Senator Reverend Warnock hosted a virtual briefing for constituents earlier this week to unpack the current status of approved Congressionally-directed spending requests he championed which would deliver tens of millions of dollars to critical projects across Georgia

Full list of approved requests led by Senator Reverend Warnock stretches from Alpharetta to St. Mary’s

Georgia’s approved Congressionally-directed spending requests led by Senator Reverend Warnock would help support key local priorities like strengthening public transportation, bolstering military installations and base communities, improving water and sewer infrastructure, addressing climate change & more

Senator Warnock: “I am proud to say that I was able to secure over $95 million in congressionally directed spending for nearly 40 Georgia projects across the 12 appropriations subcommittee bills. I am humbled by how successful I was in fighting for Georgia projects, but I know that success is also a direct reflection of the quality of the projects that were presented”

Washington, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) hosted a virtual briefing to update Georgians on the current status of the Congressionally-directed spending requests he’s championed on their behalf through the annual government funding process. Senator Warnock successfully secured $95 million for projects across Georgia in the Senate draft appropriations bills. During the briefing, which included Georgians who had worked with Senator Warnock’s office to submit project-specific requests for federal funding, Senator Warnock walked through the steps of the government funding process, barriers that get in the way, and discussed how he is doing everything he can to get the funding requests he’s leading for Georgia across the finish line.

Starting in the spring, Senator Warnock’s office began soliciting input for appropriations requests from people and communities in every corner of Georgia, working diligently to secure direct funding for projects that benefit people across the state—especially projects that would benefit rural and underserved communities, and projects that address key local priorities like water and sewer infrastructure repair, tackling climate change, supporting the state’s military installations and communities, strengthening public transportation and mobility, and more.

WATCH FULL VIDEO OF SENATOR REVEREND WARNOCK’S REMARKS HERE

Key excerpts from Senator Reverend Warnock: 

I am humbled by how successful I was in fighting for Georgia projects, but I know that success is also a direct reflection of the quality of the projects that were presented and the applications you submitted, so thank you for that. 

So where are we in the fiscal year 2022, in terms of the appropriations process? And what is next? Well last week, Congress passed a continuing funding resolution to keep the government funded through February 18, 2022, at the same levels as last year.

Congress had to pass a short-term funding bill to make sure that we kept the government open to carry out critical programs, research, and services, and to give negotiators time to write a full year spending bill. But I am disappointed that our friends across the aisle still haven’t come to the table to hammer out a deal on reasonable, and responsible, funding levels for this fiscal year.

I am very optimistic that if Congress is able to pass full-year spending packages – and not rely on a continuing resolutions process for the rest of the fiscal year – your congressionally directed spending requests I secured in the Senate, have a strong chance of being included and signed into law. In fact, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that happens.

And this is why I take every opportunity available to impress upon Senate Leadership and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle the importance of completing our work, doing our job, and passing regular appropriations bills.

I am committed to delivering for Georgia. Wilkinson County: I hear you, and I was deeply moved when I hear about the situation with water there. Whether it’s the public sewer system in Wilkinson County, or resilience and equity in Savannah, or a first responder communications system in Macon County, retaining Georgia-educated doctors in rural and underserved areas, or multimodal transportation solutions in Atlanta.

See below a transcript of Senator Reverend Warnock’s full remarks from the briefing:

“Let me just start out by saying that it is truly the honor of my life to represent you and the rest of the citizens of Georgia in the United States Senate.

“I think about it all the time. It’s no small thing for the citizens of your state to say we want you to represent us at the highest level of our government. For me, it’s a continuation of my lifelong commitment to service and for me to be able to serve in this way is deeply humbling, and I’m enjoying the work, even with all the frustrations here in Washington, D.C.  As you’ll see, we’re able to get some things done.

“So thank you all for the work you do in your communities every day, and for putting together such thoughtful proposals for me to put forth as part of the annual appropriations process. This is one of the wonderful parts of the job, the ability to get things done for people at the local area.

“So as the team has already indicated, we invited you to participate in today’s briefing because I was able to secure—successfully—congressionally directed spending—also known as earmarks—for at least one of your project requests in the draft — I do need to emphasize in the draft—fiscal year 2022 Senate Appropriations Committee bills. And I just want to give you an update on the process, on your requests, and what needs to happen for them to come to fruition.

“I am proud to say that I was able to secure over $95 million in congressionally directed spending for nearly 40 Georgia projects across the 12 appropriations subcommittee bills.

“I am humbled by how successful I was in fighting for Georgia projects, but I know that success is also a direct reflection of the quality of the projects that were presented and the applications you submitted, so thank you for that. 

“I recognize that many of these projects, all across our state, are game-changers for the communities you represent or serve, which is why I am fighting every day to make sure that Congress does its job and completes work on fiscal year 2022 appropriations.

“Getting these projects included in the Senate’s version of the bills is a big step and is reason to celebrate in and of itself, but Congress needs to pass regular, full-year appropriations bills for fiscal year 2022 containing congressionally directed spending – including for these projects –before we can really celebrate. So in other words, we are close to the finish line. Certainly closer but we’re not there yet. But we are getting there. 

“And so I know that this can be a very confusing process, especially with the other packages Congress has passed recently like the American Rescue Plan and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. But both of those packages, which have already been signed into law, also included billions of dollars of critical funding for Georgia’s families, workers, and infrastructure — already included in the American Rescue Plan, already included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill. 

“To be clear, neither of those bills included earmarks or project-specific funding. I’m proud to have pushed for strong investments in both of those to address several priorities for Georgians, but I want to be clear that the congressionally directed spending requests I fought for on your behalf are in separate, unrelated legislation. I want us to be clear about that.

“The annual spending bill has not passed Congress yet. Your requests are part of the yearly appropriations process, which funds the federal government and its programs. After a decade of not including any congressionally directed spending requests, both the House and Senate decided to bring them back.

“I think that’s wise, because it suggests a recognition that local communities know what they need. And it gives your representatives or senators an opportunity to respond to those needs. I’m glad they’re back. Because you know what we need better than any unelected bureaucrat in Washington.

“So where are we in the fiscal year 2022, in terms of the appropriations process? And what is next?

“Well last week, Congress passed a continuing funding resolution to keep the government funded through February 18, 2022, at the same levels as last year.

“Congress had to pass a short-term funding bill to make sure that we kept the government open to carry out critical programs, research, and services, and to give negotiators time to write a full year spending bill. 

“But I am disappointed that our friends across the aisle still haven’t come to the table to hammer out a deal on reasonable, and responsible, funding levels for this fiscal year.

“Once we can all agree on topline spending levels, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will then hammer out the details of all 12 appropriations bills. They will then likely roll them all into one big package called an omnibus, or a handful of smaller packages called minibuses. I’m having fun learning all these terms. The House and the Senate will then pass the appropriations legislation and President Biden will sign it into law – either a big, large omnibus package or a handful of smaller packages called minibuses.

“I am very optimistic that if Congress is able to pass full-year spending packages – and not rely on a continuing resolutions process for the rest of the fiscal year – your congressionally directed spending requests I secured in the Senate, have a strong chance of being included and signed into law. In fact, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that happens.

“And this is why I take every opportunity available to impress upon Senate Leadership and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle the importance of completing our work, doing our job, and passing regular appropriations bills.

“I am committed to delivering for Georgia. Wilkinson County: I hear you, and I was deeply moved when I heard about the situation with water there. Whether it’s the public sewer system in Wilkinson County, or resilience and equity in Savannah, or a first responder communications system in Macon County, retaining Georgia-educated doctors in rural and underserved areas, or multimodal transportation solutions in Atlanta.

“I am often inspired by Dr. King’s vision for a beloved community, and his words that we are tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. 

“Dr. King was correct and that wisdom applies whether we are talking about justice and striving for equity, or investing in a better community for all of us.

“I will keep reminding my colleagues that my mission to provide for the relocation of a senior care facility in St. Mary’s, Georgia, is inextricably tied to airport infrastructure in Alabama, drinking water and wastewater in Washington State, rail infrastructure in Rhode Island, and agriculture research in Alaska.

“We are all tied in a single garment of destiny, but rest assured, I will not wait for others to act on their own. I will do all I can to get these projects across the finish line.”

See a full table of the Congressionally-directed spending requests Senator Reverend Warnock successfully secured for Georgia HERE. 

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