--- title: SR 643. United States Organizations; congratulate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr643 cite_as: SR 643, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr643 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr643.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr643/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72581 date: 2026-01-29 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr642.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr644.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr643.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 643 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-29 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sonya Halpern - Michael Rhett - Kenya Wicks - Tonya Anderson - Matt Brass - Ed Harbison - Kay Kirkpatrick - Chuck Payne - Ed Setzler - Max Burns text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR643/2025 upstream_id: 2100451 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - military support - veterans and service members - USO - Georgia National Guard - legislative resolutions --- # SR 643. United States Organizations; congratulate ## Text Senate Resolution 643 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Rhett of the 33rd, Wicks of the 34th, Anderson of the 43rd, Brass of the 6th and others A RESOLUTION Congratulating and commending the United States Organizations; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the United States Organizations (USO) will be celebrating the 85th anniversary of its founding on February 4, 2026; and WHEREAS, founded in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the USO is a private, congressionally chartered nonprofit uniting six agencies, YMCA,YWCA, National Catholic Community Service, the Salvation Army, the National Jewish Welfare Board, and Travelers Aide, to form the independent organization that serves as the nation's leading organization supporting the men and women of the United States military and their families, with a mission to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families; and WHEREAS, from the moment service members join the military, through their assignments and deployments, and as they transition back to their communities, the USO remains by their side throughout their time in uniform; and WHEREAS, the USO's leadership, volunteers, and donors are united by a shared commitment to service and devote countless hours, resources, and talents to connecting service members and their families to the nation's gratitude, support, and communities; and WHEREAS, today's USO continuously adapts to the evolving needs of the men and women in uniform and their families by operating centers, programs, and expeditionary services at or near military installations across the United States and around the world, including in combat zones and unstaffed service sites; and WHEREAS, in the State of Georgia, the USO provides programs, services, and expeditionary support at Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, The Georgia National Guard, and outreach to all Military Installations in Georgia to include Fort Gordon, Robins AFB, Dobbins AFB, Moody AFB, Albany Marine Corps Logistics, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base and Hunter Army Airfield; and WHEREAS, during times of national crisis, including the events of September 11, 2001, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the USO has remained steadfast in its mission, providing critical care and support to United States service members, including members of the Georgia National Guard; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this extraordinary nonprofit organization be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body congratulate the United States Organizations for 85 years of dedicated service, commend it for its many outstanding contributions on behalf of the citizens of Georgia, and extend best wishes for its continued growth, development, and success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the United States Organizations. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution congratulates the United States Organizations (USO) on its 85th anniversary and commends its support for military members and families in Georgia and beyond. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia Senate honoring the USO, the nonprofit that supports U.S. service members and their families, as it marks 85 years since its founding on February 4, 1941. The resolution recounts the USO's history, its formation from six service agencies including the YMCA and the Salvation Army, and its ongoing work at military installations in Georgia such as Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Robins Air Force Base, and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. The resolution does not change any Georgia law or create any program or funding. It simply has the Senate formally congratulate and commend the USO and directs the Secretary of the Senate's office to send a copy of the resolution to the organization. ### What it does - Formally congratulates the United States Organizations (USO) on the 85th anniversary of its founding. - Commends the USO for its contributions to service members and their families on behalf of Georgia citizens. - Directs the Clerk of the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the USO. - Creates no new law, funding, or ongoing state obligation; it is a symbolic statement of praise. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the United States Organizations (USO) as the honoree. It also references U.S. service members and their families at Georgia military installations including Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Robins Air Force Base, Dobbins Air Force Base, Moody Air Force Base, and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial effect; it does not change Georgia law, spend state money, or create programs. Its practical impact is limited to publicly recognizing the USO's decades of work supporting military families connected to Georgia's bases. ### Key provisions - The preamble ('whereas' clauses) recounts the USO's 1941 founding by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and its formation from six agencies including the YMCA and Salvation Army. - The preamble lists specific Georgia military sites the USO serves, including Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and the Georgia National Guard. - The resolving clause has the Senate congratulate and commend the USO for 85 years of service and wish it continued success. - A final clause directs the Clerk of the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the USO. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-29) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-01-29) - Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, Michael Rhett, Kenya Wicks, Tonya Anderson, Matt Brass, Ed Harbison, Kay Kirkpatrick, Chuck Payne, Ed Setzler, Max Burns - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72581 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr643.md?full=1