Representing You: Georgia lawmakers unite to denounce Russia

Georgia lawmakers weighed in last week on the Russian invasion of Ukraine with condemnation and a determination not to do business with the government that brought on the war.

The Georgia Senate unanimously passed legislation prohibiting companies owned or operated by the Russian government from bidding on state contracts.

“The killing of innocent women, children and men has to stop,” said Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, the bill’s chief sponsor. “If we can send a message, this is one we need to send.”

Senators amended the bill to add the government of Belarus to the ban on state contracts.

“Belarus is allowing its territory to be used as a staging ground for attacks on Ukraine,” said Sen. Marty Harbin, R-Tyrone, the amendment’s sponsor.

Separately, the state House of Representatives unanimously approved a resolution condemning the invasion and calling on President Joe Biden and Congress to work toward bringing the conflict to a peaceful end.

“It is important to say what should be obvious – to stand with good against evil,” said House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, the resolution’s chief sponsor.

Ralston noted that both the House Republican and Democratic leaders cosponsored the resolution.

“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue,” he said. “On this point, politics stops at the water’s edge.”

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

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