Four Year Report
Table of Contents
- Letter from Senator Ossoff
- Get Help From the Office
- In-State Events
- Supporting Georgia’s Servicemembers and Their Families
- Helping Georgia’s Veterans
- Upgrading Georgia’s Infrastructure
- Making Housing More Affordable and Protecting Tenants
- Fighting for Georgia’s Farmers & Growers
- Creating Georgia Jobs & Making Georgia the Clean Energy Leader
Letter From Senator Ossoff
Dear Reader,
As Georgia’s U.S. Senator, I strive to serve with excellence, humility, and a relentless focus on results for Georgia.
Here’s a sample of the victories I have delivered for Georgia in my fourth year representing our State:
I’ve championed Georgia’s economic development and delivered historic upgrades for Georgia’s infrastructure through the bipartisan infrastructure law to upgrade ports, airports, roads, bridges, pedestrian safety, and water infrastructure statewide; and passed bills attracting thousands of advanced manufacturing jobs to Georgia.
I have fought relentlessly for Georgia’s servicemembers, veterans, and military families, helping clear VA record backlogs, easing transportation to VA facilities in rural areas, securing a historic pay raise for junior-enlisted personnel, and helping veterans achieve home ownership.
I have championed Georgia agriculture, leading bipartisan efforts that secured relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, investing in precision agriculture, and accelerating efforts to protect Georgia producers from abusive competitors in South and Central America.
Every day, I am focused on Georgia families’ safety and health, especially the health of newborn babies, young children, and mothers. I’ve delivered upgrades for health facilities across the state, delivered funding for nurse and physician training, and expanded vision care services for Georgia children.
To support public safety, I’ve delivered funds and equipment for local law enforcement, passed into law bipartisan legislation to protect our kids online and toughen penalties on social media companies, led bipartisan efforts to prevent fentanyl trafficking, and championed efforts to strengthen border security.
I’ve led hard-hitting bipartisan investigations into abuse and neglect in Georgia’s foster care system, exposed horrific prison and jail conditions for pregnant women and new mothers, and held Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to account for USPS failures in Georgia.
My team and I have provided highly responsive constituent services to thousands of Georgians, helping seniors access Medicare and Social Security, ensuring veterans receive their benefits, solving passport and visa problems for constituents, and more.
We are here to help however we can.
— Senator Jon Ossoff
Get Help From the Office
If you need assistance with any aspect of the Federal Government — ranging from issues with the VA, Social Security, Medicaid, Passport delays, and more — you can reach our casework team from our website’s Services section, or call the Atlanta office at 470-786-7800.
Supporting Georgia’s Servicemembers and Their Families
After hearing from military families in Georgia, Senator Ossoff passed into law the bipartisan Gold Star Children Education Act, which will support the education of Georgia children in Gold Star families after the loss of a servicemember parent.
Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, Senator Ossoff also passed into law his bipartisan Military Mental Health Professionals Support Act to help ensure servicemembers have access to the vital mental health care services they deserve by recruiting more mental health care providers.
To support military spouses, Senator Ossoff introduced the bipartisan Military Spouse Job Continuity Act, which would help Georgia’s military spouses keep jobs even when they change stations, protecting military families’ financial stability.
Senator Ossoff delivered resources, with bipartisan support, to upgrade military installations across Georgia, including $2.2 million to plan and design a Military Intelligence Battalion Hangar, $6.4 million to help plan and design a new Combat Aviation Brigade for the General Support Aviation Battalion at Fort Stewart, $1.32 million for new barracks at Camp Merrill, and $500,000 for the development of a new elementary school at Fort Moore.
Senator Ossoff also passed into law key legislation that will authorize construction of a new parachute training and maintenance facility for special operations forces at the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, continue the construction of a consolidated facility at Robins AFB that will allow commanders to communicate with servicemembers in the field faster, and to authorize a trident refit facility expansion at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay as the installation prepares for the arrival of the new Columbia-class submarine.
Helping Georgia’s Veterans
Senator Ossoff remains focused on serving Georgia’s veterans and their families.
Since taking office, Senator Ossoff has fought to ensure Georgia’s veterans have access to the resources and services they earned.
Thanks to Senator Ossoff’s bipartisan Access for Veterans to Records Act becoming law, the National Archives cleared a backlog in early 2024 of more than 400,000 records requests, enabling Georgia veterans to more quickly access their records and claim their benefits.
After hearing directly from veterans in rural Georgia, Senator Ossoff introduced the bipartisan Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act to help more veterans in rural areas get transportation to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health facilities and access the health care benefits they’ve earned.
Senator Ossoff also introduced the bipartisan Veterans Home Loan Fairness Act to help veterans and their families qualify for home loans through the VA.
Senator Ossoff helped deliver over $31 million to nonprofit organizations across the state that help veterans find housing and prevent homelessness.
Throughout the year, Senator Ossoff’s constituent services team assisted Georgia veterans with their casework needs. Senator Ossoff’s caseworkers helped veterans schedule critical timely appointments at the VA, secure copies of their service records necessary for civilian employment after service, access necessary upgrades to their homes to accommodate service-related injuries, and so much more.
Senator Ossoff’s constituent services team is available to help servicemembers, veterans, and their families cut through red tape to access the benefits they deserve. From resolving issues with their TRICARE and VA benefits, Social Security and Medicare, to helping obtain and renew passports, and more. You can reach our casework team from our website or by calling the Senator’s Atlanta office at 470-786-7800.
Upgrading Georgia’s Infrastructure
Senator Ossoff continues delivering resources to upgrade Georgia’s infrastructure.
The bipartisan infrastructure law, signed into law in November 2021, is upgrading Georgia’s roads, bridges, highways, seaports, airports, water infrastructure, getting lead pipes out of drinking water systems, expanding broadband internet access, and more.
In 2024, Senator Ossoff delivered over $1.8 billion in surface transportation upgrades in Georgia through the bipartisan infrastructure law. This year, Senator Ossoff also helped deliver over $335 million in Federal resources for transit agencies across the state, including over $194 million in the metro Atlanta area, to maintain and operate trains, buses, and ferries; upgrade stations and tracks; plan and design new transit corridors; and provide access to transportation for seniors and riders with disabilities. This funding was authorized and made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law and appropriated through the FY24 Federal budget package.
Senator Ossoff also delivered nearly $100 million from the bipartisan infrastructure law this year for critical investments to boost operations and propel economic growth at the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick. Sen. Ossoff helped deliver over $26 million to improve freight rail capacity and boost supply chain efficiency at the Port of Brunswick; $15 million for vessel berth replacements at the Port of Brunswick; and over $49 million to improve power grid resiliency at the Port of Savannah.
Senator Ossoff delivered a historic $157 million investment to complete the first phase of the Stitch in downtown Atlanta, which will reconnect downtown Atlanta by capping the I-75/I-85 interstate with a new 4-acre park, implementing multimodal improvements across the street network with better connectivity to MARTA’s Civic Center station.
Senator Ossoff also delivered a $65 million Federal investment to the Atlanta Regional Commission for their project to build a new multi-use trail to help connect schools, hospitals, job centers, and MARTA rail between the BeltLine and the Flint River Trail.
Senator Ossoff delivered over $37,000,000 for localities across Georgia to strengthen road safety for bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers, as well as promote better connectivity among communities to enable construction of new streets, pathways, and bridges designed to help Georgians get to and from their destinations in a safe, reliable manner and help enhance the overall quality of life for communities. $23 million of this was delivered for critical safety upgrades in Carrollton, Savannah, and Macon.
Through investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law, Senator Ossoff continues to deliver for rural Georgia.
Senator Ossoff delivered $6 million to revitalize downtown LaFayette in Walker County, and over $8 million to replace leak-prone natural gas infrastructure in Toccoa to reduce energy costs for families and improve the resiliency of our energy systems.
Senator Ossoff also worked to ensure Georgia’s young children can be better protected on our roadways, repeatedly pressing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to identify gaps in access to car seats and booster seats, and to work to ensure all families with young children are aware of how to properly use these safety seats.
Senator Ossoff passed into law several bills this year to help upgrade water infrastructure for families and businesses across Georgia.
His new laws expand current authorizations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out water infrastructure projects in cities like Atlanta and East Point, and created new authorizations for Henry, Clayton, and Muscogee Counties; as well as Chatham, Camden, McIntosh, Effingham, Glynn, and Bryan Counties. The bills allow the Army Corps to partner with localities to build improvements to local drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, which improves quality of life and strengthens resilience across Georgia.
Senator Ossoff also delivered nearly $60 million in Fiscal Year 2024 through the bipartisan infrastructure law for lead pipe identification and replacement financing, which is upgrading the health and safety of drinking water systems across the state.
Senator Ossoff also passed into law his bipartisan Hydrogen Aviation Strategy Act. The bipartisan law will require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to research and develop strategies for the use of hydrogen fuel in aviation.
Making Housing More Affordable and Protecting Tenants
Senator Ossoff worked throughout the year to make housing more affordable for Georgia families.
As Chair of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, Senator Ossoff continued his investigation into the mistreatment of tenants by landlords and threats to the safety of children in dangerous living conditions in Georgia and nationwide.
Alongside the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman, Senator Ossoff launched inquiries with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), requesting information about how the agency enforces standards against landlords who fail to maintain safe and sanitary living conditions in Georgia and nationwide.
In March 2024, Senator Ossoff convened a hearing as part of the investigation, receiving testimony from Georgia renters and experts about their experiences living in Georgia rental properties. The investigation is ongoing.
Senator Ossoff introduced the Access to Homeownership Act, to help renters buy a home. The bill would ensure that landlords offer tenants the ability to have their on-time rental payments reported to credit bureaus, helping families build credit as renters and better positioning them to become homeowners.
Senator Ossoff delivered over $2 million in federal funding for Habitat for Humanity’s work in Fulton County to help build an additional 20 new affordable homes, expanding on the 139 homes that were already being built.
In Clayton County , Senator Ossoff delivered $500,000 in funding to Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity to help build an additional 29 homes.
Fighting for Georgia’s Farmers & Growers
In 2024, Senator Ossoff continued his advocacy for Georgia’s number-one industry: agriculture.
Immediately following landfall of Hurricane Helene, Senator Ossoff led a bipartisan, bicameral group of 34 lawmakers demanding Congressional Leadership ensure disaster relief resources be made available to agricultural producers in Georgia to help Georgia’s recovery. Senator Ossoff fought for months, testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he pressed both parties on the urgency of passing agricultural disaster assistance for Georgia before the end of the year.
In the final days of 2024, fewer than 90 days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, Senator Ossoff secured over $21 billion in agricultural disaster assistance. After Hurricane Michael, it took Congress over 8 months to pass relief funding.
Senator Ossoff also delivered $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers, including those in Georgia, to help address the underlying economic challenges they have faced in recent years.
In Summer 2024, Senator Ossoff delivered a $3 million Federal investment for a precision agriculture laboratory at the University of Georgia’s Tifton Campus that is expected to host researchers, scientists, and student groups and support equipment development, testing, and farm demonstrations, alongside a separate $1 million for the University of Georgia’s Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory to more effectively detect and address animal and human disease outbreaks.
Senator Ossoff introduced his Protecting Our Produce Act , to establish a pilot program to provide support to producers of seasonal and perishable crops who experience low prices caused by imports from South and Central America and Mexico.
Following Senator Ossoff’s bipartisan and bicameral letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the Seasonable and Perishable Agricultural Products Advisory Committee was established, and two members were appointed to the Committee to represent Georgia specialty crop growers.
Senator Ossoff also launched an inquiry with the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting a more significant allocation to support Georgia’s pecan industry through the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program.
Senator Ossoff delivered Federal grants to help farmers save on energy costs by boosting clean energy initiatives. The grant funding will support farmers and rural business owners across the state.
Creating Georgia Jobs & Making Georgia the Clean Energy Leader
Shortly after taking office, Senator Ossoff set a goal to establish Georgia as the leading State in advanced energy innovation and manufacturing and has since passed into law legislation that has made Georgia the top state in the nation for advanced energy manufacturing and investment. In 2024, Senator Ossoff continued that work.
Through the bipartisan CHIPS Act, Senator Ossoff delivered $75 million in Federal funding to Absolics to strengthen domestic semiconductor production in Georgia, supporting the construction of a 120,000 square foot facility in Covington. The facility is expected to create 1,200 manufacturing and construction jobs.
Senator Ossoff announced a $1.45 billion Federal loan to help build the Qcells Cartersville manufacturing plant, strengthening American solar manufacturing, boosting energy independence in Georgia, and reducing dependence on China. The funding will support Qcells’ ongoing expansion and construction at its Cartersville plant, which the company announced after passage into law of Sen. Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act.
And after a year of uncertainty for a faltering economic development project that the state had already put hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into, Senator Ossoff announced a $6 billion conditional Federal loan for Rivian to restart construction of its stalled Georgia manufacturing plant. The conditional Federal loan, which is funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, would support up to 2,000 full-time jobs through construction and up to 7,500 operations jobs by 2030. If finalized, the loan would support construction of a 9 million square foot facility to manufacture up to 400,000 mass-market electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and crossover vehicles annually.
Following Senator Ossoff’s bipartisan inquiry to the Biden Administration, the U.S. Trade Representative increased the tariff rate on Chinese solar modules and cells to boost domestic manufacturing of solar energy and protect businesses in Georgia.
Alongside members of both parties, Senator Ossoff introduced his bipartisan American Tax Dollars for American Solar Manufacturing Act to prevent Chinese companies from using tax credits intended to benefit American solar manufacturing companies.
Keeping Georgia Families Healthy
In 2024, Senator Ossoff remained focused on keeping Georgia’s families safe and healthy.
This year, Senator Ossoff fought for the health and well-being of families across Georgia. Through legislative action and delivering Federal funding, he has bolstered support systems for Georgia mothers and children.
Senator Ossoff delivered Federal funding to Vision To Learn, a nonprofit charity that provides vision screenings, eye exams and glasses to children in underserved communities across Georgia.
In March, Senator Ossoff delivered over $1 million in Federal funding to help Egleston Children’s Hospital at Emory University train and retain more pediatric physicians.
After the Georgia Department Public of Health found that nearly 5,000 children under the age of 6 had tested positive for lead poisoning in 2023, Senator Ossoff launched an inquiry with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) into how the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) conducts testing for potential lead contamination and other safety hazards.
Senator Ossoff continues to fight for health care access in rural Georgia, bringing Republicans and Democrats together to strengthen health care across the State of Georgia, including delivering $580,000 in Federal resources to Crisp Regional Hospital to help construct a new health clinic facility in Warwick; $1.87 million to help construct a new, modern, nine room Emergency Room at SGMC Health Berrien in Nashville; $1.5 million to help build a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Ringgold that serves families in Catoosa, Walker, and Dade Counties; $132,000 to Community Health Care Systems to purchase new equipment for its 18 health clinics across Central and Eastern Georgia — in Macon-Bibb, Johnson, Washington, Twiggs, Wilkinson, Laurens, Jones, Telfair, Taliaferro, Jefferson, Warren, Hancock, Glascock and Baldwin Counties; and $600,000 to help upgrade health care services with state-of-the-art equipment for traditional and peritoneal dialysis at Tift Regional Health System, which serves 12 counties in South Georgia.
Senator Ossoff also delivered $139,000 to help the Columbus Consolidated Government facilitate a Mobile Integrated Health Care Program in Columbus and Muscogee County. The program pairs a Fire-EMS paramedic with a nurse practitioner to provide medical care for chronic system users and disadvantaged residents.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Senator Ossoff pushed to help hospitals access IV fluids during the shortage. Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry urging the Biden Administration to strengthen production and supply of IV and dialysis solutions that have become increasingly harder to access in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
As Georgia continues to face critical shortages in nursing and other medical professions, Senator Ossoff delivered Federal resources to strengthen nursing and pediatric physician training programs across the state. In October, Senator Ossoff delivered over $7.5 million in Federal resources to Central Georgia Technical and Southern Crescent Technical Colleges to strengthen their acute and long-term care nursing education programs, helping reduce the dire shortage of nurses across Georgia. Senator Ossoff also delivered resources to help train more maternal, neonatal, and pediatric health workers at Agnes Scott College in Decatur.
In May, Senator Ossoff also delivered Federal funding to strengthen and expand LaGrange College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program to serve more students. With the funding, LaGrange College plans to purchase updated equipment and renovate facilities to create a more immersive teaching environment and increase its overall capacity.
Fighting Corruption & Human Rights Abuses
This Congress, Senator Ossoff has continued his work to fight corruption, abuse, and misconduct impacting the health and safety of Georgians and all Americans as both a member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and as Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law.
Under Senator Ossoff’s leadership, the U.S. Senate passed several pieces of legislation to make prisons safer.
Senator Ossoff passed into law his bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act to strengthen oversight and improve conditions within federal prisons, which he introduced after leading multiple bipartisan Senate investigations into corruption, abuse, and misconduct within the Federal prison system. His investigations uncovered a lack of oversight of the Federal prison system that led to long-term failures likely contributing to loss of life; jeopardizing the health and safety of incarcerated people and staff; and undermining public safety and civil rights.
Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan law now requires the Department of Justice’s Inspector General (IG) to conduct comprehensive, risk-based inspections of the BOP’s correctional facilities, provide recommendations to fix problems, and assign each facility a risk score, with higher-risk facilities required to be inspected more often. The IG must also report its findings and recommendations to Congress and the public, and the BOP must respond to all inspection reports within 60 days with a corrective action plan. The bipartisan law will also establish an independent Ombudsman to investigate the health, safety, welfare, and rights of incarcerated people and staff, who would also create a secure hotline and online form for family members, friends, and representatives of incarcerated people to submit complaints and inquiries.
Senator Ossoff’s bipartisan Stopping Prison Contraband Act passed the Senate in October. The bill increases penalties for smuggling contraband phones into correctional facilities, a significant security concern.
Senator Ossoff also introduced the bipartisan Prison Staff Safety Enhancement Act to address sexual harassment and assault of Bureau of Prisons staff. The bill aims to improve workplace safety and protections for prison personnel.
Senator Ossoff made progress on his promise to root out corruption by members of Congress, working with Senators on both sides of the aisle to–for the first time–pass a congressional stock trading ban through a Senate Committee.
To cut waste and save taxpayer dollars, Senator Ossoff introduced and passed into law the bipartisan Eliminate Useless Reports Act, which will increase government efficiency by eliminating unnecessary Federal agency reports.
As Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee, Senator Ossoff continues to use his position to conduct rigorous oversight and investigations. In 2024, he investigated abuse and neglect in Georgia’s foster care system, prison and jail conditions for pregnant women and new mothers, and the health and human rights impacts of Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.
Senator Ossoff has prioritized protecting our nation’s most vulnerable children and led a 13-month investigation into alleged human rights violations in the Georgia foster care system. This investigation resulted in a 64-page public report and the introduction of a bipartisan bill to increase transparency around “hidden” foster care placements.
Senator Ossoff uncovered the pervasive abuse of pregnant women in Georgia prisons and jails, hearing testimony from women who gave birth in custody and medical providers as part of his work to improve conditions of incarceration and improve health outcomes.
Senator Ossoff began an inquiry into the dangers to Georgia women’s health & human rights caused by Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban.
OBGYN Doctors testified before the Senator’s Subcommittee that Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban is, according to OB-GYN testimony, forcing Georgia women to continue high-risk and nonviable pregnancies, posing risks to their health and human rights, sharing stories of women who became septic and nearly died as a result, and testifying that the ban is worsening the state’s shortage of OB-GYN doctors, already one of the worst in the nation.
Senator Ossoff and the Subcommittee also heard personal testimony from Georgia women who were denied medically necessary care, causing needless health complications for women across the state, and forcing women to continue with high-risk or nonviable pregnancies, posing risks to their health and human rights.
Investigating USPS Failures
Throughout 2024, following significant disruptions in service performance across Georgia, Senator Ossoff led relentless pressure on U.S. Postal Service leadership to improve service for families and businesses. Senator Ossoff launched multiple inquiries with USPS leadership demanding improvements as families and businesses continued to face lengthy delays throughout the year.
Senator Ossoff questioned U.S. Postmaster General DeJoy under oath in April and December 2024 before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for specific answers and solutions to the months-long delays Georgia families and businesses faced getting mail and packages on-time.
Senator Ossoff personally inspected the new USPS Regional Processing & Distribution Center in Palmetto, which has largely been the source of mail delays across the region, to get a firsthand look at the problems there and to meet with regional leadership.
Senator Ossoff launched an inquiry with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after receiving reports from constituents that they are being charged penalties and interest fees on late or missing filings and payments that they mailed via USPS. The inquiry urged the IRS to waive penalties and interest fees incurred directly as a result of USPS delays, stemming from the failed rollout of the USPS Palmetto Regional Processing and Distribution Center earlier this year.
After hearing disturbing reports from local officials, Senator Ossoff requested an investigation by the USPS Inspector General into the discovery of more than 1,100 official pieces of court correspondence dating back as far as 2021 that were not delivered to the Fulton County Court.
Senator Ossoff later introduced the Postmaster General Reform Act to increase accountability of future postmaster generals. The legislation would make the position of Postmaster General subject to a Presidential appointment with confirmation required by the U.S. Senate and would add term limits.
Strengthening Public Safety
In 2024, Senator Ossoff remained focused on strengthening public and community safety in Georgia.
Senator Ossoff continued his efforts to protect children from abuse and exploitation. In 2024, Sen. Ossoff passed into law his bipartisan REPORT Act to strengthen reporting of trafficking and enticement of children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline. The REPORT Act is one of the first pieces of legislation targeting social media companies to be enacted into law.
Senator Ossoff also led legislative efforts to protect Georgia families from illicit fentanyl trafficking. Senator Ossoff passed into law his bipartisan DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to research and develop advanced detection technologies to be used at the border to detect fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
Senator Ossoff’s bipartisan Preventing Child Trafficking Act passed the Senate, a bill to strengthen coordination between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent child trafficking,
Senator Ossoff has also worked to address the crises at our borders.
Senator Ossoff pushed his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together to pass commonsense border security legislation. In March, during a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Sen. Ossoff raised concerns with FBI Director Christopher Wray over the threat terrorism associated with unlawful entry through the southern border poses to U.S. national security. Later in a Senate floor speech this spring, Senator Ossoff warned of a “grave national security risk” if the bipartisan border security bill was blocked in the Senate, sounding the alarm on the counterterrorism threat associated with unlawful entry at the southern border, which he warned is “real and it is urgent.”
While at the Southern Border, Senator Ossoff warned of the threat of terrorism without bipartisan border security legislation, urging the Executive Branch to use its executive authorities to strengthen border security. Senator Ossoff inspected the Paso del Norte port of entry, the area of operations for Border Patrol’s El Paso station, and detention facilities in Texas and New Mexico. He met with U.S. law enforcement and national security officials and Mexican law enforcement officials in Juarez, Mexico, and warned of the threat of terrorism at the southern border.
Senator Ossoff introduced the bipartisan Border Smuggling Crackdown Act to ensure that sentences for those convicted of border smuggling accurately reflect the number of victims and harms caused by their crimes.
Senator Ossoff also launched an inquiry with the DOJ urging them to prioritize resources toward supporting investigations and prosecutions targeting high-level narcotics and human smuggling operations necessary to stem the flow of illicit drugs, prevent human trafficking, and reduce the threat of terrorism at our southern border.
Senator Ossoff joined a group of Senators in urging President Biden to allocate significant funding for Customs and Border Protection’s drug trafficking prevention efforts in the FY2025 budget.
Senator Ossoff introduced the bipartisan Female Officers Ballistic Protection Act, which aims to improve the effectiveness of body armor issued to female federal law enforcement officers. This bill addresses the unique safety needs of female officers in high-risk duties.
Senator Ossoff introduced the Bilingual Public Safety Act to support law enforcement in recruiting, training, and retaining bilingual law enforcement officers to better serve diverse communities. The act seeks to bridge communication gaps in public safety efforts by ensuring more inclusive language services.
Senator Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver Federal resources that are helping local fire departments purchase new vehicles, upgrade equipment, improve training, and more to keep families and firefighters safe — all to improve public safety across Georgia.
Enhancing Education for Georgia’s Next Generation & Championing Georgia’s HBCUs
In addition to Senator Ossoff’s support of nursing and pediatric physician workforce training, Senator Ossoff has championed educational resources to prepare the next generation of Georgians across a variety of sectors and support Georgia’s prized HBCUs.
Senator Ossoff delivered Federal resources to Columbus State University to help develop a curriculum for semiconductor chip manufacturing, as the region works to attract new economic investments in the booming chips manufacturing sector.
To support and strengthen STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) opportunities, Senator Ossoff delivered federal funds to both K-12 institutions and collegiate institutions across Georgia.
Senator Ossoff delivered Federal funding to the McDuffie County School System to build a new outdoor STEM classroom to prepare students for college, careers, and life by increasing hands-on opportunities and problem-based learning in a real-world setting.
This year, Sen. Ossoff delivered Federal resources to hire licensed mental health providers that will better support students in Fulton, Gwinnett, Macon-Bibb, and Muscogee Counties.
Sen. Ossoff delivered Federal resources to help Augusta University and Gwinnett County Public Schools train more counselors.
Senator Ossoff delivered over $500,000 to Savannah State University’s Forensic science program and over $250,000 for biotechnology and STEM internship and mentorship program.
Senator Ossoff delivered $2.5 million to Spelman College from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to establish the Spelman Strategic and Security Studies Center. The Center will serve as an advanced educational hub specializing in training women of color to be the next generation of international strategic affairs and intelligence community leaders.
Protecting Georgia’s Natural Resources & Expanding Tourism
Senator Ossoff continues working to preserve Georgia’s natural resources to support Georgia’s economy and to ensure future generations can access Georgia’s natural beauty and recreation.
This year, Senator Ossoff introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Establishment Act, which would establish Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve in Middle Georgia. The bill passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, a historic step in a decades-long effort to establish Georgia’s first-ever National Park and Preserve.
Senator Ossoff also continued his work to protect the Okefenokee Swamp, the largest blackwater swamp in North America and a prized tourism and recreation site in the state. Senator Ossoff pushed the state to reject permits that would allow strip mining near the Okefenokee. He backed a proposed expansion of Federally protected land by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and he also successfully pushed the Department of the Interior to nominate the Okefenokee to join the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Constituent Services Snapshot
Senator Ossoff’s constituent services team works to help families cut through red tape to access the services they deserve, from resolving issues with Social Security and Medicare, to helping families obtain passports, and ensuring servicemembers, veterans, and their families receive their benefits.
In 2024, Senator Ossoff and his team helped individual Georgia taxpayers, organizations, and businesses recover over $10 million owed to them by the IRS and other Federal agencies.
If you need assistance with any aspect of the Federal Government, you can reach Senator Ossoff’s casework team on our website or by calling or visiting one of Senator Ossoff’s offices throughout the state.
Here are just a few examples of how Senator Ossoff’s staff can help.
Veterans and Military Families
A Georgia disabled U.S. Army veteran had received a 100% service-connected disability rating, but his compensation had not been paid out to him prior to his passing in 2022. His 89-year-old widow applied to receive the accrued benefits in substitution, but received no word or update from the VA. After years with no response, her family contacted Senator Ossoff’s office for assistance. His team then reached the VA on the widow’s behalf to confirm that her priority processing request was received, the VA then confirmed the accrued benefits claim was approved, and she received the full retroactive payment of over $36,000.
An 81-year-old veteran diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease required radiotherapy five times per week for six weeks. This was not realistic for him to do, as he lived over 30 minutes away from his nearest VAMC, and the earliest appointment he could get was over two months away. He contacted Senator Ossoff’s Office requesting assistance getting a community care referral and was able to get his radiotherapy started one week after reaching out at a community care clinic.
A disabled U.S. Army veteran who relies on the VA medical system frequently uses Care in the Community for access to non-VA specialists who have the expertise to treat his medical conditions. For a period of months, he and his wife were having significant difficulty getting their VAMC to relay his referrals to their Community Care doctors, forcing the him to pay for some services out-of-pocket, including an MRI. At one point, he was expected to pay for a $100,000 surgery. After intervention by Senator Ossoff’s Office , he was able to get both his billing and referral issues resolved.
In December 2023, a veteran contacted Senator Ossoff’s office about a previous denial for VA service-connected disability claim filed for stage 3 metastatic melanoma. He had previously been stationed at Camp Lejeune, and served in security forces on Diego Garcia. Senator Ossoff’s office assisted him with submitting a priority processing request and continued to track the status of his pending Higher-Level Review Duty to Assist claim. By June, he had been given a 100% service connection determination for malignant melanoma.
Health Care
A Georgian reached out to Senator Ossoff’s office to request assistance with receiving her workers compensation benefits. In 2007, while on the job, she suffered a spinal injury and went through extensive surgery and has been left with chronic pain issues. Over the last four years she had been trying to get a spinal cord stimulator to aid with the pain, but workers-compensation would not cover the expenses for her to receive this procedure. After contacting the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor (DOL) regarding her request, Senator Ossoff’s team received notice that the DOL deemed her workers-compensation would cover the expenses, and she was able to go through with the procedure successfully.
A Medicare recipient contacted Senator Ossoff’s office seeking assistance regarding her insurance coverage. She has been undergoing dialysis for the past nine years due to kidney failure and was notified that her Medicare Part B coverage was being discontinued, leaving her without insurance for her kidney transplant surgery and associated medications. After persistent efforts and months of follow-ups with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by the Senator’s office, her Medicare Part B coverage was successfully reinstated.
IRS
A Georgia couple reached out to Senator Ossoff’s office for assistance in obtaining their 2020 tax return. For over three years, they struggled with the Internal Revenue Service to grant their return after a fraudulent return was attempted, forcing them to submit their paperwork through the Postal Service rather than doing so electronically. Delays in mailing services meant they made several attempts to send copies of their paperwork to the IRS to no avail. After contacting Senator Ossoff’s office, they were connected directly with an IRS taxpayer advocate who helped facilitate the transfer of their tax paperwork. Within two months of contacting the office, the couple was granted and received their 2020 tax return of over $8,500.
Social Security
A Georgian with Parkinson’s Disease was denied in her application for Social Security disability. While filing a reconsideration, she contacted Senator Ossoff’s office, who then flagged her inquiry to the Social Security Administration (SSA). After review of her records, SSA approved her for disability payments, eligibility for Medicare, and received back payment of nearly $75,000.
After his disability case was approved with the Social Security Administration, a Georgian found out his account was suspended due to a “payee need” even though he had communicated numerous times that one was not needed. Senator Ossoff’s office submitted an inquiry on his behalf to ensure that his account was reinstated, and that he would receive backpay of $35,926.
A Georgian reached out to Senator Ossoff’s office for assistance with receiving her Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) back payment. Initially, she was denied benefits and was approved for a reconsideration. She had an issue receiving her back payment, which forced her into a financial hardship and pending mortgage foreclosure. After escalating the case with the SSA, a lump sum of $40,755.00 was issued and she was able to reverse the mortgage foreclosure and save her home.