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 worked on providing water infrastructure upgrades to several areas in Georgia after the recent water main break in Midtown Atlanta, inquired about the dangerous living conditions for children at the border detention families, pushed for stronger enforcement against selling e-cigarettes to children, and introduced legislation promoting fatherhood engagement for maternal health.
On June 10, Ossoff introduced new legislation that would upgrade the water infrastructure across East Point.
The East Point Water Infrastructure Enhancement Act would “expand a current authorization for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out water infrastructure projects in the city," per a press release. Wastewater and stormwater projects are included for the growing area.
“As the City of East Point continues to grow, there’s a need to strengthen water infrastructure for families and businesses. That’s why I’m introducing this legislation to strengthen the U.S. Army Corps’ partnership with East Point to upgrade infrastructure and quality of life,” Ossoff said in a statement.
Ossoff also introduced legislation that would upgrade the water infrastructure in the Columbus area.
The Georgia Stormwater Management Act would establish a new authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to also work on water infrastructure projects throughout Columbus, which experienced a water main break in March.
“I remain focused on the Chattahoochee Valley every day,” Ossoff said in a statement. "I’ve heard consistently from local leaders about concerns with aging water infrastructure, which is why I’m introducing this new bill that would authorize the U.S. Army Corps to work on vital water infrastructure projects across Columbus."
On June 11, Warnock and Ossoff introduced new legislation for water infrastructure upgrades to Coastal Georgia.
Like the other water infrastructure legislations, the Coastal Georgia Flooding Prevention Act establishes a new authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out water infrastructure projects in Glynn, Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, Mcintosh, and Camden Counties.
In statements, the senators said:
"Investing in coastal water infrastructure is essential for protecting our communities from the devastating effects of flooding," Warnock said. "This legislation represents a critical step forward in enhancing our resilience against climate change and extreme weather events. By funding advanced flood prevention measures and sustainable infrastructure projects, we not only safeguard our homes and businesses but also ensure the long-term health and stability of our coastal ecosystems."
"Amidst a surge of economic development across Coastal Georgia, we need to ensure our water infrastructure keeps up with increased demand," Ossoff said.
On June 12, Warnock, Ossoff, and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-05) led a bicameral effort to secure federal funding to review Atlanta's old water infrastructure following the Midtown water main break that left residents and businesses without water services earlier this month.
Per their press release, "the lawmakers are requesting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ("the Corps) work with local leaders to address the chronic water infrastructure problems and provide all necessary funding to help complete a comprehensive review," which is a need to apply structural change to the current infrastructure.
In the letter, they write:
"We write to request the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) work closely with the City of Atlanta to address the urgent and chronic water infrastructure challenges that recently resulted in a series of catastrophic water main breaks that left hundreds of thousands of Atlanta residents without water services, and to immediately make federal resources available to help meet the City of Atlanta's critical water infrastructure needs."
On June 11, Sens. Ossoff and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) launched a bipartisan inquiry with the Department of Homeland Security over reports of dangerous living conditions for children held at the border awaiting processing in Federal detention facilities.
"Public reporting in recent years has highlighted dangerous conditions for children in CBP custody, including reported deaths, abuse, and medical neglect," per a press release.
The inquiry comes after DHS's Office of the Inspector General found repeated violations of the Customs and Border Protection National Standards on Transport, Escort, Detention, and Search and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, including:
The senators wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas:
"Secure borders keep Georgia's and Tennessee's families safe. Strengthening border security requires vast resources, order, and humanity to help vulnerable children navigate an uncertain process. Protecting the human rights of children is both a moral and legal imperative and border enforcement must be humane."
On June 12, at a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Ossoff highlighted stories of two Georgia children hospitalized after either using a vape laced with THC and fentanyl and a vape laced with THC and phencyclidine (PCP).
Ossoff used those stories as a part of his effort to push for stronger enforcement against the selling of illegal e-cigarettes to children throughout Georgia.
The push for stronger enforcement comes after the FDA reported in 2019 that over 5 million, or 28% of high school students vaped using a nicotine product in the previous 30 days.
Per a press release, Ossoff asked what the U.S. Department of Justice and Food and Drug Administration are doing "to strengthen enforcement and prevent the sale of illegal e-cigarettes and how the agencies can prioritize enforcement against products that are contaminated or that contain other deadly and illegal drugs."
On June 13, Warnock and Ossoff announced that the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Infrastructure Grants program will award several Georgia airports over $2.5 million in federal funding for infrastructure upgrades.
The airports include:
The Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Infrastructure Grants program was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
On June 12, Sens. Warnock and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve maternal health outcomes by promoting fatherhood engagement.
Per a press release, The Dads Matter Act of 2024 directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness about "father inclusion and engagement" through a public awareness campaign and providing "state-level guidance" to emphasize the role of fathers "in supporting healthy mothers and babies."
"Georgia's maternal mortality rate is a crisis that we must address with every tool at our disposal. That includes redoubling our efforts to uplift the role of fathers in keeping their family healthy during pregnancy and early childhood," Warnock said in a statement.
He adds, "With Father's Day quickly approaching, now is the time to spread awareness about the critical role of fathers in improving maternal health outcomes and creating thriving families and communities."
