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Last week we closed the chapter on policies and agendas that did not represent the voice of Americans. Friday, January 20, 2017, a new chapter began—this time, it will be written by you— the American people. I look forward to working under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, along with a unified Republican Congress to reroute our country and unite our citizens. Your voice will be our voice.  Read more ⇒ here.

It was an honor to be in Washington with my family and over 160 guests from the 12th Congressional District of Georgia to witness history and the peaceful transition of power at the 58th Presidential Inauguration!

Check out some pictures below:

The 58th Presidential Inauguration.
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Visitors from Georgia's 12th Congressional District. 


The President wasted no time in rolling up his sleeves and getting right to work. One of the first things he did was sign an executive order regarding Obamacare.  A brief explanation is below:

  • The executive order is a broad directive which instructs the executive branch to “minimize unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens” of the Affordable Care Act, beginning the process of dismantling Obamacare. Since much of the law was implemented through regulations, parts of the law will be undone through the regulatory process. I want to be clear—the law has not changed and will not change overnight. What this executive order does is further lay the framework for the repeal and replacement process. The Executive Branch along with a unified Republican Congress will work together to deliver on our promise to bring relief to the American people by getting rid of Obamacare and restoring a healthcare system that is patient-centered and cost-effective.

On the eve of the March for Life, Congress passed H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, making the Hyde Amendment permanent government-wide.

  • Background: the Hyde Amendment has been around since the late 1970’s and is a legislative provision prohibiting the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except in the case of rape, incest or life of the mother and is attached to the annual Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bills.

  • So, why do we need H.R. 7? Because taxpayer funds made available through other bills are not covered by Hyde. H.R. 7 makes Hyde permanent throughout the government so no tax dollars are used to pay for abortions.

  • Over 2 million Americans are alive today because of the Hyde Amendment. According to Lozier Institute, 99,350 Georgians’ lives have been saved because of Hyde.

  • Why did I vote for H.R. 7? Because our nation’s tax dollars should be invested in women’s health—not abortion.

Additionally, the President also reinstated President Reagan’s Mexico City Policy which requires foreign nongovernmental organizations to agree to neither perform nor promote abortion with any U.S. federal funding they receive.

This week, I reintroduced two pieces of good government legislation and joined my colleagues on another bill to cut red tape. Keep scrolling for more details.

  • The BARN Act, which improves H-2A visa program efficiency by moving H-2A certification from the Department of Labor to the United States Department of Agriculture. More ⇒ HERE.

  • The Transparency and Accountability of Failed Exchanges Act which protects American taxpayers from the failures of Obamacare by holding states that set up state exchanges accountable when they ultimately fail. More ⇒ HERE.

  • The One in, One Out Act requires federal agencies to repeal or revise rules before they can issue a new one and the new rule must be of equal or lesser cost to Americans— it's just common sense! More ⇒ HERE.


Saturday marked the end of National School Choice Week.  At the heart of our American values is the belief that each of us, no matter our circumstances, can pursue our own success through hard work.  That’s how a small-town boy like me, wound up a businessman in Augusta and now a Member of Congress. The value of education cannot be underestimated on the path to achieving the American Dream—that is why I proudly support school choice. Families should have the opportunity to select a K-12 education and environment that is best suited for their children. Washington bureaucrats do not belong in the classroom.  

Click below to listen to a successful school choice program back home in Dublin, Georgia.

Click ⇒ HERE to read my blog post highlighting Dublin City School District.


Click HERE to watch Rep. Rick Allen's speech.    

ICYMI: Georgia’s own, former Governor Sonny Perdue, was nominated to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. From the farm he grew up on in Perry, Georgia, to his service in the U.S. Air Force, veterinary and agribusiness career, and later Governor of Georgia, Sonny Perdue makes an excellent and obvious choice for the next Secretary of Agriculture.  Read more from the Georgia Delegation ⇒ HERE.

For those of you who were affected by the storms last weekend, please do not hesitate to reach out to my offices if you are in need of assistance. You can find contact information ⇒ HERE.

P.S. If you didn't catch me on The Means Report last week, click ⇒ HERE to watch my discussion on the inauguration, cyber security, small business and more.

As always, I encourage you to share your thoughts with me. What do you think about President Trump's first week in office? Email me your thoughts ⇒ HERE, or contact any of our offices and leave a message or chat with a staff member. You can always join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Your feedback is appreciated, have a great week!            
                     

Sincerely,

 

Rick Allen
Member of Congress

 
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