MTG introduces legislation to end USAID; Ossoff's warning on Musk; Ga. health report

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary Released on February 10, 2025 | Host: Peter Biello, Georgia Public Broadcasting

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1. Healthy Georgia Report Highlights Public Health Concerns

Georgia Today opens with an in-depth discussion of the annual Healthy Georgia report from Augusta University School of Public Health. The report paints a concerning picture of Georgia's overall health landscape, despite some improvements in cancer rates and drug use.

Key Findings:

• Rising Rates of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: For the first time, the report includes data on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), revealing that Georgia ranks higher than other Southeastern states in rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia.

• Increase in Multimorbidities: More Georgians are living with multiple chronic diseases, a trend exacerbated by the post-COVID healthcare environment.

Notable Insights:

• Urban-Rural Health Gap: Sophie Gradas emphasizes the persistent urban-rural divide in healthcare resources. "We know there is an urban rural gap because of resources, but there is no improvement. So that's my point. We need to do something to close this gap," she states at [00:39].

• Impact of Trust Erosion: Dr. Biplab Dutta highlights how diminishing trust in public health institutions leads to fewer doctor visits and potentially worse health outcomes. "When disease rates go up, everywhere, where people live still plays an unequal role," he explains at [01:40].

Orlando Montoya adds, "Dutta says continued erosion of trust for public health means fewer people are seeing doctors and the public could be sicker than we know," at [01:49].

2. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene Introduces Bill to Abolish USAID

In a significant political move, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced legislation aimed at abolishing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This initiative is positioned as part of Greene's commitment to eliminating what she deems "wasteful government spending."

Legislative Context:

• The bill coincided with a federal judge's temporary halt on former President Trump's plans to remove thousands of USAID staffers.
• The Trump administration, alongside Elon Musk’s teams, had previously suspended most USAID funding, affecting critical aid and development programs globally, including efforts to procure American-grown food for millions and water aid for Sudan's Darfur region.

Legislative Details:

• The bill garners support from twelve Republican co-sponsors.
• It has been referred to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations for further deliberation.

3. Senator Jon Ossoff Raises National Security Concerns Over Elon Musk's Data Access

Senator Jon Ossoff has issued a stern warning about the potential national security risks posed by Elon Musk's access to sensitive American personal information. As a member of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, Ossoff is leading the charge to address these concerns.

Key Points:

• Access to Classified Information: Musk's staffers have been granted access to classified and sensitive government data, including Social Security numbers and bank account details of millions of Americans.

• Legal Challenges: A federal judge recently blocked Musk's team from accessing Treasury Department records, challenging the executive's authority to permit such access. Ossoff and his colleagues assert that Congress lacks crucial information about the identities and activities of Musk’s staffers involved.

Ossoff emphasizes in a letter, "Congress has not been told who those staff members are, what exactly they're doing and under what authority they're doing it," reflecting deep reservations about the transparency and oversight of this arrangement.

Peter Biello summarizes, "Top Trump administration officials, including Musk and Vice President J.D. Vance, over the weekend questioned the judge's authority to check," at [03:52].

4. Public Health Priorities According to Recent Poll

A collaborative poll between Gallup and Emory University reveals that Georgia residents prioritize healthcare, safe food and water, and the reduction of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

Poll Details:

• Sample Size: Over 2,000 participants shared their views on public health priorities, progress, and trusted information sources.

• Top Trusted Sources: Healthcare providers, doctors and nurses, and scientific research emerged as the most trusted sources of information.

Expert Commentary: Dr. Stephen Patrick from Emory's Rollins School of Public Health comments, "When public health works, you don't hear anything about it. When it doesn't, you start to hear something about it," highlighting the often invisible yet critical role of effective public health systems at [04:23].

5. Georgia Power's 2025 Integrated Resource Plan and Clean Energy Developments

The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to conduct three public hearings on Georgia Power's 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), outlining the company's strategy for electricity generation over the next two decades. These hearings, scheduled for late March, late May, and a rebuttal in late June, are pivotal for state approval.

Clean Energy Update:

• Freyr Battery's Abandoned Project: Freyr Battery announced its withdrawal from building a $2.6 billion electric battery factory in metro Atlanta. The company has shifted focus to purchasing a solar panel plant in Texas instead. Officials report that Freyr will repay the $7 million allocated for the site in Noonan, which was intended for a facility that would have been the world's second-largest battery factory.

6. Atlanta Beltline Partnership Appoints New Board Chair

The Atlanta Beltline Partnership has named Beth Chandler, the chief legal officer at Rollins, as its new board chair. Chandler succeeds Kathy Farrell and will lead fundraising and other initiatives for the nonprofit organization managing the Beltline—a 22-mile pedestrian and bike-friendly path slated for completion by 2030.

7. Sports Highlights:

• Jaylon Carter's Victory: Former Georgia defensive tackle Jaylon Carter celebrates his Super Bowl win with the Philadelphia Eagles, preventing a three-peat by the Kansas City Chiefs.

• Trae Young's All-Star Selection: Atlanta guard Trae Young has been added to the NBA All-Star roster as an injury replacement. Initially disappointed by not being selected through the standard nominating process, Young's participation has been confirmed by Commissioner Adam Silver at [04:51].

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Stay informed with Georgia Today for comprehensive coverage of the issues that matter to you. Subscribe to the podcast and visit gpb.org/news for the latest updates.

Transcript

[Peter Biello]

Foreign welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast from GPB News. Today is Monday, February 10th. I'm Peter Biello. On this podcast, you'll hear the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. You can send story tips and feedback to Georgia todaypb.org On today's episode, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduces legislation to abolish USAID. U.S. senator Jon Ossoff warns of a possible national security risk regarding your data, and a new report highlights the way where you live in Georgia could determine your health.

[Sophie Gradas]

We know there is an arboretal gap because of resources. We need to do something to close this gap.

[Peter Biello]

These stories and more are coming up on this edition of Georgia Today. The annual Healthy Georgia report from Augusta University School of Public Health suggests Georgia is not so healthy. While there have been some improvements in rates of cancer and drug use, as GPB's Sophie Gratis reports, other findings around preventable diseases may be cause for concern.

[Orlando Montoya]

For instance, data on sexually transmitted diseases were considered for the first time in the report's history, Georgia was found to rank higher than other Southeastern states for rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia, predicted. Researchers also found more people living with more than one chronic disease. These multimorbidities have been especially tough to treat post Covid. Dr. Biplab Dutta of Augusta University says as disease rates go up, everywhere, where people live still plays an unequal role.

[Sophie Gradas]

We know there is an urban rural gap because of resources, but there is no improvement. So that's my point. We need to do something to close this gap.

[Orlando Montoya]

Plus, Dutta says continued erosion of trust for public health means fewer people are seeing doctors and the public could be sicker than we know. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gradas.

[Peter Biello]

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced legislation to abolish usaid. In her statement on the legislation filed Friday, Greene says the move is part of her commitment to eliminate wasteful government spending. The legislation was filed the same day a federal judge ordered a temporary halt on President Trump's plans to pull thousands of agency staffers off the job. Trump administration appointees and billionaire Elon Musk's teams have shut down almost all funding for the agency, stopping aid and development programs worldwide. Some programs whose funding has been stopped include those aimed at buying enough American grown food to feed millions of people and water aid programs for Sudan's Darfur region. The bill has a dozen co sponsors, all Republican, and has been referred to the committees on Foreign affairs and Appropriations. US Senator Jon Ossoff is warning that billionaire Elon Musk's access to American sensitive personal information could create a national security risk, GPB's Orlando Montoya reports.

[Sophie Gradas]

Ossoff is a member of the U.S. senate Intelligence Committee. He and other senators are urging the White House to address the dangers of giving Musk's staff access to classified information and sensitive government data. President Trump has tapped Musk to cut federal spending. A federal judge on Saturday blocked Musk's staff from accessing Treasury Department records that contained sensitive personal data, such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans. In their letter, Ossoff and others argue Congress has not been told who those staff members are, what exactly they're doing and under what authority they're doing it. Top Trump administration officials, including Musk and Vice President J.D. vance, over the weekend questioned the judge's authority to check what Vance on Sunday called the executive's legitimate power. For GPB News, I'm Orlando Montoya.

[Peter Biello]

According to a new poll from Gallup and Emory University, people prioritize healthcare, safe food and water and the reduction of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. GPB's Ellen Eldredge has more.

[Ellen Eldredge]

More than 2,000 people shared their views on public health priorities, progress and sources of trusted information as part of the poll. Dr. Stephen Patrick is with Emory's Rollins School of Public Health. He says while pandemic preparedness was not a top concern, he worries about local disease outbreaks like measles and avian flu.

[Dr. Stephen Patrick]

When we see funding for agencies stop or we see data transmission stop, that will trickle down into what's happening in every community that ultimately keeps us safe. When public health works, you don't hear anything about it. When it doesn't, you start to hear something about it, patrick says.

[Ellen Eldredge]

The top three trusted sources were healthcare providers, doctors and nurses, and scientific research. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldredge.

[Peter Biello]

The Georgia Public Service Commission will hold three public hearings on Georgia Power's 2025 integrated resour. The IRP is Georgia Power's plan for how it generates electricity for the next two decades, and it must be approved by the state. Part of the approval process includes public hearings scheduled for late March and late May and a rebuttal hearing in late June. A clean energy company is abandoning a plan to build a giant electric battery factory in metro Atlanta after it shifted to buy a solar panel plant in Texas. Freyr Battery told officials in Noonan last week that it would not build a $2.6 billion plant that was supposed to hire more than seven people. It would have been the second largest battery factory worldwide when announced in 2023, but Freyr never began construction. Georgia officials say the company is working to repay $7 million that was conveyed to buy the site. The Atlanta Beltline Partnership has appointed a new board chair. Beth Chandler, the chief legal officer at pest control company Rollins, is taking the helm of the nonprofit that supports the Beltline through fundraising and other initiatives. The Atlanta beltline is a 22 mile pedestrian and bike friendly path encircling that is expected to be completed by 2030. Chandler takes over for Kathy Farrell, who served for two years in sports in the NFL, former Georgia defensive tackle Jaylon Carter has become a Super bowl champion. Carter was a member of last night's super bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles who prevented a three peat for the Kansas City Chiefs. And in the NBA, Atlanta guard Trae Young is headed to the NBA All Star Game after all. Commissioner Adam Silver announced today that he added Young to the All Star roster as an injury replacement. Young was originally displeased when he was not picked for the game through the balloting for the starters or the coach's selections of reserve players. And that is a wrap on Georgia Today. But we've got more news coming your way tomorrow, so don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and make sure you go to gpb.org news for all the latest updates. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.