State Representatives Viola Davis, Kim Schofield, and Sandra Scott recently met with the office of Senator Raphael Warnock to discuss federal legislation introduced in response to issues raised during and after the 2025 federal government shutdown. The meeting was described as productive by the representatives, who emphasized their ongoing engagement with Senator Warnock’s office.
“We appreciate the engagement, responsiveness and concrete legislative work that Senator Warnock and our democratic congressional delegation have brought to this issue,” said Reps. Davis, Schofield and Scott. “Our goal has always been action – not just letters or resolutions – but enforceable protections that prevent families, workers and children from being harmed again.”
According to the representatives, Senator Warnock had previously sent them correspondence outlining his actions during the shutdown. These included sponsoring and supporting several bills designed to ensure pay for essential workers, maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits, keep air travel operational, and fund Head Start programs along with other human services without interruption.
The lawmakers highlighted key federal measures advocated by Senator Warnock:
– Providing pay for all excepted and furloughed federal employees and service members during shutdowns through proposed legislation such as the Shutdown Fairness Act and True Shutdown Fairness Act.
– Ensuring SNAP and WIC benefits continue uninterrupted through the end of the fiscal year via the Keep SNAP Funded Act and Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act.
– Protecting air traffic controllers as well as FAA and TSA personnel with ongoing pay through acts like the Keep America Flying Act.
– Funding Head Start programs affected by shutdowns under proposals such as the Keep Head Start Funded Act.
“These bills directly address the pain points we raised — essential workers forced to work without pay, families left without food assistance and children losing access to services that protect their health and stability,” added the lawmakers.
At the state level, Davis, Schofield, and Scott have also advanced a resolution urging Georgia leaders to develop continuity plans so that children, seniors, people with disabilities, and foster families are not adversely affected by disruptions at the federal level. Additionally, they continue to call on Congress to codify protections against using government shutdowns in ways that threaten paychecks or social welfare systems.
“Our urging resolutions reflect the same constitutional principle that underlies this federal legislation,” said Reps. Davis, Schofield and Scott. “Government has a duty to promote the general welfare, not to create hunger, instability or unpaid labor.”
The representatives stated that “The 2025 shutdown revealed systemic weaknesses with real human costs: delayed SNAP benefits, unpaid essential workers, disrupted foster care and human services and families left in uncertainty.” They added: “No one should take pride in making the American public starve, grounding air travel or destabilizing child welfare systems as a political tactic. We are encouraged that our democratic congressional delegation has not only listened, but acted.”
They reiterated their commitment to working with Senator Warnock as well as other members of Georgia’s congressional delegation in order to advance legislation aimed at permanently protecting essential workers and services.
To view these representatives’ correspondence with Sen. Warnock and other Georgia elected officials, please click here.
Burns is a Republican who was elected in 2005 to represent Georgia’s 159th House District following Ray Holland.
