Commemorating National Police Week
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In honor of National Police Week, House Republicans passed three pieces of legislation to express support for law enforcement officers and agencies nationwide.
The violent crime wave occurring in cities across the country was largely avoidable and is a direct result of Democrats’ shameful, defund the police rhetoric. Those who put their lives on the line for the safety of others should be praised and admired, not demonized.
If you haven't done so already, take my National Police Week Survey HERE.
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I spoke on the House floor to express my gratitude for the brave men and women in uniform in Georgia's 12th District and across the country.
Watch my floor speech by clicking here or the image above.
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Testifying on Fort Gordon and the Savannah River Site
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I testified before the House Armed Services Committee during a Member Day Hearing on proposals for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024. The NDAA is historically bipartisan legislation that authorizes annual funding levels for the U.S. Armed Forces and sets expenditures for the Department of Defense (DOD).
Fort Gordon is home to the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, the U.S. Army Cyber Command, and the signal school headquarters. Building a 21st-century military is crucial to fielding the threats of today, tomorrow, and years to come in the ever-changing cyber environment—and that starts with the investments being made at Fort Gordon.
Check out my full testimony by clicking here or the image above. |
Bridging the Digital Divide
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Ensuring access to rural broadband is critical in today’s day and age. This week, I introduced H.R. 3298, the Broadband Expansion and Deployment Fee Equity and Efficiency Act, or "BEAD FEES Act," legislation that will improve transparency in the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment, or “BEAD,” Program—allowing accountability for application fees.
When deploying broadband technology, Congress must ensure that federal dollars are going towards broadband buildout, not unrelated costs. My bill was advanced out of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee on Wednesday and I am hopeful to see this legislation considered by the full Energy and Commerce Committee in the near future.
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I also penned an op-ed for the Washington Times about the importance of ensuring all Americans have reliable access to high-speed internet. To meet this goal, we need effective reforms to accelerate the build-out of high-speed connections, boost U.S. competitiveness, and ensure our farmers have the 21st-century tools necessary to increase production. My colleagues and I on the Energy and Commerce Committee will maintain our commitment to ending the digital divide. |
Last week, the House passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, mere hours before Title 42 expired. Title 42 was vital in curbing illegal immigration, allowing for the swift deportation of anyone crossing our border illegally. In just the first 72 hours since Title 42 ended, over 14,000 illegal aliens were apprehended.
I spoke on the House floor about this critical legislation and the dire need to secure our border. Watch my speech by clicking here. |
This Week's Committee Activity
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Education and the Workforce
Full Committee Hearing
"Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education"
On Tuesday, the House Education and the Workforce Committee held a full committee hearing where I pressed Secretary Miguel Cardona on the Biden Administration's student loan transfer scheme.
You can watch my full remarks HERE.
Energy and Commerce
Communications and Technology Subcommittee Markup of 28 Broadband Bills
I participated in a subcommittee markup to consider a package of broadband bills to remove regulatory red tape, deploy broadband faster, and get Americans across the country connected. My legislation, the BEAD FEES Act, was included in the package which was advanced out of the subcommittee on Wednesday. |
This Week's Office Visitors
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As always, it was great to welcome several groups of visitors to our office in Washington, D.C. this week to talk about the issues that matter most to them.
Those pictured include representatives from: - Honda
- Georgia Department of Agriculture
- Independent Community Bankers of America
- ACA International
- NATE - Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association
- Georgia Society of Anesthesiologists
- Heating, AC, and Refrigeration Distributors International
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Meeting with Lake Homeowners
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On Thursday, I met with homeowners in Appling to provide an update on my work in Washington and spoke about my recent meeting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I met with the Corps to discuss issues critical to many homeowners in Georgia-12 including permitting, recreation, operations, land management, and the lock and dam.
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Need Help with Your Passport?
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If you are traveling internationally, please follow these guidelines from the Department of State: - Non-urgent (within 6 months): If your travel is planned and you are inquiring about the passport application process, please visit travel.state.gov to gain insight about the necessary documentation to apply. To make an in-person appointment, visit the nearest passport acceptance facility.
- Urgent (less than 30 days): If your travel is planned or you are traveling for a life-or-death emergency, and do not have a passport, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793. Each applicant must have an appointment to go to a passport agency or center in person. Appointments are limited and there is no guarantee that one will be available.
- Urgent travel (within 1-14 days) and you have already applied for a passport, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 to speak with a State Department representative about the status of the passport application and next steps.
If you have an immediate international trip coming up, my office is also here to help! Please contact one of my district offices in Augusta, Statesboro, or Dublin as far in advance of your scheduled travel dates as possible. Contact information can be found HERE.
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My office is here to help. If you'd like to email me, please click here.
To contact one of our district offices, please click here.
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Sincerely,
Rick Allen
Member of Congress |
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