Atlanta, Ga. — Today, U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during their visit to Atlanta, Ga.
The group discussed the recent passage of the American Rescue Plan, which will ensure COVID-19 vaccines are free and available for every Georgian, provide direct payments and tax credits worth thousands of dollars to working- and middle-class families, deliver more than $4 billion to safely re-open Georgia’s public schools, and bring nearly $2 billion to expand Medicaid, which would deliver health care to nearly 500,000 low-income Georgians.
President Biden and Vice President Harris thanked Sens. Ossoff and Warnock for Georgia’s decisive role in passing the bill, made possible by their joint runoff victories on Jan. 5 that delivered Democrats the Senate Majority.
They spoke about how the Biden Administration already exceeded the President’s goal of reaching 100 million vaccines in only 58 days as well as the Administration’s record progress in securing enough vaccine supply for every adult American by May 1.
In addition, the group touched on the importance of investment in infrastructure and clean energy to spur job creation, generate sustainable economic growth, and protect the environment.
They also discussed the tragic shootings that took the lives of eight people in Atlanta this week, including six Asian Americans. They expressed their gratitude for the quick apprehension of the suspect and sent their love to the Asian-American community, which has endured a shocking increase in violence and harassment over the last year.
“Thanks to Georgia voters, we were able to pass this historic COVID relief bill, which is supercharging the supply of free vaccines for every Georgian, sending thousands of dollars directly to working- and middle-class families, and delivering billions to safely re-open Georgia schools,” Senator Ossoff said. “As Georgia unites in grief after this week’s massacre, the President and Vice President made clear today that they are here for Georgia, and that together we will defeat COVID-19, rebuild our economy, and re-unite our country.”
“Georgians made COVID relief possible, and I’m grateful for President Biden and Vice President Harris’s bold leadership that helped make it a reality for families, small businesses and communities in every corner of our state,” Senator Reverend Warnock said. “It has been a very sad week for Georgians, especially members of the Asian community, and I appreciate the President and Vice President for visiting our state, and for their compassion and urgency as we work to build an active peace that prevents future tragedies fueled by hate. I look forward to welcoming them back to Georgia, and working with them to make sure the robust relief we passed—from expanded tax refunds for working families, to debt relief for farmers of color, to strong federal incentives to expand Medicaid in our state and more—is reaching Georgians where they are to help us continue moving beyond the health and economic devastation of this once-in-a-century pandemic.”
# # #
