Friends,
Happy New Year to all those celebrating the Lunar New Year in House District 50 and beyond!
This past week we finished our second full week of the 2025 session. And while many of the big milestones still lie ahead, we’ve been incredibly busy working our bills, attending committees, welcoming our communities to the Capitol, and serving our district at home.
Let’s see what we’ve been up to under the Gold Dome!
TRUMP ACTIONS AND IMPACTS TO GEORGIA
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
Since President Trump took office barely two weeks ago, his administration and its actions has been characterized by a rapid-fire, chaotic, and what many would consider aggressive disregard for the rule of law and the very constitution he swore to “preserve, protect, and defend” on January 20th.
Let’s walk through just a few of his early executive actions and break down how they impact Georgia.
TRUMP TARIFFS ON OUR TRADING PARTNERS
Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press
On Friday, the president announced he would place 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on goods from China effective February 1st. Experts generally predict this will cause a loss of income and jobs and lead to swift price increases of many common goods and supplies for U.S. consumers.
Most industries would be hit hard by the economic disruption of such high tariffs. American households and businesses could expect to pay higher prices for many goods, including avocados, beer, steel, cars and petroleum. Those higher prices would discourage purchases and most likely end up slowing the economy.
United States International Trade Commission, Sherwood
Trade, of course, is a two-way street. U.S. industries that export to Canada and Mexico could also be hurt if those countries reciprocally imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Numerous sectors in the United States, such as semiconductor and chemical manufacturers, rely on exporting to Mexico. Overall, exports to Mexico accounted for nearly 16% of overall American exports in 2022, while 17.3% of U.S. exports went to Canada, making Canada the largest buyer of U.S. goods that year.
For a president who campaigned on lowering costs and strengthening the economy, these actions are truly mind-boggling. Unfortunately, it is American consumers and businesses who will bear the brunt of these chaotic decisions.
FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE
I’m not going to sugar-coat this one. This evolving issue is deeply confusing to essentially everyone, and there has been a shocking lack of clarity on who is affected and how this will impact the state of Georgia.
Here is what we do know. (For precision I am directly sharing the language from this financial site, which walks through the issue succinctly.)
“On January 27, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memo to the heads of all executive departments and agencies of the federal government, requiring a temporary pause in all activity and a mandatory review of all funded agencies and programs.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post
The OMB’s original memo sparked significant confusion across the country when it was released. The funding pause impacted federal financial assistance (defined by 2CFR 200.1), which pulled in agencies, programs, funding, loans, grants, and much more across all areas of government.
While the memo specifically exempted a few programs from the funding freeze — Medicare, Social Security, and assistance directly received by individuals — it was silent on just about everything else.
As questions mounted, OMB released a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document on January 28, 2025, attempting to explain the original memo and citing other exempted funding streams such as student loans, Medicaid, SNAP, and rental assistance. However, agency actions and on-the-ground impacts across industries were already being felt.
For example, federal grantees were being told by funding agencies grantees couldn’t draw down funding or process reimbursements during the pause and while agency reviews were ongoing.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post
Another example involved health care providers — like community health centers — and states that encountered problems accessing the Medicaid Payment Portal, even though one of the January 28 FAQs specifically stated Medicaid was not subject to a funding pause.
Then, on January 29, 2025, less than 48 hours after the original OMB memo (M-25-13) was released, OMB released another memo (M-25-14) rescinding it. The two-sentence memo stated, ‘OMB Memorandum M-25-13 is rescinded. If you have questions about implementing the President’s Executive Orders, please contact your agency General Counsel.’
This recent action impacts the OMB memo, but it doesn’t impact other executive orders (EOs) already released from President Donald Trump’s administration. If your organization’s funding is tied to other EOs, you may still experience issues. For example, some organizations received notices to cease programming funded by specific federal agencies prior to the January 27 OMB memo. Expect this agency-by-agency evaluation to continue.”
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Meanwhile, two federal judges have issued temporary restraining orders blocking the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze payments for grants and other programs. The Friday ruling stems from a lawsuit filed earlier this week by Democratic attorneys general in 22 states and the District of Columbia. For now, the order blocks any suspension of federal dollars to the states that were party to the suit.
Georgia, with its Republican Attorney General and its Republican majority in all branches of government, is not among those states.
While the funding freeze is, for now, being paused as the issue is litigated, its harms, and potential harms, are already being felt around the state.
Georgia receives tens of billions of dollars in federal grants and loans. This breakdown from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution assesses that the federal funding freeze could affect the following in Georgia, among many other programs and projects:
- Childcare for low-income families funded by Childcare and Parent Services. Child care funding is part of more than $250 billion in federal spending under the U.S. Department of Education that is under review.
- Small business grants and loans. Tens of billions of dollars in federal loans and grants are administered by the Small Business Administration. Per the SBA, nearly all of the businesses in Georgia (99.7%) are small businesses.
Discover Atlanta
- Funding for economic development, homeowner assistance, transportation and the arts. This could include funding for Metro Atlanta projects that have received nearly a quarter of a billion dollars through the Reconnecting Communities program, including development of the Atlanta Beltline and Centennial Yards.
- Funding from the National Institute of Health, which in 2023 supported 11,816 jobs and $2.18 billion in economic activity in Georgia. Recall, of course, that Georgia is the home to several preeminent academic medical centers, as well as to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
United for Medical Research, FY 2023 NIH funding
Source: United for Medical Research, FY 2023 NIH funding
There’s really no way to spin this. This federal funding freeze, and the uncertainty and destruction it continues to cause, is catastrophic, and no one, including the Trump Administration, seems to have a full understanding of where we are or what comes next.
GOVERNOR KEMP’S PRIORITY: TORT REFORM
Miguel Martinez/AJC
Read full article here
Governor Kemp has made it clear that his number one priority this session is an overhaul of Georgia’s legal system aimed at limiting frivolous lawsuits and curbing runaway jury awards, with the stated goal of slowing rising insurance rates. This issue is colloquially referred to as “tort reform.”
The governor’s focus on this issue, along with the many large and monied interests involved on both sides, sets up what is bound to be a bruising fight that will span the entire session, and possibly beyond.
As a practicing physician I have long noted that the legal environment here in Georgia has been hostile to the practice of medicine. This includes our approach to health insurance access and our restrictive reproductive health laws, many of which have yielded the demonstrable effect of turning healthcare providers away from practice in Georgia.
And part of that relates to the medical malpractice environment in the state, which has been characterized by large verdicts, sometimes in excess of what insurance covers, an expensive malpractice insurance market, and no limits on damages that can be collected.
The governor’s two bill slate (SB 68 and SB 69) was just filed at the end of the last week, carried by the Senate’s President Pro Tem. I plan to read these bills carefully and follow it closely through what I presume will be a contentious process moving through the Senate.
THE BIPARTISAN PEDIATRIC HEALTH SAFE STORAGE ACT
This week we unveiled the bipartisan slate of lawmakers sponsoring HB 1, the Pediatric Health Safe Storage Act.
I was pleased to join my lead co-sponsor, Republican Representative Sharon Cooper, on GPB “Lawmakers” this week to talk about our work on this bill, along with several other health policy priorities we are each bringing this session. Rep. Cooper is a retired nurse with training in pediatric care, and she understands as well as anyone the health costs of preventable gun violence.
See full story on 11 Alive News
Thank you to Donna Lowry and our friends at GPB Studios for having us on to discuss gun violence prevention! Keep at eye on this session as we work together to move HB 1 to a hearing and a vote this year.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Please join us at the Capitol for a press conference on school safety and gun violence prevention on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4th. We will be joined by Layla Renee Contreras, the lead organizer of “Change for Chee,” and Isebel Trejo, a senior at Apalachee High School who was in one of classrooms this September when a 14 year old shooter, in possession of a semiautomatic assault-style rifle, murdered four people and injured nine more.
Family members, advocates, and legislators will be available for questions at the end of the event.
TEAM AU IN ACTION
LUNAR NEW YEAR DAY AT THE CAPITOL
Watch full video of the lion dance here
Georgia’s Legislative Asian American Pacific Islander Caucuswas pleased to invite Georgians from all over the state to join our second annualLunar New Year Day at the Capitol on January 29th! We were able to celebrate with a traditional lion dance, and to present resolutions honoring the work and leadership of several honorees representing the AAPI diaspora here in Georgia!
Honorees included:
- The Chien Hong School of Kong Fu, the first lion dance troupe to ever perform at the Georgia State Capitol, led by Shifu Gary Mitchell
- Mary D’Souza Sequeira, an Indian Olympian and one of the first woman athletes to represent India in the Olympics
- The Chinese-American Business Association of Atlanta (CBAA), celebrating their 32nd anniversary of supporting the Chinese-American business owners in Georgia
- AHIMSA-End Gun Violence, a grassroots organization mentoring students on gun violence prevention advocacy
- The Georgia AAPI Hub, a non-partisan organization promoting AAPI political engagement and AAPI voter turnout in local, state, and national elections
I was personally thrilled to bring my constituent Mary D’Souza Sequeira and her family to the Capitol, so I could present her resolution from the House floor where she could be recognized by all the lawmakers in the chamber. Congratulations to the honorees, and Happy Lunar New Year to all!
GEORGIA MAJORITY FOR GUN SAFETY
Proud of the work Georgia Majority for Gun Safety and Georgia Clinicians for Gun Safety have been doing all over the state these past few years to advance the legislative priorities that will make our communities safer.
I was honored to join them for their advocacy day at the Capitol this past week as they continued to push on a number of key issues, including advancing HB 1, the Pediatric Health Safe Storage Act.
I was glad that this day also coincided with a day that some of our metro Atlanta Emergency Medicine residents were also there for their health advocacy day! Injury and violence prevention, especially in children and teenagers, is a top priority for these trainees, and they each wrote notes to the Speaker of the House encouraging him to allow HB 1 to progress.
Thank you everyone for all that you do for our communities!
MLK UNITY BREAKFAST IN JOHNS CREEK
It was wonderful seeing friends and community members at the 2nd Annual Johns Creek Unity Breakfast honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King!
I enjoyed hearing former state House Rep. Melvin Everson, civil rights activist John Suttles, co-founder of The Gandhi Foundation Subash Razdan, and Chair of the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce Shay Foley share their thoughts on the importance of on nonviolent change and civic engagement.
Congratulations to Mayor Bradberry and the Johns Creek City Council on another successful event!
CELEBRATING LUNAR NEW YEAR WITH CBAA
Delighted to join our friends from the Chinese Business Association of Atlanta for their annual meeting and Lunar New Year Celebration earlier last week!
CBAA was one of the community organizations the AAPI Caucus recognized at our Lunar New Year Day at the Capitol on January 29th. Our Chinese American business community has been central to Georgia’s success, and it’s my honor to be able to represent so many of you at the Capitol as we celebrate another year of success, health, and prosperity! 新年快乐, Happy New Year!
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It has never been more important to pay attention to the work of state legislatures. Thank you as ever for your support so that we can keep doing this most important work together.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office should you need any assistance, or if you have any concerns you’d like me to address on your behalf.
It is my honor to be your voice in the Georgia House of Representatives.
In service,
