Supporting Americans Struggling from Substance Use Disorders
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In too many families and communities throughout our country, there is an unthinkable sense of loss that stems from the opioid and fentanyl crises. In 2018, President Trump signed into law the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act to fight the opioid epidemic by expanding access to treatment and recovery services, addressing workforce shortages, and taking an overall comprehensive approach to confronting substance use disorders (SUDs).
While the 2018 SUPPORT Act has had great success, the fight against the fentanyl and opioid crisis cannot stop here. This week, the House passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act with overwhelming bipartisan support.
As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I was proud to support this bill to advance treatment and recovery initiatives, improve prevention, protect communities, and bolster the fight against deadly illicit drugs. The only way to win this fight is together! |
Ensuring SBA Loan Assistance Only Goes to American Citizens
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Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovered flagrant abuse of the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) loan programs, including more than $630 million in loans given to applicants older than 115 years old and younger than 11, according to data from the Social Security Administration.
This is unacceptable. Hardworking Americans fight every day to run successful small businesses and provide for their families – taxpayer dollars should support American-owned businesses, not businesses run by illegal immigrants or ineligible fraudsters.
The House also passed H.R. 2966, the American Entrepreneurs First Act, with my support. This bill codifies the SBA’s new verification requirements, including proof of citizenship and age verification, for SBA assistance applications, strengthening protections against fraud and ensuring taxpayer-funded loans go only to Americans. |
Relocating SBA Offices Away from Sanctuary Cities
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Sanctuary cities work against our nation and people’s interests, blatantly ignoring U.S. immigration laws to shield illegal aliens from facing the consequences of their actions. This threatens the safety of American families, communities, and small businesses and weakens the rule of law.
However, under the Trump Administration, sanctuary cities are once again being held accountable and the rule of law is being restored. H.R. 2931, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act, passed this week and relocates SBA offices away from sanctuary cities to ensure these federal resources are going to benefit American small businesses and communities. |
Fighting to Stop Illegal Robocalls
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Consistently, some of the biggest concerns I hear from 12th District constituents are regarding robocalls, scam calls, and scam texts. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I recently participated in a hearing entitled: "Stopping Illegal Robocalls and Robotexts: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps."
We heard from a panel of expert witnesses about the threats posed by illegal, predatory robocalls and robotexts, the billions of dollars that have been defrauded from the American people, and the general public's rapid loss of confidence in the communications they receive.
I have heard your concerns firsthand and was thankful for the opportunity to share those concerns with industry experts who will play an integral role in our fight to end this malign practice. While we are making progress, there is certainly more work to be done to address this endemic issue. I will continue to hold industry's feet to the fire to ensure that they remain responsive and support additional efforts to eliminate scam phone calls during my time serving you in Congress. |
Standing with our Domestic LSPTV Industry
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I led a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues in sending letters to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Chair Amy Karpel in support of the American low-speed personal transportation vehicle (LSPTV) industry.
Domestic LSPTV producers, including those in the 12th District, are facing significant challenges due to unfair Chinese import competition. I will continue to take on this fight until our producers receive the trade relief they need and deserve, and China is held accountable.
To read the full letter to Secretary Lutnick, CLICK HERE.
To read the full letter to Chair Karpel, 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.
President Trump’s America First agenda is making its mark on the American economy — with explosive private sector growth, job gains, and wage increases for American workers.
Look no further than the May jobs report for proof: - In May, the U.S. added 139,000 jobs — smashing expectations for the third straight month, with the private sector accounting for all net job gains.
- Wages for everyday Americans continue to rise, with real average hourly earnings up by nearly 4% over the past year — far higher than economists’ expectations.
- Since President Trump took office, real disposable personal income has risen at a 7.5% annualized pace.
- Since President Trump took office, 99.8% of job gains have been in the private sector.
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Additional Committee Activity
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Education and Workforce Committee
Full Committee Hearing:
"Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education"
To help address America's workforce needs and prepare students to fill good-paying, in-demand jobs, we MUST bridge the gap between the business and education communities. During this hearing, I asked Education Secretary Linda McMahon about the reforms to Pell Grants that the recently-passed budget bill includes, and how these reforms will help employers find skilled and qualified workers.
Watch my remarks HERE.
Full Committee Hearing:
"Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor"
As the Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee, I asked DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer about expanding Association Health Plans, as well as legislation I introduced to ensure Americans' retirement savings are not jeopardized by politically-motivated mismanagement.
Watch my remarks HERE.
Energy and Commerce Committee
Communications and Technology Subcommittee Hearing:
"AI in the Everyday: Current Applications and Future Frontiers in Communications and Technology"
Georgia's 12th District experienced significant telecommunications disruptions during Hurricane Helene—taking weeks in many counties for phone service to be reestablished. During this hearing, I asked our expert witnesses if AI might help mitigate these disruptions in the future.
Watch my remarks HERE.
Energy Subcommittee Markup:
The Energy Subcommittee advanced 13 energy-related bills, including: - H.R. 3616, Reliable Power Act
- H.R. 1047, Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power (GRID Power) Act
- H.R. 3632, Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025
- H.R. 3638, Electric Supply Chain Act
- H.R. 3157, State Energy Accountability Act
- H.R. 3628, State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act
- H.R. 3657, Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act
- H.R. 3015, National Coal Council Reestablishment Act
- H.R. 3617, Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act
- H.R. 3109, Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining (REFINER) Act
- H.R. 3062, Promoting Cross-border Energy Infrastructure Act
- H.R. 1949, Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025
- H.R. 3668, Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act
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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: - American Truck Dealers
- Georgia Association of Realtors
- American Council of Life Insurers
- ACA International
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Now Accepting Applications for the 2025 Fall Internship Program
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Applications for our 2025 Fall Internship Program are now open!
This program is open to college students and young professionals interested in learning about the legislative process and assisting with the responsibilities of a congressional office. Interns will perform a range of tasks including constituent outreach, legislative writing, and more, with the possibility of earning school credit.
All those interested should submit an application on my website by Monday, July 7th! Applications can be submitted HERE. |
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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