Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise to commend Rev. Dr. Kenneth B. Martin of Antioch Baptist Church in Augusta on his retirement and lifelong service to the Augusta community.

For 37 years, Rev. Martin has led a life of service and devotion as Antioch Baptist Church's longest serving pastor. He also served as a former president of the 10th district of General Missionary Baptist Convention. Under his leadership and spiritual guidance, the Antioch Baptist Church community has been able to establish more than 30 ministries that give members of the community access to vital transportation, nutrition, and healthcare services. Rev. Martin has made it his mission to serve those around him, and his inspiring work, rooted in spiritual growth and development, has transformed the lives of many in his community.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I commend and recognize Rev. Dr. Kenneth B. Martin for his service to the Augusta community and the State of Georgia and join his family, friends, congregation, and the entire community in celebrating his retirement.

Mr. President, I rise to commend Wande Okunoren- Meadows for her commitment to early childhood education and development for families in Forest Park and across metro Atlanta.

As executive director of Little Ones Learning Center, Ms. Okunoren- Meadows oversees the early childhood education center providing services to more than 175 children. Her passion for childhood development has allowed her to create programs to promote wellness and boost education for the youngest members of the community.

A graduate of Emory University, Ms. Okunoren-Meadows' leadership has produced invaluable preschool, afterschool, and pre-kindergarten education programs for the children of Forest Park, providing them valuable knowledge and skills for a brighter future.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I commend and recognize Wande Okunoren- Meadows for her dedication to Georgia's youth and years of service to her community.

Mr. President, I rise to commend Rev. Joseph Baker of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church for his lifetime of service to the Chattahoochee River Valley and the State of Georgia. For the past 30 years, Pastor Baker has been a beacon of hope and service for members of the communities he has served since answering the call to preach in 1993. After relocating to Atlanta from Orlando to continue his higher education journey, Pastor Joseph Baker served as senior pastor of Saint Paul AME Church in Canton, GA, and both Saint Mary's AME and Townsley Chapel AME Churches in Savannah, GA. Since July 2013, Pastor Baker has served the Columbus community as the 52nd pastor of St. James AME Church at the local, conference, and episcopal levels. He also serves as dean of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference Board of Examiners and as a member of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference Board of Trustees, Support of Presiding Elders and Ministerial Classification.

A product of the Suwannee County School System, the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Pastor Baker continues to find ways to open doors of opportunity for others through access to education. For example, Pastor Baker established a partnership with Columbus Technical College to offer GED studies at St. James AME.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I commend and recognize St. James AME pastor Rev. Joseph Baker for a lifetime of service on behalf of the State of Georgia.

Mr. President, I rise to commend Moises Velez of Macon, GA, for his years of service to Georgia's Latino community.

Twenty-five years ago, Mr. Velez founded ``Que Pasa,'' the first Spanish newspaper in the Macon community. Mr. Velez's vision of keeping newly arrived immigrants informed about vital services available to them in Middle Georgia and across the State quickly transformed the newspaper into a trusted news source for the Latino community on important issues like health care, immigration, and education. ``Que Pasa'' keeps the growing Latino community in Middle Georgia informed about news and events statewide. Mr. Velez's success led to his recognition as one of Georgia's 50 most influential Latinos by the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2022. Mr. Velez is a representation of the extraordinary contributions of Georgia's Latino community.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I commend and recognize Moises Velez for his contributions to Georgia's Latino community and years of service to the Macon community.

Madam President, today the Senate takes up legislation to avert an economically catastrophic default on U.S. sovereign obligations. The Department of the Treasury has advised the Congress that without passage of this legislation by June 5, the United States will default.

Any modifications to the legislative text under consideration by the Senate will require reconsideration of the measure by the House, pushing passage of such legislation past Treasury's June 5 deadline and forcing a default. Our overriding governing responsibility is to avoid default and the massive economic damage it would impose on American families and businesses.

Accordingly, I will oppose all amendments offered to this measure to ensure Senate passage of the measure as passed by the House and to protect families and businesses from economic catastrophe.

Mr. President, I rise to commend La Raza radio station for its service to the Latino community in Georgia.

Based in Suwanee, GA, La Raza is the largest Latino radio station in Georgia, informing more than 1 million Latinos throughout the State. The station hosts numerous popular radio shows, including Los Hijos de La Manana, that provide all-day news and entertainment for Latinos across Georgia. Every year, La Raza also hosts a family-friendly festival, bringing nearly 50,000 community members together from across the State to enjoy performances and authentic Mexican food.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend La Raza's 19 years of service to Latino communities in Atlanta and throughout the entire State of Georgia.

Madam President, I rise to commend Paul Bianchi, whose leadership in education has helped thousands of children to flourish, improved our world, and built a Georgia legacy that will endure.

After 52 years as head of school for The Paideia School, Mr. Bianchi will retire on June 30, 2023. At Paideia, Mr. Bianchi has built an institution to nourish the minds and hearts of children in Georgia.

After earning an undergraduate degree and a M.A. in teaching at Harvard University, Mr. Bianchi was offered an opportunity to teach at The Galloway School in Atlanta. After 1 year at Galloway, Mr. Bianchi was approached by a group of Atlanta parents who asked him to establish a new school that would emphasize individualized instruction, academics, and the arts. Mr. Bianchi agreed to lead that effort, and in 1971, helped open The Paideia School. Under Mr. Bianchi's decades of leadership, Paideia has grown to serve a student body of 1,020 students. Mr. Bianchi added a high school in 1973 and has managed the growth of a thriving campus with gyms, theaters, science labs, and maker studios.

Mr. Bianchi's leadership has lifted thousands of young people to understand their world and their potential. His work has instilled in generations of students the knowledge, curiosity, and compassion to pursue their dreams and to make a positive difference for our State, our Nation, and the world.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, like so many whose lives Paul has shaped, I am deeply grateful for his service to education, to Georgia, to the United States, and to the world.

Madam President, I have conducted further oversight into the treatment of military families in privatized housing at Fort Gordon, GA. The report summarizing the findings and conclusions of my oversight can be found at http://Ossoff.senate.gov/ MilitaryHousingOversight.

Madam President, I rise to commend Nichole Campbell, a leader in the Augusta community working to empower women in business and give back to others.

In 2018, Ms. Campbell founded The Sisters Social, Inc., a nonprofit organization that aims to unite women of different backgrounds and provide entrepreneurial education, professional networking, and community outreach. After seeking out an organization of women business owners and failing to find one in her community, Ms. Campbell stepped up to found The Sisters Social, Inc., for women in Augusta and the Central Savannah River Area, CSRA. During the pandemic, the group provided countless business owners with invaluable advice during a challenging time for many.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I commend and recognize Nichole Campbell on her leadership and great successes empowering women business owners and giving back to her community.

Madam President, I rise today to commend Reverend Dr. J. H. ``Johnny'' Flakes III for his mentorship and leadership in the Chattahoochee River Valley.

Like his father before him, Pastor Flakes III has become a mainstay at Fourth Street Missionary Baptist Church and in the greater Columbus faith community. As a student, Pastor Flakes III earned the distinction of being one of 21 students chosen by the Interdenominational Theological Center at Morehouse School of Religion for inclusion in ``Who's Who Among Students in American Universities'' across the United States. Alongside his work as a local spiritual mentor, Pastor Flakes' work has also made an impact nationally and internationally, delivering the keynote address at the American Baptist College convocation in Nashville and speaking at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation's event on Black health and wellness, where he celebrated the legacy of Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine with other leaders from the faith and medical communities.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend Pastor J.H. Flakes III for his mentorship, leadership, and enduring commitment to the people of Columbus.

Madam President, I rise today to commend Sister Theresa Sullivan of Macon, GA, and her entire team for their dedication and commitment to serve those in need across Middle Georgia.

As Director of Daybreak Day Resource Center Macon, Sister Sullivan oversees the organization's mission to ensure that everyone has a place to call home and a stake in their community. Growing up on the North Side of Chicago, Sister Sullivan found a passion for volunteering as a member of the Daughters of Charity, dedicating her time to helping people experiencing mental illnesses. From housing placement, to food and transportation assistance and a free health clinic, Sister Sullivan brings members of the community together to help those experiencing homelessness receive vital services to help them overcome their current situation. Their partnerships with religious organizations, businesses, and

community leaders keep the mission alive to support people experiencing homelessness.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend Sister Theresa Sullivan and her team for their dedication and service to the Macon community.

Madam President, I rise today to commend Ms. Evelyn ``Mimi'' Woodson for her lifetime of public service on behalf of her beloved Latino community and her constituents in Columbus, GA.

A native of Puerto Rico, Councilor Woodson became the first Latina elected to office in Georgia and went on to serve on the Columbus Council for over 28 years. Councilor Woodson's public service career extends beyond her remarkable leadership on the Columbus City Council. For 15 years, she served our country honorably in the U.S. Army and was one of the last members of the Women's Army Corps.

The contributions of Georgia's Latino community have brought people across Georgia together to address some of the greatest challenges facing our State, and Councilor Woodson's career is a testament that positive change is possible if you believe in yourself and open doors of opportunity for others.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend Councilor Evelyn ``Mimi'' Woodson for her dedication to Georgia and the Columbus community.

Madam President, I rise today to commend Pastor Han

Byeong Cheol, senior pastor of the Korean Central Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, for his years of service and advocacy on behalf of Atlanta's Korean American community. Since 2009, Pastor Han has led the Korean Central Presbyterian Church's missionary work and has dedicated his time to spreading the gospel to his local Korean community and the entire region.

Two years ago, following the horrific spa shootings in which three members of Georgia's Korean American community lost their lives, Pastor Han demonstrated strong leadership by bringing faith leaders together to speak out against acts of hate and help the community heal. At a time when acts of violence toward Asian Americans are on the rise across our Nation, Pastor Han is stepping up to spread awareness about the rise of hate crimes, educating people on how to use faith to bring about positive change, and guiding his community forward.

Georgia's Korean American community is strong, and even in the face of vile attacks, their resolve has not broken. Pastor Han and the Korean Central Presbyterian Church community are prime examples of that. As we commemorate this solemn anniversary, may we find solace in those in our community like Pastor Han who have turned tragedy into healing.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend Pastor Han Byeong Cheol for his years of service to Georgia's Korean American community.

Madam President, I rise to honor a titan in Atlanta's media industry, someone whose name--and voice--are a staple of everyone's morning routine.

Scott Slade began his storied career at WSB Radio in 1984 on an overnight music show. In 1991, he took over as host of ``Atlanta's Morning News,'' becoming the longest running host in the Atlanta market. Last month, Slade announced he would step aside from daily hosting duties of ``Atlanta Morning News.''

Slade's service to the community extends beyond his duties on air as a trusted voice for news. In 2000, Slade started the WSB Radio ``Care- a-Thon'' for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Cancer Center, helping raise millions of dollars to fight childhood cancer and blood disorders. Slade's voice and journalism has informed Georgians for decades, and we are all grateful to him.

As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend Scott Slade on his historic career and on his induction into the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame on March 15, 2023.

Madam President, I rise to commend and recognize Tina Tyus-Shaw on her induction into the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.