Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff today pressed the Trump Administration’s Energy Secretary to support Blue Bird’s manufacturing expansion in Fort Valley, Georgia.
In a U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development hearing today, Sen. Ossoff pressed Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright to continue supporting Blue Bird’s manufacturing work in Middle Georgia. The Trump Administration has canceled or delayed grants nationwide.
In 2023, Sen. Ossoff, alongside Senator Reverend Warnock and Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02), helped deliver a historic $80 million Federal grant to Blue Bird to expand its manufacturing facilities and to help build electric school buses.
“There is growing demand from local school districts for electric school buses for all kinds of good reasons, and the Blue Bird Corporation wants to get in on this and be able to meet that market demand. They’ve invested $80 million of private capital to retool an aging manufacturing facility — to produce those electric school buses. That was met, matched by an $80 million Federal grant from the Department of Energy,” Sen. Ossoff said to Energy Secretary Wright. “What I want to convey to you is how important this is to Middle Georgia. This is is one of the most storied and successful companies in Georgia history.”
When Blue Bird won the Federal grant, the Peach County Industrial Development Authority announced it as “an awesome WIN for our community.” Fort Valley Mayor Jeffrey Lundy said, “it’s a celebration day. … not only will [Fort Valley] be a place for people to come but will be affording more opportunities for them to have sit-down restaurants, have more entertainment, things of that nature.”
Former Fort Valley Councilman and former Blue Bird employee Alonzo Allen said, “normally when Blue Bird grows, the city of Fort Valley grows and that’s the way it always has worked. When Blue Bird goes down, the city goes down.”
Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff’s line of questioning.
Please find a transcript of Sen. Ossoff’s remarks and questioning below:
SEN. OSSOFF: “I want to raise one more key Georgia concern with you. Are you familiar with the Blue Bird Corporation? Most famous school bus in the world, Blue Bird, made in Georgia. We’re proud of it!”
SEC. WRIGHT: “I recognize the name. But no, no, okay, made in Georgia.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “There is growing demand from local school districts for electric school buses for all kinds of good reasons, and the Blue Bird Corporation wants to get in on this and be able to meet that market demand. They’ve invested $80 million of private capital to retool an aging manufacturing facility — to produce those electric school buses. That was met, matched by an $80 million Federal grant from the Department of Energy.
“And similarly, and again, I frankly, don’t need, don’t have time, with all due respect, for the big picture on what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. I sort of understand the talking points on that.
“What I want to convey to you is how important this is to Middle Georgia. This is, this is one of the most storied and successful companies in Georgia history.
“When this grant was awarded, the Peach County Industrial Development Authority called it ‘an awesome win for our community.’ Fort Valley Mayor Jeffrey Lundy said, ‘it’s celebration day.’
“Got a quote from a councilman here who said that when Blue Bird goes up, Fort Valley goes up, when Blue Bird goes down, Fort Valley goes down. And again, we’ve got private capital that’s been hazarded, that’s been invested, an expectation, a lot of commercial decisions that have been made assuming the Federal government will make good on its commitments for funds it has obligated.
“When can Blue Bird expect an answer?”
SEC. WRIGHT: “This summer, I think, is the timeframe that we’ll get you …”
SEN. OSSOFF: “This summer like June? This summer, like July? This summer, like August?”
SEC. WRIGHT: “I can’t get you that date right now, but it’ll be done this summer.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “And you understand, Mr. Secretary, the cost of prolonged uncertainty, especially for these private companies, yes?”
SEC. WRIGHT: “I do. And if you reviewed the portfolio of things I’ve looked at that don’t check the boxes you talked about, you’d understand why I can’t just send out hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to bridges to nowhere.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “I’m asking to make good on obligations that have already been made to the State of Georgia. We’ll follow up on this directly as well. Thank you so much.”
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