U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock: ‘Uncertainty is never a friend of business’

At the weekly Rotary Club of Atlanta luncheon May 19, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock provided an alternative voice to many of the policies being pushed by the “trifecta” of Republican power in Washington.

Warnock said he is “deeply concerned” about a number of those policies, including cuts to the Atlanta-based Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

“My heart goes out to the 1000s of CDC workers who have done and continue to do great work,” Warnock said. “As the political debate rages on is that every single day, they are saving us from stuff we don’t even get to see.”

Warnock said during a recent visit, he got to see first-hand the CDC’s efforts to combat the maternal mortality crisis, which is “acute” in the United States.

“We have the dubious distinction among wealthy nations of having the highest maternal mortality rate. It is shamefully high,” Warnock said. “It is especially high in a state like Georgia, where there are far too many counties that don’t even have an OB GYN. And it is criminally high for black women, whose rates are two to three times the rate of their white sisters.”

Warnock said he had to raise his voice when he saw the administration “wage war against the folks who are fighting for us.” When Warnock said he was able to get hundreds of CDC workers to be rehired, Rotarians clapped. 

When he was growing up in Savannah in public housing, Warnock said he benefitted from many social programs – mentioning several that are being cut or could possibly be eliminated.

He is an alum of Head Start, an alum of Upward Bound and another federal program called Trio, that put kids from housing projects on college campuses every summer. He also was a beneficiary of Pell grants and low interest student loans.

“We’re living through a moment where there are no simple answers to complicated questions,” Warnock said. “And when people who give us answers that are too simple., we ought to be worried of those folks.”

While in Washington, D.C., Warnock said it’s important for him to stand up for small businesses that create jobs all over the state.

“Like many of you, I’m very concerned about these tariffs,” Warnock said. “I haven’t met anybody yet who’s excited about it, so I talked to business leaders. They are worried.”

Many business leaders are “scratching their heads” about various federal economic, trade and tariffs policies.

“They cannot plan in this uncertain, unpredictable environment,” Warnock said. “This is such an important moment for business leaders to stand up, to raise your voices, to use your influence in the ways that you can. Now, I’m not naive. I know that when you’re running a business, you want to stay as far from politics as you can. I don’t blame you. But there comes a moment when that which is so fundamental to opportunity and possibility is at stake that we have to raise our voices. We have to use our influence. In the same way you stand up and fight for tax cuts, stand up and fight for immigration policy that makes good business sense.”

Warnock said it’s important for the country to adopt a rational immigration policy that can lead to a dignified path to citizenship.

“We can do it, as long as we don’t let politics get in the way,” Warnock said. “Politics has a way of making things complicated that aren’t that complicated. “

A successful moment in Washington, D.C. was in 2022 when Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Warnock called it a “historic piece of legislation” and “the largest investment in clean energy and clean energy jobs in the history of humankind.” Thanks to the Act, Georgia “did better than anybody” in terms of investment and clean energy jobs, according to a report from Warnock’s office.

“In that same report that I released, I detailed how Georgia risked losing up to 42,000 good paying jobs if the Congress does what it is contemplating doing in this reconciliation bill, by repealing these clean energy credits,” Warnock said. “In less than three years, clean energy businesses in Georgia have announced 51 new projects worth over $28 billion.”

Ironically, Warnock said most of that investment is happening in Georgia’s more rural communities, and he wondered why those in power are targeting an industry that is disproportionately benefiting Republican congressional districts.

“This is good news for Georgia, and to undermine it does not make good sense. It’s hard to defend that. The data is clear,” Warnock said. “So, my colleagues have a decision to make. Who will they fight for? What do they believe in? And who will they support? But this I do know that uncertainty is never a friend of business.”

When Warnock finished his opening remarks, Atlanta Rotarians gave him a standing ovation.

In the question-and-answer portion of the program, Warnock also urged Georgia to expand Medicaid – something it has resisted doing for more than a decade.

“We’re one of 10 states that’s digging in our heels. Our legislature still hasn’t decided to expand Medicaid. What that means is that we’re leaving a lot of working poor people uncovered,” Warnock said. “It’s a drag on the Georgia economy to have working people uncovered. All we’re doing is subsidizing healthcare in other states.”

In response to a question, Warnock admitted that “these are tough times” to be involved in public policy.

“If you watch the news too much, you might get sick. So even I withdraw. I can’t withdraw from what’s going on. But I go and ride my bike or something and come back. Self-care is important,” Warnock said. “But you have to do is take the long view.”

Warnock said his faith has helped him realize there are seasons and chapters in life that are difficult and tough.

“There are moments when the democracy expands. There are moments when it contracts,” Warnock said. “Hopefully we will learn the lessons of this moment so that the democracy can expand, which I think is good for everybody. I know it’s good for everybody. So, I urge people to keep the faith, to raise your voice. Don’t give in to those who are trying to weaponize despair.”