Taxpayer dollars at work: Senators on workforce development, military families, water infrastructure

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Sen. Raphael Warnock, in a video, introduced his legislation on June 18 to improve the workforce by bridging the gap between community and technical colleges and the local job industry.

Credit: Screenshot

Neither Sen. Jon Ossoff nor Sen. Raphael Warnock is up for reelection this year — the former will run again in 2026 and the latter in 2028. But 2024 is off to a busy start for both senators. In this recurring digital news series, GPB follows your federal tax dollars back to the state of Georgia each week.

For the week ending June 14, 2024, Warnock and Ossoff focused on reviewing Atlanta's aging water infrastructure after the recent water main break in Midtown Atlanta, improving fire safety throughout Georgia, improving the workforce development by creating partnerships between community and technical colleges and the local job industry, and introducing legislations supporting Georgia military families.

Military families with newborns

On June 13, Ossoff introduced legislation to help keep military families together when welcoming a baby/new child.

The Military Support Act would exempt “active duty servicemembers from being deployed, mobilized, or sent to training away from their duty stations for a year, helping keep families together after welcoming a new child,” per a press release.

The legislation also caters to servicemembers who adopt a child or are going through fertility treatments.

“Welcoming a child into the world is one of the greatest blessings,” Ossoff said in a statement. "I’ve heard consistently from servicemembers about the strain being deployed or sent to training has on families with newborns. That’s why I’m introducing this new bill to strengthen families’ quality of life and keep military families together after having a child.”

Hunter Army Airfield

On June 14, Ossoff introduced legislation to improve U.S. national security by building new facilities at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga.

The Hunter Army Airfield Support Act “would strengthen national security by helping replace current sub-standard facilities with a new consolidated facility that will support better training and storage areas for the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment to train and execute their airborne operations,” per a press release.

The construction includes a new parachute training and maintenance facility for special operations forces at the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield.

Atlanta water infrastructure

On June 17, Warnock and Ossoff and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) announced that they secured $993,000 in federal funding for the review of Atlanta’s aging water infrastructure system following the recent water main break in Midtown earlier this month.

The funding comes days after the three lawmakers joined together to request that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “work with local leaders to address the chronic water infrastructure problems and provide all necessary funding to help complete a comprehensive review — a necessary step towards implementing lasting, structural change to existing infrastructure,” per a press release.

“No Georgian should have difficulty accessing clean water," Warnock said in a statement. "While I’m proud of the important steps we’ve taken through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and more to strengthen our water infrastructure, the recent water crisis in Atlanta highlights how much more work we have left to do on that front."

“Working together, Senator Reverend Warnock, Congresswoman Williams, and I are delivering this Federal funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law to help address the long-term needs of Atlanta’s aging water infrastructure,” Ossoff said in a statement. "I thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for being so responsive to Georgia’s needs."

Fire safety

On June 18, the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation pushed by Ossoff to improve fire safety across Georgia.

The Fire Grants and Safety Act will re-authorize grant programs that give federal funding to Georgia’s fire departments.

The legislation “extends authorizations for the Assistance to Firefighters Program, the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program,” per a press release. 

The reauthorization of those programs can help the following:

• Upgrade equipment
• Hire and retain firefighters
• Strengthen training to protect families better

“There’s no worse nightmare for any family than waking up in the middle of the night, smelling smoke, calling 911, but there’s no fire rescue service available in time,” Ossoff said in a statement. "After hearing from fire chiefs across the state about aging equipment and understaffed departments, I worked to bring Republicans and Democrats together to pass this bipartisan bill that will upgrade fire safety across Georgia."

Workforce development

On June 18, Sens. Warnock and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) introduced legislation to improve the workforce development pipeline by bridging the gap between community and technical colleges and the local job industry needs.

Per a press release, the Pathways to Prosperity Act of 2024 would improve and grow the Strengthening Community Colleges Grant Program, "a federal program that provides competitive grants to community and technical colleges to support partnerships between colleges and employers."

The legislation would provide funding to:

• Set up, enhance, or broaden the quality of community colleges' educational or career training initiatives.
• Enhance opportunities for individuals to attain nationally or regionally recognized postsecondary credentials in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations.
• Develop or scale up career training, career pathways, or work-based learning options like apprenticeships.
• Assist individuals with barriers to employment with accessing programs.
• Provide support services to help participants complete education and training.

"I tell business leaders all the time, come to Georgia; Georgia is open for business," Warnock said in a video introducing the legislation. "As these new, good-paying jobs come to the Peach State, it's important that these local jobs are filled locally. That means we need a workforce that's trained to step into these roles."

Military spouses

On June 20, Ossoff shared that he is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to improve career flexibility for military spouses during a permanent change of station or when servicemembers are relocated to another installation.

The READINESS Act would make it easier for military spouses who work for the federal government to keep their jobs when their spouses are relocated or help them find a similar job at the new military base.

"Should a military spouse be eligible for a transfer or remote work, their federal agency of employment would be required to retain them under the new bill," per a press release.