{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=84A441E8-9895-4C5E-B19B-1D86F6B8E2ED", "Isakson Honored for Lifetime Commitment to U.S. Global Leadership", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  In a recently released video, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, was recognized for his longstanding commitment to advocating for a strong U.S. foreign policy and strengthening America's development and diplomacy tools across the globe.\r\nIsakson, who previously served as the top Republican on the Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs, was honored by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition with its Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed by the coalition typically reserved for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of America's global leadership.\r\nAt the Nov. 20 dinner in Washington, D.C., a tribute video featuring Isakson's contributions was shown to an audience of more than 1,000 influential business, military, non-governmental organizations, faith-based, foreign policy and national security leaders as well as current and former members of Congress and administration officials.\r\nIn the video, Isakson describes how he came to serve as a member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the importance of his work to advance U.S. national security interests through global leadership.\r\nThere, he led bipartisan legislative and advocacy efforts including:\r\n \r\nThe Global Food Security Act and its subsequent reauthorization.\r\nThe Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and Millennium Challenge Corporation Modernization Act, which was signed into law in 2018.\r\nFunding of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. He also helped introduce the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, which was signed into law.\r\nSuccessful advocacy for improved two-way trade and investment between African and American businesses and the reopening of markets in South Africa and China to American poultry exports.\r\nImproving the ability of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to combat the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 2018-2019 outbreak.\r\nEnacting the BUILD Act to help encourage development projects in Africa by modernizing America's development finance structure.\r\n \r\nAmong his many accomplishments, Isakson considers the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act chief among his most personal and proud moments. The legislation was inspired by a Georgia constituent and Peace Corps volunteer, Kate Puzey, who was murdered after she reported a local colleague for allegedly molesting girls they taught in Benin, West Africa. Isakson sought justice in the case, visiting Benin multiple times, including with Puzey's family. His legislation to provide improved security and protection measures for U.S. Peace Corps volunteers was signed into law into 2011.\r\nThe video is the latest in a series about Isakson's career as he prepares to leave the Senate on Dec. 31. To view the video, produced by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, click here. For a full list of Isakson's foreign policy-related accomplishments, click here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=84A441E8-9895-4C5E-B19B-1D86F6B8E2ED"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.071104012429714, "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"}