--- title: SR 683. United Service Organizations; congratulate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr683 cite_as: SR 683, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr683 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr683.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr683/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72735 date: 2026-02-03 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/sr682.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr684.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr683.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 683 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-03 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/SR683/2025 upstream_id: 2104391 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - military support - veterans and service members - Georgia National Guard - legislative commendation --- # SR 683. United Service Organizations; congratulate ## Text Senate Resolution 683 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 Service Organizations; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the United Service 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 Service 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 Service 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 Service Organizations (USO) on its 85th anniversary and recognizes its support for military members and families across Georgia. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It marks the 85th anniversary of the United Service Organizations (USO), a nonprofit founded in 1941 that supports U.S. military members and their families. The resolution recounts the USO's history, its founding by six agencies, and its ongoing work at military installations in Georgia including Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Robins Air Force Base, Dobbins Air Force Base, Moody Air Force Base, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, Hunter Army Airfield, and the Georgia National Guard. The Senate formally congratulates and commends the USO for its service and wishes it continued success. It also directs the Clerk of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to the organization. The resolution creates no new rules, funding, or legal requirements. ### What it does - Formally congratulates the United Service Organizations on 85 years of service supporting U.S. military members and their families. - Commends the USO for its contributions to Georgia citizens, including support at Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, and other military installations. - Directs the Clerk of the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the USO. - Creates no new laws, funding, or regulatory requirements, since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a bill amending Georgia code. ### Who it affects The United Service Organizations as an institution, along with U.S. service members and their families connected to Georgia military installations such as Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Robins Air Force Base, and the Georgia National Guard, who are the focus of the USO's work described in the resolution. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic weight rather than practical effect. It does not change any law, create funding, or impose requirements, but it puts the Georgia Senate on record honoring an organization that supports military families connected to the state's bases and National Guard. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe the USO's 1941 founding by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and its formation from six original service agencies. - It lists specific Georgia military installations where the USO operates, including Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Fort Gordon, Robins AFB, Dobbins AFB, Moody AFB, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, and Hunter Army Airfield. - The resolved clause has the Senate congratulate and commend the USO and wish it continued success. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy for distribution to the USO. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-03) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-03) - 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/72735 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr683.md?full=1