Imagine you’re an inventor. After investing your life savings, and spending countless late nights refining your product, you’ve managed to turn your good idea into a thriving small business.
Can you articulate why government doesn’t need to be big? If not, then maybe you are among the ones who hide behind the “I don’t won’t to get involved” copout.
Most of us have heard people say something along the lines of “I get more out of it than they do” when talking about the volunteer experience. Some will even couch that statement with “I know it sounds cliché, but …” as if others may not believe the genuine feeling they get from their belief.
This weekend we commemorate Memorial Day to honor those who died in military service to this country. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I work to ensure America provides the best care for its military, veterans and families.
Electricity generation is no longer the leading source of carbon emissions in our state, this according to Drawdown Georgia, a group of scientists and researchers from multiple universities led by Georgia Tech’s Marilyn Brown.
Memorial Day is on my mind. Looking at the history of that day, one can do their own research and find out the true meaning of Memorial Day, why we celebrate it, how it was purposely made a three-day weekend, etc.
I called my uncle the other day just to say hi. As we started to close the conversation, he said something that kind of brought back some memories. He said, “You know we lived some of the best of times.”
Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. — II Corinthians 9:6
We faced each other like a couple of gunslingers at high noon. I was a young zookeeper, armed with a three-foot-long stick called a bull hook. My opponent brought his pair of impressive ivory tusks and six-thousand-pounds of bulk. Bwana stood about 20 yards away, facing me with his trunk up …
Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother. Birth is the epicenter of a woman’s power.
It’s getting close to that time again. November ... local elections ... mayor ... commissioners and others. Trolling for your vote.
I do not hold myself out to be an expert concerning art and artistic expression. I suppose that is a good thing, considering I struggle to draw stick figures and still believe “Dogs Playing Poker” should hang in the Louvre.
After an unprecedented year of business development with more than $21 billion of investment from 348 projects in 2022, Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, and the Georgia General Assembly have proven they are dedicated to continuing that trend in 2023.
“We hanged our harps upon the willows … for there they that carried us away captive required of us a song.” Psalm 137:2-3
There are two types of caretakers in this world: One, it’s their profession and they receive a salary. Second is a family caretaker.
If you turn on the news, real or fake, these are the topics that are making up 90% of the airtime or newspapers that we tune in to or read. It’s dominating our government’s conversation 24/7. Now I ask you, do you really know what they are talking about? Do you really care. Do you have your …
Over the last three months, we in the General Assembly worked diligently to pass meaningful legislation on behalf of our Georgia citizens for the betterment of our state. Below is an overview of the a few bills we passed in the final days of the session.
The Senate worked hard throughout the legislative session to pass significant bills that benefit Georgians, and I am proud of the work we accomplished. This year, Senate Republicans sent 15 of our 21 caucus priorities to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk. Our caucus took on tough challenges and advance…
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following column first appeared in The Washington Examiner. It is reprinted with permission.
As I am getting ready to go to church, then work, I find myself in the privacy of my bathroom simply looking at all the bottles I have on my vanity.
It was Saturday morning on Feb. 15 in Telford, England. The thief crept up to the gates of the factory and scouted the site. He returned, carrying a metal grinder and proceeded to bore open the gate. He quietly carried the grinder away, then opened a truck door, climbed in and backed the tru…
The end of session is quickly approaching, and we will reach Legislative Day 40, also known as “sine die,” on Wednesday.
Last week brought the conclusion of our 11th week under the Gold Dome. As we have completed 38 of 40 legislative days, we are working tirelessly to pass our legislation prior to our end-of-session deadline. It is important to remember that any legislation not reaching passage this session wi…
Spring Break is an opportunity for families to escape their monotonous daily routine and indulge in relaxation. And whether your family is jetting off for spring break or has a staycation planned close to home, spending some quality time together is likely high on your list.
Monday kicked off the 10th week of the 2023 legislative session. Following Crossover Day, we have set our focus on reviewing Senate legislation, now under consideration in the House. In addition to reviewing senate bills, the last days of the session will be an ongoing effort to ensure our l…
The Georgia General Assembly reconvened for the 10th week of the 2023 legislative session on March 13. On March 14th, the House passed Senate Bill 3, or the “Reducing Barriers to State Employment Act of 2023.” SB 3 would require the Georgia Department of Administrative Services to regularly …
Both bodies worked through the evening on Crossover Day to deliberate and vote upon legislation that needed to pass out of their chamber to remain eligible for a vote. By the day’s end, the Senate deemed 50 bills worthy of passage. The days following Crossover Day have been dedicated to perf…
The House took up legislation well into the night on Crossover Day, adjourning just before midnight. Following Crossover Day, we continued to convene on the House floor, where we passed our version of the full 2024 Fiscal Year budget and heard Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael P. B…
The Georgia House of Representatives reconvened for Crossover Day March 6, 2023. Crossover Day is a crucial deadline for the House and Senate, as this is the last day for bills to pass out of their chamber of origin in order to remain eligible for consideration this session. By the time we a…
Building upon last year’s Mental Health Parity Act, the House overwhelmingly passed House Bill 520 this week to continue to streamline and improve the state’s behavioral health care system and expand its work force.
The NCAA basketball tournament, known as March Madness, is one of the most exciting sporting events of the year. In addition to witnessing some of the best upcoming basketball talent in the nation, you will expect the amount of alcohol to be consumed by young adults to skyrocket.
Last week our work under the Gold Dome continued as we reconvened for the seventh week of the legislative session. The longer days in the chamber were well worth it as we were able to pass and send more than 30 House bills to the Senate for consideration.
As we close Black History Month, it is fitting to highlight Osceola Marie Macarthy, who was born June 13, 1890, in Albany to Charles and Julia Macarthy. She attended Albany Normal College (the predecessor of Albany State College), Fisk University, and her alma mater, Howard University (Class…
Jesus’ hometown was a village very isolated from the rest of the world. Nazareth sat geographically in a small valley carved into a ridge. Unless one climbed the ridge, no one could see into the village from the outside, and the people of Nazareth could not see out into the world.
“They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”
I wrote the following column 10 years ago. Note the absence of any accountability or regret by Bush, Cheney and their co-war criminals.
Are we going to burn the ships and stay all-in or bail out on our commitments?
We all need physical safety before we can do anything else. Without a roof over our heads, that sense of security is impossible. And with two small children in tow, things get scary.
The Georgia House of Representatives kicked off the fifth week of the 2023 legislative session on Feb. 6 as we make our way toward day 40. The pace has greatly increased and led last week to the passage of several House bills that will greatly impact Georgia’s infrastructure.
The Georgia House of Representatives kicked off the fifth week of the 2023 legislative session by overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to protect our critical infrastructure overseen by the Georgia Ports Authority, including the Port of Savannah.
I will walk at liberty, for I seek your precepts. — Psalm 119:45
For many others, it can be a dreaded reminder of being single and can hash up past memories. This can be particularly trying for someone in recovery from addiction. Most people fresh out of rehab are not jumping into the dating scene.
On a hot summer afternoon shortly after our grandson turned 6, Cindy and I were working in our backyard while Krischan was busy pulling our green utility cart here and there. We were thirsty, so we asked him if he’d go up to the house to get us something to drink. Krischan walked up to the h…
Baby Boomers and even Generation X'ers of a certain vintage may well remember a catchy jingle, which can easily become an earworm, celebrating the work of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) urging Americans to buy clothing manufactured in America, by American workers.
The siren-song of “free money” from Washington continues to echo in state capitals. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia have expanded their Medicaid programs to those making up to 138% of the federal poverty level since the Affordable Care Act opened the federal Treasury for that…
The timber industry contributes greatly to our south Georgia economy, and our community supports policies that will help our agribusinesses to thrive and create good-paying jobs. The logging trucks crisscrossing our region take much-needed timber to points across the world and support famili…
February is Black History Month. It is a yearly celebration of accomplishments by African Americans and a period for recognizing their pivotal role in this country’s history.
As our nation reacts to two avoidable deaths, Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn., and activist/protestor Manuel Teran, illegally camping on the grounds of the former Old Atlanta Prison Farm, one similarity stands out between the two deaths.
As spring approaches, so does the in-service date for Plant Vogtle’s Unit 3, the first of two nuclear reactors under construction in Georgia. If Unit 3 enters service in April as projected, should we congratulate Georgia Power? Is it time to celebrate the Georgia Public Service Commission fo…
My name is Anne Allen Westbrook, and I represent Georgia House District 163, Savannah and Chatham County.
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