Allen, Rick RSS Articles

ICYMI: Congressman Rick Allen Hosts 2026 Youth Leadership Summit

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) hosted 11th-12th grade students and community leaders from the 12th District for his biennial Youth Leadership Summit.

The event was held at the Columbia County School District Support Complex, where students from across the 12th District heard from various leaders from all walks of life, including Major General Ryan Janovic, Commanding General, Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon; Bri Martin and Dani Harmadi, Owners of Freshwater Curated Goods; Chris Howell, Head Baseball Coach, Augusta University; and Nomi Stanton, Executive Director, GAP Ministries.

Following the summit, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

"The Youth Leadership Summit, which I proudly host every two years, brings together some of our district's brightest young students to hear from speakers who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities throughout their lives. The goal of the summit is to equip and inspire the next generation of American leaders by helping them hone their leadership skills as they prepare for the next chapter. I look forward to what lies ahead for each of the students in attendance this year. I also thank the schools, chaperones, educators, and distinguished speakers for participating and contributing to the success of this event," said Congressman Allen.

Additional photos from the 2026 Youth Leadership Summit can be viewed HERE.

Augusta veterans cemetery lands $13.6M grant, project moves ahead

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Originally Published in The Augusta Chronicle
By: Joe Hotchkiss

The project to create Georgia's largest veterans cemetery in Augusta has been awarded more than $13.6 million in federal funding.

The cemetery is planned for 3780 Byrd Road, on state-owned property beside the Gracewood campus of East Central Georgia Regional Hospital.

"Funding for the long-awaited veterans cemetery in Augusta has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia," U.S. Rep. Rick Allen recently said. "To our veterans and their families in the CSRA and surrounding communities, the tireless work that brought us to this point is for you."

Site plans for the cemetery show the layout for the first 4,100 burials in conventional graves, in-ground cremated remains, preplaced crypts, memorial-wall plaques and a columbarium, an above-ground structure where cremains are interred.

The cemetery's first phase will cover about 50 acres of its total 200 acres.

The $13,610,908 grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration came through an approved House appropriations bill.

Some architectural enhancements to the cemetery will require private funding, including a bell tower and landscape features. Donors can help pay for these personalized tributes online at csraveteranscemetery.org to the nonprofit CSRA Veterans Cemetery Fund.

Congressman Allen's Retire through Ownership Act Headed to President Trump's Desk

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 2403, the Retire through Ownership Act. Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) introduced the House version of this bill last year, which would provide legal and regulatory clarity in the formation of new Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Following House passage of S. 2403 by a vote of 401-14, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

"One of the many lessons I learned over my decades-long career as a small business owner is that true success is measured by the success of your employees. ESOPs are a valuable tool to build wealth for retirement and give employees an ownership stake in their employer. The Retire through Ownership Act will help eliminate the regulatory ambiguity and unnecessary risks these plans often face while providing a clear framework for valuing employer stock. I am proud that this bipartisan, bicameral bill is one step closer to the finish line as we continue to advance policies that ensure more Americans can enjoy a secure retirement," said Congressman Allen, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

"ESOPs provide employees with a meaningful foothold in capital ownership—allowing them to share in the success they’ve helped create. Unfortunately, lack of clarity in the law has brought uncertainty and created legal grey areas. S. 2403 fixes this problem by providing clear guidance," said Representative Walberg, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Workforce. "Employee ownership is a proven asset for workers, businesses, and our economy, and it should not be undermined by ambiguity in the law. I’m glad to see this critical legislation make it to the president’s desk—ending over fifty years of confusion and strengthening employee ownership."

BACKGROUND: Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) let workers build retirement savings by owning stock in their company. When an ESOP buys stock in a private company, an independent appraiser helps determine what that stock is worth. The Department of Labor (DOL) has not yet finalized clear rules for how private company stock should be valued in an ESOP transaction. That leaves ESOP trustees without a clear federal standard to follow when deciding whether the price is fair—creating uncertainty and legal risk for trustees and businesses.

S. 2403, Retire through Ownership Act, gives ESOP trustees a clearer rule to follow: If an independent appraiser follows the Internal Revenue Service’s longstanding guidelines to determine what a company is worth, the ESOP trustee can rely on that appraisal to decide if the price is fair. This legislation now heads to President Trump's desk. Prior to House passage of the bill, Congressman Allen participated in debate on the House floor. Watch HERE.

Rick Allen’s retirement security bill heads to Trump’s desk

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Originally Published in WRDW
By: Staff

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A bill introduced by Congressman Rick Allen is now headed to President Donald Trump’s desk.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Retire through Ownership Act,” a bill aimed at giving businesses and workers more certainty when setting up Employee Stock Ownership Plans, or ESOPs.

The measure, S. 2403, cleared the House on a bipartisan 401–14 vote.

Allen, who introduced the House version of the bill, said ESOPs are an important way for workers to build retirement wealth by owning a share of the company where they work.

“True success is measured by the success of your employees,” Allen said in a statement.

“ESOPs are a valuable tool to build wealth for retirement and give employees an ownership stake in their employer. The Retire through Ownership Act will help eliminate the regulatory ambiguity and unnecessary risks these plans often face while providing a clear framework for valuing employer stock.”

ESOPs allow employees to accumulate company stock in a retirement account. But when an ESOP buys shares in a privately held company, federal law currently offers little clear guidance on how that stock should be valued.

The Department of Labor has not finalized detailed rules, leaving ESOP trustees exposed to lawsuits and regulatory uncertainty over whether they paid a fair price.

Supporters say that uncertainty has discouraged some business owners from selling to employees and has made it harder to start new ESOPs. The bill aims to fix that by spelling out when ESOP trustees can rely on an independent appraisal.

If signed into law, the bill would not create new ESOPs on its own, but it is designed to make it easier and less risky for companies to form them by aligning Labor Department expectations with IRS valuation standards.

Funding for Veterans Cemetery in Augusta Officially Awarded

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) officially awarded a grant of up to $13,610,908 to the State of Georgia for the establishment of the Georgia Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. Following the announcement, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the statement below:

"Funding for the long-awaited veterans cemetery in Augusta has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia. To our veterans and their families in the CSRA and surrounding communities: the tireless work that brought us to this point is for you. I am proud to have played my part at the federal level in delivering over $13 million for this project and I look forward to officially breaking ground as soon as possible. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to Former Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Augusta Commissioner Don Clark for their relentless efforts in making this possible."

BACKGROUND: On August 5, 2026, Congressman Allen and several community leaders participated in a press conference in Augusta, Georgia—touting the federal funding for this project which Congressman Allen helped deliver. The funding was appropriated via H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2026, and made available through the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program. The funding has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia.

The new cemetery will serve veterans and their eligible family members of the Augusta region in Georgia. The grant will fund the construction of an Administration Building, Maintenance Building with a covered wash bay, Committal Service Shelter, an Assembly Area, 600 full casketed gravesites, 1,500 pre-placed crypts, 900 in-ground cremation gravesites, 960 columbarium niches, a Memorial Wall with 140 memorial wall plaques, an entry feature, roadways, landscape, irrigation, site furnishings and supporting infrastructure.

Funding officially puts Augusta veterans cemetery in motion

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Originally Published in WRDW
By: Staff

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - More than $13.6 million in federal funding has been officially awarded to build a long-awaited veterans cemetery in Augusta.

The grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration will establish the cemetery on more than 200 acres behind East Central Regional Hospital off Tobacco Road.

It will be the largest veterans cemetery in Georgia.

The funding was appropriated through federal legislation, according to U.S. Rep. Rick Allen.

“Funding for the long-awaited veterans cemetery in Augusta has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia,” Allen said in a statement. “To our veterans and their families in the CSRA and surrounding communities: the tireless work that brought us to this point is for you.”

Allen praised former Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Augusta District 5 Commissioner Don Clark for pushing the project forward. Young first proposed the cemetery in 2001.

Plans call for an administration building, a maintenance building with a covered wash bay, a committal service shelter and an assembly area. The grounds will feature 600 full casketed gravesites, 1,500 pre-placed crypts, 900 in-ground cremation gravesites, 960 columbarium niches, and a memorial wall with 140 plaques, along with roadways, irrigation and infrastructure.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for November, with construction expected to take a year and a half.

The cemetery will be open to all veterans and their spouses who qualify with a DD-214, with no residency
requirements.

For decades, local military families have had to travel long distances for burial services, often driving to Fort Jackson in Columbia or to the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville.

A nonprofit organization, the CSRA Veterans Cemetery Fund, is also working to raise an additional $705,000 to add amenities to the site, including a bell tower, water features, and memorial benches.

Congressman Allen Commemorates 25th Anniversary of September 11th in Columbia County

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) attended the annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and Memorial Stair Climb in Evans, Georgia. Following the event, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

"On this day 25 years ago, evil breached our shores and our nation would be forever changed. Thousands of Americans said goodbye to their loved ones not knowing it would be their last. Today, we remember the lives of those who died on September 11, 2001 from terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Virginia, on United Airlines Flight 93 which crashed in rural Pennsylvania, and the first responders who charged toward the chaos as others fled to safety.

"I was honored to join the community in Columbia County this morning to remember those we lost on that heart-wrenching day which is forever etched in history. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims and all of those impacted on September 11, 2001."

Congressman Allen attends 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and Memorial Stair Climb in Evans

Congressman Allen Announces September Community Office Hours

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) announced members of his staff will host Community Office Hours across Georgia’s 12th District during the month of September.

During these events, members of Congressman Allen’s staff will be available to assist constituents with a variety of federal issues, including help navigating various federal agencies such as FEMA, Social Security, Veterans Affairs, Medicare, and others. Community Office Hours are a quarterly resource provided by Congressman Allen's staff designed to serve constituents closer to home. Congressman Allen himself will not be in attendance.

After the announcement, Congressman Allen issued the following statement:

"I invite anyone seeking help with a federal issue to take advantage of the one-on-one services my office provides. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, our dedicated caseworkers stand ready to help you. Please visit my team during Community Office Hours in September or contact one of our district offices for more information."

See below for a list of Community Office Hours dates, times, and locations by county (excluding counties in which Congressman Allen has a permanent office):

Burke County

WHEN: Tuesday, September 8th from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

WHERE: County Commission Boardroom, Burke County Courthouse

111 E. 6th Street

Waynesboro, GA 30830

Candler County

WHEN: Tuesday, September 15th from 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

WHERE: Metter City Hall

49 S. Rountree Street

Metter, GA 30439

Columbia County

WHEN: Wednesday, September 16th from 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

WHERE: Grovetown City Hall

103 Old Wrightsboro Road

Grovetown, GA 30813

Effingham County

WHEN: Friday, September 11 from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

WHERE: Effingham County Board of Commissioners Office

804 S. Laurel St, Suite 200

Springfield, GA 31329

Emanuel County

WHEN: Friday, September 18th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

WHERE: Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce

102 S. Main Street

Swainsboro, GA 30401

Evans County

WHEN: Tuesday, September 15th from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

WHERE: Strickland Center for the Arts

707 W. Main St.

Claxton, GA 30417

Glascock County

WHEN: Wednesday, September 23rd from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

WHERE: Family Connections & Communities in School

370 W. Main Street

Gibson, GA 30810

Jefferson County

WHEN: Wednesday, September 23rd from 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

WHERE: Community Club House

101 McNair Street

Wrens, GA 30833

Jenkins County

WHEN: Thursday, September 17th from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

WHERE: Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce

548 Cotton Avenue

Millen, GA 30442

Johnson County

WHEN: Monday, September 14th from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

WHERE: Wrightsville City Hall

8647 S. Marcus Street

Wrightsville, GA 31096

Lincoln County

WHEN: Thursday, September 17th from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

WHERE: Lincoln County Courthouse

210 Humphrey Street

Lincolnton, GA 30817

McDuffie County

WHEN: Wednesday, September 23rd from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

WHERE: Thomson-McDuffie Administrative Building

210 Railroad Street

Thomson, GA 30824

Montgomery County

WHEN: Monday, September 21st from 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM

WHERE: Montgomery County Courthouse

400 S. Railroad Avenue

Mount Vernon, GA 30445

Screven County

WHEN: Monday, September 21st from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

WHERE: Screven County Courthouse, Commission Boardroom

216 Mims Road

Sylvania, GA 30467

Tattnall County

WHEN: Monday, September 14th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

WHERE: Glennville Welcome Center/Chamber of Commerce

136 S. Veterans Boulevard

Glennville, GA 30427

Treutlen County

WHEN: Monday, September 21st from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

WHERE: Treutlen County Commissioners’ Office

1830 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

Soperton, GA 30457

Warren County

WHEN: Wednesday, September 23rd from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

WHERE: Warren County Chamber of Commerce

46 Norwood Street

Warrenton, GA 30828

Washington County

WHEN: Thursday, September 24th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

WHERE: Community Health Care System

220 Morningside Drive

Sandersville, GA 31082

Wheeler County

WHEN: Monday, September 21st from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

WHERE: Alamo City Hall

7 W. Main Street

Alamo, GA 30411

Wilkes County

WHEN: Thursday, September 17th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

WHERE: Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce

22B West Square

Washington, GA 30673

Congressman Allen Presents Washington County Students with Congressional Award Gold Medal

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) visited Brentwood School in Sandersville, Georgia to present three 12th District students with the Congressional Award, the highest honor Congress presents to America's youth.

Congress established the Congressional Award in 1979 to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in young people. The Congressional Award provides a structure for young Americans to learn the value of service, personal development, fitness, and citizenship through character forming experiences that shape tomorrow’s leaders and our country’s future.

During the event at Brentwood, Congressman Allen recognized Georgia-12 students Kessler Ann Bibb, McFerrin Dean Bibb, and Mary Thomas Smith (not in attendance, now attending the University of Georgia). Following yesterday's presentation, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

"Kessler, McFerrin, and Mary Thomas exemplify everything it means to be a young leader. The Congressional Award is the highest honor Congress presents to America's youth, and these students were among only 19 young Georgians who were recognized in the 2026 Gold Medal Class," said Congressman Allen. "Kessler, McFerrin, and Mary Thomas set out on this journey nearly three years ago, completing hundreds of hours of voluntary service, personal development, and physical fitness on their way to receiving this distinguished award. It was an honor to join the students and their families for this special recognition. I am confident that each of them will continue to shine bright in the future."

A live stream of yesterday's event can be viewed on Brentwood School's Facebook page HERE. Additional photos can be viewed HERE.

Augusta veterans cemetery celebrated after 27-year-wait

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Originally Published in The Augusta Press
By: Susan McCord

Local, state and federal leaders gathered with a roomful of American veterans Wednesday to celebrate the coming of Georgia’s third — and largest — state-run veteran cemetery to Augusta.

“This isn’t just a project for us. This isn’t just a new cemetery. This is the fulfillment of a dream,” Patricia Ross, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veteran Service, told a crowd of about 100 at the Augusta Marriott.

Ross said she found a newspaper article from 1999 in which former Mayor Bob Young was asking to bring a state veterans cemetery to Augusta. She’s been working with Young and Augusta Commissioner Don Clark on the project since taking office four years ago.

“Sometimes dreams take a long time to happen. Just because it’s taken a long time, doesn’t make them any less worthwhile,” Ross said.

Initial plans to build at Fort Gordon were scuttled after 9/11. Clark and Young revived the project in 2018, but even after securing former state property for the cemetery at Gracewood and state funding, Augusta was deemed too close to existing cemeteries in Milledgeville and Columbia, S.C., to obtain federal grant funding.

Groundbreaking set for November

For years, Augusta’s application for federal cemetery grant funding hovered around the bottom of a priority list. Then last year, Congress approved a historic amount of funding for veteran cemeteries.

“That historic funding reached down to priority No. 30. And guess where we were? Priority No. 30,” Ross said.

The federal grant is expected to provide $10 million for construction of the project, and bids have already been received to build it. Ross said November is being eyed for a groundbreaking ceremony at the selected site, a former state property off Byrd Road near Gracewood.

Congressman Rick Allen, who spoke Wednesday, said the project will give the area’s more than 66,000 veterans and eligible family members better access to burial benefits.

“After years of work, I am pleased that we are officially moving forward with this project for those who answered the call to serve our nation in uniform. I would also like to thank former Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Augusta Commissioner Don Clark for their tireless advocacy on behalf of veterans in this community,” Allen said.

Cemetery open to all U.S. veterans

But the cemetery isn’t just for Georgia veterans. Any honorably discharged veteran and eligible family members can be interred there at no charge, said Clark, a 21-year Army veteran and activist for veteran care.

“This is not just a Georgia thing or an Augusta thing,” Clark said.

Dwight Bradham, executive director of the Aiken County Veterans Service Office, said veterans on both sides of the Savannah River have long complained that existing cemeteries are too far away for their families to visit regularly.

The event paid a special tribute to the late Rep. Henry Wayne Howard, who Clark said was pivotal in securing state support for the project. Howard’s wife Cassandra Howard was presented a ceremonial shovel bearing tribute to his leadership.

Clark also thanked the Augusta Commission, which has been unanimous in its support for the initiative. Several of the commission’s retired Army former members — Bill Lockett, Dennis Williams and Sammie Sias — attended the event, while former Commissioner Bill Fennoy was credited with bringing the item back to a city committee.

Veterans Cemetery Fund sets fundraising goal

Wednesday’s event also introduced the CSRA Veterans Cemetery Fund, a fundraising effort operating under the umbrella of the Community Foundation for the CSRA. The cemetery fund’s chair, Danielle Gonzalez, said the group’s first fundraising goal is $705,000 to pay for things not covered by grant funding.

The first phase is expected to cover a carillon tower, a water feature, benches, paving and vehicle access to the site from Byrd Road.

Other board members include Gary Smith, who has a combined 31 years in the Marine Corps, Army and Georgia National Guard, retired Army Brig. Gen. John Kunstbeck and retired Army veteran Andrew Gonzal

In addition, the board includes Augusta Marriott General Manager Brendan England and Sales and Marketing Director Kat Johnson as well as 20-year Army veteran Thomas Pinkney and retired Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Linda Roach.

Cemetery construction bids under review

Bids were due Tuesday with the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission on behalf of the Department of Veteran Service to build the cemetery. While no contractor has been selected, submitting proposals were:

Dabbs-Williams General Contractors with a base bid of $12.57 million
Strack Inc. with a base bid of $13.3 million;
Augusta-based Allen+Batchelor Construction bid $14.81 million.

The first phase will include an administration building, maintenance building, open commital shelter and four burial sections. Plans include 1,500 pre-placed crypts, 600 conventional burial spaces, 900 spaces for in-ground cremated remains and 960 columbarium niches.