Cracking Down on Crime Along the Border
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The Biden Administration's reckless open-border policies fueled four years of chaos—emboldening smugglers, increasing illegal immigrant crossings, and causing preventable tragedies. Smugglers in vehicles evade Border Patrol agents, leading to dangerous high-speed chases that often result in serious injuries, and in some cases, loss of life.
House Republicans passed H.R. 35, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, which imposes criminal penalties on individuals who evade U.S. Border Patrol agents or law enforcement officers assisting such agents. Named in honor of Agent Raul Gonzalez, who tragically lost his life in 2022 while pursuing illegal aliens evading Border Patrol, this bill also imposes strict immigration consequences, making illegal aliens who commit these crimes inadmissible and removable in the United States. This commonsense legislation ensures that criminals who endanger American lives face real accountability. |
Streamlining the Federal Government
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During the final weeks and months of his Administration, President Biden issued over 1,400 last-minute rules that burdened American businesses, workers, and families. In an effort to make the federal government more efficient, the House of Representatives also passed H.R. 77, the Midnight Rules Relief Act, with my support. This legislation will amend the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to allow the overturning of multiple regulations issued within the final months of a presidential administration with a single vote, instead of addressing them one by one.
H.R. 77 will allow Congress to act quickly on reversing Biden’s damaging policies and make America more competitive. |
Attending the Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast
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I attended the Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast in Millen on Saturday and provided an update on our work during the first several weeks of the 119th Congress. Thanks for having me! |
Brooke Rollins Confirmed as USDA Secretary
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By a vote of 72-28, the United States Senate confirmed Brooke Rollins as the 33rd Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Farmers across Georgia-12 and the nation are facing significant challenges. I remain 100% committed to working with Secretary Rollins and the House Agriculture Committee to reauthorize the Farm Bill, provide certainty for rural America, and ensure our producers have the resources they need to rebuild after Hurricane Helene. |
February Community Office Hours
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February Community Office Hours are winding down.
This week, members of my staff will be available to assist constituents in Columbia, Evans, Glascock, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Tattnall counties. If you need help navigating various federal agencies such as FEMA, Social Security, Veterans Affairs, Medicare, and others, please drop by!
Community Office Hours are not held in counties in which I have a permanent office. For the full list of dates, times, and locations, CLICK HERE. |
This Week's White House Highlight
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REMINDER: With President Trump back in the White House, we are excited to add a new feature to the newsletter! Each week, I will highlight an executive action, announcement, rulemaking, bill signing, or any other activity from the Trump Administration to keep you well-informed on what's happening in Washington.
This week, President Trump took decisive action to protect America’s critical steel and aluminum industries, which have been harmed by unfair trade practices and global excess capacity. By reinstating the full 25% tariff on steel imports and increasing tariffs on aluminum imports to 25%, the Trump Administration is countering trade practices that undermine our national security, restoring fairness to steel and aluminum markets, and strengthening America's manufacturing industry.
During his first term in office, the President took similar actions which led to thousands of jobs gained and higher wages in the metals industry. It's simple: if countries have high tariffs on U.S. products, we should level the playing field. This Administration knows the importance of prioritizing fair trade practices, national security, and American workers. America First! |
This Week's Committee Activity
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Education and Workforce
Full Committee Markup
The Education and Workforce Committee advanced five bills with my support to limit foreign influence in American classrooms and protect child nutrition. The five bills passed by the Committee include:
H.R. 1048, the DETERRENT Act: - Tightens and clarifies foreign gift reporting requirements for colleges and universities.
- Slashes foreign gift reporting requirements from $250,000 to $50,000. Requirements for countries of concern are further reduced to $0.
- Closes reporting loopholes.
- Requires disclosures of foreign gifts and contracts to staff at research-heavy institutions.
- Reveals concerning foreign investments in endowments.
- Imposes strict consequences, such as the loss of Title IV funding, for colleges and universities that continually fail to comply.
H.R. 649, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025: - Protects students’ access to a variety of healthy milk options including whole, organic, low- or non-fat, and lactose-free options to accommodate student dietary restrictions.
- Ensures milk provided to students is not coming from Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-owned enterprises.
H.R. 1069, the PROTECT Our Kids Act: - Prohibits federal education funds from being given to any elementary school or secondary school that directly or indirectly receives support from the CCP.
H.R. 1005, the CLASS Act: - Requires school districts to disclose to the Secretary of Education within 30 days any instance of them receiving funding or entering into a contract with a foreign source.
H.R. 1049, the TRACE Act: - Establishes that parents have the right to know about donations, financial transactions, and classroom materials from foreign countries or foreign entities of concern.
- Requires schools to respond to parent requests regarding whether faculty are paid by foreign entities of concern.
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This Week's Office Visitors
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As always, it was great to meet with several groups this week to talk about the issues that matter most to them.
Those pictured include representatives from: - The American Medical Association
- The Technical College System of Georgia
- The Georgia Hospital Association
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Today, we honor the dedicated Commanders-In-Chief who shaped our nation and paved the way for the future. Happy Presidents' Day! |
Follow me on Social Media!
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Social media is a great way to stay connected and I encourage you to keep up with my work in Congress by ‘liking’ my Facebook page and following me on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
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As always, 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.
To stay informed about what is happening in Washington D.C. and in our district, please follow me on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Sincerely,
Rick Allen
Member of Congress |
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