Promoting Price Transparency in Health Care
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This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. This bipartisan package increases price transparency throughout the health care system, addresses the rising cost of prescription drugs, and supports patients, health care workers, community health centers, and hospitals.
In nearly every other industry, consumers know the price of a product before purchasing it. Health care should be no different. H.R. 5378 delivers this much-needed transparency and ensures Americans have access to timely, quality, and affordable health care that suits them best.
As a businessman, ensuring my employees had access to affordable health care was always one of my top priorities. By lowering costs and empowering patients and employers to make informed decisions, more Americans will have confidence in their coverage, leading to a healthier future.
Watch my remarks on the House floor HERE. |
Encouraging Skills-Based Hiring
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On Tuesday, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, of which I am a Member, advanced H.R. 6655, the bipartisan Stronger Workforce for America Act. H.R. 6655 would make much-needed improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to ensure WIOA dollars are actually dedicated to upskilling the workforce and making the shift to skills-based hiring.
Provisions from my Startup Act were included in H.R. 6655 to support American entrepreneurs by expanding access to programs that offer training and resources to individuals seeking to start their own business. With Startup Act language included, entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs will be connected with the resources they need to grow a business, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.
Watch my remarks during the Committee markup HERE. |
Protecting Worker Free Choice
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I also participated in a Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled: "Protecting Workers and Small Businesses from Biden’s Attack on Worker Free Choice and Economic Growth."
The Biden Administration’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has systematically stripped employees of their rights and small business owners of their livelihoods through decisions on secret-ballot elections, independent contractors, and joint-employer status. During the hearing, we discussed my legislation, the Employee Rights Act, and how it will help fight back against this overreach and instead protects workers’ rights and privacy, as well as empowers entrepreneurs and independent contractors.
Watch my remarks HERE. |
Supporting U.S. Servicemembers
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The House of Representatives passed the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 2670, the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with my support. The NDAA authorizes annual funding levels for the U.S. Armed Forces and sets expenditures for the Department of Defense (DOD).
As our nation continues to face threats from foreign adversaries across the globe, we must prioritize military readiness and ensure our Armed Forces are equipped with the tools necessary to protect the homeland. Despite its shortcomings, this legislation provides a well-deserved pay increase to our servicemembers, secures critical funding for Fort Eisenhower and the Savannah River Site, and includes important conservative victories.
Specifically, the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 2670: - Secures critical funding for operations and construction at Fort Eisenhower and the Savannah River Site
- Provides a 5.2% pay raise for our servicemembers, the largest increase in over 20 years
- Enhances military readiness by investing in capabilities to counter China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea
- Prohibits teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the military
- Prevents funding from being used for climate change programs
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Impeachment Inquiry Update
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The House also passed H. Res. 918, with my support, which explicitly empowers the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on the Judiciary to continue their ongoing impeachment investigations into President Biden’s involvement in his family's shady business dealings with foreign entities. |
Commemorating National Bible Week
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It was an honor to participate in a Special Order on the House floor in recognition of National Bible Week. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt first declared National Bible Week during the week of Thanksgiving to encourage individuals to read and study the Bible. I took the opportunity to reflect on what the Bible has meant to me in my personal life, as well as how it guides me in serving Gerogia's 12th District in Congress.
Watch my remarks on the House floor by CLICKING HERE. |
Congressional App Challenge Winners
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I had the privilege of announcing Lakeside High School students Iziq Thomas, Jerry Fan, and Kunsh Sharma have been selected as the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Georgia’s 12th District.
The students were chosen for their work developing Circa, a software application designed to aid users in achieving balance in various aspects of life, with a particular focus on mental health. As the winner of this year's App Challenge, Circa will be featured on the U.S. House of Representatives' website and displayed in a U.S. Capitol exhibit. Additionally, the students are invited to Capitol Hill for the #HouseOfCode celebration where they will be given the opportunity to demo their app for Members of Congress.
To learn more about Circa, please click here. |
Additional Committee Activity
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Energy and Commerce
Full Committee Hearing
“Leveraging Agency Expertise to Foster American AI Leadership and Innovation”
The Energy and Commerce Committee conducted a full assessment of what AI means for our entire economy—including across our supply chains, energy, health care, and emerging technologies.
Watch my remarks HERE.
Education and Workforce
Full Committee Markup
The Education and the Workforce Committee markup agenda included four items: the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, a Congressional Review Act resolution disapproving of the National Labor Relations Board’s joint-employer rule, and the Small Businesses before Bureaucrats Act.
During the markup, I spoke in support of H.J. Res. 98, the resolution of disapproval regarding President Biden's expanded joint-employer standard, which I proudly cosponsored. The Biden joint-employer standard will negatively impact the U.S. economy, workers, and small businesses alike, and to put it plainly, would destroy the franchise system as we know it. I recently penned an op-ed via the Washington Times on this radical rulemaking which you can read HERE. |
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Sincerely,
Rick Allen
Member of Congress |
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