Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR198 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 112 2787
2	2	House Resolution 198
3	3	By: Representatives Oliver of the 84
4	4	th
5	5	, Drenner of the 85
6	6	th
7	7	, Davis of the 87
8	8	th
9	9	, Evans of the
10	10	57
11	11	th
12	12	, Williams of the 37
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A RESOLUTION
16	16	Recognizing February 13, 2025, as New Americans Day at the state capitol; and for other
17	17	1
18	18	purposes.2
19	19	WHEREAS, for the past 12 years, New Americans Day celebrations have brought hundreds3
20	20	of new Americans, friends, and community supporters to the state capitol annually for a day4
21	21	of education and celebration; and5
22	22	WHEREAS, Georgia has a long history of extending welcome to new Americans from6
23	23	around the world, giving them an opportunity to live, work, and thrive in the state; and7
24	24	WHEREAS, today, one in ten Georgians—more than one million people—are foreign-born,8
25	25	bringing valuable skills and talents from countries around the world to the state; and9
26	26	WHEREAS, approximately one in eight Georgia workers is foreign-born, as are one in five10
27	27	doctors and home health aides; one in five science and technology professionals; one in five11
28	28	manufacturing workers; and nearly half of all workers in the construction industry; and12
29	29	H. R. 198
30	30	- 1 - 25 LC 112 2787
31	31	WHEREAS, foreign-born Georgians are 41 percent more likely than others to start new
32	32	13
33	33	businesses in the state, accounting for more than 20 percent of entrepreneurs in the state and14
34	34	generating more than $2.5 billion in business income annually; and15
35	35	WHEREAS, hardworking foreign-born Georgians across all sectors paid over $11 billion in16
36	36	federal, state, and local taxes and held more than $32 billion in spending power in 202117
37	37	alone; and18
38	38	WHEREAS, nearly half of all foreign-born Georgians are already naturalized United States19
39	39	citizens eligible to vote and many more are on the path toward citizenship; and 20
40	40	WHEREAS, foreign-born Georgians were never more essential to the state than during the21
41	41	COVID-19 pandemic, serving in disproportionate numbers in front line jobs in hospitals and22
42	42	assisted living facilities, farms and food processing plants, warehouses and delivery services,23
43	43	and more; and24
44	44	WHEREAS, since the withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan in August 202125
45	45	and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia has provided refuge to thousands and26
46	46	granted humanitarian parole to escape those countries and come to safety in the United27
47	47	States, including many who risked their lives to support the United States' mission overseas;28
48	48	and29
49	49	WHEREAS, Georgia has one of the oldest and most successful refugee programs in the30
50	50	United States, with approximately 90 percent of refugees economically self-sufficient within31
51	51	six months; and32
52	52	H. R. 198
53	53	- 2 - 25 LC 112 2787
54	54	WHEREAS, Georgia is a welcoming home for peoples of all origins and from all walks of
55	55	33
56	56	life, and it is abundantly fitting and proper that these new Americans be appropriately34
57	57	recognized.35
58	58	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that36
59	59	the members of this body recognize and commend the manifold contributions of immigrants37
60	60	to the State of Georgia and recognize February 13, 2025, as New Americans Day at the state38
61	61	capitol.39
62	62	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized40
63	63	and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the41
64	64	public and the press.42
65	65	H. R. 198
66	66	- 3 -