Bolstering Election Integrity
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The right to vote is a foundational principle of the United States of America, and its integrity must be protected. One thing we should all agree on is that America’s elections must be secure and all voters should be American citizens. However, despite a ban on non-citizens voting in federal elections, states continue to find non-citizens on their voter rolls due to inadequate safeguards and guidance from the federal government. That is simply unacceptable and threatens the integrity of U.S. elections.
That's why House Republicans passed the SAVE America Act this week with my strong support. This legislation is a revised and improved version of the widely supported SAVE Act, adding a voter ID requirement while maintaining the original proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration.
The SAVE America Act is a commonsense effort to ensure American citizens decide American elections by requiring a valid ID to vote. It's that simple. While 213 House Democrats voted against this measure and continue to fearmonger and spread outright falsehoods about this bill—I will continue to fight for hardworking Americans and Georgia families who want free, fair, and secure elections. |
Ensuring Georgia Farmers are Adequately Protected
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After the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene, many of Georgia’s farmers in the 12th District were unfairly denied the relief they needed and deserved. Here's why: the Hurricane Insurance Protection - Wind Index (HIP-WI) program is a wind-based insurance option managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and designed to protect farmers impacted by hurricanes. The program relies on storm-tracking data systems to determine eligibility; however, those systems are vulnerable to inaccuracies, leaving many farmers who experienced significant crop losses without federal protection.
For example, during Hurricane Helene, the data used for HIP-WI showed the storm traveling through the middle of Georgia. In reality, Helene shifted east, causing widespread damage to farms in the southeast and eastern parts of Georgia. Unfortunately, USDA is required to use the inaccurate data set when determining HIP-WI eligibility, causing unnecessary financial hardship for Georgia’s farmers.
That's why I recently co-introduced the Farmers' AID Relief Act, which directs the USDA Secretary to expand the data considered and identify alternative methods for determining eligibility for indemnity payments under the HIP-WI endorsement.
This bipartisan effort will help ensure Georgia farmers are adequately protected against natural disasters that destroy crop yields. |
The American people are laser-focused on the cost of living, and housing is a major driver. Housing supply has not kept pace with demand, leaving the nation short by as many as 5.5 million units. Rising construction costs, regulatory delays, and outdated zoning constraints have all fueled this crisis.
This week, the House also passed the bipartisan Housing for the 21st Century Act. This legislation aims to alleviate this shortage by reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers to new home construction, modernizing HUD programs, and allowing banks to deploy funding more freely.
Passage of this bipartisan bill is a monumental step toward restoring the American Dream of homeownership. |
Attending the Screven County Farm Bureau Annual Eggs N Issues Breakfast
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Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at the Screven County Farm Bureau Annual Eggs N Issues Breakfast in Sylvania. It was a privilege to join Speaker of the House Jon Burns and State Senator Max Burns in providing an update on the work we are doing on behalf of hardworking Georgians. Thanks for having me! |
Joining the Burke and Columbia Counties Annual Chamber Banquets
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I recently attended the annual banquets of both the Burke and Columbia County Chambers of Commerce. As always, it is great to hear from our local leaders and public servants, and I am grateful to all of those who contribute their time and energy to ensuring our communities thrive. |
Meeting the Education Secretary McMahon
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It was an honor to meet with U.S. Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, this week in my D.C. office. We discussed my work on the Education and Workforce Committee, educational priorities for Georgia, and the importance of returning power to the states when it comes to education. I appreciate her resilient work and dedication to America's students and educators! |
The 2026 Congressional Art Competition is Underway
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The 2026 Congressional Art Competition is underway! Every year, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor a nationwide high school art competition. This contest is open to all high school students (9th – 12th grade) in Georgia’s 12th District. The winning piece will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, and its student artist will receive an invitation to travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the national winners’ reception.
This competition is a special tradition that provides high school students the opportunity to display their art for the country to see. I look forward to seeing submissions from our young artists in the 12th District, and encourage all interested high school students to participate.
More information HERE. |
This Week's White House Highlight
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It's been a great week for the U.S. economy: in January, overall inflation fell to just 2.4% and the U.S. economy added 172,000 private sector jobs! - Year-over-year inflation fell to 2.4% in January — beating expectations yet again and marking the lowest level since May.
- Core inflation — the best measure of inflation — dropped to its lowest level in nearly five years, underscoring the sustained progress made in the Trump Economy.
- The economy added 172,000 new private sector jobs and shed 42,000 government jobs — bringing the unemployment rate down to 4.3%.
- Average weekly earnings for private sector employees rose 0.7% in January.
We have made significant progress on lowering costs across the board for American families, and our work continues! |
This Week's Committee Activity
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Energy and Commerce Committee
Health Subcommittee hearing:
"Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the Prescription Drug Supply Chain"
During this hearing, we questioned pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and providers to examine the root drivers of prescription drug costs and ways to keep them both accessible and affordable.
Watch my remarks HERE.
Communications and Technology Subcommittee markup:
The subcommittee advanced one bill to the full committee: - H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act
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Additional 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: - American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- Christ Community Health
- Georgia Gas Authority
- Technical College System of Georgia
- Community Health Care Systems, Inc.
- Genetix
- Habitat for Humanity
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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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