Taxpayer dollars at work: Questioning BioLab CEO, improving foster care, more school counselors

Caption

A fire at BioLab in Conyers, Ga., on Sept. 29, 2024, creates a chemical plume that lingered for weeks after.

Credit: Al Sadler Sr.

Note: In this recurring digital news series, GPB follows your federal tax dollars back to the state of Georgia each week. 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. 

U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Rapahel Warnock participated in Democratic campaign activities and rallies leading up to the 2024 general election on Nov. 5, which saw a win for presidential candidate Donald Trump and incumbents in all but one of Georgia's 14 congressional districts. District 3 elected Republican Brian Jack in a seat vacated by Drew Ferguson after he retired.

In recent weeks, Ossoff and Warnock have worked on questioning the BioLab Conyers CEO for answers on the plan to address safety concerns, introducing legislation to improve oversight in the foster care system, delivering funding to hire more school counselors in schools to support students' mental wellbeing, and provide clean energy upgrades to Georgia's ports.

Nursing workforce

On Oct. 21, Ossoff announced he is delivering federal resources to nursing training programs throughout Georgia under the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Practice Quality and Retention Program.

Resources will go to Central Georgia Technical College in Macon, Ga., and Southern Crescent Technical College in Griffin, Ga., to “strengthen their acute and long-term care nursing education programs, helping reduce the dire shortage of nurses across Georgia,” per a press release.

“Georgia continues to face a critical nursing shortage," Ossoff said. "Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, I’m delivering these funds to expand nurse training programs across Georgia.”

BioLab CEO

On Oct. 23, Warnock and U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson led a bicameral push to the CEO of KIK Consumer Products, Michael Sload, of the company that operates the BioLab in Conyers, Ga, known notably for the Sept. 29 fire that produced huge chemical smoke in the area.

According to a press release, the two urged Sload to issue responses to questions about the “company’s plans to address long-standing safety lapses and prevent future emergencies at the facility, as well as its efforts to compensate local families” following the fire.

The lawmakers requested that the company’s leadership respond in detail to questions about the accident, BioLab’s prior safety failures and workplace violations, and BioLab’s plan to address any financial, health and potential environmental harm to the Rockdale County and metro Atlanta community.

“BioLab must correct its pattern of safety failures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future,” they wrote.

Foster care system

On Oct. 23, Ossoff introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the oversight of Georgia’s foster care systems following a 13-month subcommittee investigation on the abuse and neglect of Georgia’s foster care system.

Per a press release earlier this year, Ossoff, as Chairman of the Senate Human Rights Subcommittee, released a report on the findings from his investigation, “which uncovered pervasive abuse and neglect of vulnerable children in Georgia, including incidents with 'hidden foster care' placements.”

“These informal placements, or 'hidden foster care' placements, occur when a state child protection agency places a child with a caregiver (often a relative) informally, instead of going through official foster care placement,” the release explains.

Hidden foster care children are not in foster care numbers. Still, state agencies may conduct follow-up visits and provide services to support those relatives caring for children.

Ossoff and Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) Foster Care Placement Transparency Act would require that states measure and report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) incidents where children are separated from their parents and placed with a caregiver “informally to help ensure their wellbeing and safety.”

“Last year, I led a 13-month investigation into the safety of foster children in Georgia and nationwide, which uncovered widespread abuse and neglect of our most vulnerable children,” Ossoff said via statement. “I’m introducing this bipartisan legislation alongside Senator Cornyn that will strengthen Federal oversight of State foster care systems and better protect foster children from physical abuse, sexual abuse, or human trafficking.”

Digital divide

On Oct. 25, Warnock and Ossoff announced they were delivering $22 million in federal funding for Georgia to create digital literacy programs, expand community access to computers and tablets, lower costs to get connected, and more.

Funding comes from provisions based on Warnock’s Device Access for Every American Act included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

Per a press release, eligible uses include funding for the following:

• Digital literacy programs
• Partnerships with providers to improve internet affordability
• Support for community anchor institutions like libraries, schools, community centers, and religious institutions to help connect, train, and educate communities in all aspects of digital connectivity and digital services

“It is not enough to just put fiber cables in the ground,” Warnock said in a statement. “We need to make sure our communities have the devices, resources, training, and low costs that will allow Georgians to participate and thrive in our increasingly digital economy, and this multi-million dollar grant will do just that by creating digital literacy programs, expanding community access to computers and tablets, lowering costs to get connected, and more.”

Port clean energy upgrades

On Oct. 29, Warnock and Ossoff announced they secured $48 million to install new electric charging infrastructure for Port of Savannah and Port of Brunswick ships.

Per a press release, “the funding will go to the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) to invest in the vessel shore power systems, which will allow ships to ‘plug-in’ to electric grid power and turn off diesel engines while at the port.”

GPA plans to use classroom on-the-job training for workers for zero-emissions vehicles, shore power, and charging stations. 

The grant will also allow the organization to use less smog from diesel emissions, improving the quality of life for nearby communities, ports and dock workers.

“As a son of Coastal Georgia, I know the importance of Georgia’s ports and its workers to our state and national economies,” Warnock said in a statement. “As we continue moving toward a clean energy economy, it is critical Georgia and its workers remain on the frontlines of these federal investments and reap the benefits of our hard work in Washington.”

“Senator Warnock and I continue working to upgrade Georgia’s port infrastructure and establish Georgia as the national leader in advanced energy technology,” Ossoff said in a statement. “Today, we are delivering new resources through the EPA’s Clean Ports program to upgrade the Port of Savannah and the Port of Brunswick with vessel shore power systems and install new electric charging infrastructure. This is a win-win for our economy and for local communities.”

Georgia airports 

On Oct. 30, Warnock and Ossoff announced $19 million in new federal investments to upgrade airports in Atlanta and Augusta through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and under the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Terminal Program (ATP).

According to a press release, the funding will be used “to build, modernize, and upgrade airport facilities and strengthen passenger transportation.”

“Georgia is one of the most important aviation states in the nation, and as a member of the committee responsible for transportation policy, I will continue working to strengthen Georgia’s aviation economy,” Warnock said in a statement.

“Georgia’s airports are a key driver of job creation and economic competitiveness. Alongside Senator Reverend Warnock, we are pleased to announce this funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law for airport upgrades across the State of Georgia. Our bipartisan infrastructure law will continue to deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia’s infrastructure for years to come,”  Ossoff said. 

Funding will go to the following airports:

• Atlanta Regional Airport – Falcon Field: $1 million
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: $14.3 million
• Augusta Regional Airport: $4 million

School counselors

On Oct. 31, Ossoff announced he is delivering federal resources through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to hire and train more mental health counselors to support students around Fulton, Gwinnett, Macon-Bibb, and Muscogee counties.

“Bringing both political parties together and putting the needs of our kids above partisan interests, I helped pass bipartisan legislation to strengthen mental health services for young people in Georgia across the country,” Ossoff said in a statement.

“There are real and ongoing mental health concerns for young people, particularly students in K-12 schools, and it’s an issue parents across Georgia care deeply about. These new resources for local school districts will help provide mental health services in schools in Georgia.”

Spelman national security job training

On Nov. 8, Ossoff announced he is delivering $2.5 million in federal funding to help create a new Strategic and Security Studies Center at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.

According to a press release, the five-year grant “will help develop the next generation of intelligence leaders by funding student scholarships, study abroad opportunities, and language learning programs at the new Spelman Strategic and Security Studies Center.”

“I’m delivering these federal funds to help establish a new Strategic and Security Studies Center at Spelman College and support the growth of America’s HBCUs in research, development, and innovation vital to American national security,” Ossoff said in a statement.

Hurricane Helene in-person help

On Nov. 12, Ossoff announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had recently opened Disaster Recovery Centers in Richmond Hill, Sylvania, and Tifton. These centers provide one-on-one help for Georgians affected by Hurricane Helene. 

Help includes assistance in applying for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and more.

FEMA also opened Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers in Fitzgerald, Statesboro, Mount Vernon, and Blackshear for one-on-one help.

Read the lists of recovery centers below:

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Bryan County

• Jacob Grant Teen Center, 185 Ballpark Rd., Richmond Hill, GA 31324
• Open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
• Open Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. ET

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Screven County

• Screven County Library, 106 S. Community Dr., Sylvania, GA 30467
• Open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
• Open Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. ET

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Tift County

• Tift County Swimming Pool, 202 Baldwin Dr., Tifton, GA 31794
• Open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
• Open Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. ET

FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center in Ben Hill County

• Fitzgerald High School, 601 W. Cypress St., Fitzgerald, GA 31750
• Open through Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET

FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center in Bulloch County

• Kiwanis Ogeechee Fairgrounds, 16942 GA-67, Statesboro, GA 30458
• Open through Saturday, Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET

FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center in Montgomery County

• Old Road Department Parking Lot, 310 W. Broad St., Mount Vernon, GA 30445
• Open through Saturday, Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET

FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center in Pierce County

• Pierce County Extension Office/USDA, 705 College Ave., Blackshear, GA 31516
• Open through Saturday, Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET 

For all of FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers, read here.