Raphael G. Warnock
Senator for Georgia · Democratic · United States
“He has seen this place from every angle, he has done just about every job there is to do in a Senator's office, and he has been a major asset to my mission and my work. That is part of what makes Mark so special, because he saw so many roles. He sees himself in every staffer.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“He believed we could ban private equity from mass-purchasing homes, and we did just that. He believed that we could come together and lower the cost of insulin, and we did just that. But what I most appreciate about Mark is that he always believes in this country's ability to do better, to be better.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“Even in a place as cynical as Washington, DC, Mark is leaving the Senate as much of an idealist as when he arrived over two decades ago. He has always believed in this institution's ability to make a difference in people's lives, and that is why Mark fought for me to keep on the entire casework team from my Republican predecessor and frie…”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, it is my honor to rise today and give somebody gratitude for my first and, so far, only chief of staff, Mark Libell. Mark was with me from my first days in the Senate. I have spent my entire adult life in ministry. This was my first public office.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“I would also like to thank his mother Lynn and his brother Adam. I know his father, who about a year ago passed into the light, smiles from someplace in eternity.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“Well, luckily for all of us, Mark did not stay an intern for long. He went on to work for my friend Senator Debbie Stabenow, Representatives Bart Gordon and Linda Sanchez, and Senator Jay Rockefeller.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
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“I would also like to thank his mother Lynn and his brother Adam. I know his father, who about a year ago passed into the light, smiles from someplace in eternity. While Mark may be leaving the Senate tomorrow, he leaves behind dozens of staffers whom he has inspired with his patriotic idealism that a career in public service is worth it, is worth the sacrifice, that the small wins add up, that they make the difference in the lives of ordinary people, and that our future is brighter when we choose to have faith in one another. So, Mark, from me, from my staff, and from the people of Georgia, thank you so very much. God bless you and your future endeavors. Keep the faith, and keep looking up. (Applause.)”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“He believed we could ban private equity from mass-purchasing homes, and we did just that. He believed that we could come together and lower the cost of insulin, and we did just that. But what I most appreciate about Mark is that he always believes in this country's ability to do better, to be better. That idealism he saw in Bobby Kennedy is very much alive in him. Mark believed in a country where a State in the old Confederacy could elect its first African-American Senator and first Jewish Senator in one fell swoop and where a kid from Florence, AL, could go on to become one of the most influential staffers serving today in the U.S. Senate. Because no one achieves anything alone, I would also like to thank Mark's wonderful wife Carrie for the support she has shown to Mark and my entire operation through early mornings and late nights.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“Even in a place as cynical as Washington, DC, Mark is leaving the Senate as much of an idealist as when he arrived over two decades ago. He has always believed in this institution's ability to make a difference in people's lives, and that is why Mark fought for me to keep on the entire casework team from my Republican predecessor and friend, the late Senator Johnny Isakson. That casework team that Mark advocated for has gone on to help nearly 68,000 constituents and is nationally recognized as one of the best casework teams in Congress. They get great things done for Georgians all the time. Because my name is on the door, I get the credit, but they do the work under Mark's leadership. Mark believed that we could cut child poverty in half, and he helped me to do that when we passed the expanded child tax credit.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“He has seen this place from every angle, he has done just about every job there is to do in a Senator's office, and he has been a major asset to my mission and my work. That is part of what makes Mark so special, because he saw so many roles. He sees himself in every staffer. He has a deep respect in every role that a person plays in a Senate office no matter their title. Staff assistants and senior staff alike know that Mark's door is always open. He will make time to offer career advice or to solve a problem. And when staffers walk out of his office, they feel respected, and they feel heard. Most importantly, they feel like someone is in their corner rooting for them to succeed. And on more than one occasion, he has been a confidante and trusted counsel to me. Mark has the heart of a public servant. He wrote his thesis on Bobby Kennedy.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“Well, luckily for all of us, Mark did not stay an intern for long. He went on to work for my friend Senator Debbie Stabenow, Representatives Bart Gordon and Linda Sanchez, and Senator Jay Rockefeller. After 10 years working on Capitol Hill, Mark took his talents to the Federal Reserve Board but returned to the Senate a few years later to serve his beloved home State of Alabama as deputy chief of staff and legislative director for my friend Senator Doug Jones. So when I say Mark knows the Senate, I mean he really knows the Senate. Although he hails from Alabama and everybody knows how serious that rivalry is between Georgia and Alabama football, we have never held that against him.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, it is my honor to rise today and give somebody gratitude for my first and, so far, only chief of staff, Mark Libell. Mark was with me from my first days in the Senate. I have spent my entire adult life in ministry. This was my first public office. So as I made my way to the Senate, I knew that I needed someone who knew his way around here--you can relate--someone who knew where the bathrooms were and who knew how to get things done around here. Mark was a Senate veteran and well respected by everyone who knew him, and it didn't take me long to understand why. He came to DC as an intern in 2003, and he decided he would intern until he found a job or ran out of money. He clearly was hooked. And if he ran out of money, he planned to pack up his car and return home to Alabama.”
Senate24 September 2026Source ↗
“When we come back to Washington, we can fight for those parents and build on this work to check the power of this reckless President. But I am glad that we have gotten as far as we have on this issue. I would like to thank my friend and brother Senator Cassidy for your partnership in this amendment process, and I would like to thank Senators Shaheen and Blumenthal for their efforts to find a solution and way forward to support Ukraine, to protect our national security and our economic security at the same time. I yield the floor.”
Senate7 August 2026Source ↗
“I hope this weeklong process was the first step in Congress reasserting its role and placing guardrails on this President's tariff regime. I urge my colleagues to go back home and talk to ordinary folks outside of the beltway. They will tell you that while they support any efforts to protect our national security--and that is what this is about. This isn't just about Ukraine. It is about our own national security. But we must do everything to protect our national security, while at the same time bolstering the economic security of everyday Americans. So as we go back home, ask any parent you meet how much back-to- school shopping cost them this year. I can tell you as the father of two small children, that it is much more than they wanted to spend.”
Senate7 August 2026Source ↗
“And so I hope, in the coming hours, that we go further during the amendment process. I hope my colleagues will join me in stripping out any new Presidential tariff authorities. These are not normal times. This is not a normal President. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. We don't have to imagine. We are seeing it in real time. And everyday people, as a result of that, are struggling--struggling to buy groceries, struggling to buy gas, struggling to buy their kids back-to- school supplies. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences of his reckless tariff regime. But this commitment that we were able to get from Ambassador Greer is meaningful because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court.”
Senate7 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, this letter restricts the President's tariff authority under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. This is a small but meaningful victory for all Americans who continue to suffer under this President's reckless tariffs. Let's be clear: Putin is a war criminal, and his war machine must be stopped. But we should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin's aggression and putting a check on this President's tariff regime. That is a false choice, and it is one that I am not willing to accept.”
Senate7 August 2026Source ↗
“So over the next few days, this body will be voting on a budget, and I submit that the budget says a whole lot about the body. It is a moral EKG, and the question is: Are we well or do we have a heart condition? I submit that, for all of our challenges, we suffer not from a poverty of resources but a poverty of moral imagination. We are bigger, better, and stronger when our reach is wide and when we dare to build a nation that embraces all of our children. God gives us strength, grace, and moral courage to get it right. I yield the floor.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“affects all indirectly.'' We got to know this very well over the last few years, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A deadly airborne disease meant that if my neighbor was sick, I was potentially imperiled. That doesn't make my neighbor my enemy. That simply means I had an investment in my neighbor's health. My neighbor's healthcare was good for my health. And so that is the spirit with which we ought to be addressing something as sacred as crafting a nation's budget. I need other people's children to be OK for my children to be OK. I need people with disabilities to be OK for my children to be OK. I need seniors at nursing homes to be OK for all of us to be OK. I need children with cerebral palsy to be OK for my children to be OK. We need to look into each other's eyes and into the eyes of other people's children, and see our own.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“She is fascinated by all things aerospace, and she formed a group at her school to advocate for a new major in the field. She says: When I was 17, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Because of Medicaid, I was able to catch my cancer early, and today, I'm cancer-free. I'm following my dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer, and I'm living proof that Medicaid saves lives. That is really the heart of it: Medicaid saves lives. And so I wanted to share these stories tonight because these are the stories of ordinary people. These are the stories of the folks who will not be able to stand on the Senate floor, but they need a voice. These are their stories. But in a real sense, these are our stories because, as Dr. King said: We are ``tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one . . .”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Elisabeth from Ellijay, GA, says: Our lives depend on prescription medications [and] accessibilities. . . . Please, help us. Losing Medicaid would hurt disabled people or even potentially kill us without access to our medication. . . . When it comes to politics or access to healthcare, disabled people are often left out and no one thinks of the consequences of taking away the things that help us. We live in forced poverty already and Medicaid is essential. Please think of us and be a voice for those who can't speak out. Finally, when Cindy was 17 years old--Cindy from Atlanta--she was a star athlete and a great student preparing to go to college and enroll in ROTC. Her parents, who are refugees from Vietnam, moved to the United States to give her a better life, and she wanted to make them proud.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“She is now enrolled in an employer-provided health plan. But she remains forever grateful that Medicaid was there for her when she needed it. It provided a temporary safety net amid a challenging pregnancy, and now her life is much better because of it. Naomi enrolled in Medicaid after she lost her job when pregnant with her son Noah. Noah was born prematurely at just 26 weeks and lives with chronic and medically complex conditions that require round-the-clock care. Noah's Medicaid coverage is provided through a combination of innovative programs, including Georgia's Right from the Start initiative for comprehensive health services and the Katie Beckett waiver program for children with complex medical needs. All over our country, there are children like Noah. His mom says: If we didn't have Medicaid, we would be in dire straits.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“As you address reconciliation priorities, we urge you to prioritize those most in need and working families and protect the Medicaid program. We are hearing from a range of faith leaders because they understand that the acid test of someone's faith is the depth of their commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family. Nearly 2 million people in Georgia are enrolled in Medicaid; that is one in five Georgians. And 1.3 million children in Georgia are enrolled in Medicaid; that is over 40 percent of every Georgia child, two in every five children. A quarter of a million Georgia seniors rely on Medicaid, including those living in nursing homes, that is around one in seven Georgia seniors. And they are united in opposition to cuts to Medicaid. I hear their stories all the time. I want to just share a couple of them with you.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“May you find strength in your faith and courage in your convictions as you continue to fight for justice and righteousness. Thank you, Bishop Lumanog. You are not alone in your witness. Earlier in the year, the three largest Catholic organizations in the country-- the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Health Association, and Catholic Charities USA--urged lawmakers to protect and strengthen Medicaid as a matter of faith. They wrote: The Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacred, and all people have inherent dignity and worth. As Catholic bishops and organizations that provide health care and social services on behalf of the church, we firmly believe that all people have the right to those necessities needed to live, found a family and flourish.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“These vital programs appear to be next in line for cuts by DOGE that could threaten the well-being of millions. Scripture-- He says-- reminds us that ``whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'' It is our moral duty to advocate for the dignity and security of those who depend on these essential safety nets. We cannot allow them to be dismissed amid political and economic maneuvering by unelected bureaucrats like Elon Musk, who have placated the legislature and judiciary while wielding outsized influence over public policy, all while bypassing democratic accountability. Please be assured of my prayers for you and your leadership during this critical moment in our nation's history.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“There are some 2,000 verses in the Scripture that tell us how to treat people who are in need, how to treat the poor; and maybe that is why faith leaders all across the State of Georgia have been reaching out to me in advance of this debate. Atlanta Bishop Jack Lumanog from the Anglican Diocese of St. Ignatius Loyola reached out to me earlier this month, and here are some excerpts from the letter he sent to me. He said: I am grateful to be one of your constituents in Georgia and to write to a fellow pastor whose voice carries both moral authority and legislative power in this defining moment for our nation. However, I write to you today with a heavy heart, deeply troubled by the state of our nation. As a faith leader, I am increasingly concerned for the most vulnerable among us--those who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“My mind and my imagination had been arrested by the words of Dr. King who taught us that the true measure of a person is not where he or she stands in moments of comfort and convenience but in moments of challenge and controversy. We are tied in a single garment of destiny, caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality, and whatever affects one affects all indirectly. My mind had already been arrested. My moral imagination had been arrested. And so that felt like a small price to pay. And so I call on the people who are at home to call your Senator, call your Congress person, tell them that this is not right, it is not fair, it is not true to our highest values.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“I came with other faith leaders across various religious traditions and people who claim no particular faith tradition but people of moral courage. And we gathered in the Rotunda, and they were discussing, back then another reconciliation bill. And, once again, that bill would cut the social safety net programs like Medicaid and food assistance. And so we came here to bear witness to who we are at our best as a nation. And as we gathered in the Rotunda, the Capitol Police gathered, and we were singing, and we were praying. And they said: Sorry, you can't sing, and you can't pray in the Rotunda. I thought to myself somebody needed to pray. And they said: Respectfully, we will give you three warnings, and if you don't move, we will have to arrest you. What they didn't understand was that I had already been arrested.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“To center the 41 percent of Georgia children who rely on Medicaid, I think that is what keeping the faith looks like; to center the exhausted mom who is working multiple, unpredictable jobs but still needs Medicaid to get the healthcare she needs--many of the folks who need Medicaid go to work every day. In Georgia, 600,000 folks who are in the Medicaid gap, all of this talk about work requirements, the overwhelming majority of those folks go to work every day or they are in school or they are taking care of a disabled person. Keeping the faith means centering the Georgia seniors who rely on Medicaid to cover the cost of living in a nursing home. That is why in 2017, years before I knew I would even run for political office, let alone serve in the Senate, I came to this building, but I came as a faith leader.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. And some asked the Master, when were You hungry? Lord, when were You thirsty? When were You a stranger? When were You sick? And the answer came: Truly, I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it also unto me. This is not for me simply a policy argument; it is a moral discussion. It is about who we are fundamentally. What is the character of our Nation?”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“I am blessed to stand there. I am the preacher, but it is good to be in that atmosphere. It reminds me what ordinary people look like and their concerns and their needs. And sometimes, when I stand in that pulpit, I am reminded that Martin Luther King, Jr., who was copastor, said that of all the injustices, inequality in healthcare is the most shocking and the most inhumane. It is the honor of my life to be able to stand there and preach every Sunday. The Gospel tells us about a man who healed the sick, even those with preexisting conditions, and never billed them for his services. And that is why I am a Matthew 25 Christian. My work is informed by the words of that Gospel.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“A plan that would cut healthcare to our most vulnerable citizens, including children living in the dawn of life and elders living in the twilight of life, while adding $5 trillion to the Nation's debt, $37 trillion potentially over 30 years, and so we are taking healthcare for children and then burdening them with the consequences of this terrible decision. And so I rise tonight just to say that America is better than this. This is not who we are at our core. And the data demonstrates that the people--the people at home, ordinary folks don't want this. This is symptomatic of the ways in which the people's voices have been squeezed out of their democracy and the folks who are sent here to represent them are representing other interests. And that is why every Sunday I return to my pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“In fact, 71 percent of all Medicaid enrollees in Georgia are children--71 percent. And I think it is important to underscore that because sometimes when we use these terms ``Medicaid,'' there may be folks at home wondering, well, who are we talking about? Who are these people? Well, 71 percent of them are your children. And so this budget is dangerous. It is cynical. It is wrong-headed. I believe in addressing waste and fraud and abuse, and I would sign up quickly to deal with that in our government. But there isn't enough waste, fraud, and abuse to cut $880 billion out of Medicaid. And that is not just me saying that. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that the proposed GOP budget would require cuts to the Medicaid people rely on. So don't be fooled.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Show me your budget, and I will show you who you think counts and who doesn't. Show me your budget, and I will show you what you think matters and what doesn't. Show me your budget, and I will show you your priorities. Jesus said: Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. And I have to say that if this budget that is being proposed were an EKG, it would suggest that the U.S. Congress has a heart problem and is in need of moral surgery. Why else would you propose, among other things, to cut up to $880 billion from Medicaid? I could talk about many aspects of this budget tonight, but I will just stick with Medicaid, programs that provide healthcare to the most vulnerable citizens, the children, to the severely disabled, to seniors in nursing homes.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise tonight in strong opposition to this awful, and, frankly, immoral budget. Recently, I was appointed to the Finance Committee of the U.S. Senate, and the reason why I wanted to serve on that committee is because I wanted to get a chance to shape the Nation's budget. As I thought about all of the things that I have fought for long before I came to the Senate, access to healthcare, access to learning and early education for all of our children, ensuring that people could retire with dignity--as I thought about the things that I cared about, I wanted to serve in a place where I might have an impact on our Nation's budget. And that is because, for me, a budget is not just a fiscal document, it is a moral document. It is not just numbers and figures. It is not just dollars and cents.”
Senate3 April 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, today, I pay tribute to the University of Georgia School of Social Work for its 60th anniversary and to Deans Charles A. Stewart (1964-1995), Bonnie Yegidis (1995-2003), Maurice Daniels (2005-2016), Anna Scheyett (2016-2021), and its current dean, Philip Hong (2022-present). For six decades, the School of Social Work has advanced the University of Georgia's teaching, research, and service mission.”
Senate13 March 2025Source ↗
“He is a rubberstamp for the agenda to raise your healthcare costs so that they can line the pockets of their wealthy friends. He is busy chasing conspiracy theories, but he will spend no time chasing solutions to lower our healthcare costs. He apparently sees no problem gagging the CDC, even at the risk of raising egg costs, slowing cancer research, and exacerbating our shameful maternal mortality rates. So for Cassie Cox, for Heather Payne, for Atlanta's CDC employees, in memory of Kira Johnson and thousands of women who died of preventable maternal deaths, I am voting no on Robert F. Kennedy's nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. I call on all of my colleagues to join me in saying yes to our constituents and no to Robert Kennedy. I yield the floor.”
Senate12 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise tonight in strong opposition to the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. It is no overstatement for me to say that it is hard for me to imagine a nominee less qualified that would actually be presented for the job of HHS Secretary. Robert F. Kennedy, not only does he not pass muster, this is not even close. I still can't believe we are even having this discussion. He is a conspiracy theorist who is so focused on his conspiracy theory.”
Senate12 February 2025Source ↗
“As a proud alum of Head Start, on behalf of all of the families who are struggling for affordable childcare access, I proudly vote no.”
Senate5 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Ms. Mary Frances Early for the 25th anniversary of the Mary Frances Early lecture series at the University of Georgia and the 5th anniversary of the naming of the University of Georgia's College of Education in her honor.”
Senate23 January 2025Source ↗