On Thursday, July 28, the Senate Appropriations Committee released draft text of the annual bills that fund the federal government 

Following Senator Reverend Warnock’s advocacy, the draft government funding bills include robust investments in several priorities for the Albany area, including funding to help lower housing and transportation costs for seniors and recruit more nurses to address Albany’s nursing shortage

Senator Reverend Warnock: “From making housing more affordable for our seniors, to creating good-paying jobs that will help improve health outcomes, this legislation includes strong investments for the Albany area”

Washington, D.C. — Following months of advocacy and conversations with partners across Georgia, today U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) proudly announced that he secured critical federal investments for several Georgia priorities in the recently-released draft fiscal year 2023 government funding bills—including more than $12 million for critical projects and initiatives in Albany and South Georgia that will create jobs, lower housing costs, improve health outcomes, and help senior citizens live independently. 

“As a voice for Georgia in the Senate, I’m proud that these draft government funding bills reflect the priorities of hardworking people from Albany to Valdosta and everywhere in between,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “From making housing more affordable for our seniors, to creating good-paying jobs that will help improve  health outcomes, this legislation includes strong investments for the Albany area, and I’m going to keep fighting to get these funds over the finish line and flowing to South Georgia.”

The twelve government funding bills, released on July 28 by the Senate Appropriations Committee, reflect months of behind-the-scenes work by Senator Warnock and his office to ensure the bills address critical priorities for Georgia families and companies in every corner of the state, including major investments to strengthen our national security and Georgia’s military communities; complete vital projects to improve and modernize the state’s infrastructure; increase support for the state’s colleges and universities, including HBCUs; and, importantly, support and create good-paying jobs all over Georgia. In addition to securing funding for several Georgia priorities in the base text of the legislation, Senator Warnock also successfully secured $129.49 million in direct federal investments for 64 Georgia projects and initiatives, in more than 40 counties, through Congressionally-directed spending requested on behalf of stakeholders across the state. The appropriations bills must now be approved by the full Senate. 

[For a FULL list of investments and policies Senator Reverend Warnock secured for Georgia in the draft Senate government funding bills, visit HERE.] 

See below key wins for Albany and South Georgia that Senator Reverend Warnock secured in the draft Senate government funding bills: 

• Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany Communication Center: Senator Warnock secured $6.4 millionin Congressionally-directed spending funds for Albany’s Marine Corps Logistics base, to build a new communication facility that will serve as the Installation Service Node (ISN) and Special Purpose Processing Node for Facility Related Control Systems and other future operational technology.

• St. John’s Estates Affordable Housing Complex: Senator Warnock successfully secured $5 million in Congressionally-directed spending funds to renovate 40 units of affordable housing at Mt. Olive Community Outreach Center, Inc.’s St. John’s Estates Affordable Housing Complex. 
  
• Moody Air Force Base: Senator Warnock secured $1.1 million in Congressionally-directed spending for planning and design for the 23^rd Security Forces Squadron Operations Facility, which will support training, operations, and administrative needs for the unit.
  
• Coffee County Regional Medical Center Lab Renovation: Senator Warnock secured $950,000 in Congressionally-directed spending funds for Coffee County Regional Medical Center in Douglas, GA to renovate and upgrade laboratory instrumentation–helping the hospital better serve patients by providing a platform that will allow the medical center to expand its laboratory testing services.
  
• Albany Technical College Allied Health Workforce: Senator Warnock secured $500,000 in Congressionally-directed spending funds to address Albany’s unprecedented nursing shortage by recruiting and educating more nursing students.

• City of Baconton Senior Citizens Vans: Senator Warnock secured $20,000 in Congressionally-directed spending funds for the purchase of a 20 passenger van to transport seniors in the City of Baconton to the local senior center, medical appointments, and shopping for essentials of daily living.

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