| 1 | 1 | | 23 LC 112 1698 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Senate Resolution 5EX |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Senators Kennedy of the 18th, Sims of the 12th, Gooch of the 51st, Robertson of the |
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| 4 | 4 | | 29th, Walker III of the 20th and others |
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| 5 | 5 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | Honoring the life and memory of Rosalynn Carter; and for other purposes. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1 |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens2 |
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| 9 | 9 | | with the passing of Rosalynn Carter on November 19, 2023; and3 |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, born on August 18, 1927, in Plains, Georgia, as Eleanor Rosalynn Smith, she4 |
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| 11 | 11 | | was the beloved daughter of Wilburn and Frances Smith; and5 |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, she excelled academically, becoming valedictorian of her senior class at Plains6 |
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| 13 | 13 | | High School, and continued her education at Georgia Southwestern College, where she met7 |
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| 14 | 14 | | and fell in love with her future husband, Jimmy Carter; and8 |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, her life took on a new dimension when Jimmy was elected as the Governor of9 |
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| 16 | 16 | | Georgia in 1971, and she navigated the challenges of being the First Lady of Georgia with10 |
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| 17 | 17 | | grace and commitment to causes close to her heart, such as mental health awareness and11 |
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| 18 | 18 | | prison reform; and12 |
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| 19 | 19 | | S. R. 5EX |
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| 20 | 20 | | - 1 - 23 LC 112 1698 |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, by the time Jimmy ran for president in 1976, Rosalynn's new-found experience |
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| 22 | 22 | | 13 |
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| 23 | 23 | | and confidence in delivering speeches, advocating for causes, and interacting with legislators14 |
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| 24 | 24 | | distinguished her as a trailblazer and enabled her to continue fighting for reform; and15 |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, just five weeks after Inauguration Day, the President's Commission on Mental16 |
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| 26 | 26 | | Health was established with Rosalynn serving as honorary chairperson, which later17 |
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| 27 | 27 | | recommended a sweeping new Mental Health Systems Act that called for more community18 |
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| 28 | 28 | | centers and additional access to mental health services; and19 |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, as the First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn continuously broke new and20 |
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| 30 | 30 | | vital ground by actively participating in cabinet meetings and National Security Council21 |
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| 31 | 31 | | briefings, addressing Congress on vital issues, and becoming the second-ever first lady to22 |
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| 32 | 32 | | testify before Congress when she spoke in defense of her commission's Act; and23 |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, her unwavering commitment to public service extended into her post-White24 |
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| 34 | 34 | | House years, where she co-founded the Carter Center in 1982 alongside her husband to25 |
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| 35 | 35 | | address global issues such as disease prevention, democracy-building, and conflict26 |
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| 36 | 36 | | resolution; and27 |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Rosalynn's dedication to helping her community and the underprivileged of the28 |
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| 38 | 38 | | world was evident in the countless hours she spent supporting the Americus-based29 |
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| 39 | 39 | | homebuilding organization Habitat for Humanity, for which she was an active participant in30 |
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| 40 | 40 | | building homes for families across the globe; and31 |
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| 41 | 41 | | WHEREAS, her commitment to service continued with the establishment of the Rosalynn32 |
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| 42 | 42 | | Carter Institute for Caregiving at Georgia Southwestern State University in 1987, which33 |
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| 43 | 43 | | S. R. 5EX |
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| 44 | 44 | | - 2 - 23 LC 112 1698 |
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| 45 | 45 | | provides training and research on issues related to mental illness and long-term disabilities; |
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| 46 | 46 | | 34 |
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| 47 | 47 | | and35 |
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| 48 | 48 | | WHEREAS, in the face of health challenges, Rosalynn remained steadfast in her devotion36 |
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| 49 | 49 | | to her family and her country, leaving behind a legacy of advocacy, resilience, and37 |
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| 50 | 50 | | partnership that has left an indelible mark on the nation and the world.38 |
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| 51 | 51 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body39 |
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| 52 | 52 | | join in honoring the life and memory of Rosalynn Carter and express their deepest and most40 |
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| 53 | 53 | | sincere regret at her passing.41 |
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| 54 | 54 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed42 |
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| 55 | 55 | | to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of43 |
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| 56 | 56 | | Rosalynn Carter.44 |
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| 57 | 57 | | S. R. 5EX |
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| 58 | 58 | | - 3 - |
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