Delivering on Promises for Georgians, Sen. Warnock Celebrates First Day of Child Tax Credits, Successful Push to Include Medicaid Expansion in Economic Package

WASHINGTON, July 20 -- Sen. Raphael G. Warnock, D-Georgia, issued the following news release:

Last week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) celebrated the expanded Child Tax Credit, which began hitting Georgia families' bank accounts on Thursday, July 15th, and his decisive vote in support of the American Rescue Plan that helped to bring the overdue tax cut to 1.2 million working Georgia families. Early last week, Senator Warnock also introduced the Medicaid Saves Lives Act, federal legislation that would close Georgia--and other non-expansion states'--health care coverage gap, help to save rural hospitals at the risk of closure, improve health outcomes statewide, and more. Senate leaders announced later in the week that this legislation is set to be included in the next economic package.

View more on Senator Warnock's introduction of the Medicaid Saves Lives Act and its inclusion in the upcoming economic package below:

From the Associated Press:

"Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin are introducing the bill Monday, they told The Associated Press. Congressional Democrats are pushing for a coverage expansion in upcoming legislation.

"The single most effective solution to closing our state's coverage gap is to expand Medicaid," Warnock said after a June 29 meeting with health care executives. "What we ought to be doing is expanding Medicaid rather than playing games with the health care of Georgia citizens."

"People making more than 138% of the federal poverty level are eligible for federal health insurance subsidies through an online marketplace. But as many as 4 million people who make less don't get assistance in a "coverage gap," according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"Democrats increasingly say leaving people without coverage is unacceptable. They tried to lure remaining states with two years of extra money for expansion, but none budged."

Read more in the Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-medicaid-b860eb79612352dc9ae7659352c3141d

From AJC's The Jolt:

"Georgia's U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have made good on their promise to find a workaround for expanding Medicaid in Georgia despite opposition from the state's Republican leaders.

"Alongside U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, they introduced a bill that would direct the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to create a new health insurance program similar to Medicaid.

"The program would be used to provide health coverage for individuals in states like Georgia that don't qualify for Medicaid because state leaders have declined to accept additional federal dollars available under the Affordable Care Act in order to expand the number of people on Medicaid."

Read more in AJC's The Jolt: https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-the-mlb-all-star-game-brought-to-you-tonight-by-gop-woke-ads/KITBYTOU7NBFFKY233VX5UZT3M/

From the Washington Post:

"Beyond expanding Medicare benefits, Democrats say they'll fit another health priority into their $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill: getting Medicaid expansion to adults in states that have refused it.

"This push for Medicaid expansion is now on the road to being included in the next economic package," Sen. Raphael G. Warnock (D-Ga.) told reporters on a call yesterday. "I'm glad to be part of a caucus asking the right questions during this moment."

"Warnock teamed up with Sen. Jon Ossoff, also a Democrat from Georgia, and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) on legislation that would create a program that closely resembles Medicaid -- but is administered by the federal government, not the states themselves.

"The bill orders the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to offer a Medicaid-like plan to those eligible in holdout states. People could enroll in the coverage through the year and could only be charged small co-payments and no premiums, the way Medicaid works in most states.

Read more in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/15/health-202-democrats-are-also-aiming-medicaid-expansion-their-go-it-alone-bill/

View more on Senator Warnock's support for the expanded Child Tax Credit below:

From WSAV:

"Thursday, for the first time ever in the U.S., tens of millions of families, covering nearly 60 million children across America, will begin receiving monthly child tax credit payments.

"This tax credit for Georgia families is a game-changer," said Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

"Almost all families and children in the state will benefit from the child tax credit.

This expansion is to assist in erasing child poverty and generate economic stability for these households.

"Today is a big day for our country and for our state," Warnock said. "I'm so excited that beginning today that countless families across Georgia and the nation will begin receiving their first enhanced child tax credit from the American Rescue Plan."

Watch more via WSAV: https://www.wsav.com/now/sen-warnock-calls-child-tax-credit-a-game-changer-as-payments-begin/

From Senate Dems Press Conference:

"So grateful that we were able to deliver from the great state of Georgia, and as a result, 2.2M+ GA children will see their lives change in a remarkable and substantive way. This makes my heart leap for joy.

"I do this work because I know that my children will not be okay, really, until other peoples' children are okay. And that's what this is about."

Watch the Senate Dems Press Conference: https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1lDxLpLjveQxm

From The Atlanta Voice:

"Starting today, families will begin receiving $300 in monthly tax refunds per child under the age of 6, and $250 per child ages 6 to 17 through the end of the year. Families that qualify will receive tax refund worth $3,600 per child under 6 and $3,000 per child from 6 to 17.

"Today is a big day for countless families across our state and throughout our nation. This tax cut for our working families will be a game changer, lifting over 160,000 children in Georgia out of poverty," said Sen. Rev. Warnock. "I am proud to have helped secure this win for Georgia families alongside Sen. Ossoff, and I will continue working to make this tax cut permanent to help ensure future generations of Georgians thrive."

Read in The Atlanta Voice: https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/senators-ossoff-and-warnock-celebrate-as-child-tax-credits-head-to-parents-bank-accounts/

From AJC's The Jolt:

"Starting today, just about every Georgia family with children will start receiving new monthly payments directly from the federal government.

"This money, which is technically an increase of the child tax credit, was part of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill approved in March as the first significant piece of legislation under President Joe Biden. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock's office says that 1.2 million Georgia families are eligible for the new dollars.

"The message from Democrats like Warnock is that the money could be life-changing for low-income families. Parents will get $300 a month for any child aged 5 or under and $250 for kids age 6 to 17. This IRS announced last night that $15 billion had already been distributed nationwide.

"The statistics from Warnock's office say that these new tax credits could lift 165,000 Georgia children out of poverty, a 46% decrease."

Read in AJC's The Jolt: https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-tax-payments-got-to-families-today-democrats-want-the-credit/HMMNSMZVXRAZNF46GN4ECQ5B5Y/