Earlier this week, Senator Reverend Warnock travelled the state to hear directly from Georgians and discuss his efforts to lower insulin costs, strengthen Georgia’s HBCUs, protect Georgia’s agriculture and help people working to recover from natural disasters that impacted parts of the state last spring

Washington, D.C. –  This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) traveled to metro Atlanta and Newnan to highlight his legislation to lower insulin costs, promote research and development at Georgia’s HBCUs, unveil new legislation to protect Georgia’s agriculture industry and help people working to recover from natural disasters that impacted parts of the state last spring.

METRO ATLANTA

Little 5 Points Pharmacy

Senator Reverend Warnock visited a pharmacy in Little Five Points where he met with Georgians living with diabetes to hear about the exorbitant insulin costs they face and why he is fighting to pass the Affordable Insulin Now Act. The bill would require insurers to cap patient out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month. During Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Biden endorsed Senator Warnock’s plan to lower costs of insulin.

ICYMI from the Atlanta Voice: “U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock promotes plan capping insulin prices at $35”

Senator Reverend Warnock: “All of these stories are moving in their own way. And they just give me even a greater sense of urgency to try to get [the bill] to the finish line and get it done. And so, as I’m making my way back to DC, I know that I’ll be very focused on this.”

The Atlanta University Center

Senator Reverend Warnock met with the presidents of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College, and held a student-faculty town hall at Spelman College where he heard from HBCU students from across the Atlanta University Center. Later, Senator Warnock took a tour of Clark Atlanta University, where he saw firsthand how the R&D investments he fought for in the America COMPETES Act will benefit Georgia’s HBCUs and economy. 

Senator Reverend Warnock has been a champion for HBCUs; he is a proud supporter of the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, the Student Loan Tax Elimination Act, and the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act. Senator Warnock led the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations letter in support of several accounts in the Labor HHS Education Appropriations bill that benefit HBCUs.

Senator Warnock also introduced a provision in the US Innovation and Competition Act(USICA), establishing a $750 million grant program through the National Science Foundation to support research activities at HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Senator Warnock fought to ensure this grant program was included in the America COMPETES Act, the House of Representatives’ companion legislation for USICA. As a result of his leadership, the program was included in the final version of the COMPETES Act, which provides $1.2 billion for this R&D grant program.

Additionally, Senator Warnock has been a vocal supporter of investigating the recent bomb threats that HBCUs have received. Senator Warnock led a bipartisan letter with Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) reemphasizing the need for a thorough investigation into these threats, as well as timely updates to Congress and the affected HBCUs.

NEWNAN

USDA’s National Detector Dog Training Center

Senator Reverend Warnock travelled to Newnan and visited the USDA’s National Detector Dog Training Center. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Warnock was thrilled to visit the training center in Newnan and speak on his recently-introduced bipartisan Beagle Brigade Act, that would officially authorize and directly fund the training center’s operations. The beagles and other dogs trained at the Newnan facility play an integral role in protecting our state and nation’s agriculture sector—detecting potential plant and animal pests and diseases coming into the country.

ICYMI from the Newnan Times Herald: “Warnock legislation would authorize Beagle Brigade, trained in Newnan”

Newnan Tornado Recovery Visit

Senator Reverend Warnock held a listening session in Newnan with local residents and leaders, and toured the residential areas that were impacted by the tornado that devastated the area last spring. Senator Warnock has prioritized regular visits to the area to hear from local officials and residents, and share more on his continued efforts to help them rebuild their lives and communities—including his continued efforts to push the federal government to deliver much-needed funding for recovery.

ICYMI from FOX5: “Warnock says he’s unhappy with government, insurance response following Newnan tornado”

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