U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock pushes Innovation and Competition Act

May 20—WASHINGTON, D.C. — As his efforts to curb rising costs and create good-paying jobs in every corner of Georgia gain momentum in Congress, U.S. Senator the Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., helped open the first public meeting of the bicameral committee negotiating the final text of the jobs and competition bill known in the Senate as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act — the new bicameral entity is formally known as the Bipartisan Innovation and Competition Legislation Conference Committee.

During his opening remarks, Warnock outlined his priorities for Georgia that will inform his work on the conference committee.

"I am working to ensure this bill uplifts families and communities across Georgia, from researchers at Savannah State University to start-up founders in Atlanta to young students in our rural communities all across our state who will make scientific discoveries that we cannot yet imagine," Warnock said during the public meeting.

Championed by Warnock, the jobs and competition bill will create and support Georgia jobs by investing in the state's work force, and by investing in Georgia's research and development capacity through the creation of regional tech hubs. Additionally, the senator is continuing to work to ensure the draft competition bill maintains provisions he championed that will lower costs for Georgians by promoting chip manufacturing in the U.S. and addressing supply chain issues to reduce the price of everyday goods.

Last week, the Senate unanimously approved a motion offered by Warnock that would help create Georgia jobs and strengthen the state's work force by bolstering institutional research capacity at HBCUs.

"This historic, bipartisan legislation will help lower costs for hard-working families, create jobs, and help us compete in the global economy, and we must get it done and over the finish line as soon as possible," Warnock told the committee. "This bill will start helping families right away by making new investments in supply chain resiliency, so that we can better monitor and prevent shortages in critical products, whether they're the chips that you find in almost every electronic product or the materials we need to build homes.

"Or the chips we need quite frankly for the KIA plant that's down in West Point, Georgia, that had to close a couple of times for a lack of micro-chips. That's the reason I am laser-focused on lowering costs, and these programs are an important first step."

Warnock said the bill will create new, good-paying jobs.

"This bill also invests in our future by increasing funding for STEM research and education, just as important, strengthening our ability to turn scientific breakthroughs into new businesses, businesses that are based in Georgia, creating new, good-paying jobs," he said. "And so I too am glad we're at this point, Madam Chair, I'm looking forward to working with everybody to craft strong, bipartisan legislation that strengthens innovation, lowers costs, and supports families in every corner of our nation."