives from industry.\n\n\u201cWe strongly believe, however, having more viewpoints represented will produce stronger conclusions and support the FOMC in improved policymaking. Additional viewpoints on AI will help better inform the FOMC as key monetary policy decisions are made in order to fulfil the Fed\u2019s dual-mandate. AI\u2019s potential to reshape work is significant, and the stakes for workers are high: even a partial shift in how tasks are automated could affect millions of jobs across the economy, and workers have the necessary first-hand accounting of how AI is currently reshaping day-to-day tasks. A task force asked to assess AI\u2019s real economic impact on the labor force and the Fed\u2019s mandate to promote maximum employment cannot do so accurately while excluding the very people best positioned to describe how that impact is unfolding: American workers.\n\n\u201cAI has the potential to greatly improve American\u2019s lives. It also has the potential to disrupt the labor market across sectors all at once. While reviewing AI\u2019s impact on employment and inflation, the Fed cannot leave out workers and only hear from the people who stand to benefit the most financially from the continued deployment of AI. We therefore urge you to add individuals with no financial ties to the artificial AI industry and who represent the perspective of workers to this task force before it begins issuing recommendations to the Fed.\n\n\u201cWe look forward to continued engagement on this issue.\n\nSincerely,\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-more-than-7-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-georgia-during-hurricane-season/", "Warnock Secures More than $7 Million in Federal Funding to Support Georgia During Hurricane Season", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "This follows Senator Warnock\u2019s most recent announcement, securing nearly $90 million in outstanding Helene payments to Georgia communities\n\nLast year, Senator Warnock released a report finding that the Trump administration was shortchanging Georgia communities more than half a billion dollars in disaster relief aid\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cI am proud to announce that funding is coming to Georgia to help our communities be better prepared for hurricane season and other disasters\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) has successfully secured nearly $10 million in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Georgia communities to keep residents and vital infrastructure safe and secure in the midst of hurricane season.\n\n\u201cThe people of Georgia stepped up last year when our communities were devastatingly hit by Hurricane Helene,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI am proud to announce that funding is coming to Georgia to help our communities be better prepared for hurricane season and other disasters. Georgia communities will be more resilient and better prepared for severe weather with new systems to combat flooding and improved emergency communications.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warnock successfully secured an additional $87 million in federal funding for payments owed to Georgia counties and entities following Hurricane Helene. In December 2025, Senator Warnock announced $314 million in federal funding for outstanding payments owed to Georgia communities in the wake of Hurricane Helene. 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.\n\nIn 2025, a year after Hurricane Helene made landfall, Senator Warnock released a report finding that the Trump administration was withholding $600 million in promised recovery aid to Georgians. Despite bipartisan Congressional support for the immediate delivery of disaster recovery funds, the distribution of aid has been stifled by bureaucracy, red tape, and chaos in the Trump administration.\n\nA list of Georgia counties and entities receiving federal funding can be found below:\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-working-across-the-aisle-to-strengthen-lung-cancer-prevention/", "Sen. Ossoff Working Across the Aisle to Strengthen Lung Cancer Prevention", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working across the aisle to strengthen lung cancer prevention for Georgia families.\n\nSen. Ossoff is cosponsoring the bipartisan Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act to support lung cancer prevention research in Georgia and across the country.\n\nThe bill, first introduced by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Tina Smith (D-MN), would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assess the status of and identify opportunities to accelerate research related to lung cancer in women. The review would include data from HHS, the Department of Defense, and Department of Veterans Affairs with the goal of identifying new opportunities for research and providing recommendations for national cancer screening strategies.\n\n\u201cEarly cancer detection saves lives. That\u2019s why I\u2019m helping lead Senators in both parties to support cancer prevention research and better protect Georgians from lung cancer,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to increase Georgians\u2019 access to lifesaving and preventative health care.\n\nEarlier this year, Sen. Ossoff delivered $850,000 to Clark Atlanta University to strengthen prostate cancer research through bipartisan government funding legislation that became law on February 3. Sen. Ossoff also delivered $800,000 to Augusta University to upgrade cancer research equipment.\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff worked with Republicans and Democrats to expand access to early-detection cancer screenings for seniors in Georgia. The bipartisan Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, cosponsored by Sen. Ossoff, was signed into law on February 3 as part of bipartisan government funding legislation.\n\nIn April of 2025, Sen. Ossoff spoke out about proposed cuts by the Trump Administration to federal childhood cancer research funding.\n\nClick here to read the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-22T05:24:59Z", "2026-08-22T05:26:16Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-visits-ice-detention-center-pushes-for-answers-on-lack-of-basic-medical-care/", "Warnock Visits ICE Detention Center, Pushes for Answers on Lack of Basic Medical Care", "2026-08-18", "2026", "2026-08", "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 toured Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA to conduct Congressional oversight of the federal facility\n\nSince January 2025, multiple individuals have died inside Stewart Detention Center, during transport, or shortly after being medically released from the facility\n\nVIDEO: Senator Reverend Warnock Reacts to ICE Detention Center Tour\n\nLumpkin, GA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) visited the Stewart Detention Center to push for answers about the lack of basic medical care available inside the facility. The Senator spoke with several detainees, including a pregnant woman, who provided troubling accounts about access to basic medical care. The Senator spoke with immigration officials to demand answers on reports of overcrowding and increases in 911 calls from the facility.\n\nSince January 2025, multiple individuals have died inside Stewart Detention Center, during transport, or shortly after being medically released from the facility. According to reporting, 15 detainees have died since the facility opened in 2006.\n\n\u201cRegardless of your politics, we should all be able to agree on this: everyone deserves to be treated with basic human dignity and respect,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThere are serious concerns in these facilities, particularly around the delivery of basic medical care, and so as a member of Congress, I thought it was important for me, as a voice for Georgia, to spend time speaking directly to those in the facility. I\u2019m going to keep asking questions. I\u2019m going to keep holding people accountable.\u201d\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock praying with family of a detainee\n\nThe Senator also visited El Refugio, a nonprofit that supports immigrant families. He met with staff and the family of a detainee, a father whose family says he has no criminal record and has lived in the United States for over 25 years. He was detained on his way to work. The Senator spoke to his family about their fears that he was not receiving adequate medical care; the Senator prayed with the detainee\u2019s family.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-leads-bipartisan-effort-to-increase-federal-grant-access-for-hbcus/", "ICYMI: Warnock Leads Bipartisan Effort to Increase Federal Grant Access for HBCUs", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year, Senators Reverend Warnock (D-GA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced the bipartisan HBCU Research Capacity Act, legislation that would streamline federal funding opportunities for HBCUs\n\nSenator Warnock has secured more than $265 million for Georgia\u2019s 10 HBCUs, part of $17 billion in federal investments delivered to HBCUs across the nation\n\nSenator Warnock is a proud graduate of Morehouse College\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced a bipartisan bill that would streamline federal funding opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The HBCU Research Capacity Act would set up a federally coordinated website that compiles information about HBCU-eligible STEM research and development funding opportunities.\n\n\u201cHBCUs are incubators of diverse excellence and have proven their ability time and again to punch above their weight,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cDespite not always having every tool at their disposal, they continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community. This bipartisan bill will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier, and I am proud to work alongside another champion of HBCUs in Senator Katie Britt.\u201d\n\nThe HBCU Research Capacity Act would amend Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to coordinate with federal agencies to create a centralized website listing these grant opportunities. This website would also share best practices for building research capacity, including recommendations from Federal, State, and local organizations.\n\nAs the proud graduate of an HBCU, Senator Warnock is deeply committed to doing all he can to ensure these institutions thrive. To date, Senator Warnock has secured more than $265 million for Georgia HBCUs and more than $17 billion in total for HBCU campuses across the country.\n\nAlongside Senators Warnock and Britt, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE).\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warnock held a press conference with HBCU student newspapers to announce the bill introduction.\n\nMore coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s introduction of the HBCU Research Capacity Actbelow:\n\nThe Hilltop: Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a graduate of Morehouse College and the only HBCU alumnus currently serving in the U.S. Senate, positioned himself as a leading advocate for these institutions. He introduced the HBCU Research Capacity Act alongside Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), through the legislation designed to streamline federal grant access and expand research opportunities for HBCUs nationwide.\n\nThe Maroon Tiger: Sens. Raphael Warnock \u201991 (D-Ga.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the HBCU Research Capacity Act. The bipartisan bill would create a centralized federal clearinghouse. The system would help HBCUs identify and apply for research grants.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/ms-now-jon-ossoff-has-a-congressional-superpower/", "MS NOW: \u201cJon Ossoff Has a Congressional Superpower\u201d", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "MS NOW: While some of the most \u201ccontentious partisan exchanges get the most attention,\u201d Ossoff argued, the \u201cinvestigation into corruption and civil rights abuses in our prison system,\u201d the \u201cmistreatment of military families by defense contractors\u201d and the \u201cabuse and trafficking of foster children in Georgia\u201d are \u201cequally important.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 MS NOW is highlighting U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff\u2019s record of Congressional investigations that have uncovered corruption, abuse, and misconduct, and his legislative work to then solve corruption that his investigations uncovered.\n\nFor example, in 2022, while investigating reports of corruption and abuse within Atlanta\u2019s Federal prison as Chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), Sen. Ossoff issued a Subpoena for the Biden Administration\u2019s Bureau of Prisons Director, only securing his testimony after issuing the subpoena.\n\nLater in 2022, Sen. Ossoff unveiled the results of another 8-month bipartisan investigation, which uncovered that BOP employees sexually abused female prisoners in at least two-thirds (19 of 29 facilities) of Federal prisons that have held women over the past decade. Survivors of sexual abuse testified that BOP employees assaulted them in areas where they knew there was no camera coverage.\n\nAfter conducting the numerous investigations into the Federal prison system, Sen. Ossoff then used the evidence he uncovered to pass two bipartisan bills into law to strengthen oversight and accountability.\n\nIn December 2022, Sen. Ossoff passed into law his bipartisan Prison Camera Reform Act with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), which required the Federal Bureau of Prisons to upgrade outdated and broken security camera systems, ensuring all facilities have the coverage necessary to protect the safety of incarcerated people and staff.\n\nIn 2024, Sen. Ossoff then passed into law his bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act to overhaul independent oversight of the Bureau of Prisons by mandating routine inspections of all facilities by the DOJ Inspector General and establishing a new Ombudsman to investigate the health, safety, welfare, and rights of incarcerated people and staff.\n\nIn addition, after Sen. Ossoff\u2019s investigation into Georgia\u2019s foster care system uncovered the likely sex trafficking of foster kids, Sen. Ossoff then introduced and passed into law a bipartisan bill to help protect children from sex trafficking.\n\nSee key excepts below from MS NOW:\n\n8/13: Inside Jon Ossoff\u2019s congressional superpower: Making oversight go viral\n\nMS NOW // Kevin Fry\n\nIn recent years, Ossoff has pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about inconsistencies in the White House\u2019s narrative about the Iran war. He\u2019s pushed Tulsi Gabbard, the former head of national intelligence, to explain why she was present for an FBI search of a Georgia elections office. And he has peppered Louis DeJoy, the former U.S. postmaster general, about widespread mail delays in Georgia, asking him if he had received a letter he sent him.\n\n\u201cAs I conduct oversight,\u201d he said, \u201cI am trying to faithfully execute my solemn obligations under the Constitution as a United States senator to conduct vigorous oversight of the most out-of-control presidential administration in American history.\u201d\n\nWhile some of the most \u201ccontentious partisan exchanges get the most attention,\u201d Ossoff argued, the \u201cinvestigation into corruption and civil rights abuses in our prison system,\u201d the \u201cmistreatment of military families by defense contractors\u201d and the \u201cabuse and trafficking of foster children in Georgia\u201d are \u201cequally important.\u201d\n\nFor instance, when Democrats held the Senate majority in 2022, Ossoff led an investigation of corruption and misconduct in the federal prison system \u2014 including at a facility in Atlanta.\n\nThe effort included subpoenaing the outgoing head of the Bureau of Prisons to appear before his subcommittee \u2014 notable, given that Democrats controlled both the Senate and the White House at the time. At the hearing,Ossoff pressed the prison director to acknowledge that he was responsible for everything that occurs in the prison system.\n\nOssoff credited the investigations with laying the groundwork for passage of bipartisan prison reform legislation.\n\nAs chair of a Senate subcommittee on investigations, Ossoff also spearheaded a review of a private military housing company. He released a report finding that the company \u201cfailed to properly respond to both repairs and environmental hazards such as mold in homes on two military bases,\u201d including one in Georgia.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-leads-inquiry-into-state-department-efforts-to-seek-personal-health-data-in-exchange-for-aid-to-developing-nations/", "Warnock Leads Inquiry into State Department Efforts to Seek Personal Health Data in Exchange for Aid to Developing Nations", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a new letter, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock presses the Trump Administration on their efforts to obtain personal health data from African countries in exchange for global health funding\n\nThe Trump Administration has requested direct, real-time access to the health data of citizens in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, and several other Sub-Saharan African countries\n\nThe push for the sensitive information is part of the Administration\u2019s America First Global Health Strategy, an initiative that requires countries to sign bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) agreements to receive global health foreign assistance from the U.S.\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, colleagues: \u201cState has reportedly demanded that Uganda give the United States direct, real-time access to nine of the nation\u2019s health data systems for seven years\u2026 While global health programs have historically included data sharing components, they have never required direct access to privileged electronic systems for U.S. government representatives\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, led several of his Senate colleagues in a new letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior leadership at the State Department (State) regarding the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts to obtain personal health data from African countries in exchange for global health funding. The Administration\u2019s push for the sensitive information is part of its America First Global Health Strategy, an initiative that requires countries to sign bilateral MOU agreements to receive global health foreign assistance from the United States. Traditionally, public health data is shared with the U.S. through anonymized exports. Under the new agreement, the U.S. government is requiring direct log-in access to foreign nations\u2019 national health systems.\n\n\u201cState has reportedly demanded that Uganda give the United States direct, real-time access to nine of the nation\u2019s health data systems for seven years,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cWhile global health programs have historically included data sharing components, they have never required direct access to privileged electronic systems for U.S. government representatives.\u201d\n\nHistorically, the U.S. has played a pivotal role in the global health space, serving as the main funder and implementer of global health programs. President Trump has moved away from this legacy during his second term in a variety of ways, such as withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and dismantling the robust foreign assistance ecosystem that has cemented American leadership in the global health space. The Trump Administration has also taken actions to restructure the U.S. President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a cornerstone global health initiative that is vital for several African nations. In June, Senators Warnock and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) led 23 of their senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter urging Senate Appropriations committee leadership to oppose the Trump administration\u2019s proposed changes to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC) work on global HIV/AIDS prevention and surveillance. In April, Senator Warnock led a letter with nine of his Senate colleagues, pushing the Senate Appropriations Committee to prevent PEPFAR from being misused as a tool of economic coercion.\n\nGlobal health advocacy groups are concerned about the Administration\u2019s new practice of conditioning aid on real time access to surveillance data. For example, in exchange for HIV/AIDS and other global health funding, State has reportedly demanded that Uganda give the U.S. direct, real-time access to nine of the nation\u2019s health data systems for seven years. The new initiative also appears to be at odds with the Administration\u2019s own emphasis on digital freedom and protecting Americans\u2019 data. The letter warns that these new MOUs may set precedents that ultimately harm Americans\u2019 data privacy.\n\nIn addition to Senator Warnock, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\n\u201cDear Secretary Rubio,\u201d\n\n\u201cWe write with great concern regarding the Department of State (\u201cState\u201d) Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) negotiated with foreign nations as part of the America First Global Health Strategy. In some instances, these DSAs require U.S. government officials to have direct log-in credentials for highly sensitive nationally-owned data systems. This is unprecedented and at odds with U.S. policy concerning the data of American citizens. We request a briefing and additional information on these developments.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn September 2025, State began negotiating Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with foreign governments to structure U.S. global health aid. According to recent reporting, some MOUs are conditioning aid on the establishment of mandatory data access agreements and direct log-in credentials to highly sensitive health data systems.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor example, in exchange for HIV and other global health funding, State has reportedly demanded that Uganda give the United States direct, real-time access to nine of the nation\u2019s health data systems for seven years. While the MOU contains some privacy restrictions, the deal requires that the United States have direct access to the Ugandan system responsible for managing individuals\u2019 electronic medical records and laboratory results.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe know that Uganda is not alone: 34 countries have signed MOUs, and State has not publicly shared how many include an accompanying DSA. Only eight of these MOUs and only one of the DSAs have been made publicly available, either by State or partner countries. State has not published all of the MOUs and annexes on either their website or in the Federal Register\u2014despite statutory requirements to do so.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile global health programs have historically included data sharing components, they have never required direct access to privileged electronic systems for U.S. government representatives.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed, these new demands set an alarming precedent that is seemingly contrary to the Administration\u2019s longstanding support for the privacy of U.S. citizens\u2019 data. In this year\u2019s National Cyber Strategy, the Trump Administration affirmed that it \u201cwill emphasize the right to privacy for Americans and American data.\u201d The Federal Trade Commission recently reminded U.S. technology companies \u201cto protect the privacy and data security of American consumers despite pressure from foreign governments to weaken such protections.\u201d Likewise, just months ago, a State cable reportedly criticized China for \u201cbundling enticing technology infrastructure projects with restrictive data policies that expand . . . access to international data for surveillance and strategic leverage.\u201d Vice President Vance has even personally urged foreign governments to drop their demands for access to Americans\u2019 personal user data, with U.S. officials citing the importance of \u201cmaintain[ing] each country\u2019s sovereignty.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe support efforts to protect the privacy of Americans\u2019 data, and we are concerned that requiring U.S. government officials be provided access credentials to other nations\u2019 sensitive health data systems may set international precedents that ultimately harm Americans. Therefore, we request that State provide a briefing to our offices and respond in writing to the following questions by August 31, 2026:\n\nFederal law requires that State make global health agreements publicly available. Why have the text of these MOUs and associated annexes not been published online and in the Federal Register, as required by law and consistent with precedent? If State does not intend to publish the MOUs and all associated annexes, including the data access agreements, what legal authority does State believe justifies withholding them?\n\nWe understand that most but not all of the MOUs that have been signed include DSAs. How did State determine which countries would require or be exempted from DSA requirements?\n\nFor each DSA, please identify every category of data that may be accessed directly by a U.S. representative, including whether the data may include names, national identification numbers, dates of birth, addresses, telephone numbers, GPS/location information, HIV status, laboratory records, treatment histories, biometric information, pseudonymized identifiers, unique patient identifiers, metadata, or other sensitive health information.\n\nHow did State determine the minimum data elements necessary to achieve public health objectives?\n\nDescribe the technical architecture for each DSA, including whether data are transferred through bulk exports, application programming interfaces, remote database access, federated queries, or other mechanisms.\n\nDid the State Department consider alternative data collection or access approaches, such as requiring automated exports of pre-aggregated data or encouraging countries to publicly publish data at the necessary levels of aggregation and in accordance with national data safety laws?\n\nDo any of the DSAs contain provisions for accessing and/or exporting data at a more granular level than would have been obtained through PEPFAR\u2019s traditional data collection system?\n\nDoes State intend to make the data obtained through the DSAs public in a similar format, granularity, and cadence as PEPFAR\u2019s traditional public reporting? If not, why not, and how do these decisions support oversight and transparency by Congress and the American taxpayer?\n\nWhat policies, procedures, and safeguards has State established for protecting personally identifiable information?\n\nWill any of the data be shared with U.S.-based third parties for any commercial purpose, including to train any artificial intelligence models? Do data subjects or the relevant countries have a right to object to the use of their data for these purposes?\n\nAre there any limitations on the specific purposes for which data can be shared with third parties?\n\nWhich U.S. authority will oversee data transfers and management? How will this authority monitor and supervise use of this data, including any use by third parties?\n\nWho is liable for any misuse of foreign citizens\u2019 personal data?\n\nReporting suggests that these data transfers may not be consistent with domestic data protection law and the African Union\u2019s Data Policy Framework. If these data transfers are found to violate domestic laws, will foreign nations be able to suspend the data transfers while continuing to access global health assistance?\n\nIf the health agreement is terminated, will the data transferred to the U.S. be deleted?\n\nHow long will data be retained by the U.S. and associated third parties?\n\nWhat privacy rights will foreign data subjects have over data that is transferred to the U.S.? How will foreign citizens\u2019 privacy rights be enforced in case of a data breach or other unethical use of their data while it is in the U.S.? What procedures govern notification of foreign governments, affected individuals, Congress, and other stakeholders following a security incident or unauthorized disclosure?\n\nHow are these DSAs consistent with the Trump Administration\u2019s priority of elevating digital freedom? Would the Administration object if another country, such as the People\u2019s Republic of China, established similar requirements for a nation to receive foreign development assistance, loans, or other aid?\n\n\u201cThank you for your consideration of this important issue.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-britt-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-detect-prevent-colorectal-cancer/", "Sens. Ossoff, Britt Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Detect & Prevent Colorectal Cancer", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "According to recent studies, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for Americans under 50\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing a bipartisan bill to expand early detection of colorectal cancer.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Katie Britt (R-AL) are introducing the bipartisan Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Act to help address the recent rise in colorectal cancer rates in youth. According to recent studies, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for Americans under 50, despite being highly preventable and treatable when detected early.\n\nSen. Ossoff\u2019s bipartisan bill would provide funding to states to help individuals get screened for colorectal cancer, increase public awareness, and support health care professionals.\n\nNearly 5,200 Georgians are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year, and colorectal cancer cases in Georgians under 50 jumped from around 7 per 100,000 people in the early 2000s to nearly 11.2 in 2022 according to CDC and NIH estimates.\n\n\u201cEarly cancer detection saves lives, and too many Georgians have shared heartbreaking stories with me about losing loved ones to colorectal cancer. I\u2019m introducing this bipartisan bill with Senator Britt to expand early detection of colorectal cancer and better protect young Georgians from this devastating disease,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\n\u201cThe staggering rise in colorectal cancer we\u2019re seeing across the country demands action. We know that this especially aggressive cancer is affecting younger Americans now more than ever. We must give states and healthcare providers the resources they need to better inform and treat the public, which is why I\u2019m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Ossoff,\u201d said Senator Britt.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to increase Georgians\u2019 access to lifesaving and preventative health care.\n\nIn June, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care, but Senate Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment. This followed Senate Republicans blocking Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment during a Senate budget debate in April.\n\nIn May, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver Federal funding to strengthen Clark Atlanta University (CAU)\u2019s prostate cancer research. Clark Atlanta University plans to use the Federal funding to strengthen their research and education programs that focus on the early detection and treatment of prostate cancer for Black Georgians.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to help Augusta University upgrade equipment at the Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University\u2019s cancer research center.\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff worked with Republicans and Democrats to expand access to early-detection cancer screenings for seniors in Georgia. The bipartisan Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, cosponsored by Sen. Ossoff, was signed into law on February 3 as part of bipartisan government funding legislation.\n\nClick here to read the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Act.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-two-year-extensions-of-agoa-haiti-hope-help-in-bipartisan-funding-bill/", "Warnock Secures Two-Year Extensions of AGOA, Haiti HOPE/HELP in Bipartisan Funding Bill", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "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, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, helped secure two-year extensions of AGOA, Haiti HOPE/HELP in last week\u2019s bipartisan continuing resolution\n\nThe extension of the trade programs maintains duty-free access on more than 1,800 products from AGOA participating nations. It also extends the HOPE and HELP trade programs, which provide duty-free access for apparel and textile products from Haiti\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis extension is a win-win for Georgians and our trading partners in Haiti and Africa. It will lower the cost of everyday goods and improve our national security by helping stabilize the economies of our global partners\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, helped secure two-year extensions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP), and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership and Encouragement (HOPE) in last week\u2019s bipartisan continuing resolution (CR). The extension of the trade programs maintains duty-free access on more than 1,800 products from eligible countries and extends the HOPE and HELP trade programs, which provide duty-free access for apparel and textile products from Haiti.\n\n\u201cThis extension is a win-win for Georgians and our trading partners in Haiti and Africa,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cIt will lower the cost of everyday goods and improve our national security by helping stabilize the economies of our global partners. This victory shows what is possible when we center the people in policymaking.\u201d\n\nIn the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Congress passed the HELP Act to broaden the types of goods eligible for duty-free status to over 5,000 types of apparel and footwear. The law, which helped rebuild some of Haiti\u2019s domestic industry, expired October 1, 2025. In February 2025, Senator Warnock helped lead the reintroduction of the Haiti HELP Act. The legislation supports stable, safe jobs in Haiti while ensuring U.S. consumers have access to goods free from state-sponsored forced labor.\n\nSenator Warnock uses his oversight role and jurisdiction in the global commerce space as a check against the Trump administration\u2019s reckless trade and tariff policies and their devastating impact on Georgia\u2019s families, farmers, small businesses, and thousands of hardworking Georgians. Last week, Senator Warnock secured a written commitment from the Trump administration that would limit the President\u2019s tariff authorities in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. In March, Senator Warnock joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) for a fireside chat on the path forward for AGOA alongside Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE).", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-again-demand-answers-from-dha-on-reduction-of-services-at-dwight-d-eisenhower-army-medical-center/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Again Demand Answers from DHA on Reduction of Services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock launch second inquiry after DHA failed to respond to Senators\u2019 latest questions\n\nSens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock to DHA: \u201cServicemembers, their families, and veterans in Augusta deserve answers and information on how these potential changes could affect their ability to receive quality health care.\u201d\n\nFort Gordon, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are again pushing back on plans to reduce services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center (DDEAMC).\n\nEarlier this week, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock again demanded answers from the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and urged the agency to abandon its plan to close all inpatient services at DDEAMC. This new inquiry comes after DHA failed to respond to the Senator\u2019s response deadline in the June 2026 inquiry.\n\nDHA\u2019s plan includes permanently closing inpatient care and transitioning the emergency room to an urgent care center, which could disrupt care for servicemembers, their families, and veterans, and add strain on the local health care system.\n\nHowever, despite announcing the closure of all inpatient services at DDEAMC, DHA has not yet finalized a list of which inpatient services would be closed upon implementation and questions remain unanswered about the transition to an ambulatory care center.\n\nIn this latest inquiry, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are demanding DHA immediately rescind Congressional notification for those changes in service until more information is received and the potential consequences for service members, veterans, and families in the CSRA are defined.\n\n\u201cSeventeen days have passed since the deadline stated in our letter seeking more information about DHA\u2019s decision to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center (DDEAMC) and transition the facility to an ambulatory care center, and we have not received a response,\u201d Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock wrote to Department of Defense (DoD) Assistant Secretary Keith Bass and DHA Director Vice Admiral Darin Via. \u201cThis is unacceptable. Servicemembers, their families, and veterans in Augusta deserve answers and information on how these potential changes could affect their ability to receive quality health care.\u201d\n\n\u201cUntil more information and clarification is received on this decision, and its potential consequences, DHA must immediately rescind Congressional notification for modification of services at DDEAMC,\u201d Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock continued.\n\nSen. Ossoff first launched an inquiry last November with the Acting Director of the DHA requesting more information about the plans to reduce services at the DDEAMC.\n\nClick here to read Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock\u2019s new inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/watch-warnock-delivers-senate-floor-speech-after-successfully-negotiating-restraints-on-trumps-tariff-authority/", "WATCH: Warnock Delivers Senate Floor Speech After Successfully Negotiating Restraints on Trump\u2019s Tariff Authority", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "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 delivered a Senate floor speech reaffirming his commitment to reining in the Trump administration\u2019s costly tariff regime\n\nEarlier this week, Senator Warnock secured a key concession from the U.S. Trade Representative limiting the President\u2019s tariff authority\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, reaffirmed his commitment to reining in President Donald Trump\u2019s reckless and costly tariff agenda in a speech on the Senate floor.\n\nEarlier this week, Senator Warnock successfully negotiated an agreement with the Trump administration to limit the President\u2019s tariff authorities in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.\n\n\u201cThese are not normal times. This is not a normal president,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cIf you give him an inch, he will take a mile. We don\u2019t have to imagine. We are seeing it in real time, and everyday people, as a result of that, are struggling\u2014struggling to buy groceries, struggling to buy gas, struggling to buy their kids back-to-school supplies. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences of his reckless tariff regime. But this commitment that we were able to get from Ambassador Greer is meaningful, because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court.\u201d\n\nThe non-partisan Tax Foundation found President Trump\u2019s tariffs cost the average American household $1,000 last year. Most American families are on track to lose $1,300 from President Trump\u2019s tariffs in 2026. Last week, Senator Warnock unveiled a new report that found the cost of required school supplies for a 4th grader can cost Georgia families more than $130 per child. Senator Warnock continues to push back against the Trump administration\u2019s reckless tariff policy and the uncertain market conditions it creates for Georgia small businesses and the higher prices it imposes on Georgia families.\n\nRead the full transcript of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s remarks below and watch HERE.\n\n\u201cMr. President, this letter restricts the President\u2019s tariff authority under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. This is a small but meaningful victory for all Americans who continue to suffer under this President\u2019s reckless tariffs.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be clear: Putin is a war criminal, and his war machine must be stopped. But we should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin\u2019s aggression and putting a check on this president\u2019s tariff regime. That is a false choice, and it is one that I am not willing to accept, and so I hope in the coming hours that we go further during the amendment process. I hope my colleagues will join me in stripping out any new presidential tariff authorities.\n\n\u201cThese are not normal times. This is not a normal president. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. We don\u2019t have to imagine. We are seeing it in real time, and everyday people, as a result of that, are struggling\u2014struggling to buy groceries, struggling to buy gas, struggling to buy their kids back-to-school supplies. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences of his reckless tariff regime. But this commitment that we were able to get from Ambassador Greer is meaningful, because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court.\n\n\u201cI hope this week-long process was the first step in Congress reasserting its role and placing guardrails on this president\u2019s tariff regime. I urge my colleagues to go back home and talk to ordinary folks outside of the Beltway, they will tell you that while they support any efforts to protect our national security\u2014and that\u2019s what this is about, this isn\u2019t just about Ukraine; it is about our own national security. But we must do everything to protect our national security while, at the same time, bolstering the economic security of everyday Americans.\n\n\u201cSo, as we go back home, ask any parent you meet how much back-to-school shopping cost them this year. I can tell you, as the father of two small children, that it is much more than they wanted to spend. When we come back to Washington, we can fight for those parents and build on this work to check the power of this reckless president. But I\u2019m glad that we\u2019ve gotten as far as we have on this issue.\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to thank my friend and brother, Senator Cassidy, for your partnership in this amendment process, and I\u2019d like to thank Senator Shaheen and Blumenthal for their efforts to find a solution and a way forward to support Ukraine, to protect our national security and our economic security at the same time. And with that, I yield back.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-dr-erica-schwartzs-nomination-to-lead-the-cdc/", "Warnock Statement on Dr. Erica Schwartz\u2019s Nomination to Lead the CDC", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "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 his decision not to support the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).\n\n\u201cAs a voice for Georgia, I am honored to represent the hardworking scientists, doctors, and administrative professionals who make up the CDC. These hardworking public servants have consistently put the American people and our country first, despite the attacks Secretary Kennedy and this administration continue to levy against them.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs we approach the one-year anniversary of the attack on the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, it was important for me to hear that the next leader of the agency would stand up for the thousands of Georgians who have devoted their careers to protecting the health and safety of our nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile I appreciated the opportunity to speak with Dr. Schwartz, I am not confident she will be able to serve as a strong enough check on this administration\u2019s most dangerous impulses. Secretary Kennedy has shown again and again that he will pressure even good people to put politics ahead of public health. For that reason, I cannot support her nomination.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-senate-agriculture-committee-farm-bill-markup/", "Warnock Statement on Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Markup", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "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 after today\u2019s Farm Bill markup in the Senate Agriculture Committee.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s Agriculture Committee markup was a missed opportunity to advance a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports farmers and families. Between the president\u2019s tariff policy and his ongoing war in Iran, our farmers and the American people are struggling under the higher costs of everything. I have maintained for months that any deal needs to include a solution that would mitigate the disastrous cuts to SNAP that Senate Republicans enacted in their One Big Ugly Bill in July 2025. Senate Republicans\u2019 current proposal does not go far enough in addressing my concerns.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will continue to work closely with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reach an agreement that supports Georgia\u2019s farmers and ensures families have the resources they need to buy groceries at the end of the month. There is a path to a bipartisan deal, and I remain hopeful we can get one done.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-wyden-push-trump-administration-to-cut-red-tape-requirements-in-medicaid/", "Warnock, Wyden Push Trump Administration to Cut Red Tape Requirements in Medicaid", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "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 Ron Wyden are calling on the Trump administration to withdraw a policy that imposes strict Medicaid eligibility requirements on Americans seeking to obtain and maintain coverage\n\nSenator Warnock is a leading proponent of Medicaid expansion and has long championed efforts to increase access to affordable health care\n\nAbout 1.75 million fewer kids were enrolled in Medicaid this January, a year after Congressional Republicans cut $1 trillion from the program\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, colleagues: \u201cImplementing this rule will worsen Americans\u2019 overall quality of health, waste millions of dollars on administrative red tape, and cause preventable health emergencies for all Americans\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Finance Subcommittee on Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, and Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, led 47 of their Senate colleagues in demanding the Trump administration rescind new Medicaid work reporting requirements that would severely limit access to lifesaving health care coverage for millions of Americans.\n\n\u201cWe urge CMS to withdraw this rule to ensure that Medicaid can continue its mission of providing health coverage to low-income Americans. Implementing this rule will worsen Americans\u2019 overall quality of health, waste millions of dollars on administrative red tape, and cause preventable health emergencies for all Americans,\u201d wrote Senator Warnock and his colleagues. \u201cStates are not prepared to implement the agency\u2019s onerous, subjective requirements. It is families who will suffer, especially the sickest Americans, like those with mental health and substance use disorders, cancer, and diabetes, who most urgently need the health care Medicaid provides.\u201d\n\nIn the letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, Senator Warnock and his colleagues underscore that unnecessary restrictions on Medicaid eligibility would increase costs for millions of Americans already struggling with the ongoing affordability crisis.\n\nSenator Warnock is a leading proponent of Medicaid expansion and has long championed efforts to increase Georgians\u2019 access to affordable health care. Last year, he released a report titled \u201cHealthy People, Healthy Economy,\u201d which found that investing in Medicaid stimulates economic growth and promotes access to employment. In June, Senator Warnock forced a vote pushing for the release of data surrounding Medicaid coverage loss nationwide. The Senator\u2019s effort to release the data was blocked by Senate Republicans.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\nDear Administrator Oz,\n\nWe write to urge you to withdraw the Administration\u2019s interim final rule (IFR) implementing the Medicaid work reporting requirements passed by Congressional Republicans and signed into law by President Trump last year in H.R. 1. These policies will not increase employment and will instead lead to millions of Americans needlessly losing their health coverage. We support full repeal of all of H.R. 1\u2019s Medicaid cuts. In the absence of Congressional action, CMS must delay implementation. States are not prepared to implement the agency\u2019s onerous, subjective requirements. It is families who will suffer, especially the sickest Americans, like those with mental health and substance use disorders, cancer, and diabetes, who most urgently need the health care Medicaid provides.\n\nThis rule transforms Medicaid from a health care program into a bureaucratic maze that will fail eligible Americans. It will strip coverage not because people are not already working or refuse to work, but because they cannot navigate a complex web of forms, passwords, and deadlines. Implementing ineffective, exclusionary work reporting requirements will create costly administrative barriers and deny Americans access to health care, resulting in poorer health, higher mortality, and reduced financial security. This rule does little to mitigate anticipated harms and makes exceptionally cruel and arbitrary choices with regard to medical frailty, significantly subverting the Congressional intent of this particular exemption.\n\nNearly all adults with Medicaid (92%) are already working, going to school, caregiving, or have a disability. Moreover, an extensive body of evidence demonstrates that work reporting requirements do not promote employment but rather increase medical debt, delay care and contribute to poorer health outcomes. In its assessment of H.R. 1, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected an estimated 5.3 million enrollees will lose coverage by 2034, not accounting for the IFR\u2019s even more stringent and burdensome requirements concerning the medical frailty exception. This evidence was not considered in the drafting of the IFR.\n\nSimilarly, the IFR fails to acknowledge or account for states\u2019 ineffectual and costly experiences implementing work reporting requirements. When Arkansas implemented similar requirements, 18,000 people lost coverage in just five months. They didn\u2019t lose their Medicaid coverage because they suddenly found jobs with health benefits; they lost it because they didn\u2019t have internet access, never received the notices, or couldn\u2019t log into a glitchy state website. Michigan was poised to implement these work reporting requirements but paused the programs when they received astronomical coverage loss projections of 80,000 enrollees (33 percent of participants). In Georgia, the state spent $91,000,000 in taxpayer dollars to build a \u201cwork requirement\u201d tracking system that often experienced technical failures. This translates to $13,000 per enrollee in administrative costs \u2013 almost five times higher than total spending on health care benefits for enrollees. Further, a recent study looking at these requirements in Georgia added to the body of evidence that they do not increase employment.\n\nCMS\u2019 Onerous Definition of Medical Frailty Subverts Congressional Intent\n\nH.R. 1 includes explicit exemptions for individuals who are determined to be medically frail, including those with disabling mental disorders, substance use disorders, disabilities, or complex medical conditions. In including these exemptions, the statute provided protections for some of the most vulnerable Americans, while preserving states\u2019 flexibility to determine how medical frailty should be defined and operationalized. However, the IFR impermissibly adds extra-statutory restrictions and requirements to this statutory exemption, limiting it to individuals whose disability or condition significantly impairs their ability to comply with the work reporting requirement. By attempting to rewrite the standard from the existence of a condition to its demonstrated impact on an individual\u2019s ability to work, the IFR establishes a much narrower pathway to the exemption than H.R. 1 permits.\n\nCMS asserts authority for this expansion through the statutory phrase \u201cas defined by the\n\nSecretary,\u201d but a limited delegation to define specific conditions is not authority to override the categorical structure Congress enacted. This is legal overreach, not a policy choice. And this legal overreach, if maintained, will have devastating consequences for millions of Americans, states, and health care providers.\n\nStates will face significant challenges operationalizing this narrower definition of medical frailty, and individuals will face challenges showing they meet the definition. The new standard will force the Medicaid program to take on completely novel responsibilities that are more akin to workers\u2019 compensation than health insurance. States will not be able to rely on automation nor implement the law in a way that protects individuals with health needs, likely needing to revamp information technology (IT) systems; add new eligibility staff and call center support; modify applications, renewal forms, and educational materials; and train health care providers on how to assess and document whether someone\u2019s condition \u201csignificantly impairs\u201d their ability to work, a task that will be brand new to many providers.\n\nThe IFR forces vulnerable Americans to quite literally prove they are \u201csick enough\u201d to deserve health care. In practice, a person in the middle of a mental health crisis or a course of cancer treatment, or someone managing severe substance use disorder, will be forced to secure explicit provider attestations linking their illness to their capacity to work. If they cannot jump through this hoop, the penalty is severe: they are cut off from the very medical care they need to survive.\n\nUnfair Medical Frailty Verification Requirements Burden Sick Patients and Providers\n\nIn addition to the limitations imposed by the medical frailty definition put forth by this rule, the verification and self-attestation requirements impose infeasible expectations on individuals. Beginning in 2028, the rule directs states to implement a stricter documentation verification regime that will drive up administrative costs, overwhelm already-stretched eligibility staff, and push people off coverage. The verification requirements in 2027 compared with 2028 function as a bait-and-switch: to the extent that implementation looks potentially manageable in the first year, then procedural barriers and coverage losses spike when the documentation default kicks in. In particular, the rule holds people who should qualify for the medical frailty exemption to a higher standard of evidence than for all other eligibility requirements or exemptions/exclusions (e.g., caregiving, being a veteran, or being incarcerated), requiring significant documentation that goes well beyond self-attestation starting in 2028.\n\nYear-Round Paperwork Requirements Will Exacerbate Coverage Loss\n\nThere is a long-standing requirement for states to process an application within 45-days as a patient protection, so people are not waiting for their coverage to kick in. The IFR creates a new exception to this timeliness standard, effectively permitting states to process applications on longer timeframes. In providing this exception to states, CMS is acknowledging that states are unlikely to meet the standard patient protection because of increased paperwork burdens, an implicit recognition of the harm to come. This exception is even more harmful to beneficiaries when combined with the H.R. 1 policy that requires states to reverify eligibility for individuals in the expansion group and comprehensive 1115 waivers every six months, in addition to the fact that the law provides States the option to conduct more frequent verifications of compliance with the work reporting requirement.\n\nCMS acknowledges that the IFR creates a nearly impossible timing problem and offers no solution while barreling on with ill-advised and devastating policies. By combining the six-month eligibility renewal requirement with ongoing work-reporting checks, this rule ensures that families are never not in the process of signing up for health care, effectively setting a structural trap. The red tape gauntlet Americans will have to contend with to maintain health insurance coverage will be constant. A family will barely finish submitting documents for one review cycle before the state triggers the next, creating hurdles that are particularly burdensome for hourly workers with volatile schedules, single parents, and individuals with fluctuating health conditions.\n\nThe Rule Requires State and Local Taxpayers to Foot the Bill for Costly System Upgrades\n\nThe IFR creates even more administrative barriers and paperwork hurdles for individuals attempting to enroll in or keep their Medicaid coverage than the statute permits. This manifests in both more costly and onerous technology requirements for states as well as unnecessary hoops for individuals to jump through.\n\nIn H.R. 1, Congressional Republicans provided a total of $200 million for all 50 states and the District of Columbia in FY 2026 to support the system upgrades they will need to comply with the law. However, in the IFR, CMS itself estimates that each state will spend approximately $15 million on systems changes, totaling nearly $700 million for the 44 states that are required to implement these changes, nearly four times the amount provided to states in the law. Recent reporting shows that state estimates of the costs to implement these requirements are significantly higher; North Carolina, for example, expects it will need to spend an estimated $31.2 million annually to enforce these requirements. While CMS announced in January 2026 that the agency secured deep discounts for states on implementation costs, no details have been released about these arrangements. As the price tag of Medicaid work reporting requirements continues to rise, every dollar spent by states to implement this new red tape is a dollar that could have instead been used to provide health care to vulnerable Americans.\n\nWe urge CMS to withdraw this rule to ensure that Medicaid can continue its mission of providing health coverage to low-income Americans. Implementing this rule will worsen Americans\u2019 overall quality of health, waste millions of dollars on administrative red tape, and cause preventable health emergencies for all Americans. This rule does not strengthen Medicaid; it dismantles it, turning a program designed to protect vulnerable Americans into a system that systematically denies them care.\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, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-key-victory-puts-guardrails-on-president-trumps-tariff-powers/", "Warnock Secures Key Victory: Puts Guardrails on President Trump\u2019s Tariff Powers", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "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 a key concession from the Trump Administration limiting the President\u2019s tariff authority after a week-long pressure campaign\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, secured a written commitment from the Trump Administration that would limit the President\u2019s tariff authorities in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The legislation will help curb Russia\u2019s ability to continue earning billions of dollars from energy exports through third countries.\n\nAfter weeks of working behind the scenes to limit the President\u2019s tariff authorities in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, Senator Warnock supported the start of debate on the legislation and introduced a series of amendments to improve the bill. To ensure at least one of his amendments received a vote, the Senator successfully used procedural tools to pressure Senate leadership to call a vote on a bipartisan amendment with Senator Cassidy.\n\nAfter a conversation with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer earlier today, the Senator secured a written commitment restricting the President\u2019s tariff authority under this legislation. The letter concedes the same limits that would have been established in the Warnock/Cassidy amendment.\n\n\u201cToday is a small but meaningful victory for all Americans who\u2019ve suffered under this President\u2019s reckless tariffs. I continue to reject the idea that we have to choose between putting a check on Putin\u2019s aggression and putting a check on this President\u2019s tariff regime. I hope this is the first step towards Congress reasserting its role in placing guardrails on this President\u2019s tariffs that raise the price of everything.\u201d\n\nThe non-partisan Tax Foundation found President Trump\u2019s tariffs cost the average American household $1,000 last year. Most American families are on track to lose $1,300 from President Trump\u2019s tariffs in 2026. This week, Senator Warnock unveiled a new report that found the cost of required school supplies for a 4th grader can cost Georgia families more than $130 per child. Senator Warnock continues to push back against the Trump administration\u2019s reckless tariff policy and the uncertain market conditions it creates for Georgia small businesses and the higher prices it imposes on Georgia families.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-statement-on-cdc-director-confirmation-vote-2/", "Sen. Ossoff Statement on CDC Director Confirmation Vote", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "\u201cI congratulate Dr. Schwartz on her Senate confirmation and sincerely hope her tenure at CDC will be a success for the Nation, the State of Georgia, and the CDC.\n\n\u201cThe CDC is currently under political attack by this Administration, which has gutted and demoralized the CDC workforce and disbanded critical CDC offices focused on maternal health and disease monitoring.\n\n\u201cSecretary Kennedy\u2019s reckless and sustained attack on the CDC puts Americans\u2019 health at risk. Against this disturbing backdrop, after speaking with Dr. Schwartz, I lacked sufficient confidence in her independence. Accordingly, I voted against her confirmation.\n\n\u201cI nevertheless stand ready to work with Dr. Schwartz to support the CDC, its vital mission, and the CDC\u2019s workforce.\u201d\n\n###\n\nYour form has been received. Someone from our office will get back to you as soon as possible. Please allow 5\u20137 business days to process a request. If your request needs immediate attention, please don\u2019t hesitate to call our Washington, D.C. office or Atlanta office.", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-calls-on-trump-administration-to-improve-access-to-maternal-care-in-georgia/", "Sen. Ossoff Calls on Trump Administration to Improve Access to Maternal Care in Georgia", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is calling on the Trump Administration to improve access to maternal care in Georgia.\n\nToday, Sen. Ossoff is demanding answers from Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General found that the three largest health insurance companies have inaccurate Medicaid Managed Care provider directories.\n\nThe independent HHS OIG report found that these directories included some maternal health providers that were not actually in-network, listed incorrect contact information for some in-network providers, and were missing some in-network providers altogether.\n\nThese \u201cghost providers\u201d make it difficult for more than 1.5 million Georgians enrolled in a Medicaid Managed Care plan to find an in-network provider and risk further delays for those who need access to crucial prenatal and postpartum care.\n\n\u201cFor pregnant women, time is of the essence to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. It is critical that they be able to find a provider that is in-network and available near them to receive timely prenatal care. I urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to take immediate action to ensure states and Medicaid MCO plans have accurate provider directories, especially for patients seeking prenatal and postpartum care,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote to Administrator Oz.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to strengthen health care for Georgia mothers and children.\n\nThis year, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $476,000 in Federal funding to help Emory University purchase equipment for the NICU at Emory Decatur Hospital and to deliver $1,581,000 in Federal funding to help SGMC Health purchase medical equipment to expand access to maternal and infant care for families across South Georgia through their new Women and Infants Tower.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the Social Determinants for Moms Act to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce the maternal mortality rate in Georgia and across the country.\n\nIn May 2025, Sen. Ossoff released new findings from his investigation into the impacts of Georgia\u2019s 6-week abortion ban, in which Georgia OBGYNs revealed they had personally encountered cases in which Georgia\u2019s six-week abortion ban contributed to a health complication or death of the mother.\n\nLast March, Sen. Ossoff and other members of Congress demanded the Trump Administration provide answers on the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).\n\nLast February, Sen. Ossoff introduced an amendment to protect children\u2019s and maternal health care through Medicaid that Senate Republicans blocked.\n\nIn 2024, Sen. Ossoff launched a push to pass the MOMS Who Serve Act of 2024, legislation he co-sponsored to help moms in the armed forces access perinatal health care services.\n\nAlso in 2024, as Chair of the Senate Human Rights Subcommittee, Sen. Ossoff convened two public hearings at which Georgia women and Georgia OBGYNs testified to the harmful impacts of Georgia\u2019s abortion ban.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-secure-3-3-million-for-clean-water-emergency-response-in-rural-georgia/", "Warnock, Ossoff Secure $3.3\u00a0Million for Clean Water Emergency Response in Rural Georgia", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The funding will help protect public health and community water supplies during and after a natural disaster\n\nSenators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff secured this funding through the American Relief Act of 2025\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cAfter a natural disaster, the last thing Georgians should have to worry about is if their water is safe to drink.\u201d\n\nSenator Ossoff: \u201cWe\u2019re delivering these resources to help improve Georgia\u2019s water infrastructure after storms like Hurricane Helene.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) secured $3.3 million for the Georgia Rural Water Association to respond quickly and effectively to any clean water-related emergencies that may arise after natural disasters.\n\nClean water-related emergencies can arise after natural disasters or other incidents that disrupt water and sewer systems, posing an immediate threat to public health. Funding secured by Senators Warnock and Ossoff will help communities respond quickly to these emergencies and prevent catastrophic infrastructure issues, such as sewer overflows and backups.\n\n\u201cAfter a natural disaster, the last thing Georgians should have to worry about is if their water is safe to drink,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud that federal funding is on its way to Georgians on the ground toprovide the resources they need to deal with any emergencies that could impact access to clean, safe water.\u201d\n\n\u201cClean, safe, healthy drinking water is not a luxury \u2013 it\u2019s a necessity,\u201d said Senator Ossoff. \u201cBringing Republicans and Democrats together, we\u2019re delivering these resources to help improve Georgia\u2019s water infrastructure after storms like Hurricane Helene.\u201d\n\nThe funding is part of the bipartisan American Relief Act of 2025, which passed Congress in December 2024. It provided federal disaster and economic recovery funding for communities across the country, including Georgia.\n\nThe Georgia Environmental Finance Authority is expected to use the funding to conduct activities that respond to and alleviate clean water emergencies for systems that ensure clean water. It includes a subaward to the Georgia Rural Water Association to enhance its water and sewer emergency mutual aid equipment program, a critical element in Georgia\u2019s overall emergency response.\n\nThe funding is also expected to support emergency response and preparedness, water infrastructure repairs, operations and maintenance of facilities, and the establishment of emergency monitoring capabilities. It will primarily assist communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.\n\nSenator Warnock has consistently worked to provide and strengthen federal support for communities affected by natural disasters and has championed legislation to help Georgians defend against the impacts of severe weather. In March 2026, Senator Warnock secured over $531 million in federal disaster aid for Georgia farmers who were affected by Hurricane Helene. In March 2025, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging it to expedite disaster assistance for Georgia farmers affected by Hurricane Helene. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and members of the Georgia Congressional Delegation also supported the effort.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-demand-answers-after-trump-administration-plans-to-outsource-education-departments-civil-rights-enforcement/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Demand Answers After Trump Administration Plans to Outsource Education Department\u2019s Civil Rights Enforcement", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are demanding answers as the Trump Administration reportedly ends civil rights enforcement within the Department of Education.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are demanding answers from Education Secretary Linda McMahon after reports the Trump Administration intends to outsource responsibilities of the Department of Education\u2019s civil rights division to the Department of Justice (DOJ), leaving unanswered questions about the status of pending cases of potential civil rights abuses.\n\nUnder the new agreements between the Education Department\u2019s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the DOJ, the Justice Department will take on civil rights enforcement, some of which includes \u201ccomplaint investigation\u201d and \u201cresolution processes.\u201d\n\nThis announcement follows the gutting of the Office for Civil Rights last year, when the Education Department closed a total of seven OCR offices across the nation, which impacted \u201cnearly 60,000 public schools\u201d and \u201cover 30 million K-12 students.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe write with serious concerns regarding the Department of Education\u2019s potential dereliction of its duty to ensure children in Georgia receive a quality education free from discrimination,\u201d Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock wrote to Secretary McMahon. \u201cDespite this responsibility, the Trump Administration has chosen to fire Department of Education staff and enter into interagency agreements to outsource the agency\u2019s formal duties.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have heard from constituents that have been harmed by these actions, and we are concerned this Department will continue to harm Georgia students. We demand that further action to dismantle the Department of Education be stopped,\u201d Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock continued.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues to hold the Trump Administration accountable for gutting key civil rights programs.\n\nIn June, Sen. Ossoff joined Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to halt changes affecting the Office for Civil Rights and preserve the Department\u2019s capacity to enforce federal civil rights laws.\n\nIn October 2025, Sen. Ossoff joined Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to halt illegal efforts to shut down the Department of Education\u2019s administration and enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).\n\nClick here to read the Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock\u2019s inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-new-warnock-report-finds-required-school-supplies-can-cost-georgia-families-130-per-child/", "ICYMI: New Warnock Report Finds Required School Supplies Can Cost Georgia Families $130 Per Child", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "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 Raphael Warnock unveiled a new report examining the rising cost of school supplies as families prepare for back-to-school shopping\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s new report shows how expanding the Child Tax Credit could help Georgia families manage back-to-school costs\n\nThe report found that Georgia families can expect to pay more than $130 per child for required school supplies\n\nCommon school supplies like colored pencils and lunch boxes increased in price by 31% and nearly 27% in only one year\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cExpanding the Child Tax Credit is not only the right thing to do morally, but the smart thing to do economically. I will keep fighting to get this done\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Last week, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, held a press call to highlight the release of his new report, which found that Georgia families can expect to pay more than $130 per child for required school supplies. Additionally, the report examines how expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC) could help Georgia families manage back-to-school costs and other everyday expenses. As families prepare to send their children back to school, they face rising costs for school supplies thanks to President Trump\u2019s reckless tariff policies.\n\nThe report reviewed 4th grade school supply lists from five schools across Georgia and reveals that common school supplies like colored pencils and lunch boxes increased in price by 31% and nearly 27% in only one year, respectively.\n\nMore media coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s press conference below:\n\nAtlanta Journal-Constitution: As the new school year begins in metro Atlanta, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., is calling for the passage of the American Family Act, which he says will help families with the cost of school supplies and other child-related expenses.\n\nWABE: It\u2019s back-to-school time! And preparing for the upcoming school year is getting more expensive for Georgia families. That\u2019s according to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who says tariffs are putting additional pressure on Georgia\u2019s families. A new report from his office shows that Georgia families are spending more to fill up their kids\u2019 backpacks compared to last year.\n\nCobb County Courier: At a press conference called by Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, Liz Pancotti with Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation noted that many of these products are produced overseas, and that companies are passing on costs to protect their bottom line. Moreover, \u201chealthy foods cost more, and there have been cuts to government assistance for food security.\u201d\n\nWUGA: U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock says tariffs imposed by the Trump administration mean Georgia families will spend more on school supplies. During a press call on Thursday, Senator Warnock cited a new report by his office which states Georgia families will spend more than $130 per child on fourth grade school supplies.\n\n11Alive: Senator Warnock\u2019s report shows fourth\u2011grade supplies can exceed $130, with items like pencils and lunch boxes rising 31% and 27% in a year.\n\nWRDW: Hours earlier, Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock painted a different picture, releasing data on the rising cost of back-to-school shopping. According to the report, a basic fourth-grade supply list now tops $130 per child, with staples like lunch boxes and pencils spiking in price. Warnock blamed the administration\u2019s tariff policies for squeezing household budgets.\n\nWGXA: Are tariffs driving up back-to-school costs? U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock unveiled a new report that found Georgia families could spend more than $130 per child on school supplies. Now, he is introducing legislation to expand the Child Tax Credit.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-launches-inquiry-into-app-store-age-ratings-to-help-protect-children-online/", "Sen. Ossoff Launches Inquiry into App Store Age Ratings to Help Protect Children Online", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is pressuring Big Tech companies to crack down on apps that put kids at risk.\n\nToday, Sen. Ossoff launched inquiries with Apple and Google about their app store age rating requirements and urged the tech companies to strengthen the default protections for minors and provide further transparency around staffing, reporting, enforcement, and metrics.\n\nA recent report highlighted that developers play a significant role in determining app store age ratings, with little external review. The report also raises concerns that parental controls are heavily reliant on app age ratings, which can result in minors being exposed to harmful material online.\n\nThe same report documented an instance where the app store age rating for an app was quietly downgraded from 17+ to 12+ without clear justification, disrupting parental controls for families relying on the 17+ block to restrict access.\n\n\u201cIncorrect age ratings can pose dangers to minors, by facilitating minors\u2019 use of apps that enable communication with online predators or provide access to inappropriate sexual content or other harmful material. Child safety advocates have raised serious concerns that app store ratings may give parents a false sense of security and encourage minors to access content that many families reasonably expect to be restricted,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect children online.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff launched inquiries with Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, and X over tech companies\u2019 advertisement and distribution of \u201cnudifying\u201d apps that allow users to swiftly create explicit images of children and teenagers.\n\nLast December, the U.S. Senate passed Sens. Ossoff and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)\u2019s bipartisan Preventing Child Trafficking Act of 2025 to strengthen coordination between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to better stop child trafficking and protect kids.\n\nIn July 2025, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which would impose new requirements on digital platforms to protect children from being targeted online with harmful content.\n\nIn March 2025, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Children and Teens\u2019 Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) to limit use of children\u2019s information for individually targeted advertising.\n\nIn 2024, Sen. Ossoff\u2019s bipartisan REPORT Act with Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) became law, which \u2014 for the first time \u2014 requires websites and social media platforms to report crimes involving Federal trafficking and enticement of children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Since the law\u2019s enactment, NCMEC has seen a 952% increase in reports of child sex trafficking and a 77% increase in reports of online enticement of children.\n\nIn 2023, Sens. Ossoff and Grassley\u2019s bipartisan Preventing Child Sex Abuse Act of 2023 was signed into law, which strengthened Federal protections against the sexual abuse of children, including online exploitation.\n\nPlease find Sen. Ossoff\u2019s inquiries here with Apple and Google.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-urging-fda-to-protect-families-from-baby-formula-contamination/", "Sen. Ossoff Urging FDA to Protect Families from Baby Formula Contamination", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to protect families from contaminated baby formula.\n\nSen. Ossoff is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct stronger oversight of baby formula following recent reports of potential contamination in Nara Organics and ByHeart baby formula products that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned could lead to infant botulism.\n\nAccording to the CDC\u2019s 2025 Early Childhood Nutrition Report, 27% of Georgia\u2019s breastfed infants born in 2022 were fed formula within the first two days of life.\n\nSen. Ossoff previously demanded answers from Nara Organics and ByHeart following initial reports of contamination.\n\n\u201cI write to express my concern regarding reports of recent outbreaks of infant botulism. The recalls of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula and Nara Organics\u2019 Powdered Infant Formula mark two outbreaks within the past year, involving reports of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes infant botulism. Infant formula is a critical source of nourishment for newborns, regardless of whether the formula is used exclusively or as a supplement,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote to Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas.\n\n\u201cEvery parent wants to ensure that their infants are being fed in a way that is both safe and healthy. As a United States Senator, it is my duty to ensure oversight of the infant formula supply chain is essential to protecting Georgia families,\u201dSen. Ossoff continued.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect Georgia kids from harmful chemicals and contaminants.\n\nThis month, Sens. Ossoff and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the bipartisan No Lead in Toys Act to help protect children from toxic chemicals in toys after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a February 2026 report in response to a 2024 inquiry from Sen. Ossoff into how the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) conducts testing on products intended for children ages 12 and under for potential lead contamination and other safety hazards.\n\nLast December, Sen. Ossoff urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reinstate a grant made to Emory University to research children\u2019s exposure to lead, heavy metals, and other contaminants in West Atlanta following the discovery of dangerously high levels of lead in some West Atlanta yards in 2018.\n\nLast April, Sen. Ossoff demanded answers from baby formula producers Abbott Nutrition and Mead Johnson about recent reports of toxic chemicals found in formula.\n\nIn May 2025, during a U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration hearing, Sen. Ossoff pressed FDA Commissioner Martin Makary on the safety of infant formula, including the reported firings of scientists within the agency who work to prevent infant formula contamination.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-warnock-report-finds-georgia-families-will-pay-130-for-required-school-supplies/", "New Warnock Report Finds Georgia Families Will Pay $130 for Required School Supplies", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock is unveiling a new report that examines the increased cost of school supplies and how expanding the Child Tax Credit could help Georgia families manage back-to-school costs\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s report reviewed 4th grade school supply lists from five schools across Georgia, representing urban and rural communities, and found that the cost of required school supplies can cost Georgia families more than $130 per child\n\nCommon school supplies like colored pencils and lunch boxes increased in price by 31% and nearly 27% in only one year\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cExpanding the Child Tax Credit is not only the right thing to do morally, but the smart thing to do economically. I will keep fighting to get this done\u201d\n\nAbove: A year-over-year comparison of the prices of common back to school supplies\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, is unveiling a new report that found the cost of required school supplies for a 4th grader can cost Georgia families more than $130 per child. Additionally, the report examines how expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC) could help Georgia families manage back-to-school costs and other everyday expenses. As families prepare to send their children back to school, they face rising costs for school supplies thanks to President Trump\u2019s reckless tariff policies.\n\nThe report reviewed 4th grade school supply lists from five schools across Georgia representing urban and rural communities. The review found that the cost of required school supplies can cost Georgia families more than $130 per child. Common school supplies like colored pencils and lunch boxes increased in price by 31% and nearly 27% in only one year, respectively.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump\u2019s economic policies are making life harder for Georgians who are still feeling the pressure at the gas pump, in the grocery store, and in their household budgets,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cExpanding the Child Tax Credit is not only the right thing to do morally, but the smart thing to do economically. I will keep fighting to get this done.\u201d\n\nAbove: A comparison of the current child tax credit vs the American Family Act\n\nUnder current federal tax law, families receive\u2014at most\u2014the equivalent of $183 per month and can only access it when filing their taxes\u2014not during times like back-to-school. Under the American Family Act, legislation to expand the Child Tax Credit, families would receive up to $360 per month for kids under 6 and $300 per month for kids aged 6-17. That is money Georgia families can use to cover essential costs like school supplies, tutoring, or childcare. In 2021, Congress passed legislation temporarily expanding the CTC, which lifted 165,000 Georgia children out of poverty, 2.9 million children across the country, and cut the national child poverty rate in half. Currently, there are more than 11 million children living below the poverty line in the United States.\n\nAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for educational books and supplies, such as elementary, high school, and college textbooks and reference books, have increased 8.4% since 2024. According to a recent analysis by the Century Foundation and Groundwork Collaborative, prices for school supplies overall are up 7.7% and lunchbox staples are up 10.9%. Price increases for specific types or brands of items can be even higher.\n\nA copy of the report can be found HERE\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-finance-committee-advances-four-bipartisan-warnock-tax-provisions/", "Senate Finance Committee Advances Four Bipartisan Warnock Tax Provisions", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Senate Finance Committee advanced four bipartisan tax provisions championed by Senator Reverend Warnock as part of the Tax Administration and Service Act\n\nThe bipartisan bill makes an array of commonsense fixes to IRS procedure and administration\n\nThe legislation combines proposals recommended by the National Taxpayer Advocate to improve communication between the IRS and taxpayers and ensure taxpayers have timely access to expert assistance\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cI\u2019m proud to work across the aisle on these bipartisan reforms to make the IRS more responsive, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, the Senate Finance Committee advanced four bipartisan tax provisions championed by U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) as part of the Tax Administration and Service Act. The bipartisan bill makes an array of commonsense fixes to IRS procedure and administration. The legislation also incorporates proposals recommended by the National Taxpayer Advocate to improve communication between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and taxpayers and ensure taxpayers have timely access to expert assistance.\n\n\u201cGeorgians deserve a tax system that works for them, not one that creates unnecessary confusion or frustration,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to work across the aisle on these bipartisan reforms to make the IRS more responsive, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves.\u201d\n\nA breakdown of the provisions Senator Warnock championed is below.\n\nTaxpayer Privacy: This provision is based on Senator Warnock and John Barrasso\u2019s (R-WY) Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act. The legislation requires the IRS to notify taxpayers about information requests it plans to make to third parties, giving taxpayers a chance to provide information before the IRS contacts a third party.\n\nProtecting Non-Profits from Politicization: This provision, authored by Senator Warnock and Lankford (R-OK) would codify a right of a nonprofit to appeal denials or revocations of tax-exempt status and also require the IRS to notify nonprofits of these rights.\n\nDigitization of Tax Returns and Correspondence: This provision is based on the Barcode Automation for Revenue Collection to Organize Disbursement and Enhance Efficiency (BARCODE) Act, which Senator Warnock leads with Sen. Todd Young (R-IN). The bipartisan legislation would expedite the IRS\u2019s digitization of the tax filing process, digitize returns, and correspondence.\n\nSimplifying Filing Deadlines: This provision is based on Senator Warnock and Marsha Blackburn\u2019s (R-TN) Tax Administration Simplification Act, legislation that draws on recommendations from the Taxpayer Advocate Service\u2019s (TAS) to improve customer experience by putting forth clearer deadlines and estimated tax payments, which are especially important for Georgia\u2019s gig workers.\n\nThe Tax Administration and Service Act would also upgrade refund tracking tools so taxpayers know when to expect their refunds, expand IRS call back options, and strengthen protections for victims of fraud.\n\nSince joining the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warnock has championed taxpayer assistance and administration. His bipartisan legislation, the Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act, was signed into law in December 2025 and provides an extension to ensure taxpayers impacted by recent natural disasters have more flexibility when claiming refunds or credits. He has also successfully pushed the IRS to lift its hiring freeze on taxpayer services staff. In July 2026, Senator Warnock also successfully secured an increase in the gas mileage reimbursement rate, putting more money in taxpayers\u2019 pockets.\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s constituent services team is on pace to receive over 600 requests from taxpayers this year.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-colleagues-pressuring-trump-admin-to-release-hiv-aids-prevention-funding-to-cdc/", "Sen. Ossoff, Colleagues Pressuring Trump Admin to Release HIV/AIDS Prevention Funding to CDC", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is pressuring the Trump Administration to release funding for HIV/AIDS prevention to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).\n\nSen. Ossoff is leading a group of Senate colleagues in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to approve the transfer of $2 billion in funds meant for the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to the CDC.\n\nThis inquiry comes as new internal guidance by the State Department would end the transfer of PEPFAR funds to the CDC.\n\nAccording to former CDC Directors, without this dedicated funding stream, more than 18 CDC outposts could close before the end of the year, reducing the ability for the agency to launch timely and sufficient global health responses to disease outbreaks.\n\nSen. Ossoff is joined by Senators Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ed Markey (D-MA).\n\n\u201cThe rushed abandonment of a proven and effective structure threatens to increase the risk of future global health pandemics and disease outbreaks,\u201d Sen. Ossoff and the group wrote. \u201cCountries are struggling to maintain the programs set up by USAID and PEPFAR funding, facing more new infections and more deaths.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe urge you to immediately rescind any guidance suggesting that State will no longer honor the transfer of $2 billion to CDC and commit to upholding this long-standing transfer that keeps Americans safe,\u201d Sen. Ossoff and the group continued.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect public health, the CDC, and its workforce.\n\nThis month, Sen. Ossoff slammed U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for terminating the CDC\u2019s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis.\n\nEarlier this year, Sen. Ossoff worked with Republicans and Democrats to ensure the CDC receives crucial funding to protect the American people, successfully defeating the Trump Administration\u2019s proposed 50% cut in funding for the CDC in the FY26 budget.\n\nLast October, Sen. Ossoff led Georgia\u2019s Democratic Congressional Delegation in calling on Secretary Kennedy to answer for the chaos and disruption at the CDC that has marked his tenure, including the firings of CDC employees.\n\nLast June, Sen. Ossoff spoke in the Appropriations Committee markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill about bipartisan efforts to protect the CDC.\n\nAlso in June, Sen. Ossoff demanded answers from the Trump Administration following an NPR report that the CDC Program to prevent fentanyl overdoses had been frozen.\n\nIn 2025, Sen. Ossoff and other members of Congress demanded that the Trump Administration provide answers on the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system at the CDC.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s full inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-30T07:32:48Z", "2026-07-30T07:34:08Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-joins-bipartisan-effort-to-strengthen-whistleblower-incentives/", "Warnock Joins Bipartisan Effort to Strengthen Whistleblower Incentives", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "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 joined a bipartisan coalition to enhance protections for whistleblowers\n\nSince taking office, Senator Warnock has championed legislation to protect whistleblowers from retaliation\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis bipartisan bill promotes accountability and bolsters essential protections for people who risk their careers to stand up to fraud and corruption\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the CFTC Whistleblower Protection and Program Improvement Act of 2026 to provide long-term stability for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) whistleblower program, strengthen whistleblower protections, and expedite award processing.\n\n\u201cNo one should be punished for speaking out when they see something wrong. This bipartisan bill promotes accountability and bolsters essential protections for people who risk their careers to stand up to fraud and corruption,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThis legislation will benefit every American taxpayer, and I\u2019m grateful to work with my colleagues across the aisle to strengthen this vital program.\u201d\n\n\u201cSince I helped get the CFTC whistleblower program up and running, I\u2019m pleased to see it\u2019s been a big success,\u201d said Senator Grassley. \u201cThis program roots out waste, fraud and abuse in the commodities trading industry and operates at no charge to the taxpayer. Now, it\u2019s time for Congress to act so its success can continue. Our bipartisan legislation strengthens protections for patriotic whistleblowers, prevents unnecessary delays in the disbursement of whistleblower awards and ensures the CFTC whistleblower program can operate smoothly.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhistleblowers put their jobs and often their lives on the line to call out the most serious offenses in the workplace. Zero doubt that they should be protected,\u201d said Senator Fetterman. \u201cAs a member of the Agriculture Committee, I\u2019m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with Senator Grassley to protect whistleblowers and improve the CFTC whistleblower program.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Commodity Futures Trading Commission plays a crucial role in protecting American commodity markets, and safeguarding its whistleblower program helps maintain public trust in the integrity of those markets,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bipartisan bill would provide long-term stability for the CFTC whistleblower program by strengthening protections for whistleblowers, promoting the timely processing of claims, and eliminating a loophole that can prevent whistleblowers from receiving awards.\u201d\n\nThe CFTC Whistleblower Program and Customer Protection Fund (CPF) rewards whistleblowers for reporting allegations of wrongdoing to the CFTC using funds collected through enforcement actions. The CPF also covers the operating expenses and educational initiatives that support the CFTC Whistleblower Program. Since 2014, the CFTC Whistleblower Program has awarded nearly $430 million to whistleblowers and issued over $3.7 billion in monetary sanctions.\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed efforts to bolster protections for whistleblowers. In December 2022, he successfully secured bipartisan support for the Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Improvement Act, which strengthened and expanded the scope of whistleblower reporting standards and financial rewards. Less than a year later, Senator Warnock introduced the SEC Whistleblower Reform Act of 2023 to ensure timely processing of whistleblower claims and protect against retaliation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-wicker-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-modernize-tire-safety-standards/", "Warnock, Wicker Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Modernize Tire Safety Standards", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "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 Roger Wicker introduced the Tire Safety Modernization Act of 2026 legislation to modernize federal tire safety standards\n\nGeorgia is a national leader in tire manufacturing and production\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cGeorgia\u2019s nation-leading tire manufacturing industry helps keep Georgians safe and connected to boundless opportunities\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Tire Safety Modernization Act of 2026, a bill that updates federal tire testing standards to protect passenger safety and reflect modern best practices in tire production.\n\n\u201cGeorgia\u2019s nation-leading tire manufacturing industry helps keep Georgians safe and connected to boundless opportunities,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cBy modernizing this critical manufacturing sector, we can help foster innovation and keep Americans connected.\u201d\n\n\u201cTire manufacturing technology has evolved, but federal regulations have not kept pace,\u201d said Senator Wicker. \u201cThis legislation would update performance standards\u2014protecting passenger safety and promoting innovation simultaneously.\u201d\n\nThe Tire Safety Modernization Act of 2026 preserves a strong focus on safety. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to replace outdated testing requirements with more relevant, modern-day performance standards, clarifying existing safety criteria and aligning high-speed testing with internationally recognized best practices to keep our roads safe.\n\nSenator Warnock has successfully delivered millions of dollars\u2019 worth of federal grant funding to improve roadway safety across Georgia. Last year, he led an effort to improve access to economic opportunity by investing in transportation infrastructure that is essential to keeping communities connected.\n\nThe Tire Safety Modernization Act of 2026 is endorsed by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and several tire manufacturing companies with operational hubs located in Georgia, including Pirelli, Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., Kumho Tire USA, Inc., Continental Tire Americas, and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.\n\n\u201cModernizing federal tire safety standards is essential to ensuring American drivers have access to the safest, most advanced tire technology available,\u201d said Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO of U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). \u201cThe \u2018Tire Safety Modernization Act\u2019 is an important step toward aligning U.S. regulations with today\u2019s innovations, strengthening road safety and supporting a more competitive tire manufacturing sector. USTMA and its member companies are grateful to Senators Warnock (D-GA) and Wicker (R-MS) for their leadership in championing this critical legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cToyo Tire commends Senators Raphael Warnock and Roger Wicker for introducing legislation that will help modernize federal tire safety testing requirements,\u201d said Tatsuo Mitsuhata, Chairman & CEO, Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. \u201cOperating the largest tire factory in Georgia, Toyo understands the importance of maintaining a regulatory framework that supports both consumer safety and continued innovation in American manufacturing. This legislation represents a practical and forward-looking effort to ensure that federal tire standards keep pace with advances in vehicle and tire technology. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Warnock and Wicker in advancing this bipartisan effort and look forward to working with policymakers and industry stakeholders as the legislation moves forward.\u201d\n\n\u201cKumho Tire USA, headquartered in Atlanta and serving customers through a nationwide distribution network, is grateful to Senators Warnock and Wicker for their leadership in introducing legislation to modernize federal tire safety testing standards,\u201d said Edmund Cho, CEO of Kumho Tire USA, Inc. \u201cWith manufacturing and distribution operations, including facilities in Georgia, we support updating FMVSS tire tests to remove outdated requirements and align with global best practices, strengthening public safety and ensuring a fair, level playing field for responsible manufacturers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe introduction of this legislation by Senators Warnock and Wicker represents meaningful progress toward modernizing tire safety regulations,\u201d said Tansu I\u015f\u0131k, CEO Continental Tire Americas. \u201cAligning federal testing requirements with today\u2019s technological advancements will help ensure effective safety oversight while promoting innovation and manufacturing growth in the United States.\n\n\u201cFor the Pirelli Group, which has manufacturing facilities in Georgia and is the exclusive tire supplier to the Formula One World Championship\u2122, safety is paramount,\u201d said Pirelli. \u201cModernizing tire testing requirements will help ensure that federal testing standards continue to foster innovation, recognize the industry\u2019s most advanced tire technologies, and contribute to a lower environmental footprint.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Senators Warnock and Wicker for introducing legislation to modernize outdated tire testing requirements,\u201d said Brad Heim, Vice President, Product Development \u2014 Global Consumer, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. \u201cTire technology continues to advance rapidly, and federal standards should keep pace with innovation. This legislation will help ensure safety requirements reflect today\u2019s technology while supporting U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/breakdown-warnock-housing-provisions-lead-road-to-housing-act/", "BREAKDOWN: Warnock Housing Provisions Lead ROAD to Housing Act", "2026-07-28", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "As a leader on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Reverend Warnock secured the defining provisions of the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing package in a generation\n\nThe provisions championed by Senator Warnock help increase housing supply by cutting red tape, combating appraisal bias, and reforming legacy housing programs\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cI\u2019m proud to have contributed to increasing our nation\u2019s housing supply and lowering costs for hardworking Georgia families\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a leader on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, secured critical provisions in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to help increase housing supply and address the nation\u2019s housing affordability crisis. These provisions include several bills that Senator Warnock has championed for years to address bias in housing appraisals, incentivize local governments and banks to invest more in housing construction, and provide grants for affordable housing construction and local housing growth.\n\n\u201cI hear from Georgians across the state who have been clamoring for action from Washington on the housing affordability crisis, and this legislation is proof that when we center the people instead of the politics, we can get good policy done,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to have contributed to increasing our nation\u2019s housing supply and lowering costs for hardworking Georgia families.\u201d\n\nA breakdown of the provisions Senator Warnock secured is below.\n\nAppraisal Modernization Act: This provision includes a modified version of Senator Warnock\u2019s Appraisal Modernization Act, novel legislation that guarantees homeowners the option to request a second appraisal to combat appraisal bias. This is the only fair housing provision in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Systemic bias in the appraisal process has disadvantaged families of color for decades. Senator Warnock\u2019s provision gives consumers the tools and resources they need to ensure their homes are fairly valued.\n\nLocal Government Housing Innovation Fund: This provision, adopted from Senator Warnock\u2019s flagship American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, authorizes $1 billion in grants to local governments who have demonstrated an improvement in housing supply growth, to incentivize actions and policies that increase housing supply.\n\nCommunity Development Block Grant (CDBG) Improvements: Senator Warnock championed several provisions that increase federal funding for the construction of new affordable housing and condition portions of this funding on local housing growth. Georgia communities received over $83 million in CDBG funding in FY26.\n\nPermitting Reform and Streamlining: Senator Warnock advanced several provisions that relax federal permitting and environmental review requirements for affordable housing projects, including giving local governments more control over environmental reviews for certain housing projects.\n\nHousing Supply Expansion Act: Georgia, like much of the southeast, has experienced a manufactured housing boom over the past several years. This legislation allows for more innovative and multi-story manufactured housing designs while reducing the purchase price of manufactured homes by as much as $10,000.\n\nIn addition to these provisions, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act includes Senator Warnock\u2019s landmark provision banning private equity from mass-purchasing single-family homes. Fines will be imposed on corporations that own more than 350 homes; these fines will go towards new housing construction and financial assistance for first-time homebuyers, inspired by the Senator\u2019s Downpayment Toward Equity Act.", 1, "2026-07-29T07:41:48Z", "2026-07-29T07:42:57Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-rev-warnock-ossoff-delivering-resources-to-strengthen-crime-prevention-efforts-in-gwinnett-county/", "Sens.\u00a0Rev. Warnock,\u00a0Ossoff Delivering Resources to Strengthen Crime Prevention Efforts in Gwinnett County", "2026-07-27", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Norcross, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are delivering resources to strengthen crime prevention coordination in Gwinnett County.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock brought Republicans and Democrats together to help establish a central law enforcement command center in Norcross.\n\nAccording to the Norcross Police Department, the City has seen an increase in property crime, vehicle thefts, and violent incidents in recent years.\n\nTo address these crimes, with the help of Federal funding Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are delivering, Norcross aims to establish a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) to serve as a centralized command hub that will enable law enforcement to respond more swiftly to incidents and analyze critical public safety data in real-time.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are delivering $450,000 for the project through bipartisan government funding legislation that became law on January 23.\n\n\u201cCoordination between law enforcement is necessary to better prevent crime,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cThat\u2019s why Senator Reverend Warnock and I brought Republicans and Democrats together to help build a new central law enforcement command center in Norcross.\u201d\n\n\u201cProper coordination and communication between law enforcement agencies is vital for any effort to combat crime,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI am proud to have worked with Senator Ossoff to secure nearly half a million dollars for the city of Norcross\u2019s crime prevention center.\u201d\n\n# # #\n\nYour form has been received. Someone from our office will get back to you as soon as possible. Please allow 5\u20137 business days to process a request. If your request needs immediate attention, please don\u2019t hesitate to call our Washington, D.C. office or Atlanta office.", 1, "2026-07-28T07:37:32Z", "2026-07-28T07:38:50Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-statement-on-designation-of-okefenokee-national-wildlife-refuge-as-georgias-first-unesco-world-heritage-site/", "Sen. Ossoff Statement on Designation of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as Georgia\u2019s First UNESCO World Heritage Site", "2026-07-25", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "In February 2023, Sen. Ossoff led a bipartisan group urging National Park Service to nominate the Okefenokee refuge for UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage Site list\n\nSen. Ossoff has worked for years to protect the Okefenokee\n\nOkefenokee becomes Georgia\u2019s first UNESCO World Heritage Site\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 After years of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff\u2019s advocacy, UNESCO has designated the Okefenokee as Georgia\u2019s first World Heritage Site.\n\nFollowing Sen. Ossoff\u2019s bipartisan push over the last few years, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced today that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has been designated as Georgia\u2019s first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site.\n\nThis announcement follows a bipartisan effort by Sen. Ossoff, who led a group of Georgia\u2019s Congressional delegation in 2023 urging the Department of the Interior to pursue this prestigious designation. Following the group\u2019s urging, in September 2023, the National Park Service announced it intended to nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage Site list, and then in December 2024, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it would nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for the UNESCO World Heritage List.\n\nIn response to today\u2019s historic announcement, Sen. Ossoff released the following statement.\n\n\u201cFor years I\u2019ve worked to protect Georgia\u2019s beloved Okefenokee Swamp from dangerous strip mining, and now, following our bipartisan push, it\u2019s been named Georgia\u2019s first UNESCO World Heritage Site,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cThe Okefenokee is an irreplaceable natural treasure in our state, and this significant designation will help protect this renowned natural treasure for generations to come, promote tourism, and support Southeast Georgia\u2019s economic growth.\u201d\n\nThe World Heritage designation places the Okefenokee alongside global landmarks such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. With its inscription, the Okefenokee becomes Georgia\u2019s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first National Wildlife Refuge in the United States to receive the prestigious designation.\n\nThis recognition is expected to boost environmental protection efforts and promote economic prosperity through increased tourism and international recognition. According to a 2024 study, the World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO could double visitation at the Okefenokee Swamp Park, create about 750 long-term jobs, and deliver $60 million in annual economic impact.\n\nSen. Ossoff has worked for years to protect the Okefenokee.\n\nIn February 2023, Sen. Ossoff led a bipartisan coalition urging the U.S. Interior Department to nominate the Okefenokee Refuge for the honor, a crucial step in getting considered by UNESCO.\n\nFollowing his urging, in September 2023, the National Park Service announced it intended to nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage Site list, and then in December 2024, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it would nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for the UNESCO World Heritage List.\n\nIn April 2024, Sen. Ossoff submitted formal public comments to Georgia\u2019s Environmental Protection Division opposing mining permits near the Okefenokee, citing the threat of \u201cirreversible damage\u201d to the swamp and surrounding ecosystem.\n\nIn January 2025, following Sen. Ossoff\u2019s push, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would expand the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge\u2019s acquisition boundary by 22,000 acres.\n\nIn May 2025, Sen. Ossoff pressed the Trump Administration\u2019s Department of the Interior in a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, securing a public commitment from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that no part of the Okefenokee would be sold.\n\nIn June 2025, Sen. Ossoff welcomed the announcement of a land acquisition deal in which The Conservation Fund will purchase roughly 8,000 acres from Twin Pines Minerals, as well as the underlying mineral rights \u2014 effectively halting the proposed titanium mine near the swamp.\n\nIn August 2025, Sen. Ossoff passed an amendment through the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee to encourage greater expanded protection of the Okefenokee Swamp.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-26T07:35:04Z", "2026-07-26T07:36:32Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-again-presses-hhs-secretary-kennedy-for-failing-to-address-cancelation-of-cdcs-cyclosporiasis-parasite-monitoring/", "Sen. Ossoff Again Presses HHS Secretary Kennedy for Failing to Address Cancelation of CDC\u2019s Cyclosporiasis Parasite Monitoring", "2026-07-24", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 As cases top 11,000 nationwide, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is pressing HHS Secretary Kennedy on cuts to Cyclosporiasis monitoring.\n\nToday, Sen. Ossoff is again demanding answers from U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about his decision to terminate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC\u2019s) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) required surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis and is again requesting answers on the progress of Federal efforts to investigate and contain it.\n\nAccording to recent reports, there are over 11,500 cyclosporiasis cases being investigated across 41 states, including Georgia, with more than 4,100 cases being confirmed, and more than 300 people hospitalized.\n\nSec. Kennedy failed to respond to Sen. Ossoff\u2019s initial inquiry on the cyclosporiasis outbreak.\n\n\u201cYou have failed to address my questions regarding your inexplicable decision to terminate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC\u2019s) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) required surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, and the progress of federal efforts to investigate and contain it,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote to Sec. Kennedy. \u201cYour silence amidst an ongoing outbreak of diarrheal disease is indicative of the reckless arrogance with which you demolished America\u2019s public health defense.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect public health, the CDC, and its workforce.\n\nIn April, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock demanded answers from Secretary Kennedy after reports that the CDC Atlanta Campus is still in need of repairs and improvements following last year\u2019s shooting.\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff worked with Republicans and Democrats to ensure the CDC receives crucial funding to protect the American people, successfully defeating the Trump Administration\u2019s proposed 50% cut in funding for the CDC in the FY26 budget.\n\nLast October, Sen. Ossoff led Georgia\u2019s Democratic Congressional Delegation in calling on Sec. Kennedy to answer for the chaos and disruption at the CDC that has marked his tenure, including the firings of CDC employees.\n\nLast June, Sen. Ossoff spoke in the Appropriations Committee markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill about bipartisan efforts to protect the CDC.\n\nAlso in June, Sen. Ossoff demanded answers from the Trump Administration following an NPR report that the CDC Program to prevent fentanyl overdoses had been frozen.\n\nIn 2025, Sen. Ossoff and other members of Congress demanded that the Trump Administration provide answers on the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system at the CDC.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-25T07:13:44Z", "2026-07-25T07:15:09Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-working-to-expand-market-access-for-georgia-forestry-and-timber-products/", "Sen. Ossoff Working to Expand Market Access for Georgia Forestry and Timber Products", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working to expand market access for Georgia forestry and timber products into Europe.\n\nSen. Ossoff is launching an inquiry with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrator Kelly Moore on the status of trade negotiations with the European Union (EU) that could open a major new market for Georgia forestry and timber products.\n\nSen. Ossoff is encouraging Secretary Rollins and Administrator Moore to help open EU markets to American exporters by supporting EU regulatory approval of US fumigation techniques and working to provide a timeline for EU reviewal of US products.\n\n\u201cGeorgia is one of the largest producers and exporters of timber and forestry products, and expanding market access for Georgia forestry and timber products is vitally important to the state\u2019s economy,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote. \u201cExpanding opportunities for our timber and forestry products in the EU has been a yearslong effort, and it is of the utmost importance to Georgia\u2019s and the country\u2019s forestry sector that we remain vigorous in these efforts.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to support Georgia\u2019s forestry and timber industries.\n\nIn July, Sen. Ossoff urged the USDA Risk Management Agency to ensure Georgia farmers and growers still struggling to recover from damage from high winds during Hurricane Helene receive the support they deserve.\n\nIn May, Sen. Ossoff introduced the Farm Disaster Tax Cut Act to provide eligible farmers with a tax cut after natural disasters, revenue losses, or pest outbreaks.\n\nIn 2025, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Jobs in the Woods Act, legislation that would boost Georgia\u2019s forestry industry by establishing a competitive grant program for forestry career training programs.\n\nThat same year, Sens. Ossoff and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Emergency Pine Beetle Response Act to help Georgia foresters recovering from pine beetle infestations.\n\nAlso in 2025, Sens. Ossoff and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the bipartisan Forest Data Modernization Act, which would modernize and improve the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s Forest Inventory and Analysis program to ensure reliable data is available to inform forest management decision making.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s full letter.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-24T07:30:11Z", "2026-07-24T07:31:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-calls-for-community-protections-from-data-centers/", "Warnock Calls for Community Protections from Data Centers", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock is calling for stronger protections for local communities impacted by the rapid growth of data centers as new data center expansion strains local water supplies\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s letter comes amid reports that ChatGPT maker OpenAI plans to build \u201cProject Camellia,\u201d a $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, just outside Savannah, GA\n\nGeorgia is the nation\u2019s 6th largest data center hub with 230 facilities located across the state\n\nData center development in Georgia has been fueled by lucrative state tax incentives\n\nIn 2024, the Georgia General Assembly passed a two-year moratorium on the state\u2019s data center tax exemption; that bill was vetoed by Governor Brian Kemp\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cSmall, rural communities have been left to negotiate on their own with multi-million-dollar corporations whose well-staffed legal teams may negotiate dozens of deals at a time\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is calling for stronger protections for Georgia communities impacted by the rapid growth of data centers as new construction places increasing demands on the state\u2019s water supplies. Georgia is the nation\u2019s sixth-largest data center hub, with 230 facilities across the state. In a recent survey, 70% of Americans said they oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) in their local area. In a new letter, Senator Warnock calls on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue guidance and best practices to help local communities protect the long-term availability of safe, clean water amid the explosion of data center construction.\n\n\u201cSmall, rural communities have been left to negotiate on their own with multi-million-dollar corporations whose well-staffed legal teams may negotiate dozens of deals at a time,\u201d wrote Senator Warnock. \u201cIt is past time for the EPA to stand up on the side of our families, communities, and local municipalities as they navigate this new landscape.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s letter comes amid reports that ChatGPT maker OpenAI plans to build \u201cProject Camellia,\u201d a $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, just outside Savannah, GA. The new data center will require 3.2 gigawatts of power, nearly 70% of the energy produced by all four units at Plant Vogtle.\n\nData centers for AI and other digital use cases are consuming increasing amounts of energy and water in their communities. According to the Berkeley Lab, data centers directly consumed 17.4 billion gallons of water in 2023\u2014a threefold increase since 2014. This volume is equivalent to the annual water use of roughly 160,000 U.S. households. Studies project that by 2030, data centers could withdraw 80-150 billion gallons of water and consume 60-110 billion gallons annually.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warnock fought against the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which rolled back financial incentives that spurred 51 new domestic energy projects in Georgia. The GOP legislation is expected to increase electricity spending by up to $110 per year.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\nDear Administrator Zeldin:\n\nI write to express concern over the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) continued lack of support for public water systems and communities in Georgia as they navigate new water resource challenges posed by the rapid development of resource-intensive data centers. As the nation\u2019s chief regulator responsible for ensuring the availability of safe and clean drinking water across the country, you have a solemn responsibility to ensure data centers are not sacrificing community water supplies under the guise of economic development. Under your leadership, however, the EPA has largely remained on the sidelines, leaving small and often under-resourced communities on their own as they negotiate on behalf of families against giant corporations seeking access to millions of gallons of community water resources per day to support the proliferation of data centers. I urge you to change course and immediately issue guidance and best practices to local communities on how to best protect the long-term availability of safe and clean water for ordinary people amid the explosion of data center construction.\n\nGeorgia has quickly become one of the nation\u2019s largest data center hubs, with between 200 and 230 facilities already located across the state. Every estimate suggests this growth is set to continue. On July 22, 2026, OpenAI announced plans for a new data center in Effingham County that will require 3,200 megawatts of power, or over 66 percent of Plant Vogtle\u2019s entire generating capacity. As new data centers are built, they place new demands on Georgia\u2019s limited water resources. Meanwhile, the entire state has been engulfed in a historic drought, with 100 percent of Georgians experiencing severe to exceptional drought earlier this year for the first time in recorded history.\n\nAlarmingly, some of these data centers have made unreasonable demands for water, pitting large corporations against under-resourced, often rural communities that, quite reasonably, want to promote economic development. One data center in Georgia went so far as to request 9 million gallons of water per day, enough to supply nearly 44,000 households or the entire population of the cities of Albany and Rome, Georgia combined.\n\nThankfully, the local community had the foresight and resources to negotiate this data center\u2019s water withdrawals down to 300,000 gallons per day. Meanwhile, in Fayetteville, Georgia, a data center managed to use nearly 30 million gallons of water without paying for it, in part because it installed a water hookup without the knowledge of the local utility. One reason this data center managed to almost escape a $150,000 bill was because the local community was unaccustomed to large commercial projects of this nature, though the same cannot be said of the data center developer, which is owned by a private equity company and has revenues in the hundreds of millions.\n\nThe influx of data centers in Georgia during a record drought has been met with fierce skepticism across the state. Twenty-four cities and counties, ranging from urban DeKalb, Cobb, and Clayton to rural Monroe, Crawford, and Gordon, have adopted data center moratoria. Just south of Atlanta, residents in Coweta County are fighting to become only the third county in Georgia history to stage a referendum, this time in an effort to block the construction of a more than 800-acre data center campus. The reaction to the expansion of data centers in Georgia mirrors the rest of the country. Over 70 percent of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their area, and many cite a data center\u2019s strain on water and energy resources as a top concern.\n\nDespite these overwhelming and urgent water concerns, the EPA has, at best, largely stood on the sidelines. Instead of focusing on its statutory mandate to ensure the availability of safe and clean drinking water by working closely with local communities to ensure the proliferation of data centers has not introduced new contaminants, stressors, or challenges for community water systems, the EPA has partnered with data center developers to issue guidance and regulations to help these large corporations avoid federal regulatory scrutiny.\n\nAs a result, small, rural communities have been left to negotiate on their own with multi-million-dollar corporations whose well-staffed legal teams may negotiate dozens of deals at a time. This pits communities against one another in a race to the bottom that ultimately may harm families.\n\nIt is past time for the EPA to stand up on the side of our families, communities, and local municipalities as they navigate this new landscape. I urge the EPA to immediately rectify this failure by collaborating with local governments, water utilities and planning organizations, data center developers, and other interested parties to publish best practices and other resources to help communities protect and preserve the nation\u2019s water supplies while also enabling sustainable, long-term economic development. These resources should include recommended best practices to reduce or minimize data centers\u2019 water consumption and maintain water quality during construction and operation.\n\nIn addition to a written response to this letter, please provide an in-person briefing on your progress to publish these resources to my office no later than four weeks after receipt of this letter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-24T07:30:11Z", "2026-07-24T07:31:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-presses-u-s-trade-representative-on-the-impact-trumps-trade-policy-is-having-on-georgians/", "Warnock Presses U.S. Trade Representative on the Impact Trump\u2019s Trade Policy Is Having on Georgians", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock pressed U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on how the Trump administration\u2019s trade policies are affecting Georgia families already struggling with rising costs\n\n90% of the costs from Donald Trump\u2019s tariffs have fallen on American consumers and businesses\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cYou and the president still seem to be in denial that tariffs have raised prices\u2014a fact that study after study confirms and that is just basic common sense\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee\u2019s International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness Subcommittee, pressed U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on how the Trump administration\u2019s trade policies are affecting Georgia families already struggling with rising costs. Greer\u2019s appearance before the committee comes as President Trump threatens new tariffs amid a worsening affordability crisis.\n\n\u201cYou and the president still seem to be in denial that tariffs have raised prices\u2014a fact that study after study confirms and that is just basic common sense,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\nPresident Trump\u2019s reckless tariff strategy has already cost American households more than $1,000 dollars in 2025 and is estimated to cost them another $1,300 this year because of higher prices for groceries and gasoline. An analysis conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that 90% of the costs from President Trump\u2019s tariffs have been paid by American consumers and businesses.\n\nIn previous Senate Finance Committee hearings, Senator Warnock has pushed Ambassador Greer for assurances that investments in Georgia\u2019s economy would remain a priority at USTR. Senator Warnock has long demanded that Ambassador Greer consider the devastating economic toll of the Trump administration\u2019s tariff policies on American families already struggling amid the affordability crisis.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks HERE\n\nSee below a transcript of Wednesday\u2019s hearing exchange\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cThank you, Chair Crapo.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump promised, \u2018on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again.\u2019 Instead, he\u2019s made life more expensive for everybody. That\u2019s even before his illegal war of choice sent energy prices through the roof. According to the Tax Foundation, Trump\u2019s tariffs cost households $1,000 last year, and will cost them another $1,300 this year. The New York Fed found that in 2025, 90 percent of the economic burden from the tariffs were ultimately paid by American consumers and businesses, and a separate Fed study concluded what Americans already know just by going to the grocery store. The tariffs raised prices for families and contributed to core inflation.\n\n\u201cWelcome, Ambassador Greer. Despite this mountain of evidence, you and the president still seem to be in denial that tariffs have raised prices\u2014a fact that study after study confirms, and it\u2019s just basic common sense. Everybody sees it; we\u2019re feeling it.\n\n\u201cSo, here\u2019s my question: Has the USTR ever produced any rigorous peer-evaluated study refuting the fact that the president\u2019s tariffs have contributed to inflation, or is your rebuttal to these conclusions just based on vibes, people\u2019s feelings, politics?\u201d\n\nAmbassador Jamieson Greer (JG): \u201cSo, no, we don\u2019t do vibes, Senator. So, the Council on Economic Advisers, they\u2019ve done analyzes. We have seen, in fact, in the last month, inflation drop by 0.4 percent, core goods to 2.6 percent. Quite a contrast under Biden time with 9 percent inflation. Eggs have gone down by 28 percent year on year.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cMy question\u2026\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cDo you want the data, sir?\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYeah, I want an answer to my actual question.\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cWell, I have data. I am trying to give it to you.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cMy question is: Have you ever produced a peer-evaluated study refuting this evidence?\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cI literally have the data I\u2019m prepared to read to you from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has serious economists. Year on year, the price of eggs has gone down 28 percent. Smartphones have gone down 12 percent. Butter has gone down 8.7 percent.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThat\u2019s not my question.\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cI thought you wanted to know about the prices. They\u2019re down.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThat\u2019s not my question. The point is, is that tariffs contributed to inflation. Prices are higher than they were when the president came into office, and tariffs made it worse. People all over Georgia know that, businesses know that. And I\u2019m asking you, I guess the answer to that is no. There\u2019s no peer evaluated rigorous study refuting this, giving me item by item what the price of eggs is doesn\u2019t take seriously the situation.\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cThat\u2019s what Americans care about. They care about these prices, and they\u2019re down.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo, how about this? Within 60 days, will the USTR\u2014since you seem convinced that this is working and that tariffs have not driven up inflation\u2014can you produce a formal, rigorous study, say within the next 60 days, that disproves what all Americans and economists believe to be true about the clear link between these tariffs and price increases? Can you produce that?\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cSir, we have substantial data we\u2019ll provide for you. I\u2019m happy to sit with you and talk about this because I don\u2019t think a five-minute colloquy does it justice. I\u2019m happy to come and talk to you. Everything in the grocery cart comes from America produced here or Canada-Mexico duty-free.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo let\u2019s move on to one of the president\u2019s claims. He implemented these tariffs to create what he promised would be a \u2018manufacturing boom.\u2019 Meanwhile, we\u2019ve lost at least 75,000 manufacturing jobs since this president has taken office. How many net manufacturing jobs should we expect to see created by the end of this term because of these tariffs? Keep in mind that we\u2019re already at a net negative of 75,000.\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cSo, in terms of data, so this year in 2026 we\u2019ve had an average increase per month of 3,000 manufacturing jobs. In 2024, last year of Biden, there was a negative 15,000 jobs on average per month lost. So, we\u2019re already we\u2019ve righted the ship on this, and now we\u2019re in positive territory, which is where we want to be.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cHow much of that construction is due to data centers?\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cYou want to talk about construction now? Okay. So, factory construction has gone up. The employment in factory construction has gone up to 83,000 which is a huge benefit for our construction. A lot of this factory, some is for computing, some is for data, things that that can\u2026\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo, do you expect to be at a net positive by 2030? Because right now, we\u2019re at a net negative.\u201d\n\nJG: \u201cYes, because after COVID, manufacturing jobs went back up as one would expect when the economy opened back up, and then it plummeted. By 220,000 jobs under Biden, we stabilized it last year. Now we\u2019re net positive again. So, I expect that trend to continue if these policies continue.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cWe\u2019re out of time, brother. Chair, let me just say why this is important. I\u2019m talking to business leaders all across Georgia, talking to consumers. One example is a company where they\u2019ve had to lay off folks because they need a special type of steel that we don\u2019t make, and that steel is now subject to a 50 percent tariff. I could go on and on. I\u2019m all for manufacturing jobs, but these tariffs are raising costs, and everybody seems to know that except the Trump administration. Thank you.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-24T07:30:11Z", "2026-07-24T07:31:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnocks-35-insulin-cap-voted-out-of-committee-heads-to-senate-floor/", "Warnock\u2019s $35 Insulin Cap Voted Out of Committee, Heads to Senate Floor", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The INSULIN Act of 2026, which caps out-of-pocket costs of insulin at $35 a month for private insurance users and ensures access to affordable insulin for uninsured diabetics, passed out of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee with bipartisan support\n\nOver 12%of Georgia\u2019s population has diabetes, and tens of thousands more remain undiagnosed\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, legislation led by U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) titled the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act of 2026 passed out of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee with bipartisan support. The INSULIN Act of 2026 legislation caps out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month for private insurance holders across the country and helps ensure uninsured diabetics have access to insulin that is $35 or less. The bipartisan bill builds on Senator Warnock\u2019s legislation that capped insulin costs for seniors and was signed into law in 2022. This legislation, co-led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Susan Collins (R-ME), now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.\n\nThe INSULIN Act of 2026 includes a Senator Warnock-negotiated provision that would establish a 10-state pilot grant program that awards funding to community health centers to help provide affordable insulin to uninsured patients and get them connected to care. The legislation also establishes an insulin resource center and hotline to help connect uninsured people with diabetes to resources they need to obtain insulin.\n\n\u201cAfter years of effort, my bill to cap insulin at $35 a month for everyone is one step closer to becoming law,\u201d said Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock. \u201cNo one should be forced to put their health or life in danger because they can\u2019t afford insulin or don\u2019t know where to get it.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has long been a champion of lowering insulin costs for Georgians since joining the Senate. Since 2022, Senator Warnock has introduced legislation each Congress to lower insulin costs and help make prescription drug prices more affordable for Georgians. He first spearheaded legislation that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act and capped insulin costs for seniors at $35 per month. In 2023, Senators Warnock and Kennedy introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, to cap the cost of insulin for everyone who needs it at $35. Later in 2023, Warnock and Kennedy released a report analyzing county-level data across the country to examine counties with both high rates of uninsured people and high rates of diabetes \u2014 which the Senators termed \u201cInsulin Deserts\u201d.\n\nCosts to treat diabetes have continued to rise for many Americans. According to the Health Care Costs Institute, insulin prices nearly doubled from 2012 to 2021, with the average price for a 30-day supply of insulin increasing from $271 to $499 during that span. According to the American Diabetes Association, medical costs and lost work and wages for people with diagnosed diabetes total $412.9 billion each year, and has asserted that diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent on health care in the U.S.\n\nCosponsors of the Insulin Act of 2026 include Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Jim Justice (R-WV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jim Banks (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), David McCormick (R-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Mark Warner (D-VA).\n\nRead full text of the bill HERE\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-24T07:30:11Z", "2026-07-24T07:31:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-scott-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-support-young-parents-in-foster-care/", "Warnock, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Young Parents in Foster Care", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act provides necessary resources for healthy pregnancies, stable parenting, and successful transitions into adulthood\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cTogether, we are putting foster youth front and center by expanding access to the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program through Chafee and providing the resources they and their children need to build brighter, more secure futures\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced the bipartisan Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act, legislation that would help young parents in the foster care system access the resources they need for healthy pregnancies, stable parenting, and a successful transition into adulthood.\n\n\u201cToo many vulnerable youth in our foster care system are forced to contend with early parenthood while facing the complexities of the foster care system,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThat is why I am proud to partner with Senator Scott on this crucial bill. Together, we are putting foster youth front and center by expanding access to the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program through Chafee and providing the resources they and their children need to build brighter, more secure futures.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery child deserves the key to opportunity no matter his or her walk of life,\u201d said Senator Scott. \u201cI am proud to introduce the Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act, which ensures young parents from the foster care system can create stable homes for themselves and their children. By investing in these young parents and providing them with ample resources, we are strengthening families, investing in America\u2019s future, and ensuring the door to opportunity remains open for all.\u201d\n\nThe Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act would improve coordination between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 (HHS) John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood and the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). The bill would require states to have process in place to provide eligible foster youth who are expecting or parenting information about services that can improve maternal health, child development, parenting skills, and long-term family stability.\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed legislation to help protect mothers and improve outcomes for families. The senator previously introduced the Kira Johnson Act, a bill to provide funding to community-based organizations leading the charge to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women. In November 2023, Senator Warnock introduced legislation that would help keep kids out of foster care and promote healthy families by creating an alternative to incarceration for eligible parents and caregivers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-28T07:37:32Z", "2026-07-28T07:38:50Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-slams-hud-for-curtailing-fair-housing-enforcement/", "Warnock\u202fSlams HUD for\u202fCurtailing Fair Housing Enforcement", "2026-07-23", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Housing and Urban Development Acting Chief Financial Officer Irving Dennis over HUD\u2019s refusal to distribute fair housing grants\n\nEarlier this month, HUD announced sweeping changes to a federal grant program that supports fair housing efforts\n\nThe decision makes it more difficult to identify and adequately investigate violations of housing discrimination, and provide relief for Americans\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock has championed bipartisan legislation to boost housing supply by cutting red tape, investing in local innovation, and reforming legacy housing programs\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cHUD is reserving zero dollars for these organizations that are actually experienced in addressing these issues around fair housing\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee\u2019s Economic Policy Subcommittee, questioned Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Acting Chief Financial Officer Irving Dennis over HUD\u2019s decision to drastically reduce the number of fair housing grants and deliberately exclude experienced fair housing organizations from the latest round of funding. Earlier this month, HUD announced sweeping changes to a federal grant program that supports fair housing efforts and stopped distributing funds to non-profit organizations that investigate and address housing discrimination.\n\n\u201cHUD is reserving zero dollars for these organizations that are actually experienced in addressing these issues around fair housing,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cThey\u2019re the first line of defense; they\u2019re the ones who see it, and none of them will receive anything. How is this consistent with the law, which requires funds to be made available to experienced non-profit, fair housing enforcement organizations?\u201d\n\nExperienced non-profit organizations are often the primary enforces of fair housing protections for Americans facing housing instability, including people with disabilities, seniors, and veterans. Three in four housing discrimination complaints are first handled by these organizations, yet they rely on federal funding to investigate complaints and educate renters about their rights. HUD\u2019s decision to gut the congressionally authorized grant program that supports these efforts will have a devastating impact on Georgians already being squeezed by the ongoing affordability crisis.\n\nSince coming to the Senate, Senator Warnock has worked to expand access to affordable housing and promote a fairer housing market. In July, Senator Warnock secured the inclusion of his provision to ban private equity firms from mass purchasing single-family homes in 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation. The housing package also included the Senator\u2019s Appraisal Modernization Act, a provision to combat appraisal bias. It is the only fair housing provision included in the legislation.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks HERE\n\nSee below for a transcript of Thursday\u2019s hearing exchange\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cThe Fair Housing initiative program helps local governments and nonprofit organizations enforce the nation\u2019s fair housing laws. In fact, nearly three in four fair housing complaints are first heard by these organizations, which use federal funds to investigate complaints and conduct education about renters\u2019 rights.\n\n\u201cMr. Dennis, you are nominated to be the Chief Financial Officer at HUD, but you are basically doing the job right now. I would imagine you are aware that HUD recently announced they are making $83 million available under this fair housing initiative. How many of these dollars will go to these experienced non-profits who help so many Americans with their fair housing complaints?\u201d\n\nActing HUD CFO Irving Dennis (ID): \u201cI\u2019m not sure how those dollars will flow. That is a program decision within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. We\u2019re responsible for making sure the funds are available and properly accounted for once they leave HUD and reported.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cLet me tell you the answer is zero. HUD does not reserve funding for these organizations, and it explicitly disqualified prior recipients from certain funds. So, HUD is reserving zero dollars for these organizations that are actually experienced in addressing these issues around fair housing. They\u2019re the first line of defense; they\u2019re the ones who see it, and none of them will receive anything.\n\n\u201cHow is this consistent with the law, which requires funds to be made available to experienced non-profit, fair housing enforcement organizations?\u201d\n\nID: \u201cAgain, these are program decisions, and they are done in consultation with general counsel. I assure you that we are following the law; we will not do anything to violate the law.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cI assure you that it\u2019s not consistent with the law, and it\u2019s bad practice. To just disqualify the organization that is actually experienced with doing this work. I hope you will rethink this if confirmed to this position.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/following-warnock-effort-irs-increases-mileage-reimbursement-rate/", "Following\u00a0Warnock\u00a0Effort, IRS\u00a0Increases\u00a0Mileage Reimbursement Rate", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Last month, Senator Reverend Warnock urged the Internal Revenue Service to increase the standard mileage reimbursement rate and give a bigger tax deduction to Georgia\u2019s gig workers and independent contractors\n\nThis adjustment benefits millions of independent contractors and gig workers who often drive thousands of miles a year for work\n\nThe average gas price in Georgia is $3.77 a gallon, largely resulting from President Trump\u2019s Iran War\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) secured a mid-year adjustment to the 2026 optional standard business mileage reimbursement rate after pressuring U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano last month. The Senator made the request after hearing directly from Georgia workers suffocated by the high price of gas.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that my efforts will provide relief to the millions of Americans who\u2019ve been squeezed by the surge in gas prices,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI will continue to focus on making the livelihoods of hardworking Georgians a little better. If the President wants to fix the problems at the pump, he should end this illegal war with Iran\u201d\n\nIn a July 13 bulletin, the IRS announced that the standard mileage rate will increase by 3.5 cents per mile to 76 cents for the optional mileage rate for automobiles driven for business. The new rates will apply on or after July 1, 2026, and will be reflected on 2026 federal income tax returns filed next year.\n\nThe price of gas has risen exponentially since President Trump began the war in Iran just over 140 days ago. In January 2026, when the current mileage reimbursement was set, the average retail cost of gasoline nationally was $2.93 a gallon. By May 2026, the cost rose to $4.60 per gallon, placing a significant burden on small business owners and workers.\n\nThe IRS is authorized to set the standard business mileage rate every year. In years past, the IRS has made mid-year adjustments to the mileage rate, including in 2005, 2008, and 2011, when higher business, medical, and moving rates were applied mid-year \u201cin recognition of recent gasoline price increases.\u201d In 2022, the IRS made a mid-year adjustment to mileage rates due to \u201crecent increases in the cost of fuel.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-unveils-comprehensive-plan-to-protect-and-expand-voting-rights-in-america/", "Warnock Unveils Comprehensive Plan to Protect and Expand Voting Rights in America", "2026-07-22", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a new framework released today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock called for Congress to investigate state politicians who rushed to gerrymander maps and eliminate Black majority districts following the Supreme Court\u2019s Callais decision\n\nThe investigations would seek to determine if lawmakers illegally discriminated based on race when drawing Congressional maps\n\nThe Senator\u2019s plan also includes a nationwide ban on partisan gerrymandering, stopping billionaires from buying our elections, and guaranteeing the right to vote for all Americans\n\nICYMI from ABC News: Sen. Warnock urges Democrats to investigate officials who redrew maps\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cVoting rights are preservative of all other rights. They are the context in which all other debates take place. Democracy is the very house we live in. It is the whole game.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), one of the Senate\u2019s leading advocates for voting rights, today unveiled a comprehensive policy agenda to repair and strengthen American democracy in the wake of escalating attacks on the right to vote.\n\nIn this new policy paper, Senator Warnock argues that Congress must launch investigations into state politicians who redrew the maps after the Supreme Court decision to gut the Voting Rights Act earlier this year.\n\n\u201cAcross the Deep South, partisan actors have manipulated their maps to silence the voices of Black voters. Their names and stories are virtually unknown across the country, and that is one way they escape accountability,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\n\u201cEven this Supreme Court has made clear that intentional racial discrimination remains illegal. We owe it to voters to root out whether any illegal actions or discrimination occurred,\u201d added the Senator.\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s plan outlines actions Congress should take in the short, medium, and long term. The plan includes:\n\nLaunch Congressional investigations into state politicians who have manipulated maps to silence voters\u2019 voices after the Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v Callais. Determine if there is any evidence that these officials broke any laws in their race to gerrymander and silence Black voices.\n\nBan partisan gerrymandering nationwide. If some partisan Republicans refuse to ban this egregious practice, we should put them on record, and we must make them explain why on the floor of Congress and to the American people.\n\nStop billionaires from buying our elections. We need billionaires to spend less on elections and more in taxes.\n\nExpand American democracy. Grant statehood to the District of Columbia and self-determination for U.S. territories.\n\nAmend the Constitution. Enshrine the fundamental right to vote once and for all.\n\nSenator Warnock also framed the push as a call to action for his colleagues in Congress and in the Democratic Party to urgently prioritize the issue of voting rights saying, \u201cNo more excuses: As soon as Democrats hold a trifecta, protecting voting rights must be at the top of the agenda.\u201d\n\nHe also argues that fixing voting rights is a critical step towards addressing affordability and the cost of living saying, \u201cVoting rights are preservative of all other rights. So even as we talk about affordability, as we talk about growing wealth inequality, billionaires getting tax cuts while everyday people can barely afford their lives, all of that brokenness reflects the brokenness of the democracy itself. We have to repair it, and we have to do so with urgency.\u201d\n\nRead the full plan HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-24T07:30:11Z", "2026-07-24T07:31:13Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-demand-more-fema-assistance-for-wildfire-prevention-and-response/", "Warnock, Colleagues Demand More FEMA Assistance for Wildfire Prevention and Response", "2026-07-21", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a new letter, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock joined his Senate colleagues in demanding more assistance from FEMA for wildfire prevention and response\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock and colleagues: \u201cIt is imperative that FEMA helps communities quickly respond to wildfires and increase their resilience to future wildfire disasters\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined eight of his Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure that all communities receive the federal resources they need to prevent and respond to wildfires. An analysis conducted by the Joint Economic Committee found that the annual economic burden of wildfires on the U.S. economy ranges from $394 billion to $893 billion, often forcing states to bear the brunt of disaster response and recovery costs.\n\nCurrently, states can request financial assistance from FEMA through Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) to help cover emergency-related costs, firefighting activities, and administrative expenses. After an FMAG is declared, states can request assistance to help impacted communities rebuild and mitigate future wildfire disasters through FEMA\u2019s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Post Fire. However, many communities are still waiting for HMGP Post Fire funds from previous wildfires, leaving them vulnerable to current and future disasters.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, over 3.1 million acres have already burned across the country since the beginning of this year, which is the second largest number of acres burned in a January to July period in the past 10 years,\u201d wrote Senator Warnock, colleagues. \u201cGiven these recent fires, the persistent drought across multiple states, and the expected above normal wildfire activity, it is imperative that FEMA helps communities quickly respond to wildfires and increase their resilience to future wildfire disasters.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Georgia experienced the two most destructive fires in the state\u2019s history, the Pineland Road Fire in Clinch and Echols County and the Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County. Together these fires burned over 50,000 acres, cost the state of Georgia $35 million, and destroyed 110 homes. Comprehensive and timely FEMA assistance is vital to ensuring Georgians have the adequate resources to recover from the devastating effects of these wildfires.\n\nSenator Warnock has consistently worked to provide and strengthen federal support for communities affected by natural disasters. In March 2026, Senator Warnock secured over $531 million in federal disaster aid for Georgia farmers who were affected by Hurricane Helene. In April 2025, Senator Warnock championed legislation that provided tax relief to victims of the South Georgia wildfires.\n\nSenator Warnock was joined by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\nDear Mr. Fenton:\n\nWildfires are one of the most frequently recurring disasters that, while once common only to western states, have recently become a major threat to communities across the country. The Canadian wildfires in 2023 and 2024 produced smoke and harmful air pollutants that were dispersed across the eastern United States. In 2024 and 2025, the Cottonwood Peak wildfire in Nevada, the Smokehouse Creek wildfire in Texas and Oklahoma, and the Los Angeles wildfires in California burned millions of acres across the west. 2024 also proved to be the worst wildfire season in Oregon, and in 2026, Georgia faced the most destructive fire in the state\u2019s history. These wildfires can be lethal and destroy critical infrastructure and entire residential communities, negatively affect public health through harmful smoke and air pollutants, and place large economic burdens on urban and rural communities.\n\nUnfortunately, over 3.1 million acres have already burned across the country since the beginning of this year, which is the second largest number of acres burned in a January to July period in the past 10 years. According to the National Interagency Fire Center\u2019s July National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook report, western and southeastern states are forecasted to experience above normal wildfire activity this summer as major drought conditions continue to persist. Given these recent fires, the persistent drought across multiple states, and the expected above normal wildfire activity, it is imperative that FEMA helps communities quickly respond to wildfires and increase their resilience to future wildfire disasters.\n\nFortunately, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) to help communities manage and control wildfire disasters. There were 67 FMAG declarations in fiscal year 2025 alone, which shows how valuable these grants are to helping communities combat wildfires. Therefore, FMAGs must continue to be available to all communities, especially for rural communities, as we prepare to enter the upcoming wildfire season.\n\nCommunities can also increase their resilience after a wildfire disaster by participating in FEMA\u2019s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Post Fire (HMGP Post Fire) for FMAG declarations, which helps develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in ways that reduce future disaster impacts. For example, in Nevada, HMGP Post Fire grants are primarily used for hazardous fuels mitigation in and around their communities with the intent of decreasing future wildland fire effects. However, we are very concerned that many states in 2025 and 2026 were not awarded HMGP Post Fire funding after an FMAG declaration. In fact, since March 18, 2025, HMGP has not been approved for any major disaster declaration. Additionally, a leaked memo from FEMA to the Office of Management and Budget from April 2025 suggested not automatically approving HMGP, and the recently released FEMA Review Council Report recommends replacing HMGP with a two-phase funding structure. These actions make the future of HMGP uncertain and leave communities without access to this critical funding.\n\nAs we approach the summer months and prepare for above normal wildfire activity, we urge you to ensure FEMA can quickly respond to future wildfires and that FMAG and HMGP Post Fire funds are promptly approved and distributed to communities, including those in rural areas. We appreciate that FEMA recently started dispersing some HMGP funds to projects that were approved as far back as 2020. However, while addressing the backlog of HMGP projects is important, we urge you to ensure that more recent HMGP and HMGP Post Fire requests are also promptly reviewed and funds disbursed so that communities can prepare for future disasters. In addition, we request responses to the following questions by no later than July 31, 2026:\n\n1. How does FEMA plan to ensure that it can promptly review and approve FMAG funds to provide vital assistance to communities during the upcoming wildfire season? Does FEMA\u2019s plan include the recommendations provided by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding FMAG implementation, many of which FEMA concurred with and committed to finalizing?\n\n2. Rural communities are no stranger to large and catastrophic wildland fires that place large economic impacts on local industries, but rural communities are rarely eligible for these programs because of low population densities. Considering that wildfires often start in rural areas and then expand into areas with higher population densities, mitigation efforts in rural areas may help protect the higher populated areas. How is FEMA addressing any potential eligibility barriers that impact rural communities and may prevent them from accessing FMAG assistance?\n\n3. From March 2025 to June 2026, how many HMGP requests did President Trump or the FEMA Administrator approve or deny? For requests that were denied, what were the reasons?\n\n4. From March 2025 to June 2026, how many HMGP Post Fire requests did FEMA or FEMA Regional Administrators approve or deny, and for what reasons were these decisions made? Are FEMA Regional Administrators still empowered to approve HMGP Post Fire grants?\n\n5. General feedback from state and local entities is that HMGP Post Fire, while amazing in concept, is rarely used because it is known to be an extremely cumbersome and bureaucratic process with limited and lengthy results. With this perception in mind, how many FMAGs have been approved since 2020 without a corresponding HMGP Post Fire application submitted?\n\n6. Many state and local agencies have waited multiple years for approval to start work, and multiple years for reimbursement for work approved and performed under HMGP Post Fire. From January 2020 to June 2026, what is the total dollar amount of HMGP Post Fire funds waiting to be reimbursed to state agencies?\n\n7. What has caused or is causing FEMA to delay or not disperse HMGP and HMGP Post Fire funds, and how are these issues being addressed? Does FEMA plan to include the GAO\u2019s recommendation to provide assistance for immediate post-wildfire mitigation, which is necessary to prevent post-wildfire flooding, erosion, and debris flows?\n\n8. Has the policy or practice for approving HMGP and HMGP Post Fire requests changed at all in the past 18 months? If so, please provide justification for the changes.\n\n9. With HMGP\u2019s future seemingly uncertain, what are FEMA\u2019s plans for this program and how will the agency keep Congress informed on its status?\n\nWe look forward to your swift response and working with FEMA to ensure the safety of all Americans from wildfire disasters. Thank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-22T07:34:13Z", "2026-07-22T07:35:16Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-statement-on-4-servicemembers-killed-in-action-in-iran/", "Sen. Ossoff Statement on 4 Servicemembers Killed in Action in Iran", "2026-07-21", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Pursuant to Senate Policy, petitions, opinion polls and unsolicited mass electronic communications cannot be initiated by this office for the 60-day period immediately before the date of a primary or general election.\n\nSubscribers currently receiving electronic communications from this office who wish to unsubscribe may do so here.", 1, "2026-07-23T07:31:02Z", "2026-07-23T07:32:26Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/amidst-cyclospora-parasite-outbreak-sen-ossoff-slams-hhs-secretary-kennedy-for-canceling-cdcs-monitoring-of-cyclosporiasis-parasite/", "Amidst Cyclospora Parasite Outbreak, Sen. Ossoff Slams HHS Secretary Kennedy for Canceling CDC\u2019s Monitoring of Cyclosporiasis Parasite", "2026-07-20", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Amidst the current parasite outbreak, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is slamming HHS Secretary Kennedy for canceling the CDC\u2019s required surveillance of the Cyclosporiasis parasite.\n\nIn a new letter, Sen. Ossoff slammed U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for terminating the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC\u2019s) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis.\n\nAccording to recent reports, cyclosporiasis has been identified in more than 1,600 confirmed cases, with more than 100 people hospitalized and thousands of cases being investigated across 34 states, including Georgia.\n\n\u201cLast year, you terminated the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC\u2019s) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) required surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis. And now a cyclosporiasis outbreak sweeps the nation,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote to HHS Secretary RFK Jr.\u201cYour foolish and self-indulgent demolition of critical public health programs puts Americans at risk. The Trump Administration is actively undermining food safety.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect public health, the CDC, and its workforce.\n\nIn April, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock demanded answers from HHS Secretary RFK Jr. after reports that the CDC Atlanta Campus is still in need of repairs and improvements following last year\u2019s shooting.\n\nIn March, Sen. Ossoff worked with Republicans and Democrats to ensure the CDC receives crucial funding to protect the American people, successfully defeating the Trump Administration\u2019s proposed 50% cut in funding for the CDC in the FY26 budget.\n\nLast October, Sen. Ossoff led Georgia\u2019s Democratic Congressional Delegation in calling on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to answer for the chaos and disruption at the CDC that has marked his tenure, including the firings of CDC employees.\n\nLast June, Sen. Ossoff spoke in the Appropriations Committee markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill about bipartisan efforts to protect the CDC.\n\nAlso in June, Sen. Ossoff demanded answers from the Trump Administration following an NPR report that the CDC Program to prevent fentanyl overdoses had been frozen.\n\nIn 2025, Sen. Ossoff and other members of Congress demanded that the Trump Administration provide answers on the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system at the CDC.\n\nClick here to read Sens. Ossoff\u2019s inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-21T07:32:02Z", "2026-07-21T07:33:33Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-atlanta-mayor-dickens-councilmember-boone-celebrate-warnock-led-provision-that-will-keep-homes-in-the-hands-of-georgia-families/", "ICYMI:\u00a0Warnock, Atlanta Mayor Dickens, Councilmember Boone Celebrate Warnock-Led Provision That Will Keep Homes in the Hands of Georgia Families", "2026-07-20", "2026", "2026-07", "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\u2019s provision to ban large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes is federal law\n\nThe provision is part of the historic 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cHousing is dignity, housing is stability, housing is hope\u201d\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) held a press conference in the Adamsville neighborhood of Atlanta with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone, and prospective first-time homebuyer Jacob Parcel to celebrate the enactment of Senator Warnock\u2019s landmark provision prohibiting private equity firms from mass-purchasing single-family homes.\n\nThe provision, and many other provisions championed by Senator Reverend Warnock, are included in the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, thelargest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation. Despite passing the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, President Donald Trump declined to sign the bill within the constitutionally designated 10-day timeline, prompting formal enactment to occur without the president\u2019s signature.\n\nIn addition to the ban on private equity, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act also includes provisions from Senator Warnock\u2019s Appraisal Modernization Act, the only fair housing provision in the legislation, and several bills Senator Warnock has championed for years to reform rural housing programs, penalize local governments for failing to meet housing goals, incentivize local governments and banks to invest more in the construction of housing, and provide grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners repair and weatherize their properties.\n\nMore media coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s press conference below:\n\nWANF: Warnock authored the section of the bill that caps the number of homes corporations can own at 350 per investor group, with a fine of $1 million or three-times the price of a home\u2019s value for every property they own over the cap.\n\nWABE: U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock celebrated a bipartisan housing affordability package becoming federal law this weekend, which includes a provision he championed capping corporate ownership of single-family homes.\n\nAtlanta Voice: Warnock said there was still work to be done. The act doesn\u2019t apply to homes that have already been purchased by corporations. Asked what the act means for the corporations or private equity that might remain involved in the Georgia housing market. Warnock said, \u201cI want to stop the spread. They are picking homes like you, and I pick tomatoes in the grocery store.\u201d\n\nCourier Georgia: During a press conference Monday, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) celebrated the legislation. He wrote several key provisions, including the limit on the number of additional homes private equity can buy and the measure making discrimination in the appraisal process illegal. \u201cLet\u2019s be clear, if you\u2019re a single mom,\u201d he said, \u201cyou cannot compete with Wall Street. They will outbid you every time, and so this is about fairness.\u201d\n\nAJC: Standing in front of a three-bedroom Adamsville rental owned by a private equity firm, the Democratic senator was joined by Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta City Council member Andrea Boone, both of whom grew up in the Westside community. \u201cThey are picking houses the way you pick tomatoes at the grocery store,\u201d said Warnock, calling Atlanta \u201cground zero\u201d of corporate homeownership.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-21T07:32:02Z", "2026-07-21T07:33:33Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-slams-cfpb-acting-director-russell-vought-for-prioritizing-debt-collectors-over-the-american-people/", "Warnock Slams CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought for Prioritizing Debt Collectors Over the American People", "2026-07-17", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Acting Director Russell Vought over his decision to expose millions of financially vulnerable Americans to predatory medical debt collectors\n\nMedical debt can ruin credit scores and exacerbate the crushing effects of the ongoing affordability crisis for rural and working-class Americans\n\nIn Georgia, 27% of rural residents have medical debt collections on their credit report\u2014ten percentage points higher than the national average\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cCFPB, by its nature, is advocating for the everyday consumers, and I don\u2019t see how any of your actions suggest that you\u2019ve been advocating for the people that I represent\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee\u2019s Economic Policy Subcommittee, slammed Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), for reversing a finalized CFPB rule that would have removed almost $50 billion in medical debt from the credit reports of tens of millions of Americans.\n\n\u201cCFPB, by its nature, is advocating for everyday consumers, and I don\u2019t see how any of your actions suggest that you\u2019ve been advocating for the people that I represent,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cIt seems to me that this shouldn\u2019t be a partisan issue. People on both sides of the aisle know that medical emergencies can happen to anybody. They can happen to anyone. We\u2019ve seen that up close in this very body over the last few weeks. But thanks to you, there are now families who cannot buy a house. They are hounded by debt collectors, and they\u2019re denied business loans all because they got sick.\u201d\n\nLast year, Senator Warnock joined Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 28 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in demanding the Trump administration publicly produce the data and analysis used to justify the CFPB\u2019s position that the medical debt rule was unnecessary or unlawful. Acting Director Vought has yet to respond to this inquiry, opting instead to deflect blame when confronted by Senator Warnock in Thursday\u2019s Banking Committee hearing.\n\nIn a similar effort to rectify Director Vought\u2019s disastrous decision to reverse the CFPB medical debt rule, Senator Warnock forced a vote on the Senate floor to restore protections for the millions of Americans vulnerable to predatory medical debt collectors. Most of his Republican colleagues refused to support the resolution, and it ultimately failed on a 50-50 party line vote.\n\n27% of Georgians in rural communities have medical collections on their credit report\u2014ten percentage points higher than the national average. Statewide, roughly 640,000 Georgians lack adequate access to affordable health care because the Republican state legislature has repeatedly refused to fully expand Medicaid. Despite these setbacks, Senator Warnock continues to fight to ensure every Georgian has access to quality, affordable health care.\n\nWatch the Senators full remarks HERE.\n\nSee below for a transcript of Thursdays hearing exchange\n\nSenator Raphael Warnock (SRW): \u201cThank you, Mr. Chair. Director Vought, have you or anyone you know ever had a medical emergency?\u201d\n\nActing Director Russell Vought (RV): \u201cOf course.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cDo you personally know anyone who has ever gone into debt because of a medical emergency?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cYes.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cBefore the president took office, the CFPB finalized a rule that would have removed almost $50 billion in medical debt from the credit reports of tens of millions of Americans. Debt which, by the way, is often incorrect. But Director Vought, within months of your taking office, the CFPB reverse itself and joined with the very same debt collectors who were set to profit off medical debt to overturn this rule. How did your decision in any way help those tens of millions of Americans, some of whom are watching today, being crushed by nearly $50 billion in medical debt? How was this helpful for them?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cSenator, the statute specifically ensures that credit reporting agencies can take into account medical debt. So, until you change that statute, we don\u2019t have the ability to just regulate however we want to.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cWell, you could have tried to narrow the rule, right?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cNo, we really couldn\u2019t.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYou could have tried to fight it in court?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cNo, our oath is to the statutes that you have passed\u2014to faithfully execute those laws.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThat\u2019s not something you could have fought in court?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cNot if we have a fundamental disagreement about what the statute requires.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYou and I can agree to disagree. I think you chose not to fight it in court, and you joined forces with those debt collectors. A year ago, I, along with nearly 30 of my colleagues, demanded answers from you about this decision, and I request unanimous consent to enter our letter into the record. You never responded. Do you ever respond? Do you ever plan to respond to my letter?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cMuch of the correspondence that we\u2019ve gotten has to do with litigation that we\u2019re a part of, and so we can\u2019t speak and respond to letters of which we\u2019re going to have to provide answers in court, and that is a reality that we face. But we do intend to have a very open relationship with Congress, and I\u2019m happy to correspond with you on a regular basis.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cDo you do you ever plan to respond to our letter?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cI\u2019m leaving the post on August 1st, so there\u2019s a lot of things that hopefully [President Trump\u2019s nominee for CFPB Chair] Brian Johnson will be doing, and one of those is those types of correspondence.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYou\u2019re leaving on August 1st\u2014you\u2019ve done quite a bit of damage in a few months. We had a simple ask: show your work, publicly disclose the data and the analysis to justify the CFPB\u2019s position that the medical debt rule was unnecessary or unlawful. Since you didn\u2019t respond, I\u2019ll ask you now: How many Americans were projected to have their medical debt wiped from their credit scores by the CFPB\u2019s medical debt rule, which you overturned?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cI don\u2019t know, but the rule was unlawful.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThe answer is 15 million. Medical debt can ruin credit scores, which can make it impossible for folks to ever buy a home. Do you know how many more mortgages consumers would have been able to afford each year if you hadn\u2019t overturned the rule?\u201d\n\nRV: \u201cI don\u2019t have that off the top of my head.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo the answer is 22,000. So, 22,000 mortgages that consumers would have been able to afford. 15 million Americans who were set to have their medical debt wiped from their credit scores. I\u2019ve seen this up close in the state of Georgia, and the impact, the real human costs behind the very cold and clinical language about statutory authority, authority which I think you do have. Questions that you could have raised.\u201d\n\n\u201cCFPB, by its nature, is advocating for everyday consumers, and I don\u2019t see how any of your actions suggest that you\u2019ve been advocating for the people that I represent. It seems to me that this shouldn\u2019t be a partisan issue. People on both sides of the aisle know that medical emergencies can happen to anybody. They can happen to anyone. We\u2019ve seen that up close in this very body over the last few weeks. But thanks to you, there are now families who cannot buy a house. They are hounded by debt collectors, and they\u2019re denied business loans all because they got sick. Director Vought, you\u2019ve spent the last 18 months decimating the CFPB and its consumer protections, and I think families across America will be that better off when you\u2019re gone. I\u2019d like a response to my letter.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-18T06:58:50Z", "2026-07-18T07:00:34Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-pushes-federal-reserve-chair-kevin-warsh-to-implement-artificial-intelligence-policy-that-protects-all-americans-not-just-tech-executives/", "Warnock\u00a0Pushes\u00a0Federal Reserve Chair\u00a0Kevin Warsh to Implement Artificial Intelligence Policy That Protects All Americans, Not Just Tech Executives", "2026-07-16", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "According to a Bloomberg analysis, spending on artificial intelligence has risen to about 8 percent of U.S. gross domestic product\n\nAmericans\u2019 retirement accounts are increasingly tied to the artificial intelligence industry, driven by massive increases in the stock prices of chip and AI companies\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock introduced legislation to support America\u2019s workforce amid the rise of artificial intelligence\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cBut here\u2019s my problem: Americans are worried about what AI will mean for the economy, and I\u2019m worried that this viewpoint isn\u2019t represented at the Fed\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee\u2019s Economic Policy Subcommittee, questioned Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh about how to protect Americans from potential economic uncertainty tied to the growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry.\n\n\u201cI\u2019d be worried about a massive economic slowdown. You know, the impact of Wall Street on Main Street, and I\u2019d be worried about job losses,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cStock prices tumbling would mean Americans could not retire as planned, and I don\u2019t want to see taxpayers holding the bag should this AI bubble pop\u2026But here\u2019s my problem: Americans are worried about what AI will mean for the economy, and I\u2019m worried that this viewpoint isn\u2019t represented at the Fed.\u201d\n\nAccording to a recent Bloomberg analysis, AI spending accounted for approximately 8% of U.S. gross domestic product and was a leading driver of economic growth. Despite growing alignment between the tech industry and top Wall Street investors, major AI firms have yet to generate meaningful profits. During Wednesday\u2019s Banking Committee hearing, Senator Warnock pushed Chair Warsh to consider this as he seeks input on AI.\n\nSenator Warnock has championed protections for American workers as automation and AI reshape the workforce and economy. In February, Senator Warnock introduced the Investing in Tomorrow\u2019s Workforce Act to increase investments in worker training and prepare workers for jobs of the future. He also successfully secured $65 million in funding for the Georgia Institute of Technology to help the university remain a national leader in computer science research and innovation.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks HERE\n\nSee below a transcript of Wednesday\u2019s hearing exchange\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cThe American economy is heavily leveraged on the success of artificial intelligence, and this is an issue that I\u2019m very interested in\u2014been engaging and talking to folks in the industry and folks outside of the industry, various stakeholders. According to a Bloomberg analysis, AI spending most recently climbed to about 8% of the U.S. gross domestic product, driving the country\u2019s economic growth. Chair Warsh, you have long been bullish on AI. However, up to now, despite investors betting big on them, none of the major AI models have been meaningfully profitable. What are the consequences to our economy if none of these companies ever become profitable?\n\nFederal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh (KW): \u201cSo, if they were to disappoint investors, I think the capital markets would dry up for them, and some of that capital investment would be curtailed.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cI guess that\u2019s one way of putting it. I guess I\u2019m getting at where ordinary folks are in the midst of that. The markets behind the markets are real people who have retirement savings and who are trying to make their present as well as their future work. American retirement accounts are increasingly tied to AI, and so there\u2019s the human issue driven by massive increases in the stock prices of chip and AI companies. You might talk about the current markets in a way. It sort of\u2014it is tall and narrow. Let\u2019s imagine if we are in an AI bubble. What would happen to our economy, and more specifically, Americans\u2019 retirement savings, if that bubble popped?\u201d\n\nKW: \u201cSo, I think it\u2019s a fair question, Senator. I take it seriously. I\u2019m not in the business of providing a Wall Street newsletter, but I\u2019ll say broadly to your question about the effects on the economy: booms and busts do not help the real economy, and they don\u2019t make the central bank\u2019s job easier. What the central bank is trying to achieve is price stability\u2014full employment\u2014all in the context of financial stability.\n\n\u201cOn the question of these AI companies, certainly the surge in their investment and the surge in their valuations is notable. But I\u2019ll also note one other thing, Senator. Over the course of the last couple of months, we\u2019ve seen the market cap\u2014both of the public companies and of private companies\u2014under some pressure at the overall indexes. We do seem to see a broadening out now. Why is that? Because earnings now for the last several quarters more broadly are moving up. I don\u2019t want to suggest that should give us any complacency, but what the Fed\u2019s looking for is economic strength to broaden and the inflation that we talked about earlier to become more narrow.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo, I\u2019d be worried about a massive economic slowdown. You know, the impact of Wall Street on Main Street, and I\u2019d be worried about job losses. Stock prices tumbling would mean Americans could not retire as planned, and I don\u2019t want to see taxpayers holding the bag should this AI bubble pop. I\u2019m not against AI. AI is not going anywhere. It has both promise and peril. I just want us to be thinking critically about this from all angles.\n\n\u201cEarlier this month, you announced a new task force to assess the effect of AI on productivity and jobs. The three individuals you chose for the task force are tech executives who have directly worked for or with AI labs. All three of them. Yes or no, will the Fed include anyone on this task force with an alternative viewpoint on AI? For example, anyone who represents the workers whose lives may be up ended by increased adoption of AI tools and technology?\u201d\n\nKW: \u201cSo, Senator, it\u2019s a fair question. As I mentioned to your colleague a few moments ago, what I\u2019d say is one of the people on those task forces is an academic. Now I don\u2019t want to suggest that the academic is representing some\u2026\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYou don\u2019t want to suggest that the academic is being academic\u2014\u201d\n\nKW: \u201c\u2014I don\u2019t want to suggest that, but this isn\u2019t a faculty lounge discussion. What I do want to suggest is that academic\u2019s work has spent a lot of time talking about prior technology shocks and the displacement that it has on labor. The assurance I can give you is that these three people on that task force, like the other task forces, they\u2019re not the deciders. You\u2019retalking to one of the deciders. The 19 of us around the FOMC with a breadth of backgrounds and interest, we\u2019re going to decide what we think of their conclusions.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cAs a decision maker, I always want various viewpoints. I certainly have nothing against an academic expertise. I think you know that that\u2019s important, and it\u2019s too often ignored in some of the appointments that we\u2019ve seen around here lately. But here\u2019s my problem: Americans are worried about what AI will mean for the economy, and I\u2019m worried that this viewpoint isn\u2019t represented at the Fed.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-17T07:15:58Z", "2026-07-17T07:17:05Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-moran-launch-bipartisan-effort-to-protect-community-water-supplies-and-improve-drought-resilience/", "Warnock, Moran Launch Bipartisan Effort to Protect Community Water Supplies and Improve Drought Resilience", "2026-07-15", "2026", "2026-07", "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 Jerry Moran introduced legislation that would establish a new office of water supply, water conservation, and drought resiliency at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\n\nThe Securing America\u2019s Water Supply Act would ensure communities have access to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 drought resilience and water supply expertise, strengthening the nation\u2019s ability to protect valuable water resources and address water supply challenges while improving coordination between the Corps and local communities\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cA resilient water supply is crucial to the future of Georgia\u2019s families, farmers, and businesses, and this new office will help provide communities the tools they need to protect this vital resource and build long-term drought resiliency\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish an office of water supply, water conservation, and drought resiliency within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help communities meet their long-term water needs and address new water supply challenges posed by drought and aging infrastructure. This new office will centralize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 drought resilience and water supply expertise, ensuring local communities have access to critical water supply resources and support to tackle future opportunities and challenges.\n\n\u201cOur bipartisan bill will help Georgia communities, state agencies, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work together to better address and manage our water resources responsibly,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cA resilient water supply is crucial to the future of Georgia\u2019s families, farmers, and businesses, and this new office will help provide communities the tools they need to protect this vital resource and build long-term drought resiliency.\u201d\n\n\u201cEstablishing a dedicated Office of Water Supply, Water Conservation and Drought Resiliency will strengthen the Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 mission of addressing water supply needs and support efforts to improve water availability and drought resilience,\u201d said Senator Moran. \u201cThis new office will improve coordination with states and local partners, helping them access the authorities, programs and technical resources needed to make certain communities in Kansas and across the country have a reliable and sustainable water supply.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis bill delivers critical support to the Corps of Engineers, strengthening its ability to support the water utilities that provide clean, reliable drinking water to people and businesses across metro Atlanta,\u201d said Danny Johnson, Managing Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission\u2019s Natural Resources Department (ARC). \u201cThe Office of Water Supply gives the Corps the resources it needs to meet the Atlanta region\u2019s water needs, now and into the future.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur nation\u2019s water supply is at the core of our prosperity as it is vital for human life, industry, and agriculture,\u201d said Brad Burnett, Chairman of the National Water Supply Alliance (NWSA). \u201cEstablishment of an Office of Water Supply, Water Conservation, and Drought Resiliency within the US Army Corps of Engineers will provide the focus needed within the federal government to support states and regional sponsors across the nation in maintaining and managing existing water supplies and developing new ones for the future.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has long fought to implement lasting improvements to water supply infrastructure in Georgia. In June 2024, following a series of catastrophic water main breaks that left hundreds of thousands of Atlanta residents and local businesses without water services, Senator Warnock led a bicameral effort to secure nearly $1 million in federal funding to address chronic water infrastructure problems plaguing communities across Georgia. Senator Warnock was joined in this effort by Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Congresswoman Nikema Williams (D-GA-05).\n\nThe Securing America\u2019s Water Supply Act is supported by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the National Water Supply Alliance (NWSA).\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-16T07:21:44Z", "2026-07-16T07:23:13Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/watch-sen-ossoff-presses-director-of-national-intelligence-nominee-on-2020-election-results-fulton-county-raid/", "WATCH: Sen. Ossoff Presses Director of National Intelligence Nominee on 2020 Election Results, Fulton County Raid", "2026-07-15", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WATCH: Sen. Ossoff\u2019s full line of questioning\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, a member of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, today pressed President Trump\u2019s nominee for Director of National Intelligence on the 2020 election results and the Fulton County raid earlier this year.\n\nToday, in a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Nomination Hearing, Sen. Ossoff pressed Walter \u201cJay\u201d Clayton III, President Trump\u2019s nominee to be the Director of National Intelligence, about who won the 2020 election and former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard\u2019s presence during the FBI\u2019s raid on the Fulton County elections office.\n\nWhen Sen. Ossoff asked Clayton, \u201cWho won the 2020 election,\u201d Clayton refused to answer the question and said, \u201cI\u2019m not going to do this with you.\u201d\n\nIn response, Sen. Ossoff told Clayton, \u201cYou refuse to answer a basic question about who won a presidential election, but you asked to lead America\u2019s Intelligence Community. Isn\u2019t it humiliating to be unable to answer this question, to have to indulge the president\u2019s delusions? We know, you know, everybody in this room knows the truthful answer to that question. Why can you not give it?\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff asked Clayton if he was aware that Director Gabbard was present at the Fulton County raid in Georgia earlier this year, to which Clayton said, \u201cI was made aware of it by you yesterday.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe first time you learned that Director Gabbard was present at that raid was in my office yesterday?\u201d Sen. Ossoff replied. \u201cYour answers lack credibility. Your testimony lacks credibility. You\u2019re being evasive and you\u2019re not being candid or forthright. And everybody across the country is going to watch this and know that.\u201d\n\nClick here to watch Sen. Ossoff\u2019s full line of questioning.\n\nPlease find a transcript of Sen. Ossoff\u2019s line of questioning below:\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYou have an obligation to be honest and forthright with this Committee, correct?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYes.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cAnd is it the case in the Juan Orlando Hernandez case that the President of the United States pardoned a man who had worked with the Sinaloa cartel to facilitate massive narcotrafficking into the United States?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI don\u2019t remember the specifics of that case\u2026\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cHe was convicted in your district.\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cHe was convicted. I\u2019m just \u2026 we convict a lot of people for a lot of drugs.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cConvicted of narcotrafficking, yes?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cUm, I believe so.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYou know so. At massive scale, yes?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cWell, you\u2019re telling me what I know. That\u2019s kind of \u2013\u2013 he was I believe \u2013\u2013 look, I\u2019ll take your word for it. He was a convicted narcotrafficker.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cDid the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, pardon a convicted narcotrafficker?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI believe we just discussed that. The president provided a pardon. Yes.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYes or no? Did the President of the United States pardon a convicted narcotrafficker?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYes.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWho won the 2020 election?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYou know, we\u2019re not \u2013\u2013 I\u2019m not. I\u2019m not going to do this with you.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cThis is a job interview. We\u2019ve established that you have an obligation to be honest and forthright with the Committee, yes? You do have an obligation to be honest and forthright with the Committee?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYes.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWho won the 2020 election?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cLike I said, I\u2019m not \u2013\u2013 I\u2019m not going to get into that with you.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cBut you do have an obligation to be honest and forthright with the Committee.\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cIs anything that I just said not honest or forthright?\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYes, you\u2019re not being honest or forthright. Who won the 2020 election?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI think I\u2019ve answered the question. We can keep doing this.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWell, we\u2019re going to keep doing it because you\u2019re not being honest and forthright.\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cNah, I\u2019m not going to engage in the theater.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cIt\u2019s a simple question, Mr. Clayton.\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cAnd I\u2019ve answered.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWho won the 2020 presidential election?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI\u2019ve answered it.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYou\u2019re here asking for the support of senators to lead America\u2019s Intelligence Community. We\u2019ve established that you have an obligation to be honest and forthright with this Committee and with the American public, but you refuse to answer a simple matter of fact about the 2020 election, is that right?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cNo, that\u2019s not right.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cThen answer the question: who won the 2020 election?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI have answered the question.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cAnswer it. What is your answer?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI\u2019ve given you my answer.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWhat is your answer?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201c\u2026\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYou refuse to answer a basic question about who won a presidential election, but you asked to lead America\u2019s Intelligence Community. Isn\u2019t it humiliating to be unable to answer this question, to have to indulge the president\u2019s delusions? We know, you know, everybody in this room knows the truthful answer to that question. Why can you not give it?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI think I gave you the answer.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cAre you aware that Director Gabbard was present at the Fulton County raid in Georgia earlier this year?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYou uh \u2013\u2013 you discussed that with me yesterday in your office.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cAre you aware that Director Gabbard was present at the Fulton County raid earlier this year?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYou, you brought it to me \u2026 my attention yesterday \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWhat is going on here? You\u2019ve said at the beginning of this you have an obligation to be honest and forthright with the Committee. I\u2019m asking a very simple question: are you aware that Director Gabbard was present at the Fulton County raid earlier this year? Yes or no? Are you aware?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI was \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYou won\u2019t answer that question.\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI just said I was made aware of it by you yesterday.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cThe first time you learned that Director Gabbard was present at that raid was in my office yesterday?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cIt was the first time that, in my recollection, I\u2019ve thought about it recently. Now, was I aware of it before?\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWhat?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYou \u2013\u2013 I mean, you brought it to my attention yesterday. I had not thought \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cSo you had not known until \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI had not \u2013\u2013 I had not thought about it until you brought it to my attention yesterday.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cYour answers lack credibility. Your testimony lacks credibility. You\u2019re being evasive and you\u2019re not being candid or forthright. And everybody across the country is going to watch this and know that. Are you aware that former Director Gabbard testified that her presence at the raid was quote \u2018requested by the president\u2019?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI\u2019m not aware of that until now.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cOkay, you are now aware of that.\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYeah.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cAre you aware that members of this committee are already probing Director Gabbard\u2019s potential misconduct in this matter?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI don\u2019t. I\u2019m not privy to your probe into \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cAre you aware that the general counsel and deputy general counsel of your office have already provided testimony to this committee regarding this matter?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cNo.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cIf the White House Chief of Staff or the president asks you to travel somewhere across the United States and oversee the execution of a domestic search warrant on a sensitive election facility, will you do it?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cUmm that\u2019s a hypothet\u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cIs that appropriate? Is that appropriate for the Director of National Intelligence?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cThat\u2019s a hypothetical.\u201d\n\nSEN. OSSOFF: \u201cWe all know it\u2019s not appropriate.\u201d\n\nCHAIRMAN: \u201cSenator Ossoff your time is expired.\u201d\n\nSEN OSSOFF: \u201cWill you answer the question?\u201d\n\nCHAIRMAN: \u201cYour time is expired. Senator \u2013\u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN OSSOFF: \u201cWill you give him the opportunity to answer the question? Is this not material right now, sir? Is it appropriate for the Director of National Intelligence to oversee the execution of domestic search warrants at sensitive election facilities? Yes or no?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cI think you\u2019re asking me, as you just said in your first comment to me \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nSEN OSSOFF: \u201cYes or no? Is it appropriate? No?\u201d\n\nCLAYTON: \u201cYou are asking me to comment on a matter that you just said was under investigation.\u201d\n\nSEN OSSOFF: \u201cNo, I\u2019m asking you \u2013\u2013\u201d\n\nCHAIRMAN: \u201cOkay, Senator Ossoff, your time is expired.\u201d\n\nSEN OSSOFF: \u201cDisqualifying.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-17T07:15:58Z", "2026-07-17T07:17:05Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-working-to-crack-down-on-ai-improperly-denying-needed-health-care/", "Sen. Ossoff Working to Crack Down on AI Improperly Denying Needed Health Care", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working to crack down on the use of artificial intelligence to deny needed health care.\n\nSen. Ossoff is cosponsoring a Senate resolution to stop the Trump Administration from allowing artificial intelligence to improperly deny seniors\u2019 needed health care.\n\nThis year, the Trump Administration\u2019s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, a pilot program that uses \u201ctechnologies such as artificial intelligence to review the appropriateness of select services in six states over a six-year trial period.\u201d\n\nThe Congressional Review Act resolution, led by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), would repeal the WISeR Model, stopping the Trump Administration from using AI to deny seniors\u2019 care.\n\n\u201cThe abuse of prior authorization practices has led to Georgians being denied life-saving medication and waiting months for the care they need,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cGeorgians shouldn\u2019t have to worry that artificial intelligence will improperly deny them needed care.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues to work to ban insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care.\n\nIn June, during the Senate\u2019s vote series, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to prevent insurance companies from denying or delaying needed health care, but Senate Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment. This followed Senate Republicans blocking Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment during a Senate budget debate in April.\n\nIn April, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz about insurance practices that lead to denied claims and delayed health care that patients need.\n\nClick here to read the Senate Resolution.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-report-finds-over-two-million-children-have-lost-medicaid-since-trump-took-office/", "New Report Finds Over Two Million Children Have Lost Medicaid Since Trump Took Office", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "A new report finds that more than two million fewer kids were enrolled in Medicaid in April 2026, compared to January 2025 when President Trump took office\n\nIn July 2024, Congressional Republicans cut $1 trillion from Medicaid\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cTwo million vulnerable children have lost health care coverage for the sake of a billionaire tax break. That is a moral failure by our government and a betrayal of our responsibility to protect our children\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families finds that more than two million children have lost Medicaid coverage since President Trump took office in January 2025. This drop in the number of children covered by Medicaid and the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is alarming, as nearly half of all U.S. kids rely on the programs for health coverage.\n\n\u201cThis report should trouble the moral conscience of all Americans,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cTwo million vulnerable children have lost health care coverage for the sake of a billionaire tax break. That is a moral failure by our government and a betrayal of our responsibility to protect our children.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access. In June, he forced a vote to expand transparency surrounding Medicaid coverage loss nationwide. His effort to release the data was blocked by Senate Republicans 52-46. Last spring, the Senator released findings that the best way to get the most Americans working is to invest in Medicaid, making health care accessible to eligible Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-votes-no-on-blank-check-for-iran-war/", "Warnock Votes \u201cNO\u201d on Blank Check for Iran War", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "President Trump\u2019s illegal war of choice in Iran has continued for 137 days\n\n14 service members have tragically lost their lives\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis President needs guardrails, not a blank check\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA)released the following statement after voting \u201cNO\u201d on the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act for the first time in his Senate career because it authorized a blank check for President Trump\u2019s illegal war in Iran.\n\n\u201cI cannot vote to fund an illegal war with no justification, no set goal, and no exit strategy. I\u2019m proud to represent Georgia\u2019s 100,000 servicemembers\u2014it\u2019s why I\u2019ve voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act every year I\u2019ve served in Congress. But at a time when Americans are struggling to cover the cost of gas, health care, and groceries, we should not be spending billions on another endless war that endangers our Servicemembers and makes our country less safe. This President needs guardrails, not a blank check,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nSince President Trump launched his illegal war in February 2026, Senator Warnock has been a fierce opponent of the Trump administration\u2019s decision to deploy U.S.military forces in Iran. Last month, Senate Republicans moved to block the Senator\u2019s war powers resolution to stop President Trump\u2019s war in Iran from passing on the floor of the Senate. The President is yet to receive any authorization from Congress as required by Article I of the U.S. Constitution.\n\n###\n\nTitle and affiliation are provided for identification purposes only. A pastor and social justice advocate, Senator ReverendRaphael 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, "2026-07-16T07:21:44Z", "2026-07-16T07:23:13Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-secure-26-million-for-savannah-brunswick-ports-and-cobb-county-transportation-project/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev.\u00a0Warnock\u00a0Secure $26 Million for Savannah, Brunswick Ports and Cobb County Transportation Project", "2026-07-13", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation championed by Senators Ossoff and Warnock\n\nThe Savannah and Brunswick ports will receive over $20 million to install fiber connections to increase efficiency and connectivity between freight vehicles\n\nCobb County will receive $5 million for the Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway/Kennesaw Due West Road/Old 41 realignment project\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock today announced more than $26 million in federal funding for Georgia to support the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, as well as a transportation project in Cobb County.\n\n\u201cGeorgians deserve world-class infrastructure. Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we\u2019re delivering these resources to upgrade infrastructure across metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia to keep families safe, support business and commerce, and keep our state moving,\u201d said Sen. Ossoff.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m focused on securing federal funding for Georgia to keep our supply chains [love a supply chain reference on this one] running smoothly and our communities better connected,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThis is the kind of progress I had in mind when I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I will continue to work to deliver more investments in our transportation economy for Georgians across the state.\u201d\n\nFor the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, the Senators secured $20,972,248 to install fiber connections for connected vehicles across the freight areas of both ports. The project includes the installation of 58 miles of conduit and fiber-optic communication, and the equipping of approximately 500 freight vehicles with on-board units to improve the efficiency of freight operations.\n\nIn Cobb County, the senators secured $5 million to help realign Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway. The funding will be used to support study and design activities for the roadway realignments to correct multiple turning movements on McCollum Parkway, Old 41 Highway, South Main Street, and Summers Street by aligning with Cobb Parkway/US 41 at its intersection with Kennesaw Due West Road.\n\nThe project also includes two bridge replacements over railroad corridors, multi-modal access, and operational improvements to increase community connectivity.\n\nIn 2024, Senators Warnock and Ossoff secured more than $122 million in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade Georgia\u2019s Public Transportation Infrastructure. The senators also secured over $48 million in federal funding for clean energy upgrades at the ports of Savannah and Brunswick.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-14T07:08:55Z", "2026-07-14T07:10:52Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-atlanta-mayor-dickens-councilmember-boone-celebrate-warnock-led-provision-that-will-keep-homes-in-the-hands-of-georgia-families/", "Warnock, Atlanta Mayor Dickens, Councilmember Boone Celebrate Warnock-Led Provision That Will Keep Homes in the Hands of Georgia Families", "2026-07-13", "2026", "2026-07", "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 Raphael Warnock held a press conference with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone to celebrate the enactment of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act\n\nSenator Warnock\u2019s provision to ban large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes became federal law on Saturday morning\n\nPrivate equity has rapidly spread through Georgia\u2019s housing market, with more than one in four single-family rental homes in metro Atlanta owned by large corporations\n\nThe housing package includes provisions championed by Senator Warnock that will boost housing supply by cutting red tape, investing in local innovation, and reforming legacy housing programs\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cHousing is dignity, housing is stability, housing is hope\u201d\n\nPhoto Credit: Joshua Spruiel/City of Atlanta\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock in Atlanta (also pictured from left to right: Jacob Parcel and his son, Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens)\n\nAtlanta, GA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) held a press conference in the Adamsville neighborhood of Atlanta with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone, and prospective first-time homebuyer Jacob Parcel to celebrate the enactment of Senator Warnock\u2019s landmark provision prohibiting private equity firms from mass-purchasing single-family homes. The provision was included in the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation. The bill became federal law early Saturday morning.\n\n\u201cHousing is dignity, housing is stability, housing is hope,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cWhen you set politics aside and center the people, you have a chance at getting the public policy right. I promised the people of Georgia that I would walk with them, even as I work for them, and so it\u2019s good to be walking through this neighborhood today and to think that over the weekend we were actually able to bring some good news.\u201d\n\n\u201cSenator Warnock understands the urgent need to address a challenge that Atlanta and other major cities have been facing for far too long,\u201d said Mayor Dickens. \u201cWhen large institutional investors and private equity firms buy up neighborhoods and homes in bulk, it becomes much harder for working families to achieve their dream of homeownership, and it becomes harder for longtime residents to remain rooted in the communities they helped build.\u201d\n\n\u201cImagine saving long and hard for a down payment on a home, your piece of the American dream. You have every requirement in order, only to be disappointed time and time again because the dream is out of your reach,\u201d said Councilmember Boone. \u201cToday, I\u2019m happy to tell you we\u2019ve turned that corner. Thanks to the relentless leadership of Senator Warnock, this private equity ban legislation makes it clear our communities are not investment portfolios. No one should have to outbid Wall Street to build a life.\u201d\n\n\u201cMe and my wife resonate with this closely because we ourselves have been trying to buy a home for the last two years, and homes in our area have been few and far between. And the ones that are for sale are just simply too expensive,\u201d said Jacob Parcel, a prospective first-time homebuyer and third generation Smyrna, GA, resident. \u201cI believe if you work hard and if you save for years, you should be able to buy a home in the neighborhood that you want to be in\u2026That\u2019s why I\u2019m grateful to Senator Warnock for fighting for us in Washington, and I appreciate all the efforts that he\u2019s made.\u201d\n\nOn Saturday, despite passing the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became federal law without President Donald Trump\u2019s signature. Lauded as the most consequential housing package in a generation, the legislation delivers relief to a housing market crippled by the ongoing affordability crisis.\n\nIn addition to the ban on private equity, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act also includes provisions from Senator Warnock\u2019s Appraisal Modernization Act, the only fair housing provision in the legislation, and several bills Senator Warnock has championed for years to reform rural housing programs, penalize local governments for failing to meet housing goals, incentivize local governments and banks to invest more in the construction of housing, and provide grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners repair and weatherize their properties.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-14T07:08:55Z", "2026-07-14T07:10:52Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-secure-26-million-for-savannah-brunswick-ports-and-cobb-county-transportation-project/", "Warnock, Ossoff Secure $26 Million for Savannah, Brunswick Ports and Cobb County Transportation Project", "2026-07-13", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation championed by Senators Warnock and Ossoff\n\nThe Savannah and Brunswick ports will receive over $20 million to install fiber connections to increase efficiency and connectivity between freight vehicles\n\nCobb County will receive $5 million for the Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway/Kennesaw Due West Road/Old 41 realignment project\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis is the kind of funding and progress I had in mind when I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\u201d\n\nSenator Ossoff: \u201cWe\u2019re delivering these resources to upgrade infrastructure across metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia to keep families safe, support business and commerce, and keep our state moving.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced more than $26 million in federal funding for Georgia to support the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, as well as a transportation project in Cobb County.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m focused on securing federal funding for Georgia to keep our supply chains [love a supply chain reference on this one] running smoothly and our communities better connected,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThis is the kind of progress I had in mind when I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I will continue to work to deliver more investments in our transportation economy for Georgians across the state.\u201d\n\n\u201cGeorgians deserve world-class infrastructure. Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we\u2019re delivering these resources to upgrade infrastructure across metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia to keep families safe, support business and commerce, and keep our state moving,\u201d said Senator Ossoff.\n\nFor the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, the Senators secured $20,972,248 to install fiber connections for connected vehicles across the freight areas of both ports. The project includes the installation of 58 miles of conduit and fiber-optic communication, and the equipping of approximately 500 freight vehicles with on-board units to improve the efficiency of freight operations.\n\nIn Cobb County, the senators secured $5 million to help realign Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway. The funding will be used to support study and design activities for the roadway realignments to correct multiple turning movements on McCollum Parkway, Old 41 Highway, South Main Street, and Summers Street by aligning with Cobb Parkway/US 41 at its intersection with Kennesaw Due West Road.\n\nThe project also includes two bridge replacements over railroad corridors, multi-modal access, and operational improvements to increase community connectivity.\n\nSenators Warnock and Ossoff have long been champions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, beginning with Senator Warnock\u2019s work on the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to secure infrastructure investments that will support jobs in Georgia and modernize the state\u2019s infrastructure.\n\nIn 2024, Senators Warnock and Ossoff secured more than $122 million in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade Georgia\u2019s Public Transportation Infrastructure. The senators also secured over $48 million in federal funding for clean energy upgrades at the ports of Savannah and Brunswick.", 1, "2026-07-14T07:08:55Z", "2026-07-14T07:10:52Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-senator-lindsey-graham/", "Warnock Statement on Senator Lindsey Graham", "2026-07-13", "2026", "2026-07", "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 released the following statement:\n\n\u201cLindsey Graham spent his entire life in public service\u2014first in the military, then in public office. I am shocked by his sudden loss, and I pray God\u2019s grace upon his family and loved ones.\u201d", 1, "2026-07-14T07:08:55Z", "2026-07-14T07:10:52Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/now-law-warnock-led-private-equity-housing-ban-will-help-keep-homes-in-the-hands-of-georgia-families/", "NOW LAW: Warnock-Led Private Equity Housing Ban\u00a0Will Help Keep Homes in the Hands of Georgia Families", "2026-07-11", "2026", "2026-07", "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\u2019s provision to ban large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes is now federal law\n\nThe provision is part of the historic 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation\n\nPrivate equity has rapidly spread through Georgia\u2019s housing market, with more than one in four single-family rental homes in metro Atlanta owned by large corporations\n\nThe housing package includes provisions championed by Senator Warnock that will boost housing supply by cutting red tape, investing in local innovation, and reforming legacy housing programs\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis legislation is proof that when we center the people instead of the politics, we can get good policy done\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in a historic victory for American families, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock\u2019s (D-GA) landmark provision to ban private equity firms from mass-purchasing single-family homes is officially federal law.\n\nHailed as the most consequential housing package in a generation, the legislation delivers relief to a housing market crippled by the ongoing affordability crisis. Despite passing the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, President Donald Trump declined to sign or veto the bill within the constitutionally designated 10-day timeline, prompting formal enactment to occur at midnight, without the president\u2019s signature.\n\n\u201cI hear from Georgians across the state who have been clamoring for action from Washington on the affordable housing crisis, and this legislation is proof that when we center the people instead of the politics, we can get good policy done,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to have contributed to increasing our nation\u2019s housing supply and lowering costs for hardworking Georgia families.\u201d\n\nCorporate investors have suffocated metro-Atlanta\u2019s housing market, with more than 1 in 4 single-family rental homes\u2014over 72,000 properties\u2014owned by large corporations. Corporate investors control more homes in metro-Atlanta than any other area in the country and have begun spreading to every corner of the state.\n\nIn addition to the ban on private equity, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act also includes provisions from Senator Warnock\u2019s Appraisal Modernization Act, the only fair housing provision in the legislation, and several bills Senator Warnock has championed for years to reform rural housing programs, penalize local governments for failing to meet housing goals, incentivize local governments and banks to invest more in the construction of housing, and provide grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners repair and weatherize their properties.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-12T07:28:31Z", "2026-07-12T07:30:18Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-delivering-funding-to-protect-georgia-families-from-hazardous-substances/", "Sens. Ossoff & Rev. Warnock Delivering Funding to Protect Georgia Families from Hazardous Substances", "2026-07-10", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Chickamauga, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are delivering bipartisan infrastructure law funding to protect Georgia families from hazardous contaminants and substances.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are delivering nearly $9 million in Federal funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across Georgia.\n\nThe Federal funding, delivered through the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup grant program, will help assess, clean up and redevelop blighted properties across the state and protect families from dangerous chemicals.\n\n\u201cThis is about our communities\u2019 health. No family in Georgia should live in fear of contaminants in their communities,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cThat\u2019s why we are delivering these historic public health and environmental cleanup efforts across Georgia.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe health of Georgia\u2019s communities is tied to the health of our environment,\u201dsaid Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cThese federal funds will help ensure Georgians can trust that their families are protected from hazardous substances.\u201d\n\nPlease find more details about the Federal grant funding below:\n\nSen. Ossoff continues to protect Georgia families from harmful chemicals and contaminants.\n\nIn May, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock and Rep. McBath brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver Federal funding for the City of East Point to install PFAS removal filters to existing drinking water pipes, helping improve drinking water quality for families.\n\nIn April Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock brought Republicans and Democrats together to upgrade the Alcovy River Pump Station to better serve residents in the county by mitigating the risk of exposure to PFAS and other contaminants and improving available water supply.\n\nLast December, Sen. Ossoff urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reinstate a grant made to Emory University to research children\u2019s exposure to lead, heavy metals, and other contaminants in West Atlanta following the discovery of dangerously high levels of lead in some West Atlanta yards.\n\nSen. Ossoff has previously delivered funding through the EPA\u2019s Brownfield program for clean-up projects across the state, including in Adrian, Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, Milledgeville, Rome, and Warner Robins.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-11T07:10:48Z", "2026-07-11T07:14:29Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-pressing-trump-administration-about-pfas-cleanup-delays-at-georgia-military-installations/", "Sen. Ossoff Pressing Trump Administration About\u00a0PFAS Cleanup\u00a0Delays at Georgia Military Installations", "2026-07-09", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is again pressing the Trump Administration about reported delays in PFAS cleanup at Georgia military installations.\n\nSen. Ossoff is pressing Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth to address reported delays in the cleanup and remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at DoD installations in Georgia and across the country.\n\nIn 2019, reports found that Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Moody Air Force Base, and Robins Air Force Base used firefighting foam that contained significant amounts of PFAS and led to concerns about the drinking water near these installations. Last September, DoD released updated timelines for cleanup feasibility studies, including delays in Georgia of 5-20 years since the initial remediation timeline was released.\n\nPFAS are in a class of chemicals known as \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d and have been linked to numerous public health risks, including reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, thyroid problems, and cancer.\n\nThe letter, led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), follows an earlier letter from Sen. Ossoff and colleagues who wrote to Sec. Hegseth with concerns about DoD\u2019s delayed cleanup schedules last November.\n\n\u201cAs a nation, we must stand by our servicemembers and military communities to protect them from the health impacts of PFAS,\u201d Sen. Ossoff and the group wrote. \u201cWithout a doubt, federal resources must address immediate and dangerous risks to human health and the environment. However, if not reversed, delays of this magnitude must also come with transparency, more specifics on these new timelines, an explanation as to which installations resources are being prioritized toward, and more local stakeholder engagement.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect Georgians from harmful chemicals and contaminants.\n\nIn May, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock and Rep. McBath brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to deliver Federal funding for the City of East Point to install PFAS removal filters to existing drinking water pipes, helping improve drinking water quality for families.\n\nIn April, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock brought Republicans and Democrats together to upgrade the Alcovy River Pump Station in Newton County to better serve residents in the county by mitigating the risk of exposure to PFAS and other contaminants and improving available water supply.\n\nIn 2023, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with the Department of Defense to address the prevalence of chemical hazards on installations and to protect servicemembers who may have been exposed.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff and the group\u2019s full letter.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-10T08:20:04Z", "2026-07-10T08:21:18Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-delivering-resources-to-strengthen-student-safety-at-morehouse-college/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Delivering Resources to Strengthen Student Safety at Morehouse College", "2026-07-08", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Atlanta, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are delivering new Federal resources to strengthen student safety at Morehouse College.\n\nThese new resources will help Morehouse strengthen campus security by installing motorized gates at entrances to campus, cameras at dorm entrances, and proximity locks on classrooms and offices throughout the campus.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Reverend Warnock are delivering $556,000 for the project through bipartisan government funding legislation that became law on January 23.\n\n\u201cI have worked to secure investments in Georgia\u2019s HBCUs since the day I took office. Senator Reverend Warnock and I built a bipartisan coalition of support in the Senate to invest in Morehouse College with new resources to strengthen student safety,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\n\u201cAs a 1991 graduate of Morehouse, I know how important this institution is not only to its students and staff but to the HBCU community,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cWe must ensure our HBCU campuses continue to be a place of safe and secure learning. I am proud to have secured these federal funds with Senator Ossoff to make sure Morehouse College remains that.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnhancing the security infrastructure that protects the Morehouse community is a critical investment in the future of our campus,\u201d said Dr. F. DuBois Bowman \u201992, the 13th president of Morehouse College. \u201cWe are grateful to Senator Jon Ossoff and Senator-alumnus Raphael Warnock for their continued commitment to the safety and well-being of Morehouse and the broader Atlanta community that engages with the institution every day.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-09T08:24:13Z", "2026-07-09T08:26:05Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-pushing-usda-to-support-georgia-farmers-impacted-by-high-winds-from-hurricane-helene/", "Sen. Ossoff Pushing USDA to Support Georgia Farmers Impacted by High Winds from Hurricane Helene", "2026-07-07", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is pushing to support Georgia farmers impacted by high winds from Hurricane Helene.\n\nSen. Ossoff is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) to ensure Georgia farmers and growers still struggling to recover from damage from high winds during Hurricane Helene receive the support they deserve.\n\nDespite experiencing crop and production damages due to Hurricane Helene, producers who purchased Hurricane Insurance Protection \u2013 Wind Index (HIP-WI) coverage through USDA in Screven, Effingham, Chatham, Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Wayne, Glynn, and Camden Counties did not receive indemnity payments, which are payments made to farmers after they face qualified losses like from natural disasters.\n\nThese indemnity payments are made if the National Hurricane Center (NHC) determines that a county (or adjacent county) was impacted by sustained hurricane-force winds. According to a new report published by the NHC in February 2026, \u201cwind gusts in the 70-79 knots (kt) range were measured by weather stations in Towns, Chatham, and Echols Counties,\u201d meaning more farmers in these counties should be eligible for indemnity payments.\n\nSen. Ossoff is urging USDA to evaluate all available NHC data and take \u201call possible actions within your authorities to ensure that growers who purchased HIP-WI crop insurance policies from the Federal Crop Insurance Program receive the maximum support possible from USDA.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn September 2024, Hurricane Helene caused devastation to rural Georgia, including $5.5 billion in agricultural and timber losses. That is why I worked with congressional colleagues to pass disaster funding for Georgia farmers less than 90 days after Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia. However, some Georgia farmers have yet to be made whole,\u201d Sen. Ossoff wrote to USDA Risk Management Agency Administrator Pat Swanson. \u201cI ask for your commitment that RMA will re-evaluate the available data produced by the NHC during and since Hurricane Helene to reconsider the HIP-WI eligibility determinations for Screven, Effingham, Chatham, Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, Mclntosh, Wayne, Glynn, and Camden counties. Ensuring that our farmers receive the support they planned for and invested in is the very least USDA can do.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to help Georgia agriculture recover from Hurricane Helene.\n\nSen. Ossoff introduced the Farm Disaster Tax Cut Act to provide farmers with a temporary tax cut on crop insurance payments in the event their crop yields or revenues fall below their guaranteed level due to natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and diseases.\n\nIn March, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock announced more than $531 million in Hurricane Helene Federal relief for Georgia\u2019s farmers after Sen. Ossoff successfully fought to pass a bipartisan disaster relief package in December 2024 that included $21 billion in agricultural disaster funding to help Georgia farmers recovering from the disastrous impacts of Hurricane Helene and farmers nationwide impacted by natural disasters.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s full letter.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-08T07:27:19Z", "2026-07-08T07:28:28Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-report-finds-average-georgia-families-pay-2400-more-due-to-trump-policies/", "New Report Finds Average Georgia Families Pay $2,400 More Due to Trump Policies", "2026-07-07", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "A new report from the Joint Economic Committee highlights the higher prices Georgia families have been forced to pay for everyday essentials, including gas and groceries, since Donald Trump took office\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis report puts in numbers what so many Georgians already know: Donald Trump has failed to make their lives better or more affordable since he\u2019s returned to the White House\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 A new report from the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) highlights the higher prices Georgia families have been forced to pay for everyday essentials since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025. Despite promises from President Trump to bring down the cost of living, the average Georgia family has pad $2,400 more a year for items like gas, groceries, rent, and electricity due to economic policy decisions that have raised prices and the president\u2019s war in Iran.\n\nOn average, Georgians are paying $532 more for housing costs, including rent and mortgage payments; $310 more for groceries; $350 more for gas; and $120 more for electricity.\n\n\u201cThis report puts in numbers what so many Georgians already know: Donald Trump has failed to make their lives better or more affordable since he\u2019s returned to the White House,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cIn fact, he\u2019s made things worse. I urge my colleagues to join me in centering the concerns of ordinary people and work to make life more affordable for all Americans.\u201d\n\nSince assuming office in January 2025, President Trump\u2019s policies and domestic agenda have raised costs for American families. Washington Republicans\u2019 signature legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, forced millions of Americans off their health care due to premium price hikes in Affordable Care Act health plans. The Republican tax and spending legislation is also responsible for $186 billion in nutrition cuts from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) a cut in the program have resulted in SNAP participation already falling by more than 4.3 million people, including 808,000 children, with more cuts yet to come. Republican policies have put an enormous strain on American families trying to make ends meet.", 1, "2026-07-08T07:27:19Z", "2026-07-08T07:28:28Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-meets-with-columbus-technical-college-students-preparing-for-high-demand-careers/", "Warnock Meets with Columbus Technical College Students Preparing for High Demand Careers", "2026-07-07", "2026", "2026-07", "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 joined students at Columbus Technical College to hear how they are preparing to compete in an increasingly competitive economy\n\nAs artificial intelligence reshapes the job market, and four-year degree programs increase in price, trade schools, technical and community colleges are seeing an uptick in student enrollment\n\nSenator Warnock highlighted his bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act, legislation that incentivizes business and technical colleges to partner to create high-wage career pathways and scale apprenticeship programs for students\n\nWhile on campus, Senator Warnock participated in a welding tutorial with students\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWork gives people purpose\u2014it gives you a reason to get up in the morning\u2014and it\u2019s the only thing that\u2019s going to give us a competitive edge in the 21st Century\u201d\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock at Columbus Technical College\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 On Monday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined students at Columbus Technical College to hear how they are preparing to compete in an increasingly competitive economy. The Senator\u2019s visit follows an uptick in student enrollment at trade schools, technical and community colleges as artificial intelligence reshapes the job market and four-year degree programs increase in price. During his visit, Senator Warnock joined students for a welding tutorial, highlighting the hands-on training at Columbus Technical College that is preparing Georgians for high demand careers.\n\n\u201cWork gives people purpose\u2014it gives you a reason to get up in the morning,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cAnd it\u2019s the only thing that\u2019s going to give us a competitive edge in the 21st Century.\u201d\n\nIn addition to the students, Senator Warnock was joined by representatives from Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business and leading aerospace and defense manufacturer, and Columbus Water Works, a local utility, both of which have partnered with Columbus Technical College. These types of partnerships would be expanded nationwide through Senator Warnock\u2019s bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act. The legislation would allow students at Columbus Tech to \u2018earn while they learn\u2019 by creating high-wage career pathways between the college and local businesses. The program will provide students invaluable real-world experience while they earn their degrees, allowing them to move more easily into the job market post-graduation.\n\nAbove: Senator Warnock joins students in a welding tutorial\n\nSenator Warnock has championed workforce development since coming to the Senate. In May 2024, he successfully bolstered workforce development pipelines for aviation workers in Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation. Additionally, Senator Warnock has introduced legislation to address shortages in education professionals to staff Head Start classrooms.\n\nAs a proud alum of programs like Head Start, TRIO, and Pell Grants, Senator Warnock knows firsthand the power of federal investments that help students achieve economic mobility and professional success. That experience guides his work to ensure that the tens of thousands of technical college students across Georgia have the resources they need to gain skills, build careers, and make better lives for themselves and their families.\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 Council for Professional Recognition, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-08T07:27:19Z", "2026-07-08T07:28:28Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/new-report-after-expiration-of-aca-tax-credits-georgians-are-delaying-necessary-care-paying-thousands-more-for-insuranceclick-here-to-read-sen-ossoffs-new-report-on-loss-of-aca-tax/", "NEW REPORT: After Expiration of ACA Tax Credits, Georgians Are Delaying Necessary Care & Paying Thousands More for Insurance", "2026-07-06", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Click here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s new report on loss of ACA Tax Credits\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Georgians are delaying necessary care and paying thousands more for health insurance after ACA tax credits expired, a new report from U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff found.\n\nEarly this year, Sen. Ossoff launched an investigation into the impacts of rising health care costs and cuts to health care services after Republicans in Congress gutted Medicaid and failed to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits that millions of Georgians rely upon to afford health care.\n\nToday, Sen. Ossoff released a new report with stories of Georgians who report they have been delaying necessary care and are paying thousands more for care after the loss of the ACA tax credits, with some saying they\u2019ve lost insurance altogether because of the high costs.\n\nRecent analysis from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that after the ACA tax credits expired at the end of last year, roughly 350,000 Georgians have already lost health care.\n\n\u201cThe failure of Republicans to extend ACA tax credits has inexplicably hurt Georgia families, leading to hundreds of thousands going without health care, and more seeing huge increases in their premiums. I will continue working to restore these tax credits and to lower health care costs for Georgia families,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nSince the enhanced ACA tax credits expired at the end of 2025, Georgia patients on exchange plans are facing increased monthly premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and medication costs, forcing them to cut back on other items to keep their health insurance and to pay higher costs for less coverage. In some cases, Georgians have lost their insurance altogether. As detailed in the report:\n\nDeborah Tolson, based in Alpharetta, reported that her monthly health insurance premium in 2025 was $63 for three people: herself, her husband, and her daughter. As of January 2026, that same plan\u2019s monthly premium reportedly increased to $1200\u2014a 1,804% increase\u2014for only her and her daughter. Her husband disenrolled from the plan and has been uninsured since January, since covering all three family members would have reportedly increased their monthly premium to over $2,000. He became eligible for Medicare in March, but his coverage will not begin until June. \u201cAll this stress for a basic plan,\u201d Mrs. Tolson reported, \u201cwhich doesn\u2019t even cover routine screenings, like colonoscopies or mammograms, with doctors in our area.\u201d Mrs. Tolson and her husband have \u201cindefinitely\u201d delayed their retirement plans due to rising health care costs.\n\nGeorgia patients also reported that narrowing coverage and benefits on exchange plans has forced them to forgo medically necessary health care or has delayed their urgent tests, appointments, and treatments. For example:\n\nNicole Kelly, based in Atlanta, is diagnosed with lupus, Raynaud\u2019s disease, and scleroderma. She reported that her physician referred her to a rheumatologist for urgent testing in December 2025 after she suddenly lost feeling in her left hand. However, her monthly premium under her exchange plan reportedly rose from $254 to $1,571 in January 2026, a 518.5% increase. Because she would be unable to afford this new premium, she disenrolled from her plan and switched to a cheaper, new plan. However, her physician was no longer covered under her new plan, and the earliest she would be able to see a rheumatologist would be five months later in May 2026. Additionally, she would need to travel to Jonesboro or Kennesaw to see a rheumatologist covered by her new plan. \u201cI\u2019d be paying just as much as the old plan premium for transportation, time spent in traffic, and the premium on the new plan,\u201d she reported. Ms. Kelly tried to switch back to her old plan in mid-February, but the premium had shot up to $2,458.\n\nLast year, Sen. Ossoff fought repeatedly to extend the ACA tax credits and protect Georgians\u2019 health care.\n\nIn December 2025, Sen. Ossoff spoke on the U.S. Senate Floor urging Republicans in the U.S. Senate to put politics aside and extend ACA tax credits before they expire, but Republicans refused to extend the credits.\n\nIn August 2025, Sen. Ossoff sounded the alarm about the impact of losing the tax credits and urged for them to be extended.\n\nIn June 2025, Sen. Ossoff offered an amendment to the Trump budget bill to extend key Affordable Care Act tax credits, but Republicans blocked Sen. Ossoff\u2019s amendment.\n\nIn February 2025, Sen. Ossoff introduced an amendment to protect children\u2019s and maternal care through Medicaid that Senate Republicans blocked.\n\nClick here to read Sen. Ossoff\u2019s new report: Loss of ACA Tax Credits: Georgians Getting Sicker, Higher Costs, & Loss of Health Care.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-07T08:20:12Z", "2026-07-07T08:22:09Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-again-urge-dha-to-abandon-reduction-of-services-at-dwight-d-eisenhower-army-medical-center/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Again Urge DHA to Abandon Reduction of Services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center", "2026-07-02", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Fort Gordon, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are again pushing back on plans to reduce services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.\n\nSen. Ossoff and Reverend Warnock are again urging the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to abandon its plan to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center (DDEAMC).\n\nThe plan includes permanently closing inpatient care and transitioning the emergency room to an urgent care center, which could disrupt care for patients and add strain on the local health care system.\n\nHowever, despite announcing the closure of all inpatient services at DDEAMC, the DHA has not yet finalized a list of which inpatient services would be closed upon implementation and questions remain unanswered about the transition to an ambulatory care center.\n\n\u201cWe write following up on the Defense Health Agency (DHA)\u2019s decision to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center (DDEAMC) and transition the facility to an ambulatory care center,\u201d Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock wrote to Assistant Secretary Keith Bass. \u201cWe have become increasingly concerned by the information shared thus far regarding DHA\u2019s decision to move forward with these closures absent any clear and adequate plan for servicemembers, their families, veterans, and staff.\u201d\n\n\u201cAny plans to reduce services would come at a great disservice to those who have made the greatest sacrifice to our Nation. We urge DHA to keep these men and women, and their families, at the forefront of any decision that would reduce services at Eisenhower Army Medical Center,\u201d Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock also wrote to Assistant Secretary Bass. \u201cAs presented, this plan will only create further chaos and could hinder access to care for servicemembers, their families, and veterans at Fort Gordon and the Augusta region. We therefore urge you to immediately halt all plans for reductions of service at DDEAMC and rescind Congressional notification, while DHA continues to clarify and provide additional information to Congress and the impacted community about this decision.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff launched an inquiry last November with the Acting Director of the DHA requesting more information about reported plans to reduce services at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center, which serves between 30,000 to 40,000 active-duty servicemembers, retired servicemembers, their families, and DoD civilians in and around the CSRA.\n\nClick here to read Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock\u2019s inquiry.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-03T08:00:00Z", "2026-07-03T08:01:30Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-cornyn-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-protect-children-from-toxic-chemicals-in-toys/", "Sens. Ossoff, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Children from Toxic Chemicals in Toys", "2026-07-01", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing a bipartisan bill to protect children from toxic chemicals in toys.\n\nSens. Ossoff and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the bipartisan No Lead in Toys Act to help protect children from toxic chemicals in toys.\n\nIn February, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report in response to a 2024 inquiry from Sen. Ossoff into how the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) conducts testing on products intended for children ages 12 and under for potential lead contamination and other safety hazards.\n\nThe report found that the CPSC has failed to review and update its testing requirements for lead despite being required to do so at least every five years and that the CPSC does not have written procedures for monitoring changes related to toxic substances in children\u2019s products.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Cornyn\u2019s bipartisan No Lead in Toys Act would direct the CPSC to implement the GAO\u2019s recommendations in order to strengthen that oversight of toxic substances in children\u2019s products and protect kids from dangerous chemicals.\n\n\u201cThe safety of children in Georgia and across the Nation must be our highest priority,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cI am introducing the bipartisan No Lead in Toys Act with Senator Cornyn to help ensure that lead and other toxins stay out of children\u2019s products.\u201d\n\n\u201cParents should never have to fear for their child\u2019s health or safety when playing with toys, which are essential to the development of cognitive, motor, and emotional skills,\u201d said Sen. Cornyn. \u201cBy ensuring the Consumer Product Safety Commission is properly monitoring and recording inspections for lead contamination, this legislation would reduce children\u2019s exposure to toxic chemicals through toys imported from places like China, preserve the joy and benefits of childhood play, and help parents rest easier at night.\u201d\n\nThe bipartisan bill is endorsed by Safe Kids Worldwide.\n\n\u201cParents and caregivers should be able to feel confident that the children\u2019s products they rely on will not expose their kids to lead or other dangerous toxic substances,\u201d said Torine Creppy, President of Safe Kids Worldwide. \u201cWe applaud Senator Ossoff for his leadership in protecting some of our most vulnerable citizens.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect Georgia kids from harmful chemicals and contaminants.\n\nLast December, Sen. Ossoff urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reinstate a grant made to Emory University to research children\u2019s exposure to lead, heavy metals, and other contaminants in West Atlanta following the discovery of dangerously high levels of lead in some West Atlanta yards.\n\nLast April, Sen. Ossoff demanded answers from baby formula producers Abbott Nutrition and Mead Johnson about recent reports of toxic chemicals found in formula.\n\nIn 2022, Sen. Ossoff pressed the GAO and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to improve efficiency and coordination in processing product recalls in order to protect families from dangerous products.\n\nClick here to read the No Lead in Toys Act.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-07-02T06:20:02Z", "2026-07-02T06:21:32Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-joins-bipartisan-letter-to-protect-u-s-specialty-crop-growers-and-restore-competitive-trade-balance-with-mexico/", "Warnock Joins Bipartisan Letter to Protect U.S. Specialty Crop Growers and Restore Competitive Trade Balance with Mexico", "2026-07-01", "2026", "2026-07", "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 joined a bipartisan letter led by Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urging him to establish safeguards to protect U.S. specialty crop growers from unfair international pressures\n\nSenator Warnock is a strong advocate for Georgia\u2019s agriculture industry and has pushed for bipartisan solutions to lower trade barriers for Georgia producers\n\nGeorgia is a leading producer of specialty crops\u2014including blueberries, Vidalia onions, pecans, and peaches\n\nUSMCA is critical to American agriculture and the global competitiveness of Georgia producers\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, colleagues: \u201cWithout measures to restore competitive balance, specialty crop production will increasingly move to foreign countries\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a key member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined a bipartisan coalition of senators in sending a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, calling for measures to restore a more competitive trade balance for U.S. specialty crops with Mexico. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) also signed onto the letter.\n\n\u201cWithout measures to restore competitive balance, specialty crop production will increasingly move to foreign countries,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cWe urge you to evaluate trade actions that can safeguard U.S. growers from unfair pressures from Mexico. This work is essential to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the specialty crop sector and ensuring Americans continue to have access to high-quality, domestically grown food, which is fundamental to our national security.\u201d\n\nIn the letter, the senators push for alleviating unsustainable price pressures on U.S. specialty crop producers caused by an increasing volume of foreign products unfairly flooding U.S. markets while U.S. crops are reaching their peak in-season period. The letter comes as Ambassador Greer works to reauthorize the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).\n\nSenator Warnock has been a vocal proponent of practical solutions to alleviate unnecessary strain on Georgia\u2019s farmers imposed by oversaturated international markets and unfair trade policies. In April, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan letter urging Ambassador Greer to ensure the USMCA is improved to adequately support domestic producers and maintain strong market access for American farmers and ranchers.\n\nThis letter comes as the Administration is nearing the July 1 mandatory USMCA six-year review. While USMCA\u2014like any trade agreement\u2014can be improved, pulling out of the trilateral USMCA would disrupt supply chains and drive-up costs for Georgia families already facing higher prices because of the Trump administration\u2019s tariff policy.\n\nThe letter is endorsed by several of Georgia\u2019s agricultural stakeholders, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Georgia Berry Exchange, Georgia Blueberry Commission, Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Georgia Green Industry Association, Georgia Pecan Growers Association, Georgia Watermelon Association, National Onion Association, National Pecan Federation, and the Southeastern Pecan Growers Association.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below.\n\n\u201cDear Ambassador Greer,\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. specialty crop industry encompasses a large variety of commodities across 220,000 farms, each with distinct supply and demand conditions. As you know, many American growers of fruit, vegetable, and certain tree nut commodities and products are under unsustainable pressure from growing volumes of products unfairly entering U.S. markets. These imports flood the U.S. market, often at the same time U.S. crops are reaching their peak in-season period, with prices at or below the cost of production for U.S. producers. Additionally, many of these commodities are seasonal and/or perishable, creating unique challenges for identifying markets as these products must be harvested, marketed, and consumed within a limited window of time. Other specialty crops that are marketed year-round are forced to suffer the consequences over the course of the entire year. As you review the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), we look forward to engaging with you to implement trade measures that will allow our specialty crop producers to continue to feed the nation and remain viable against unfair foreign competition. We urge you to consider the significant strain Mexico continues to place on the U.S. specialty crop industry.\u201d\n\n\u201cFresh fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico have increased by more than 550 percent since 2001, driven by fundamental cost and regulatory advantages.\u201d\n\n\u201cMexican producers operate with significantly lower labor and production expenses, where agricultural wages are about one-tenth of U.S. levels, while U.S. growers depend heavily on the higher-cost H-2A program for seasonal labor. Because labor accounts for roughly half of total production and harvest expenses in this industry, these disparities create a substantial competitive gap. Mexican farms also cut corners by avoiding many of the regulatory requirements imposed by U.S agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Labor, further reinforcing their cost of production advantage.\u201d\n\n\u201cWithout measures to restore competitive balance, specialty crop production will increasingly move to foreign countries. We urge you to evaluate trade actions that can safeguard U.S. growers from unfair pressures from Mexico. This work is essential to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the specialty crop sector and ensuring Americans continue to have access to high-quality, domestically grown food, which is fundamental to our national security.\u201d\n\n\u201cMany specialty crop organizations and representatives recently submitted comments to the Office of the United States Trade Representative for consideration under Docket ID: USTR-2025-0004, titled \u2018Request for Comments on the Operation of the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada.\u2019 We encourage you to prioritize the evaluation of these comments, and we emphasize the importance of these commodity industries\u2019 submissions. We appreciate your consideration of our growers\u2019 concerns, your review of the companion letter sent from 79 members of the U.S. House of Representatives on May 12, 2026 regarding this matter, and look forward to continued collaboration as the 2026 USMCA review process moves forward.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-02T06:20:02Z", "2026-07-02T06:21:32Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-demand-usps-abandon-proposed-rule-to-restrict-mail-in-ballots/", "Warnock, Colleagues Demand USPS Abandon Proposed Rule to Restrict Mail-in Ballots", "2026-06-29", "2026", "2026-06", "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 his Senate colleagues in condemning unlawful restrictions to mail-in voting access\n\nPresident Trump has co-opted the United States Postal service to further incite skepticism over the nation\u2019s voting process using baseless claims of election fraud\n\nSenator Warnock continues to fight for comprehensive voting protections to ensure every American has access to the ballot box\n\nOn Monday, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states are free to count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive afterward\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock and his colleagues: \u201c[W]e insist that the Postal Service abandon this proposed regulation and return to its core mission of providing universal postal services to every American. The Constitution and federal law demand nothing less\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senators Reverend Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Gary Peters (D-MI), and Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee Alex Padilla (D-CA), led a group of their colleagues in demanding the United States Postal Service (USPS) abandon its proposed rule to implement President Trump\u2019s executive order to restrict voting by mail.\n\n\u201cUltimately, the proposed rule seeks to create a centralized national absentee voter database with individualized barcodes connected to the voters\u2019 names under the control of the President that contains the voting information of millions of Americans,\u201d wrote Senator Warnock and his colleagues. \u201cThat information would be ripe for potential abuse or improper disclosure potentially imperiling the integrity of American elections.\u201d\n\nThe senators warned that the proposed rule would create a federally controlled national list of absentee voters, raising serious concerns about political misuse and abuse. In court filings, the Trump administration has acknowledged that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is already in discussions with USPS about potentially comparing the list to DHS datasets. The senators note that combining USPS data with unreliable federal records could lead to eligible voters being disenfranchised, or voters and election officials being unfairly targeted for investigation.\n\nSince his return to the presidency in 2025, President Donald Trump has led a vendetta against his perceived political enemies, engaging in a concerted retaliatory campaign fueled by vindictive and unsubstantiated claims of widespread election interference. Senator Warnock has traveled the country speaking against the Trump administration\u2019s baseless attacks on critical election infrastructure, including by demanding accountability from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for their role in seizing nearly 700 boxes of original ballots and records relating to the 2020 presidential election from the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below.\n\n\u201cDear Postmaster General Steiner, Chairwoman McReynolds, Vice Chairman Kan, Governor Stroman, and Governor Tangherlini:\n\nWe write for a second time regarding the unconstitutional and illegal attempt to transform the United States Postal Service (USPS) into an election administration agency controlled by the White House and President Trump. In April, 37 senators wrote to you after President Trump issued his Executive Order directing USPS to issue a rule to establish compulsory specifications for election mail and create a master absentee voter list of millions of American voters \u2013 with the power to refuse to deliver their ballots.1 In that letter we urged you not to implement the President\u2019s unconstitutional Executive Order. The Order is a blatant violation of the Constitution, which vests the authority to regulate the time, place, and manner of federal elections with the states, subject to alterations made by Congress. We received no response to that letter and USPS is now taking explicit steps to implement the Order. No federal statute vests the President or USPS with any authority to regulate elections of any kind. Accordingly, multiple states and organizations have filed lawsuits challenging the Executive Order.\n\nDespite these grave and serious legal deficiencies, on June 2, 2026, USPS published a proposed rule that, if finalized, would establish President Trump\u2019s control over federal elections and allow USPS to adjudicate who can and cannot vote by mail. This proposed rule risks disenfranchising millions of voters. We again insist that you follow the law, refuse to implement President Trump\u2019s Executive Order, and withdraw this presidentially-directed proposed rule.\n\n\u201cThe right to vote is the most sacred and cherished right of the American people. It is the bedrock of American democracy. The framers of our Constitution understood the dangers of centralizing power over federal elections and accordingly vested the primary authority to regulate the \u201ctimes, places, and manner\u201d of federal elections with the states, subject to alterations by statute enacted by Congress. The Constitution similarly vests the authority to determine the eligibility of voters with the states\u2014not the President, and certainly not with USPS. The Constitution provides no role for USPS in regulating federal elections, and no statute delegates to USPS any authority to regulate elections or voter eligibility. The proposed rule does not grapple with these serious legal deficiencies. The proposal simply cites two sections of the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 to justify USPS\u2019s regulation of federal elections. These sections provide specific postal powers and general authorization to issue regulations but say nothing about regulating federal elections. Indeed, Title 39 explicitly says, \u201cIn providing services [\u2026] the Postal Service shall not [\u2026] make any undue or unreasonable discrimination among users of the mails,\u201d \u2013 this proposal does the exact opposite.\n\n\u201cIt is universally understood that the Postal Service does not regulate or administer American elections. By statute, USPS is \u201can independent establishment of the executive branch\u201d and its Board of Governors is protected from arbitrary removal by the President. This independence, which the proposed rule undermines, is the foundation of the nation\u2019s trust in USPS\u2019s ability to deliver the mail without fear or favor. The Postal Service acknowledged in a rulemaking just last year, \u201cthe Postal Service does not administer elections, establish the rules or deadlines that govern elections, or determine whether or how election jurisdictions utilize the mail.\u201d This neutral and apolitical role to transmit the mail is critical to ensuring American voters trust that their ballots will be properly delivered. The proposed rule would fundamentally upend this longstanding and vital role of USPS, transforming them into a federal election administration agency \u2013 with frightening authorities to disenfranchise Americans.\n\n\u201cThe proposed rule USPS issued on June 2 suffers from all the same legal deficiencies of the Executive Order and cannot be lawfully implemented. The proposed rule would illegally condition a state\u2019s exercise of its constitutional authority to utilize mail-in ballots on submitting its complete absentee voter rolls to USPS and complying with USPS mandatory election mail specifications. Specifically, the proposal requires any state that permits votes to be cast by mail to submit to USPS each absentee or mail-in voter\u2019s name, address, and their unique Intelligent Mail Barcode. The regulation purports to permit only states to control which of their voters are enrolled on the new master list, but this new and unnecessary master list of American voters would then be controlled by USPS and ultimately President Trump.\n\n\u201cIn addition, the proposed rule requires that all mail ballots comply with new mandatory specifications, including that they have an election mail logo, a specific design, automation compatibility, and an Intelligent Mail Barcode unique to each voter. All ballots must also undergo design review by USPS prior to being mailed by an election jurisdiction. While some of these requirements are best practices, their compulsory nature creates new onerous, costly, and unfunded requirements on election jurisdictions that do not currently use these practices nor have the resources to do so. Furthermore, the new mandatory specifications provide the USPS with new and subjective authority to reject ballots, even for a missing or misprinted logo.\n\n\u201cCritically, the proposed rule requires USPS to conduct a verification process to ensure that states comply with the regulation\u2019s mandates prior to USPS accepting ballots and mailing them to voters. For such a consequential regulation of American democracy, the regulation stunningly lacks any detailed information about the process USPS intends to use to verify each piece of outbound election mail. Nevertheless, this new \u201cverification process\u201d empowers USPS to serve as the final arbiter of whether ballots meet the unilateral federal standards and are adequate to be delivered to voters \u2013 granting USPS the ultimate authority to decide which Americans can cast a ballot by mail.\n\n\u201cWhat the proposal also makes clear is that if a state chooses not to provide USPS with their voter rolls that state cannot mail ballots to their voters, effectively prohibiting vote-by-mail in those states. Even if a state does provide USPS its voter rolls, USPS can still disenfranchise individual voters if their ballots do not meet USPS\u2019s demanding requirements. While \u201cneither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night\u201d stops the mail, under the regulation a missing election logo will. Nothing in federal law authorizes USPS to restrict states and voters from using the postal system to mail ballots.\n\n\u201cThis proposed regulation occurs as the federal government is demanding nearly every state\u2019s voter rolls \u2013 an effort which has consistently been rejected by federal courts. Creating a master absentee voter list for the entire country is a backdoor mechanism to secure access to these voters\u2019 names and addresses. And for states with universal vote-by-mail like California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Vermont (in general elections), the proposed regulation is a form of extreme coercion. It creates an untenable scenario, that requires these states to submit their entire voter rolls to the federal government or face the prospects of abandoning absentee voting altogether.\n\n\u201cFurthermore, the proposed regulation explicitly articulates that one of its purposes is to assist federal law enforcement, raising serious legal and policy questions about how this information will be used. In fact, the Administration has acknowledged in recent court filings that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently having conversations with the Postal Service on how it could use the new master list of absentee voters and potentially compare it to DHS datasets. Given the ongoing efforts of the Administration to seek voter rolls and put them through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services\u2019 Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program, this coordination could lead to the USPS data being used in coordination with other risky and unreliable sources of information to disenfranchise American voters or even target voters or election officials for investigation.\n\n\u201cThe proposed rule also raises serious privacy concerns. Ultimately, the proposed rule seeks to create a centralized national absentee voter database with individualized barcodes connected to the voters\u2019 names under the control of the President that contains the voting information of millions of Americans. That information would be ripe for potential abuse or improper disclosure potentially imperiling the integrity of American elections. The proposal provides no discussion of how USPS would safeguard this crucial information and every American\u2019s right to a secret ballot. USPS simply states that its explanation of its privacy controls is \u201cforthcoming.\u201d Compiling a master list of mail-in and absentee voter data is incredibly dangerous in the modern era.\n\n\u201cLastly, notwithstanding the regulation\u2019s major constitutional and legal violations, the proposed timeline and scope is not feasible. The proposed regulation demands that the Postal Service set up an entirely new system and database to process and transmit millions of absentee ballots that is secure and accessible to every American election official, just months prior to a general election. The Postal Service already issued its election mail guidance in January, and states and local governments have been planning accordingly \u2013 they will have no ability to change course to respond to this rule. This endeavor will also allegedly be accomplished without any dedicated resources or funding at a time when the Postal Service\u2019s finances are under immense strain. In fact, the Postal Service has recently suspended regular retirement contributions and placed limits on all non-essential spending. As such, it is wholly unworkable and impractical.\n\n\u201cAccordingly, we insist that the Postal Service abandon this proposed regulation and return to its core mission of providing universal postal services to every American. The Constitution and federal law demand nothing less.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-ossoff-rev-warnock-strengthening-public-safety-in-lagrange/", "Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock\u00a0Strengthening Public Safety in LaGrange", "2026-06-26", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "LaGrange, Ga. \u2014 U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are delivering new resources to strengthen public safety in LaGrange.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock brought Republicans and Democrats together to improve emergency services in LaGrange by helping the fire department purchase a new Aerial ladder truck. According to local leaders, the LaGrange Fire Department\u2019s truck has been in service for 28 years and is in need of replacement.\n\nSens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock are delivering $1,150,000 for the project through bipartisan government funding legislation that became law on February 3.\n\n\u201cSenator Reverand Warnock and I will never stop championing Georgia\u2019s heroic fire departments,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said. \u201cThese resources, which we secured with bipartisan support, will help firefighters in LaGrange respond to emergencies and keep the community safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to have worked alongside Senator Ossoff to support LaGrange firefighters and emergency services with the resources they need to keep our Georgia communities safe,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\n\n\u201cThe City of LaGrange would like to thank Senator Ossoff, Senator Warnock, and their staff for their continued dedication to making Troup County and all of Georgia a better place to live and work. With funding provided through THUD FY26, the City of LaGrange Fire Department will purchase a new Aerial Ladder Truck, which will help the department retain its ISO classification and keep insurance rates lower for businesses and residents. Most importantly, this purchase will help save lives during rescue emergencies, and it would not be possible without the support of Senator Ossoff, Senator Warnock, and their teams,\u201d said LaGrange Mayor Jim Arrington.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-06-30T06:29:10Z", "2026-06-30T06:30:42Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-delivering-drinking-water-safety-upgrades-across-georgia-through-bipartisan-infrastructure-law/", "Sen. Ossoff Delivering Drinking Water Safety Upgrades Across Georgia through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law", "2026-06-25", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Sen. Ossoff delivering $37 million through bipartisan infrastructure law to help ensure families across Georgia have clean and safe drinking water\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is delivering drinking water infrastructure upgrades through the bipartisan infrastructure law.\n\nSen. Ossoff is delivering over $37 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law to remove lead pipes and conduct essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades across Georgia through the Lead Service Line Replacement Program.\n\n\u201cOur bipartisan infrastructure law will continue to deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia\u2019s water infrastructure for years to come, and I will continue working to remove lead pipes from our drinking water and keep Georgia families safe and healthy,\u201d Sen. Ossoff said.\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to ensure Georgians have clean drinking water.\n\nThis year, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock and Reps. Williams and McBath brought Republicans and Democrats in Congress together to help the City of College Park upgrade its drinking water infrastructure. The Federal resources will help the city replace lead pipes with ductile iron pipes, improving drinking water quality for families.\n\nIn February, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock delivered over $67 million for essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades across the State of Georgia, through the bipartisan infrastructure law.\n\nAlso in February, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver over $1 million in Federal funding to help upgrade Lee County\u2019s drinking water infrastructure.\n\nLast December, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act to improve water infrastructure systems across rural Georgia.\n\nIn 2024, Sen. Ossoff delivered over $36 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law for lead pipe replacement projects across Georgia.\n\nIn April 2023, Sens. Ossoff and Warnock delivered $119.8 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law for essential drinking water infrastructure upgrades across the Peach State through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-06-26T06:29:35Z", "2026-06-26T06:31:46Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-cassidy-urge-senate-colleagues-to-oppose-trump-administration-changes-to-cdcs-global-disease-programs/", "Warnock, Cassidy Urge Senate Colleagues to Oppose Trump Administration Changes to CDC\u2019s Global Disease Programs", "2026-06-25", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a new bipartisan letter, Senators Reverend Warnock and Dr. Bill Cassidy led 23 of their Senate colleagues urging Senate Appropriations committee leadership to oppose the Trump Administration\u2019s proposed changes to the CDC\u2019s work on global H.I.V. prevention and surveillance\n\nThe shift would diminish CDC\u2019s role, the country\u2019s premier experts on global health, in implementing the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a program credited with saving more than 26 million lives since its inception in 2003\n\nWithholding PEPFAR funding from the CDC jeopardizes decades of trust and collaboration between the CDC and health ministries around the world\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock, colleagues: \u201cNo global health program better demonstrates the success of the U.S. global health strategy and the leadership of CDC than PEPFAR\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) led a bipartisan group of 23 Senate colleagues urging Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to oppose the Trump Administration\u2019s withholding of funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\u2019s global H.I.V. prevention and surveillance responsibilities for PEPFAR. Currently, the Department of State has refused to transfer congressionally appropriated funding to the CDC for these global health programs. This move diminishes the CDC\u2019s authority in the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program credited with saving more than 26 million lives since its inception in 2003.\n\n\u201cNo global health program better demonstrates the success of the U.S. global health strategy and the leadership of CDC than PEPFAR,\u201d said Senator Warnock and his colleagues.\n\nHistorically, the U.S. has played a pivotal role in the global health space, serving as the main funder and implementer of global health programs. President Trump has moved away from this legacy during his second term in a variety of ways, such as withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and dismantling the robust foreign assistance ecosystem that has cemented American leadership in the global health space. Prior to 2025 and the Trump Administration\u2019s dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), global health foreign aid occurred in a triangular fashion, with USAID, the State Department, and the CDC working together to promote global health programs.\n\nPEPFAR is one of the most successful U.S. global health programs that has demonstrated the effectiveness of this interagency coordination. In 2003, President George W. Bush launched PEPFAR to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since its inception, PEPFAR has invested over $100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response and is credited with saving more than 26 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and has positioned the U.S. as the global leader in the HIV epidemic response.\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 June, Senator Warnock joined his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressing the Secretary on how its withdrawal from the WHO and foreign aid cuts could affect the United States\u2019 ability to protect Americans from Ebola and hantavirus.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warnock and Cassidy, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Angus King (I-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:\n\n\u201cDear Chair Graham, Ranking Member Schatz, Chair Capito, and Ranking Member Baldwin:\n\nWe write to express our strong concerns regarding recent developments with the U.S. Department of State\u2019s (\u201cState\u201d) restructuring of the U.S. President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. While the U.S. has been a strong leader in global health for several decades, State\u2019s reform of PEPFAR will weaken the role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in global health operations, which will cost lives and make our country less safe. Therefore, we urge the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee (SFOPS), as well as the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee (LHHS), to take steps to safeguard PEPFAR implementation in Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bills.\n\nNo global health program better demonstrates the success of the U.S. global health strategy and the leadership of CDC than PEPFAR, which has saved over 26 million lives, prevented 7.8 million babies from being born with HIV/AIDS, and contributed to a 2.1% higher increase in GDP per capita in countries with PEPFAR funding since 2003. For decades, CDC has played a pivotal role in implementing PEPFAR with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under State\u2019s coordination, leading global disease surveillance by maintaining more than 60 country offices, 1,500 overseas staff, and thousands of laboratory facilities worldwide.\n\nDespite the program\u2019s demonstrated success, the Trump Administration has undermined PEPFAR over the past year by dismantling USAID, gutting CDC staff, and withholding half of PEPFAR\u2019s funding for Fiscal Year 2025. With these actions, the Administration diminished the very same monitoring and lab capabilities that would have been instrumental in responding to current disease threats, like the hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks.\n\nOn May 5, 2026, State announced that long-standing interagency transfers of PEPFAR resources in most countries will end by September 30, 2026. Partner countries that decide to continue working with the CDC will have to purchase its services and expertise at set fees. Additionally, countries that receive more than $125 million in annual U.S. foreign assistance will now be required to purchase a minimum package of these services. This policy will endanger PEPFAR\u2019s mission, weaken its effectiveness at combatting HIV/AIDS around the world, and undermine the strategic interests of the United States in public health.\n\nAdditionally, State is moving from PEPFAR\u2019s traditional model to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that requires countries to sign agreements with stipulations such as favorable access to critical mineral deals. According to State\u2019s 2022 PEPFAR Annual Report to Congress, the top five recipient countries scored an average Corruption Perception Index of 32.4. Only one of these countries is currently considered \u201cFree.\u201d Implementing partners that receive government contracts to disperse foreign assistance funds are required to conduct regular monitoring and reporting to ensure the efficacy of these funds, which is often not the case for government-to-government models. The proposed PEPFAR changes will hamper the United States\u2019 ability to conduct oversight and weaken critical safeguards that ensure transparency.\n\nAs a result, we respectfully ask the Subcommittees to consider the following options as they develop the FY2027 appropriations bill:\n\nDirectly transfer $2 billion allocated for PEPFAR from the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs account to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies account, specifically to CDC. Allocating the funds to CDC will continue the long-standing transfer that has occurred after the appropriations bill has passed and will preserve the CDC\u2019s global health expertise.\n\nDirectly increase funding for CDC\u2019s Global Health account, which would reduce CDC\u2019s reliance on future transfers from State, while continuing its efforts to support global health surveillance by maintaining relationships with foreign Ministers of Health. CDC has a proven track record of success as an implementing partner in PEPFAR. Its expertise in HIV surveillance and labquality is essential to support any testing, treatment, and prevention work in PEPFAR. Maintaining these specific capacities will protect U.S. government investment in the program. At the same time, increasing the CDC\u2019s Global Health appropriation in the LHHS bill will bolster its work to support other disease surveillance efforts built through PEPFAR.\n\nPEPFAR is the crown jewel of the U.S.\u2019s public health legacy. While we must be conscientious stewards of taxpayer dollars spent on foreign assistance, PEPFAR is one of the most cost effective foreign assistance programs, delivering an immense return on investment. Therefore, we urge you to include language in the FY2027 appropriations bill that preserves CDC\u2019s role as a core implementing partner of PEPFAR to signal that Congress remains committed to maintaining the United States\u2019 global health leadership and stability.\n\nThank you for your consideration.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-26T06:29:35Z", "2026-06-26T06:31:46Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-hosts-panel-of-fathers-working-to-improve-maternal-health-outcomes/", "Warnock Hosts Panel of Fathers Working to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes", "2026-06-25", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Since arriving in the Senate, Senator Reverend Warnock has worked to combat maternal mortality and promote healthy families\n\nGeorgia has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the country\n\nThe Dads Matter Act of 2025 aims to improve maternal health outcomes through promoting fatherhood engagement\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cIt\u2019s a scandal and a scar on the soul of America that women routinely bring babies into the world with one foot in the grave\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) hosted the Dads Matter: Preventing Maternal Mortality and Promoting Healthy Families panel, centered around improving maternal and infant health outcomes by promoting fatherhood engagement. In his opening remarks, Senator Warnock highlighted the need to pass his bipartisan Dads Matter Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving maternal health outcomes. The panel included four dads: John Jensen, Del Beaver, Rodrigo Stein, and Charles Johnson. Charles Johnson founded the organization 4Kira4Moms with the mission of addressing maternal mortality; the title honors his late wife Kira, who passed from childbirth complications. Senator Warnock is also the lead champion of the Kira Johnson Act, which funds community-based organizations working to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women.\n\nThe panelists presented data showing that father involvement during and after a child\u2019s birth is associated with improved maternal and child health outcomes. The risks for nearly all preventable complications, including preeclampsia and sudden infant death, decrease with dad involvement.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s no reason for the United States of America, the most powerful country on the planet, to have the kind of maternal mortality rate that we have,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cIt\u2019s a scandal and a scar on the soul of America that women routinely bring babies into the world with one foot in the grave.\u201d\n\nLast year, Senator Warnock first introduced the Dads Matter Act in 2024. This bipartisan legislation would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving maternal health outcomes.\n\nSenator Warnock has long championed legislation to combat maternal mortality and improve health outcomes for hardworking families. Senator Warnock previously partnered with Senator Rubio to pass the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, signed into law in 2022, that provides federal funding to reduce maternal mortality and improve implicit bias training for providers to prevent maternal death. Senator Warnock also partnered with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) to introduce the Kira Johnson Act, legislation to provide funding to community-based organizations leading the charge to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women.", 1, "2026-06-26T06:29:35Z", "2026-06-26T06:31:46Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-slams-president-trump-for-blocking-private-equity-housing-ban/", "Warnock Slams President Trump for Blocking Private-Equity Housing Ban", "2026-06-25", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock slammed President Trump for refusing to sign the ROAD to Housing Act, which would have banned large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes\n\nHours before the President was set to sign the legislation, he cancelled the signing ceremony, insisting that Congress pass his voter suppression legislation, the SAVE America Act\n\nPrivate equity has rapidly spread through Georgia\u2019s housing market, with more than one in four single-family rental homes in metro Atlanta owned by large corporations\n\nThe now-stalled housing package includes provisions championed by Senator Warnock that will boost housing supply by cutting red tape, investing in local innovation, and reforming legacy housing programs\n\nREAD the one-pager on Warnock provisions in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) slammed the President for blocking the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which includes the Senator\u2019s private equity housing ban. The legislation was overwhelmingly passed by the House and the Senate earlier this week. In a shocking turn of events, the President cancelled the signing ceremony for the legislation early this morning, claiming it needed to include the SAVE America Act, legislation that would disenfranchise potentially millions of Americans.\n\nCorporate investors have suffocated metro-Atlanta\u2019s housing market, with more than 1 in 4 single-family rental homes\u2014over 70,000 properties\u2014owned by large corporations. Corporate investors control more homes in metro-Atlanta than any other area in the country and have begun spreading to every corner of the state. Senator Warnock\u2019s provision bans corporations that own more than 350 single-family homes from purchasing any additional single-family homes.\n\nIn addition to the ban on private equity, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act also includes provisions from Senator Warnock\u2019s Appraisal Modernization Act, the only fair housing provision in the legislation, and several bills Senator Warnock has championed for years to reform rural housing programs, penalize local governments for failing to meet housing goals, incentivize local governments and banks to invest more in the construction of housing, and provide grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners repair and weatherize their properties.\n\nFind the full remarks from theSenatorHEREand below:\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201c18 months into Donald Trump\u2019s second term, and life is worse for everybody except the ultra-wealthy. Ordinary people aren\u2019t able to make this economy work, and today this president had an opportunity to do something for ordinary people, for working Americans, and instead he has managed\u2014once again\u2014to make the story about himself.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m perturbed. I\u2019m annoyed that instead of talking about housing, we\u2019re standing here talking about Donald Trump. He is so obsessed with himself that he keeps tripping over himself, which is a deep problem, but it has serious implications for everyday people.\n\n\u201cHere he is on a day staged for him to take credit for legislation he did little to shape, he managed to make the story about what\u2019s going on with Donald Trump. And so that\u2019s a sad irony. The bill that he refused to sign today would have given a leg up to Americans who have been exploited by corporate landlords. Ordinary people looking to buy a home cannot compete with billionaires and trillionaires.\n\n\u201cThe average age of somebody buying a first-time home is age 40. That\u2019s something we could have begun to fix today. Still, more we need to do on top of this bill, but this would have been an excellent start. And once again, the President has muddied the waters. And so, I want to be very clear, because right now is one of the biggest times of the year to buy a home. So, here\u2019s what is at stake for everyday people.\n\n\u201cIf you are buying a home today, we had the opportunity to stop giant corporations from competing against your offer. The president refused to help you. If a house on your block is being sold, the president could have made sure that that home went to a family instead of some out of state corporate landlord, and once again the president refused to help you. If you are getting an appraisal for your home and you think that appraisal is too low and you want some recourse\u2014we had language in this bill to address that, and the president refused to help you.\n\n\u201cMy colleagues and I fought to protect the very people this president exploits every day. I\u2019m proud of the bill that we delivered for the people of Georgia. The ROAD to Housing Act should have been a major win for everyday Americans, this bipartisan piece of legislation. I mean, Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren walked into a bar. Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke\u2014it wasn\u2019t really a bar, but they came together\u2014and we got this done.\n\n\u201cSo, I would encourage those in the House to send the bill to the President. Now it\u2019s on the Speaker of the House, it\u2019s on the leadership of the House, to decide if they\u2019re going to stand with the American people or are they going to stand with Donald Trump. Send him the bill and force him to decide! If you don\u2019t send him the bill, that means you\u2019re standing with him rather than the people in your own district. We know who Donald Trump is in a real sense. This is about who the rest of us are, and so we will continue to fight for this.\n\n\u201cThe president has decided that the SAVE Act is what\u2019s really important. Think about that. The SAVE Act, a voter suppression bill, the SAVE Act, which focuses on solving a problem that does not exist. He\u2019s put that in front of a bill that\u2019s looking to solve a problem that people on both sides of the aisle and every American knows is a real problem. If he were as focused on the housing of ordinary Americans as he is on renovating the house he temporarily occupies\u2014fixing that house, tearing up that house, adding a ballroom to that house\u2014while you\u2019re trying to buy a house, while you\u2019re trying to build a future for yourself and your family. He\u2019s trying to hold on to power; the people I know in Georgia are just trying to hold on.\n\n\u201cSomebody ought to tell the President of the United States that he is a temporary resident of public housing. It\u2019s not his house, and he ought to get focused on making sure that the American people can buy a house and can afford rent. He ought to think about us for a change.\u201d\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, "2026-06-26T06:29:35Z", "2026-06-26T06:31:46Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-statement-on-tps-ruling/", "Warnock Statement on TPS Ruling", "2026-06-25", "2026", "2026-06", "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 released the following statement:\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s Supreme Court decision is a devastating blow for hundreds of thousands of law-abiding immigrants who have built their lives and contributed to their communities in the United States as fathers, mothers, teachers, nurses, doctors, researchers, business owners, and more.\n\nThe people of Haiti, particularly, are living through a profound humanitarian and political crisis that warrants protection and relief. The Court\u2019s position fails to meet that moral imperative. And their refusal to acknowledge the President\u2019s repeated racism towards Haitians adds insult to injury.\n\nOur TPS neighbors add to our country in every way, and this loss harms us all.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-27T06:16:17Z", "2026-06-27T06:17:30Z"], ["https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-reintroduces-right-to-vote-act/", "Sen. Ossoff Reintroduces\u00a0Right to Vote Act", "2026-06-24", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Jon Ossoff", "O000174", "www.ossoff.senate.gov", "ossoff", "https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA-12) is introducing the companion bill in the House.\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is reintroducing legislation to create the first-ever affirmative Federal voting rights guarantee for all eligible citizens.\n\nToday, Sen. Ossoff is reintroducing the Right to Vote Act to enshrine into law American citizens\u2019 fundamental right to vote.\n\nFirst introduced in 2021, Sen. Ossoff\u2019s Right to Vote Act would protect American citizens\u2019 fundamental right to vote by establishing a first-ever statutory right to vote in Federal elections \u2014 protecting U.S. citizens from laws that make it harder to cast a ballot.\n\nThe bill would allow Americans to enforce that right by challenging in court any policy that unduly restricts ballot access. States attempting to restrict voting access would have to meet a high bar to justify any policy that makes it harder for U.S. citizens to participate in Federal elections.\n\nRepresentative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) is introducing the companion bill in the House.\n\nSenators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) cosponsored the bill.\n\n\u201cWith voting rights under attack in Georgia and across the country, I am reintroducing my legislation to empower voters to challenge in court any action taken by a state or local government that makes it harder to vote, and force that state or that locality to demonstrate that the restrictions serve some governmental purpose and are the least restrictive means of doing so,\u201d said Sen. Ossoff.\n\n\u201cOur democracy cannot work when politicians get to choose who is able to participate in it,\u201d said Congresswoman Summer Lee. \u201cFor generations, Black and brown communities, young people, people with disabilities, and working-class voters have faced deliberate barriers designed to silence their voices. And we are watching it happen in real time as Republicans put up roadblock after roadblock to once again shrink the electorate. I am proud to reintroduce this legislation to give people the power to fight back and make their voices heard.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur vote is our voice, and this legislation is needed now more than ever as this administration has made clear that it will do everything in its power to limit access to the ballot box this fall,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join my brother Senator Ossoff in introducing the Right to Vote Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration continues to threaten election and voter security in California and across the country by undermining trust and weakening access to resources. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of American democracy. That\u2019s why I am proud to join Senator Ossoff in this fight to guarantee citizens\u2019 right to vote by authorizing voters to challenge in court actions that have been taken to restrict their ballot access,\u201d said Senator Schiff.\n\n\u201cAmericans\u2019 right to vote is under attack, and this president is hellbent on undermining our elections to keep his power,\u201d said Hickenlooper. \u201cWe\u2019re giving Americans the tools to defend a right the Constitution guarantees.\u201d\n\n\u201cFree and fair elections are the foundation of participatory government, and any threat to the democratic process is a threat to our democracy itself,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThe Right to Vote Act would establish clear protections for voters and help ensure that every eligible American can demonstrate this sacred right in our elections. A healthy democracy depends on broad participation, and this bill will continue to make that participation easier\u2014not harder.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen we protect the right to vote, we protect the very foundation of our democracy,\u201d said Senator Padilla. \u201cWhile the Trump Administration and Republican-led legislatures threaten to restrict ballot access, we must ensure there are safeguards in place to ensure voters can defend their right in court. The right to vote should never be questioned, and Congress must protect every eligible voter\u2019s right to participate in our elections.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur democracy works best when Americans can make their voices heard, and as we continue to see unprecedented attacks on the right to vote across the country, we must take action,\u201d said Klobuchar. \u201cThis legislation enables voters to challenge policies that make it more difficult to cast their ballots, empowering people to protect voting rights nationwide.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe ballot box is the beating heart of our democracy, but, for far too long, some Americans have faced enormous obstacles or outright denial as they\u2019ve tried to participate in the democratic process. The Right to Vote Act gives Americans the power to contest unfair state laws designed to make it hard for targeted communities to exercise their constitutional right to vote. This defense of voting rights is hugely needed,\u201d said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR).\n\n\u201cThe Right to Vote Act safeguards Americans\u2019 voting rights and defends against attempts to restrict voting access,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cThe right to vote is a bedrock of our democracy, a government that is supposed to be by and for the people. With unprecedented attacks on voting rights in states across the country, this critical legislation protects access to the ballot box and ensures Americans can exercise their most fundamental right.\u201d\n\n\u201cNothing is more fundamental to our democracy than ensuring that all citizens can exercise their fundamental right to vote. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans know their agenda is deeply unpopular, but instead of delivering for the American people, they are working overtime to disenfranchise millions of voters who have the constitutional right to vote them out of office,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cBy empowering voters to fight back against restrictions on their voting rights, this legislation will help ensure that every voice can be heard on Election Day.\u201d\n\n\u201cVoting in America is your right. Americans have been beaten, they\u2019ve been bloodied, and they\u2019ve given their lives to secure that right. Disenfranchisement today is more bureaucratic, and it\u2019s more technical, but the results for ordinary citizens is the same: Their voices are shut out of a democracy,\u201d Sen. Cantwell said. \u201cI ask my colleagues to stand up for their constituents \u2014 because if we don\u2019t stop this administration\u2019s war on voting rights, I guarantee you, millions of Americans will be disenfranchised.\u201d\n\nSen. Ossoff continues working to protect voting rights for eligible Georgia voters.\n\nIn March 2024, Sen. Ossoff joined Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock, Dick Durbin, Leader Chuck Schumer, and colleagues in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights 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.\n\nAlso in 2024, Sen. Ossoff introduced the Election Worker and Polling Place Protection Act, which would broaden protections for the election workers and volunteers who help administer America\u2019s elections. The bill would also prohibit damage to election infrastructure, such as polling places and tabulation centers, with the intent to interfere with an election.\n\nClick here to read the Right to Vote Act.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-06-25T06:30:03Z", "2026-06-25T06:31:21Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warnock-celebrates-cancellation-of-social-circle-detention-center/", "ICYMI: Warnock Celebrates Cancellation of Social Circle Detention Center", "2026-06-24", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "New reporting by the New York Times, confirmed by DHS, indicates that plans for new detention centers across the country are being abandoned\n\nTwo planned facilities in Georgia, Social Circle and Oakwood, are among those detention centers no longer being considered\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock has led efforts to block the retrofitting of warehouses that would have served as detention centers in Social Circle and Oakwood\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) welcomed reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) planned to scrap two detention centers set to house immigrants in Georgia. The plan is for DHS to sell or give away warehouses in Social Circle and Oakwood, Georgia, rather than house thousands of people in these facilities.\n\nSince plans were revealed, Senator Warnock has been a fierce proponent in the fight against these detention centers. In March, the Senator joined Social Circle leaders in voicing opposition to the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts to open an ICE detention facility that would have strained local resources with no plan for federal support to alleviate the anticipated harms.\n\nThe Senator has also led several efforts to support Social Circle\u2019s campaign against the proposed ICE facility, including sending letters to DHS and making a direct appeal to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.\n\nMore media coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock\u2019s comments below:\n\nWSB Radio: U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock called the decision a victory for the community and credited local activism with helping change the government\u2019s plans. \u201cThese things that were happening in the quiet of night, we shined a light on it, elevated it, people raised their voices and they got their victory,\u201d Warnock said.\n\nCapitol Beat: Both Ossoff and fellow Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock heralded the policy reversal in Social Circle, attributing it to their own efforts as part of a public pressure campaign. \u201cOfficials in the Trump administration got nervous because the people stood up and began to speak out,\u201d Warnock said in a call with reporters on Friday.\n\nFox 5: Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff as well as Republicans Rep. Mike Collins were part of the effort to block the protect. \u201cThe officials in the Trump/Vance got nervous. The people stood up and began to speak out,\u201d Warnock said. Warnock said, \u201cthis White House and this administration viewed Social Circle\u2019s concerns nothing more than a thorn in their side.\u201d\n\n11 Alive: \u201cThey were deeply concerned about this immigration facility,\u201d U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock told 11Alive\u2019s Grace King. \u201cThis would have taken a whole lot of opportunity off of potential tax revenue for that very small town, and it means a lot to those folks. To put it plainly, the officials in the Trump-Vance administration got nervous because the people stood up and began to speak out.\u201d\n\nUnivision: Tras la decisi\u00f3n del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) de cancelar la construcci\u00f3n de un megacentro de detenci\u00f3n para inmigrantes en Social Circle debido a la presi\u00f3n de los residentes, Raphael Warnock, senador federal por Georgia, se pronunci\u00f3, al respecto. No obstante, la incertidumbre persiste en la ciudad de Oakwood, donde los habitantes aun temen la posible edificacion de uno de estos complejos en su comunidad ante la falta de respuestas por parte de las autoridades.\n\nCBS News: Sen. Raphael Warnock called the development \u2018a victory for the people of Georgia. When we stand up and speak out, the power of the people is more powerful than the people in power,\u2019 Warnock said in a statement Friday. \u2018I was proud to elevate the concerns of the people of Social Circle and Oakwood over the past four months to pressure administration to backtrack on their dangerous plans.\u2019 Warnock said he advocated on behalf of residents despite the communities not being part of his political base. \u2018The people of Social Circle and Oakwood didn\u2019t vote for me, but I still fought for them because I was elected to serve all Georgians,\u2019 he said.\n\nUSA Today: Warnock, who tried to block the detention facilities during a funding battle in Congress and supported legislation that would require local input and approval for the construction of new detention facilities, celebrated the city\u2019s announcement Thursday.", 1, "2026-06-25T06:30:03Z", "2026-06-25T06:31:21Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/whos-served-by-this-economy-warnock-makes-clear-who-president-trumps-economy-is-helping-and-hurting-in-senate-banking-hearing/", "\u201cWho\u2019s Served by This Economy?\u201d Warnock Makes Clear Who President Trump\u2019s Economy is Helping and Hurting in Senate Banking Hearing", "2026-06-24", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Yesterday, during a Senate Banking committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock detailed how President Trump\u2019s economic policies are hurting ordinary Americans\n\nPresident Trump\u2019s policies and domestic agenda have added an enormous amount of money to the national debt without alleviating prices for American families\n\nNearly 1 in 20 households\u2014equivalent to roughly 14 million Americans\u2014are severely behind on their utility bills and risk facing collections\n\nIn the past year, nearly 40% of Americans have had to turn to credit cards to pay their bills and pay for everyday essentials\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cSo, who\u2019s served by this economy? There\u2019s a long range of people who seem to be suffering. Who\u2019s served by the economy\u2014the Trump economy?\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, during a U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) detailed how President Trump\u2019s economic policies are hurting ordinary Americans and benefiting the ultra-rich. A recent Fox News poll found that more than half of all voters feel that President Trump\u2019s economy helps rich people, and three out of five voters feel pessimistic about the economy overall.\n\n\u201cSo, who\u2019s served by this economy? There\u2019s a long range of people who seem to be suffering. Who\u2019s served by the economy\u2014the Trump economy?\u201d Senator Warnock asked. \u201c[Donald Trump] has been at it for 18 months. He\u2019s raised costs for everybody, shredded a safety net meant to catch people during tough times. This Trump economy isn\u2019t just bad\u2014for me\u2014it\u2019s a moral abomination.\u201d\n\nSince assuming office in January 2025, President Trump\u2019s policies and domestic agenda have raised costs for American families. Washington Republicans\u2019 signature legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, forced millions of Americans off their health care due to premium price hikes in Affordable Care Act health plans. The Republican tax and spending legislation is also responsible for $186 billion in nutrition cuts from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) a cuts in the program have resulted in SNAP participation already falling by more than 4.3 million people, including 700,00 children, with more cuts yet to come. Republican policies have put an enormous strain on American families trying to make ends meet.\n\nAs a leader on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warnock continues to push back against the Trump administration\u2019s reckless economic policies and the rising prices it creates for ordinary Georgians.\n\nWatch the Senator\u2019s full remarks HERE\n\nSee below a transcript of today\u2019s hearing exchange\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock (SRW): \u201cWell, thank you so much. Your introduction was prescient, you\u2019ll see why, Brother Chair. According to a recent Fox News poll, more than half of all voters feel that President Trump\u2019s economy only helps rich people, with an additional 15% saying his economy helps \u201cno one\u201d. And that same Fox News poll found that three out of five voters feel pessimistic about the economy. Doesn\u2019t matter much what those of us on this panel feel, it\u2019s what the American people feel. Consumer sentiment is near record lows. Ordinary Americans know Donald Trump\u2019s economy isn\u2019t working for them.\n\n\u201cDr. Morgan, you\u2019re an expert on the economy. I don\u2019t know your faith tradition, or if you share a particular faith tradition at all, but I\u2019m a Matthew 25 Christian. Meaning, I like to center my work on the least among us, the poor, the most marginalized. Isaiah, whom I\u2019ve been reading a lot lately, says, \u2018Who are you to crush my people, to grind the face of the poor?\u2019 So, I want to dig into that verse from Matthew 25 to assess the Trump economy. It says, \u2018For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink\u2019. Dr. Morgan, how have the president\u2019s policies been for hungry Americans?\u201d\n\nDr. Julie Margetta Morgan (JMM): \u201cSenator Warnock, the president\u2019s policies have pushed more and more Americans into hunger. We\u2019ve seen actually 4 million people lose their SNAP benefits under this administration, as about 700,000 of them were children. And the Century Foundation\u2019s own polling shows that one in three Americans have skipped meals in order to deal with their, their cost of living crisis.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cYou said 4 million Americans? And you said 700,000 of the Americans kicked off of SNAP are children?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cBecause I met with the Speaker and others, and you know they\u2019re saying that they\u2019re, that you know, these are able-bodied men who are kicked off of SNAP, but you\u2019re saying these cuts are leaving children food insecure?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cLet\u2019s try another one. The text goes on to say, \u2018for I needed clothes, and you clothed me\u2019. Dr. Morgan, how have the president\u2019s policies been for poor, unemployed, or unhoused Americans?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cThe president\u2019s\u2014the tax cuts alone had a massive effect on low-income families. Low-income families actually lost money under H.R. 1 to the tune of about $1,200.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThat\u2019s the One Big Beautiful Bill?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cThat\u2019s right. But the Trump administration has also taken other actions that directly target poor and unhoused families. The Trump administration has attempted to impose time limits and work requirements on rental assistance. They\u2019ve proposed cuts and changes to programs that support the homeless. And then rising utility costs are also hurting the poorest families as well.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cMatthew 25 says, \u2018For I was sick, and you looked after me\u2019. What about the President\u2019s health care policies, especially when it comes to health care affordability?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cThis is really an acute problem for families right now. We\u2019ve seen cuts to Medicaid that have taken insurance away from families. We\u2019ve seen the failure to extend the ACA premium tax credits that has jacked up the cost of health insurance premiums for many American families. We\u2019re also seeing increasing costs on employer-sponsored plans. So, people are really faced with the choice right now of being uninsured or choosing kind of like a skimpier health insurance plan in order to get coverage, and at the same time\u2014\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cThe Trump administration and Washington Republicans cut $1 trillion out of Medicaid\u2014they call it waste, fraud, and abuse. Is it fair to say they cut more than waste, fraud, and abuse?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cThat is correct. They cut care for American families.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201c\u2019For I was a stranger\u2019\u2014the text says\u2014\u2019and you invited me in\u2019. How has the Trump economy been for law-abiding immigrants and dreamers living in the shadows?\u201d\n\nJMM: \u201cWe\u2019ve seen a kind of xenophobic attack on our immigrant neighbors. We\u2019re seeing families who are afraid because of the actions of ICE to go to work and to send their families to school. It\u2019s incredibly crushing, both for those families and for their communities and those of us who live among people, and then we\u2019ve also seen this, these attacks to try to take away benefits and programs from law-abiding immigrants, so it\u2019s hugely concerning.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cSo, who\u2019s served by this economy? There\u2019s a long range of people who seem to be suffering. Who\u2019s served by the economy\u2014the Trump economy?\u201d\n\nJWW: \u201cI mean, it serves the rich, right? It serves Donald Trump himself, it serves his billionaire colleagues, and it serves, you know, the banks who are represented here at this hearing, who have gotten the Trump administration to roll back protections for working families in order to maintain their profits.\u201d\n\nSRW: \u201cI\u2019m a few seconds over, and so I\u2019m going to bring this to closure, Brother Chair. But Donald Trump has been president for 18 months, and while he and his advisors love to blame Joe Biden, Joe Biden, Joe Biden for rising costs, Americans elected him to lower costs. He\u2019s been at it for 18 months, he\u2019s raised costs for everybody, shredded a safety net meant to catch people during tough times. This Trump economy isn\u2019t just bad, for me, it\u2019s a moral abomination. This is bigger than politics, it\u2019s about humanity.\n\nThank you so much for your testimony.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-25T06:30:03Z", "2026-06-25T06:31:21Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 264, "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": "2026"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2026&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2026", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "GA", "label": "GA", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2026", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "2026", "label": "2026", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2026-06-24,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarnock~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fwhos-served-by-this-economy-warnock-makes-clear-who-president-trumps-economy-is-helping-and-hurting-in-senate-banking-hearing~2F", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=GA&year=2026&_next=2026-06-24%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarnock~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fwhos-served-by-this-economy-warnock-makes-clear-who-president-trumps-economy-is-helping-and-hurting-in-senate-banking-hearing~2F&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 252.5418729055673, "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"}