AUGUSTA-RICHMOND: Senator Reverend Warnock Secures Major Investments for Local Augusta Area Priorities in Draft Senate Government Funding Bills

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 bill includes robust investments in several priorities for the greater Augusta area and surrounding region, including creating a business incubator in the heart of downtown Augusta and bolstering the child services offered at Fort Gordon

Senator Reverend Warnock: “From bringing jobs to the region to bolstering the child services offered at Fort Gordon to improving the area’s water infrastructure, this draft includes strong investments for Augusta and east Georgia”

ICYMI from WJBF: Senator Warnock secures major federal funding to support Augusta-Richmond and Fort Gordon infrastructure

Washington, D.C. — Following months of advocacy and conversations with partners across Georgia, today 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 $44 million for critical projects and initiatives in the Augusta area and its surrounding communities that will create jobs, invest in workforce development, and bolster the lives of our servicemembers and military families.

“As a voice for Augusta in the Senate, I’m proud that the draft appropriations bills reflect the priorities of hardworking people of the region,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “From bringing jobs to the region to bolstering the child services offered at Fort Gordon to improving the area’s water infrastructure, this draft includes strong investments for Augusta and east Georgia, and I’m going to keep fighting to get these funds over the finish line and flowing to our state.”

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, 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 in every corner of the state. 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 the Augusta area and surrounding communities that Senator Reverend Warnock secured in the draft Senate government funding bills:

Fort Gordon: Senator Warnock successfully secured $21 million Congressionally-directed spending funds to expand the existing Child Development Center, and an additional $5 million for the planning and design of a new Child Development Center.
- Additionally, Senator Warnock successfully secured $5 million in Congressionally-directed spending funds for the planning and design of a National Guard and Reserve Center Building to offer a permanent location for training and administrative activities for Guard and Reserve units on post.

Augusta-Richmond County Water Infrastructure Upgrades: Senator Warnock successfully secured $4.09 million in congressionally-directed spending to support storm sewer improvements for Augusta-Richmond County and $1 million to support upgrades for one of Augusta’s surface water plants.

Augusta University: Senator Warnock secured $2.67.million in Congressionally-directed spending funds to provide additional security cameras, gunshot detection tools, license plate readers, evidence collection tools, and building access control resources to law enforcement at Augusta University.

Downtown Augusta Microenterprise Center: Senator Warnock successfully secured $2.35 million in Congressionally-directed spending funds to create a microenterprise center in downtown Augusta that will serve as both an economic incubator and active commerce location for new entrepreneurs–helping create local jobs and grow the local economy.

Sewer Line Improvements & Upgrades for the City of Waynesboro: Senator Warnock successfully secured $2 million in Congressionally-directed spending funds for the City of Waynesboro to replace a sewer line from the 6th Street Cemetery to 4th Street that is persistently and frequently backed-up.

Augusta University Medical Center: Senator Warnock secured $1.12 million to replace a partial fleet of defibrillators and anesthesia machines to better serve AUMC’s patients.

Business Step Up Program: Senator Warnock secured $250,000 for a program that will spur local economic growth by supporting Augusta business owners through training, mentorship, and grants.

New Water Supply Source and Water Source Lines for the City of Keysville: Senator Warnock successfully secured $197,000 in Congressionally-directed spending funds to support construction of a new well and the installation of upgraded water pipes in the City of Keysville, Georgia–significantly improving the standard of living in the town of roughly 300 Georgians, where the main water supply well collapsed in 2014.

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