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Senator Warnock discussing his housing priorities during a 2022 event in Garden City.
Credit: Benjamin Payne/Georgia Public Broadcasting
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Taxpayer dollars at work: Voting Rights Act, Bibb County Jail investigation, physician shortage
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Note: In this recurring digital news series, GPB follows your federal tax dollars back to the state of Georgia. Neither Sen. Jon Ossoff nor Sen. Raphael Warnock is up for reelection this year — the former will run again in 2026 and the latter in 2028.
Georgia's U.S. senators worked on reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act, urging the Department of Justice to investigate the Bibb County Jail in Macon, Ga., address the national physician shortage, and requesting answers about Georgia receiving federal disaster aid.
Diabetes research
On July 9, at a U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Ossoff raised concerns about the proposed FY26 budget cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by over 50%.
According to a press release, at the hearing, Ossoff asked Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), about how the proposed cuts to diabetes research could harm the collaborative research between the National Institute of Health and CDC.
"I want to raise once again for the committee and the public, my bitter opposition to the Trump administration's proposal to cut the CDC budget by more than half in Fiscal Year '26, which will have a devastating impact on epidemiological defense and health research to defend the American public from deadly diseases," Ossoff said.
Ossoff warned that the proposed cuts "propose to eliminate" the CDC's Diabetes Division, which handles research, data, and the CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity.
"I will fight this effort to destroy the CDC with everything I have as a member of the United States Senate," he said. "And, if we on a bipartisan basis in the Senate do not defeat this effort to gut the CDC, the American people will pay for it in lives, in suffering for decades to come."
Hospital at home
On July 10, Warnock and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced legislation to expand hospitals' at-home-care programs by extending the Acute Hospital at Home Waiver program.
According to a press release, the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act "would build on the successful Hospital at Home program, which currently allows thousands of Americans to safely receive hospital-level care in their homes through a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver."
The hope is that hospitals will be more likely to invest and expand the program with greater certainty through the legislation.
"This legislation is about protecting access to quality health care, lowering costs for patients, and improving the health and well-being of our family and neighbors," Warnock said in a statement. "I will always work to lower costs and increase health care access for Georgians, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan effort."
Medical debt
On July 14, Warnock, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and 26 other senators pushed the Trump administration for answers about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) decision to cancel the medical debt rule established in January via letter.
According to a press release, the letter pushes for the CFPB to "share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision."
"On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency's recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it," the senators wrote.
"Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer's ability to repay other debt," they continued. "...Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care."
The senators requested information on the decision to drop the rule.
"Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB's rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry," the senators closed.
Hurricane relief
On July 16, Ossoff sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper requesting answers on why they have not finalized a block grant agreement for federal relief after Congress appropriated disaster aid over six months ago.
“Although some funds have been made available at the national level through USDA, many of Georgia’s farmers and producers who were most affected by Hurricane Helene are not eligible for this assistance and tell me they are instead counting on a block grant,” Ossoff wrote.
Ossoff noted that Collins testified before Congress in May, stating that the grant negotiations with Georgia would proceed quickly.
“The failure of USDA and the State of Georgia to conclude the block grant agreement has left many Georgia farmers and producers in limbo,” Ossoff said.
Ossoff demanded an updated timeframe for the completion of the agreement within one week.
Child care
On July 17, Warnock and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced bipartisan legislation to address early child care workforce shortages.
The HEADWAY (Head Start Education and Development Workforce Advancement and Yield) Act would allow Early Head Start classroom teachers to teach while they earn their Child Development Associate credential.
According to a press release, as of February 2023, nearly 20% of Early Head Start and Early Head Start staff positions remain vacant nationwide, and the legislation would help “pave the way for greater hiring flexibility, attract more qualified candidates to the profession, and ensure Early Head Start classrooms are fully staffed.”
“I’m where I am today because of programs like Head Start,” said Warnock, who is one of two Head Start alums currently serving in the Senate. “Ensuring our nation’s children have access to quality child care and excellent teachers is crucial, which is why I am so pleased to work across the aisle with Sen. Capito on this effort. As the father of two young kids, I know how crucial education is during those formative years to their continued growth.”
Veterans foreclosure
On July 21, Ossoff announced he helped pass bipartisan legislation to help guarantee veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans can keep their homes.
According to a press release, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act would "help veterans relying on VA home loans and experiencing severe financial hardship avoid foreclosure."
The legislation would help veterans who are behind on their mortgage payments move missed payments to the back of their loan term to prevent immediate foreclosure.
In May, Ossoff held a press conference with a Georgia Marine Corps veteran to urge the Trump administration to reverse its decision to cancel the Veterans Affairs Serving Purchase Program.
The legislation was sent to President Trump's desk to be signed into law after passing in both the House and Senate.
"Veterans' benefits are earned," Ossoff said in a statement. "This is a sacred contract between the American people and those who make tremendous sacrifices in defense of our nation. With the cost of living so high, now more than ever, the American people need to stand behind our veterans and help protect those who have served from foreclosure."
On July 30, President Trump signed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act into law.
Youth caregiver background checks
On July 22, Ossoff announced that he is working to pass bipartisan legislation to strengthen background checks for caregivers of children.
According to a press release, the Comprehensive Health and Integrity in Licensing and Documentation (CHILD) Act, which he co-sponsored, would "protect Georgia children by ensuring employers hire the most qualified candidates."
"Georgia parents need the tools and a thorough background check to protect their children, and the confidence that caregivers have had a thorough background check," Ossoff said in a statement.
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced the legislation in the Senate.
Domestic violence shelters
On July 23, Ossoff spoke on the U.S. Senate floor about the need to pass legislation he co-sponsored to direct more funding to the Crime Victims Fund, which provides assistance and compensation to domestic violence victims.
According to a press release, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025, "would strengthen the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) by transferring unspent funds collected through the False Claims Act (FCA), which are currently directed to the General Fund of the U.S. Treasury, to the CVF, boosting desperately needed resources for victims of violent crime."
The Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that 1 out of 4 domestic violence victims in Georgia were turned away from services due to a lack of resources within the last year.
"We have the opportunity and the obligation right now to pass this legislation for the Crime Victims Fund" Ossoff said on the Senate floor. "Are we really going to miss this opportunity and this obligation when in my state, a quarter of victims of domestic violence were turned away from services last year? These are the organizations — the child advocacy centers, the domestic violence agencies, the rape crisis centers — who respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, neglected, and abused people in our states.
"It should have bipartisan support on the Senate floor right now," he continued. "We should pass it before we leave for the summer."
Physician shortage
On July 24, Warnock and Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help address the national doctor shortage by increasing the number of Medicare-funded residency positions by 14,000 over seven years.
According to a press release, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 would also "make progress toward providing the necessary primary care and specialty physicians necessary to meet the country's workforce needs."
"Our state faces a critical shortage of primary care and specialty physicians, preventing many Georgians from accessing health care services in their community," Warnock said in a statement. "Where you live shouldn't determine the type of medical care you receive, and I will not stop working to help our hospitals hire and retain the health care workforce that Georgians deserve."
The legislation aims to address the physician shortage, increasing the number of physicians to 86,000 by 2036, by training more physicians to replace those nearing retirement age.
Bibb County Jail
On July 24, Warnock and Ossoff urged the Department of Justice via letter to open an investigation into the conditions at the Bibb County Jail in Macon, Ga.
According to a press release, the senators "are demanding action following recent reports of health, safety, and civil rights concerns at the facility."
The letter comes after several inmates have been killed or injured during outbreaks of violence at the jail in recent years.
"The reports emerging from Bibb County Jail are disturbing," the senators wrote to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. "On June 4, 2025, Breele Jahiem Johnson, 22, was stabbed to death. Multiple other inmates were injured in the same incident. Unfortunately, violence at this facility is not rare. In April, an inmate had boiling water thrown on his face, causing severe burns. In May 2024, an inmate died after being tasered by officers. Just last week, another inmate was stabbed and had to be taken to a local hospital. Since 2020, four individuals have died by suicide. The pattern of violence at this facility is troubling.
"We have been encouraged by local officials' recent efforts to address Bibb County Jail conditions," the senators added. "However, given the extremity of the reported health, safety, and civil rights concerns that persist in the jail, we urge the DOJ to conduct a full and thorough investigation."
After-school programs
Also on July 24, Ossoff praised the success in restoring funding for Georgia after-school programs after joining a group of colleagues in urging the Trump administration to unfreeze funding supporting after-school programs in Georgia via letter.
According to a press release, "the Trump administration is reversing course and releasing more than $200 million in federal funding for Georgia's after-school programs through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program."
The frozen funding made up about 14.8% of the federal funding that Georgia receives through the U.S. Department of Education.
"These funds, which represent longstanding investments in K-12 and adult education, support a wide range of priorities such as teacher recruitment, after-school programs, English learner instruction, school-based mental health services, academic enrichment, and adult education and family literacy," the group previously wrote.
Housing crisis
On July 29, Warnock announced that his legislation to help with the nation's housing affordability and supply crisis was approved by the Senate Banking Committee unanimously in a 24-0 vote.
According to a press release, the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act "is designed to boost the nation's housing supply, improve access to affordable housing, and increase the efficiency of the nation's federal housing programs."
The legislation comes during a time when many Georgians face challenges with affording rent or buying a home.
"I hear from Georgians across the state who have been clamoring for action from Washington on the affordable housing crisis, and this legislation is proof that when we center the people instead of the politics, we can get good policy done," Warnock said. "I am proud to advance this historic bill to increase our nation's housing supply and lower costs for hardworking Georgia families."
Warnock says this legislation is just the first step to ensure Americans can find affordable places to call home.
"Our housing system is broken and requires continued commitment from Congress to remove the obstacles blocking Americans from affording rent and buying a home to help build generational wealth," he added. "This generation-defining issue demands a nationwide mobilization to solve our housing crisis. We must not be afraid to use all tools at our disposal to build more homes and restore the American Dream."
The Senate will now consider the legislation.
Voting Rights Act
On July 29, Warnock joined Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and 43 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in reintroducing legislation that would update and restore safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act of 1965.
According to a press release, the John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act would reestablish "preclearance for jurisdictions with a pattern of voting rights violations, protecting minority communities subject to discriminatory voting practices, and defending election workers from threats and intimidation."
The legislation's name is in honor of voting rights advocate and former Georgia U.S. Rep. John Lewis.
"As I often say, a vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and our children," Warnock said during a press conference. "Our prayers are stronger when we pray together. Democracy is the political enactment of a spiritual idea that each of us has within ourselves the spark of the divine. We all have value, and if we all have value, we ought to have a voice in the direction of our country; we ought to have a vote."
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