Senator Reverend Warnock released a new statement following threats from Senate Republican leaders regarding the fate of the bipartisan jobs and competition bill, known in the Senate as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Despite this strong bipartisan consensus, and the urgent need for this legislation, some Washington politicians seem determined to make companies second-guess the wisdom of investing in our economy”

Senator Reverend Warnock: “It’s shameful that Washington Republicans are playing politics with our economy by threatening to hold up legislation that will help bring down rising costs and keep our workforce and economy competitive with countries like the People’s Republic of China”

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Georgians want Washington to address rising costs, and they keep telling me that we can’t pass this legislation soon enough. I’m going to stay focused on doing the work the people of Georgia sent me to Washington to do”

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock issued the statement below following reports on recent comments from Senate Republican leaders that they may stall progress on the bipartisan jobs and competition bill, known in the Senate as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. The legislation originally passed the Senate in June 2021 with strong bipartisan support. In April, Senator Warnock was appointed to a bipartisan, bicameral committee to negotiate the final legislation, which is near completion. 

“For months I’ve been hearing from chambers of commerce, universities, automakers and other companies from all over Georgia about how passing the jobs and competition bill is vital to keeping our economy strong and moving forward. It’s shameful that Washington Republicans are playing politics with our economy by threatening to hold up legislation that will bring down rising costs and keep our workforce and economy competitive with countries like the People’s Republic of China,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“I worked with my colleagues to pass this legislation in the Senate over a year ago, and we’ve spent months hammering out a bipartisan compromise that will sustain jobs at economic-generators like the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia, and create new economic opportunities all over Georgia by boosting innovation and manufacturing.”

“Despite this strong bipartisan consensus, and the urgent need for this legislation, some Washington politicians seem determined to make companies second-guess the wisdom of investing in our economy. But Georgians want Washington to address rising costs, and they keep telling me that we can’t pass this legislation soon enough. I’m going to stay focused on doing the work the people of Georgia sent me to Washington to do, and getting this legislation passed as soon as possible to get these investments in our economy flowing,” the Senator added.

As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Warnock has long championed the jobs and competition legislation, and has worked since last year to ensure the legislation will lower costs for Georgians by promoting domestic chip manufacturing in the U.S. and addressing supply chain issues to reduce the price of everyday goods. Specifically, the Senator has worked tirelessly to strengthen chip manufacturing in the United States to boost American manufacturing; the lack of domestic semiconductors has previously led to harmful work stoppages at Hyundai’s Kia plant in West Point, GA.

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