this week in washington...


The House passed H.R. 953, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act on Wednesday.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation which will remove duplicative provisions regarding pesticide regulations under the Clean Water Act.  To see my speech in support of this bill on the House floor click here.

All comments regarding the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam will be accepted and taken under consideration until June 3rd.

Comments and concerns can be submitted in writing by email to cesas-pd@usace.army.mil or by mail to:

Savannah District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Planning Division
ATTN Mr. Nathan Dayan
100 West Oglethorpe Avenue
Savannah, GA 31401-3640

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released their score of the American Health Care Act. Read my statement below:


I participated in an executive roundtable on U.S. agricultural trade policy with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.


Secretary Perdue released the following statement:

“With the global population expected to hit nine billion by 2050, the U.S. is going to have a major role in feeding a growing and hungry world. At USDA, we like to tell our farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers: You grow it, and we’ll sell it. Trade is going to be such an important part of American agriculture; we created an undersecretary for trade at the USDA. Working with President Trump, Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross, Amb. Lighthizer, and our leadership on Capitol Hill, we will help open up new markets and expand existing ones. Because where American agricultural products can compete on a level playing field, they will succeed and lead the way.”

My wife, Robin, and I were excited to attend the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala.


Last year, our 12th grandchild, Hampton, was born two months premature. Robin and I are proud to support the important work March of Dimes is doing to support healthy moms and babies like Hampton!

We also were able to serve Robin’s caramel brownies, and they were a hit! See below for her secret recipe:

As a member of the Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, I participated in a hearing to examine transparency in higher education.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published their proposed changes to peanut quality standards requirements. I released the following statement:

“As a Representative from a major peanut-producing district, I applaud the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their proposed changes to peanut quality standards requirements. These proposed changes align with the recommendations of the Peanut Standards Board and I believe these changes will greatly reduce the burden on peanut growers in my district and across the United States. I urge all affected parties to comment during this Open Comment period and encourage the USDA to finalize a rule in time to be applied to the 2017 crop.”

As a result of the drought that began in Georgia on May 9, 2017, the U.S. Small Business Administration is offering Working Capital Loans to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, as well as most private nonprofit organizations.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster, or mailed to:

U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Road
Fort Worth, TX 76155

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than Jan. 17, 2018.

The following Georgia-12 counties are included in the disaster declaration: Appling, Coffee, and Tattnall

President Trump submitted his comprehensive budget request to Congress this week.


To learn more about the budget process click here. My statement regarding President Trump’s budget request:

“This week, Congress received President Trump’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2018. I am happy to report that for the first time since I have been in Congress, the President has proposed a budget that balances itself in 10 years. Reining in runaway spending is critical to getting our country’s fiscal house in order, and we must return to fiscal responsibility for our future generations.

No one can disagree that balancing our budget isn’t a step in the right direction, and while I agree with many of the provisions in the budget, I am disappointed that President Trump has continued the Obama Administration’s action to terminate MOX funding and instead shift to a ‘dilute and dispose’ method. This puts Georgia and South Carolina at immediate risk for becoming a nuclear waste dump.  I believe that MOX is the only real solution for our military grade plutonium and funding for this project is vital. I will continue to work with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee and the Appropriations Committee to fight for this project.

It is important to remember that our Founding Fathers gave the power of the purse to Congress. I look forward to working with the White House and my colleagues in Congress to pass a balanced budget that reflects the priorities of Americans across the nation.”

Share your thoughts with me. You can email me HERE, contact any of our offices or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Don’t forget to sign up for my Telephone Town Halls. Click HERE to register your name and number to ensure that you’re contacted for all future calls from me. I hope you had a great week!

Sincerely,

 

Rick Allen
Member of Congress
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