In May, Secretary Wright testified before Congress that Blue Bird would receive an answer on the status of their frozen funds “this summer.”
In 2023, Sen. Ossoff, alongside Senator Reverend Warnock and Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02), helped delivera historic $80 million Federal grant to Blue Bird to expand its manufacturing facilities and to help build electric school buses.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is again pressing the Trump Administration to follow through on its commitment to Blue Bird school bus manufacturing in middle Georgia.
Sen. Ossoff again urged Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright to follow through on Federal grant funding to upgrade Blue Bird Corporation’s manufacturing facility and bring jobs to Fort Valley, Georgia.
“The Federal investment that was promised to Blue Bird would allow it to expand its manufacturing facilities and meet growing market demand for electric school busses,” Sen. Ossoff wrote to Energy Secretary Wright. “Blue Bird has yet to hear from DOE on the status of this grant, raising concerns that the department will renege on its commitment to the people of Middle Georgia.”
In his letter, Sen. Ossoff noted that Secretary Wright testified before him and the Senate Appropriations Committee that Blue Bird would receive an answer on the status of their frozen funds “this summer.”
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.”
Sen. Ossoff continues working to strengthen Georgia’s manufacturing and economic development.
In May, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Simplifying Subcontracting Act, which would simplify the process for small businesses to win Federal contracts.
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.
Click here to read Sen. Ossoff’s letter to DOE Secretary Wright.
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