by: – CCDC Volunteer
(click on the blue highlighted text to read the original press release)
This week Senator Ossoff fought for us by:
Championing GA service members and families
Following U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff’s push, junior-enlisted military personnel in Georgia will begin receiving a record pay raise this month.
In December, a historic 14.5% pay increase for junior-enlisted personnel across Georgia was signed into law as part of this past year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The NDAA delivered a basic pay increase of 4.5% to all servicemembers, while the most junior servicemembers across all branches of the Armed Forces received an additional 10% increase in pay.
“Young people are not going into national service and national security for the money. They’re doing it because they care about defending the United States and the American people, and they are terribly underpaid,” Sen. Ossoff said. “I made it one of my highest priorities to pass a record pay raise for junior-enlisted personnel in the military, and bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we got it done.”
Introducing bipartisan legislation to build more sports facilities for Georgia kids and families.
This week, Sens. Ossoff and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Youth Sports Facilities Act to help build and upgrade sports facilities across Georgia, giving kids and families safe spaces to play while also supporting student mental health and boosting economic growth.
The bipartisan legislation would make youth sports facilities eligible for grants through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), giving educational agencies, local governments, and nonprofits more funding opportunities to create and upgrade sports facilities while growing local economies at the same time.
The bipartisan bill would also give preference to rural communities and projects that aim to create new sports facilities in low-income and underserved communities.
Introducing a bipartisan bill to help safeguard human rights in Georgia’s prisons.
Sens. Ossoff and John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the bipartisan Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act to help notify family members in a timely and compassionate manner in the event of a death, serious illness or injury of a loved one in custody.
“Too often, the families of those incarcerated never find out about a serious illness, a life-threatening injury, or even the death of a loved one behind bars. That’s why Senator Kennedy and I are introducing this bipartisan reform legislation,” Sen. Ossoff said.
Working across the aisle to put Americans back in control of their own data.
Sens. Ossoff, Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) recently introduced the bipartisan Data Elimination and Limiting Extensive Tracking and Exchange (DELETE) Act, legislation that would enable and empower Americans to request that data brokers delete their personal data.
The DELETE Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create an online tool where Americans can submit a one-time data deletion request to all registered data brokers that hold their personal data. The bill would also create a ‘do not track list’ to prohibit companies from collecting these users’ data in the future.
Pushing to Strengthen Support for Georgians with Disabilities
Sen. Ossoff launched a push to pass the bipartisan Ensuring Nationwide Access to a Better Life Experience (ENABLE) Act, legislation he co-sponsored to extend tax benefits for people with disabilities and help them save for future expenses. The expanded tax benefits are currently scheduled to expire this year. The bill was introduced by Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
The bipartisan bill would allow people with disabilities who contribute to Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts to continue qualifying for a nonrefundable saver’s tax credit of up to $1,000.
ABLE accounts are a tax-favored savings program established in 2014 for individuals with disabilities to help save for a series of expenses, including education, housing, transportation, assistive technology and personal support services, health care, and more.
The bill would also increase the amount employed individuals with disabilities can contribute to these accounts and allow the tax-free rollover of funds to these accounts from 529 plans.
