Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on his intention to vote “NO” on the immensely harmful Continuing Resolution. This vote comes after Washington Republicans halted bipartisan negotiations and left two terrible options, both of which would cause pain for the people of Georgia.
“This whole conversation is Washington at its worst. Instead of working together to actually improve people’s lives, craven politicians shut the door on bipartisan conversation and reemerged with an ultimatum: vote for a partisan government funding package or let the government shut down. Make no mistake, this government funding bill is bad policy: it would spike grocery prices, cut investments in education and health care, and defund care for servicemembers exposed to burn pits. More troubling, this legislation would give the President additional unchecked power to stifle Georgia’s economy.”
“I do not want to see a government shut down, but passing this legislation would cause pain to millions of Georgians. I will be voting “NO” on the Continuing Resolution.”
This continuing resolution would:
- Defund the PACT Act, which provides critical care for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.
- Cut $27 million from health inspectors working to address the avian flu outbreak, which would continue to spike the price of eggs.
- Omit standard Congressional directives outlining how agencies should spend tax payer dollars, giving the President unchecked spending power to hurt Georgians.
- With this new power, the President could cut renewable energy investments, devastating Georgia’s advanced manufacturing economy or the President could choose which Army Corps of Engineers projects to fund, potentially halting the expansion of the Port of Savannah.
- Eliminate $130 million in funding, agreed to on a bipartisan basis in the draft Senate funding bill, for projects in every corner of Georgia, including construction of new housing in LaGrange and Savannah, clean drinking water improvements in Dade County and Wrens, a new generator for a rural hospital in Appling County, improvements to Abraham Baldwin College’s nursing program, and much more.
- Cut nearly $1 billion from medical research on health conditions impacting service members and their families.
- Disrupts hurricane recovery efforts for South Georgians, who are still reeling from Hurricane Helene.
- Shuts off rental assistance for rural Georgians.
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