Rick Allen

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, the fact of the matter is that right-to-work States are stronger, growing faster, and more prosperous. The Federal Government has no business outright banning right-to-work laws that are so successful in many States across the Nation. Why would California tell Georgia how to run their State? Democrats in this body have a radical agenda to erode the rights of States. It is just wrong. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to protect States' rights and vote ``yes'' on my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Dr. Roosevelt J. Stallings. Ron was a remarkable man who served his country for 15 years as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army. He continued to serve his fellow Americans as a successful physician for three decades. Ron was a trailblazer in the medical field, reaching many great milestones and being the recipient of many distinguished awards. He was the first African American to graduate from the University of South Carolina School of Pharmacy as well as being one of the first African American surgical oncologists in the world. While he will be deeply missed, especially by his beloved family, his legacy will live on through the lives he touched as a mentor to the youth in the community and as a leader in his church. Ron's passion for service has made our community a better place and should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. When considering any legislation, the House should first determine whether the legislation is needed and, next, whether the bill under consideration will adequately address or improve the situation. The Committee on Education and Labor, unfortunately, did not have a full hearing on H.R. 1230 and heard from only one witness, invited by the Democrats, about the bill at a general hearing on multiple topics. This legislation, at the very least, deserved a standalone hearing so that committee members and the House could get more information to make a considered decision regarding this legislation. Publicly available data does not show the Supreme Court decisions in Gross v. FBL Financial Services or Nassar v. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have discouraged individuals from filing discrimination charges with the EEOC, which is the primary agency that enforces Federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate. A discrimination charge is a signed statement asserting employment discrimination. The lone Democrat-invited witness who testified in favor of H.R. 1230 at the Committee on Education and Labor's hearing in May, which covered several topics and bills, acknowledged that it is difficult to quantify the impact that the Gross decision has had on the number of older workers who bring cases and the number of those who win them. This witness also acknowledged that when we might have expected a drop in charges due to Gross-inspired discouragement from employment attorneys, there was a sizeable jump in the number of ADEA charges filed at EEOC. EEOC data shows that the rate of EEOC age discrimination charges as a percentage of all charges filed is approximately the same for the 9 years before and after the Gross decision. There has been a slight uptick in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act retaliation charges as a percentage of all charges filed in the 4 years following the Nassar decision, which does not indicate individuals have been discouraged from filing these charges. Court decisions show that the plaintiffs have continued to win age discrimination and Title VII retaliation cases in the wake of the Supreme Court's decisions in Gross and Nassar. This amendment will provide Congress much-needed data on the impact of the two Supreme Court cases at issue in H.R. 1230. If the GAO report indicates Gross and Nassar have not discouraged individuals from seeking relief or from achieving it, the bill would not go into effect. The House should look before it leaps, and Members should vote in favor of this amendment to ensure this happens. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, again I repeat, the lone witness, a Democratic witness at the Committee of Education and Labor's hearing in May on H.R. 1230, acknowledged that it is difficult to quantify the impact that the Gross decision had on the number of older workers who bring cases and the numbers of those who win them. This witness also acknowledged that we might have expected a drop in charges due to the Gross-inspired discouragement from employment attorneys, but that there was a sizeable jump in ADEA charges filed with the EEOC. I merely present this amendment to make sure that the committee and this House look at the data before we have some law here that is going to create, really, fewer opportunities for people to file these charges. Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I have 4 children and 13 grandchildren, and I can't imagine life without them and the love that we have for each other. In fact, every human life from the moment of conception is precious, worthy of dignity and respect. The right to life should not be a political debate. As a society, we should be united in the understanding that killing another human being, a baby, an unborn child, is immoral and unconstitutional. But in 1973 the Supreme Court ruled to make abortion available throughout pregnancy for nearly any reason. Mr. Speaker, there are only five countries in the world that allow abortion after the first 5 months, and, unfortunately, the U.S. is one of them. But Americans want better: 82 percent of Americans believe that abortion should be restricted. However, radicals on the left are taking abortion to a new extreme trying to justify killing a healthy, 7-pound baby up until the point of birth. Can you imagine? Some even try to justify killing a baby who survives an abortion attempt. In fact, we have a petition on this floor called the Born- Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and there are 240 Members of this body who refuse to sign that petition. This is repugnant. Can you imagine, as the Virginia Governor described, a baby born in a botched abortion: What we do is make the child comfortable and then talk with the mother and the other stakeholders to decide whether we kill the baby. That is un-American. In the 47 years since Roe v. Wade, we killed over 60 million of these children. That is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 50 which will memorialize the unborn by lowering the United States flag to half-staff on the 22nd of January each year. Mr. Speaker, I pray that the hearts and minds of every person in this country, particularly those who are Members of this body, will change and vote for life.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 14.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, last week, President Trump used his authority and took clear, decisive action to protect American lives. By eradicating Iran's top terrorist, he sent a clear message to our enemies that the Obama days of appeasement are over, and America will, once again, stand up to terrorists. We cannot allow another Benghazi. However, I am in disbelief that some Members of this body are finding ways to blame President Trump for the current situation in Iran. Fact one, Iran's regime has been an enemy of America since 1979. In recent months, they have shot down U.S. drones, attacked oil tankers, shot rockets at our bases, and attacked and tried to take over our embassy. Taking out Soleimani was a long-overdue action to make the world a safer place and protect American lives. Fact two, President Trump does not want war. Yesterday, while addressing the Nation, President Trump made clear there is a path forward with peace for Iran if they are willing to set aside their nuclear ambitions. This is personal for me. My son and his family currently serve in an embassy abroad in a war-torn land. I want to thank President Trump for protecting my family and our women and men in uniform abroad.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Dublin High School Fighting Irish on winning the Georgia High School Association 2A Football State Championship. These young men have worked hard all season, and this weekend's big win is a result of all their work. While at halftime the Fighting Irish were down, they quickly came back in the second half to ultimately defeat Brooks County 42 to 32--demonstrating the true meaning of perseverance. This was a unique win, as not one pass was attempted during the game. But the team won after rushing 437 yards, bringing Dublin its first state title since 2006. I have no doubt this program will continue to be successful in the years to come, and I look forward to seeing all these young men will accomplish, both on and off the field. Congratulations to Coach Roger Holmes, the team, and the entire Fighting Irish community.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Georgia for his great work in dealing with this very sad day in our country. Madam Speaker, today, for the third time in our Nation's history, a President will be impeached. This will be, however, the first time impeachment has been entirely partisan and without merit. This charade is not because President Trump is guilty of a high crime or misdemeanor but because one political party doesn't like him or his policies of America First. Fact one: We have a divided government, and House Democrats are at war with the executive branch. Fact two: They have been planning for this day since President Trump took office. Fact three: They accused the President first and have spent months looking for a crime. Fact four: No evidence has been presented of an impeachable offense. During one of the partisan hearings, a Member of this body asked: If President Trump had evidence of his innocence, why didn't he bring it forward? The Democrats want Americans to believe that our President is guilty until he proves himself innocent. This whole process is unconstitutional. Today, we have heard both sides, but we need to get the truth. The truth is, the decision of who should be our President should be made by the American people, not Speaker Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and House Democrats.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, our Founding Fathers warned us against what is happening this week on the House floor when one political party abandons constitutional principles simply for political gain. Tomorrow's impeachment vote is shameful and sets a dangerous precedent. Without bringing forward any evidence of an impeachable offense, House Democrats have rushed this partisan vote. You cannot impeach a duly elected President simply because you don't like him. For the past few months, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have been so obsessed with impeaching President Trump that they have forgotten to do their sworn duty, and that is to work on behalf of the American people. While I am glad we are finally voting on the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement this week, the vital trade deal was used by Democrats as a political pawn until after they brought forward their sham Articles of Impeachment. Americans must question the timing of the votes this week: a rushed impeachment vote, and a much-delayed trade deal. So, when the American people ask me back home, ``What in the world is going on in Washington?'' I say, ``It is just putting politics before the American people.''

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Chair, we all agree here that prescription drug prices are skyrocketing, and Congress must act. That is something that we all agree on. The question is how do we go about it. A couple of facts: One, H.R. 3 is a radical government takeover of the pharmaceutical industry, and it ultimately will prevent Americans from accessing potentially lifesaving cures. Fact 2: According to the White House Council of Economic Advisers, H.R. 3 will prevent as many as 100 fewer drugs from entering the U.S. market in the next decade. Fact 3: Countries that have adopted similar drug pricing schemes, as proposed under this legislation, have experienced a decrease in access to innovative new medicines, increased wait times for treatment, and supply shortages for in-demand drugs. Americans will not stand for this. We have an alternative: H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act. I urge Members to work together in a bipartisan way on H.R. 19.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, for too long, unwanted callers have circumvented the law in order to deliberately mislead Americans through robocalls and spoofing. In fact, this is the number one issue at every townhall that I hold in my district. Unfortunately, the number of robocall scams are ever increasing. Robocalls should not be a part of our everyday lives, and we must take action to stop it. This malicious practice has led to fraud and theft, exploiting vulnerable consumers, including our Nation's seniors. That is why I was a proud cosponsor of H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, which passed the House in July. The House and Senate took parts of this bill and were able to come together and agree on the TRACED Act. This bill allows the Federal Communications Commission to seek financial penalties against those making calls with misleading caller identification information. Most importantly, this legislation allows robocalls to be blocked transparently at no extra cost to Americans. We must stop this practice once and for all by identifying and taking action against these violators. I urge my colleagues to overwhelmingly support this bill.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Chair, those who work in hospitals and in social services are remarkable. They provide Americans with compassion and care in some of life's most difficult situations. But every day these workers face real risk of workplace violence. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports healthcare and social service workplaces have higher rates of workplace violence. No American should feel threatened while on the job. That is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, has recently taken steps to work with stakeholders and industry partners to analyze the issue on how to best protect these workers. H.R. 1309 threatens this collaborative work and denies OSHA the ability to respond to feedback from the public and stakeholders. As a small business owner, I know that top-down mandates simply do not work. The bottom-up approach is the tried-and-true method. Gather input from all impacted before creating a new policy. This bill also lacks the research needed to identify and prevent workplace violence in these settings. In 2016, the Government Accountability Office said there haven't been enough studies done on the effectiveness of workplace violence prevention programs and that OSHA needed to review it further. Why do some of my colleagues think they know better than the industry, worker representatives, the scientific community, and the public? Let's also not forget that rushed mandates like this one come at a cost. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost to private entities will be at least $1.8 billion in the first 2 years that the rushed OSHA rule is in effect and $750 million annually after that. It is also estimated to cost public facilities at least $100 million in the first 2 years and $55 million annually after that. When I am back home in my district and talk to healthcare providers, the last thing they want is another costly government mandate from Washington. So let's not put the cart before the horse here. Workplace violence is a serious issue, and it needs a serious solution. We should not pass this bill until we have a thoroughly vetted and researched fix. So let OSHA do their job to develop an effective solution by working with the very people that we are trying to help. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Bible Week and thank Congressman Lamborn for the time tonight to recognize the importance of honoring God's Word. As was said, 7 or 8 years ago, FDR declared National Bible Week just before the start of World War II. Just as it was then, the Bible is God's gift to us, standing the test of time, and serving as our guide during times of both joy and hardship. It is the way that God speaks to us. I was born in rural America in Georgia and as most youngsters, I was baptized at an early age because I believed in John 3:16: That God who gave us his Son, His begotten Son, that who shall ever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. What an amazing gift. And almost 20 years ago--and of course, there are many highs and lows during my time since then--but some 20 years ago, in one of those times of despair, I made a covenant with God. And that covenant was to put Him first. And that meant an intense study of His Word. And He actually showed me how to change my priorities and put Him first because I had this thirst for His Word as soon as I got up in the morning. In fact, I would wake up and I would be quoting His Word because of something I thought of during the night. I learned that my strength and abilities did not come from myself, but through Him, and Him alone. In this great country, we pride ourselves on freedom, and that freedom is knowing that God is our strength and His grace has no limits. I often pray that thy kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven, and the Bible reveals to us that we already have a glimpse of what that is like. Genesis 1:26 through 28 shows us that, from creation, we were all made in God's image and likeness. Now, wouldn't the world be a much better place if we treated each other, our relationships, as if we were with God himself in those relationships. Our country's very foundation comes from Judeo-Christian values, and these principles are woven throughout our founding documents. The Bible says we were created for God's purpose and God's image and in His likeness. If we study His Word and put it into action to value all people, even those we disagree with, I am certain that the division and hurt in this country would heal. We are a divided nation, and we have a divided government. You know, Jesus prayed for us in John 17:21 that we would be one, just as He and the Father are one. The enemy divides; God unites. And if we trust God, as His word says--and just above me, above the flag, says, if we put our trust in God, it would unite all of us here around those important issues that our Founders and the American people care about. I believe that if we actually, in this Chamber, debated what the Scriptures say about the very issues that divide us--and they are very divisive issues that we deal with on this floor every day--if we took the Scriptures and debated what the Scriptures say about those issues, that we would all come to agreement that God is correct and that his way is the only way. In fact, his instruction in Joshua 1:8 was: ``Do not let this book of law depart from your lips. Be careful to do what it says; meditate on it night and day, and we will be prosperous and successful.'' America stands as a beacon of hope for the rest of the world and can truly be a shining city upon a hill that God described if we treat each other with the dignity and respect that God shows us how to do through His Word. I pray that God gives me the strength and humility to serve Georgia's 12th District so that more people come to know and love Christ, the truth, so that the truth will set us free. God bless America. God bless His great Word.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Scott for organizing this time to honor, as said here many times, a legend. Of course, I never thought I would be standing in front of two Georgia legends as I speak specifically about one. But I do rise today to honor my great mentor and friend, Senator Johnny Isakson, along with greetings to Dianne and your wonderful family. I was there last Saturday to witness your beloved Bulldogs beat my beloved Auburn Tigers. Congratulations on this. I just hope and pray that they will go all the way for you. I think that would be a great tribute. Johnny has been a champion for the State of Georgia for decades, a reflection of his many years of service, as has been mentioned about all of the accomplishments, a life of political service. And, also, a mention about his influence on education. When I was first elected, I had not been in politics before and I didn't really know how to get things done up here. But I, in my service on the Education and Labor Committee, was attracted to a bill called the Every Student Succeeds Act and worked feverishly to get that bill passed in the House by a margin of a mere five votes, 218-213. Well, it just so happened that sometime later, as we got together in Georgia for lunch, Johnny was asking me about that legislation. I told him, I said we are going to return control to the States; we are going to try to get the Federal Government out of the classroom so that our teachers can have more time to teach. He quickly became a champion in the Senate and helped garner bipartisan support. Now, this is the way things should work. That bill, the Every Student Succeeds Act, then passed the Senate 81-17 and went to a conference committee, all because of the influence of this incredible man. When that version then came back to the House, I am standing right there looking at our ranking member, and that bill passed in this House 359- 64. I had never seen anything like that, Johnny, and it is all owed to you, and the impact on education is going to be felt throughout this Nation. It is quite a difference, and it shows the depths of your influence in these Halls of Congress. And, of course, throughout your service, you have demonstrated the true meaning of servant leadership by always putting the needs and priorities of Georgia first. In fact, the greatest servant leader in history said: There is no greater love than to give your life for a friend. You have given a big part your life to this country, and we are thankful for it. As someone who came from the business world but had not served in public office before, I am thankful for your leadership. Georgia has been named the best State to do business in for the last 7 years, and it is no coincidence that you had a lot to do with it. I know that I can always call on you for sound advice and guidance. Even though you are retiring this year, I hope you know that we will still be reaching out to you for advice. We will deeply miss you and your impact, and it will be missed for generations to come. There is no doubt that Georgia has big shoes to fill, and I think our delegation is up to the task, which is a testimony to your leadership and an example to me and my colleagues. Johnny, please know that we will do our best to make you proud and honor your legacy. Robin and I wish you and Dianne all the best during this next chapter in your life. God bless you and your family.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support, as others have said, of National Apprenticeship Week. The Republican-led Congress and President Trump jumpstarted America's economy, making it the best in the world. There has never been a better time to enter the workforce. However, every time I am back in the district, I hear about the need for skilled workers. That is why apprenticeships are absolutely vital to developing America's future workforce. By connecting employers directly to their future workforce, Americans have the opportunity to develop technical skills while gaining valuable work experience. The numbers show just how successful these programs are. Ninety-four percent of those who complete an apprenticeship program retain employment with an average salary of more than $70,000. I am proud that Georgia is leading the way in career and technical education and apprenticeships. For example, in Lyons, Georgia, Chicken of the Sea has invested millions in state-of-the-art technology and helped train our next generation of skilled workers through their apprenticeship program, creating even more jobs and promoting economic opportunity throughout Toombs County. We must continue with this training.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the investiture of Georgia Southern University's 14th President, Dr. Kyle Marrero. I am grateful for Dr. Marrero's commitment to higher education, and specifically to Georgia's students. With Georgia Southern offering 141 degree programs to 26,400 students across three campuses, serving at the helm is no easy task--but Dr. Marrero is certainly up to the challenge. Prior to serving Georgia Southern, Dr. Marrero served other academic institutions including the University of West Georgia and the University of West Florida. His track record for innovation and building data-informed strategic plans will benefit our community for years to come. As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I am particularly excited about Dr. Marrero's previous partnerships between local educators and community leaders to establish a common vision for PreK-16 student success. Dr. Marrero's past successes building university-wide efforts to create a collaborative culture of high performance, evidence-based leadership, and employee engagement will keep Georgia Southern at the forefront of higher education. On behalf of Georgia's 12th Congressional District, I want to thank Dr. Marrero for his leadership and congratulate him on his investiture.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, 54 years ago, our country made a commitment to older Americans and their families. In 1965, the Older Americans Act was enacted to support a wide range of services and programs for individuals over the age of 60. By passing this legislation, Congress made a promise to help provide compassionate care to our Nation's most vulnerable adults who are sometimes exploited, abused, or neglected. This legislation is vital to Georgia's seniors, and it supports many important community-based services like nutrition programs at churches and family caregiver support. I have seen the benefits of these programs firsthand, as I have had several opportunities to deliver Meals on Wheels to those who are unable to grocery shop or prepare a warm meal for themselves. What a privilege, as a Member of Congress, to visit with these older adults and talk to them about their contribution to this great country as we delivered these meals. This legislation upholds the dignity of those who are aging, and it has received bipartisan support for more than 50 years. Today should be no different, as we have a responsibility to uphold the promise that was made to support our Nation's seniors. I urge my colleagues to, once again, reauthorize the Older Americans Act.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose the lack of transparency by Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats' impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, our duly elected President. Instead of following precedent and putting the Judiciary Committee in charge of this process, Speaker Pelosi has empowered the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence chairman, Adam Schiff, to run this effort behind closed doors in secret, with no accountability, and he is handpicking what information to leak. What happened to Chairman Nadler over in the Judiciary Committee? If Democrats truly believe that this is the right thing to do, why don't they hold a vote? The Democrats' complete disregard for following a fair process is alarming, and quite frankly, it is un-American. They are misleading the American people while ignoring action on the pressing issues at hand. The truth is, they have only one goal, and that is to undermine President Trump and ensure he cannot do what he was elected to do, like passing the USMCA, immigration reform, modernizing healthcare, and securing our border. Let's end this nonsense and get to work on issues that matter to the American people.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to Speaker Pelosi's radical partisan prescription drug pricing plan. Let's not forget the last time that Speaker Pelosi brought healthcare legislation it was rushed through this House, and it doubled our premiums and our deductibles skyrocketed. There is no guarantee that H.R. 3 would lower the prices of drugs, but rather, it could mandate a one-size-fits-all government takeover of healthcare. It could pose a grave threat to innovation, research and development, and ultimately patient access to life-changing prescriptions. The bill could have far-reaching economic consequences that would negatively affect jobs, the economy, and trade. The pharmaceutical industry employs over 800,000 workers and supports an estimated four million jobs in this country. I know this firsthand. Right in my district healthcare researchers are transforming patient care and creating local jobs at the same time. This week the House Committee on Education and Labor marked up this legislation, and, unfortunately, my amendment was not adopted. My amendment would have prevented innovation and American manufacturing from moving out of the United States to China. The American people deserve for this Congress to go to work and pass legislation that is bipartisan and has a chance to become law to lower drug prices.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, just 2 weeks ago, I spoke on the floor and said we needed to end partisan politics and deliver results for the American people, but just this week, Speaker Pelosi and my Democrat colleagues announced their plan to move forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Trump. Their agenda to constantly undermine President Trump comes at a serious cost to the American people: ignoring the pressing issues at hand. One of the best examples is Congress' lack of action to tackle the undeniable crisis at our southern border. Both Democrats and Republicans agree this crisis must be addressed, which should make this a bipartisan issue. But, once again, Democrats continue to put forward partisan bills. This week, they brought to the floor the illegal immigrant customer service act, and we just voted on the improving healthcare for every illegal immigrant act. These bills will do nothing to solve the problems at our southern border and would only obstruct border enforcement and impede law enforcement's ability to protect this country. Why are Democrats prioritizing illegal immigrants over American citizens? Let's end this partisan political game and get to work for the American people.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, every day that Speaker Pelosi delays a vote on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, American workers and their families are hurt. Right now, farmers, ranchers, and businesses in Georgia and across the country face unnecessary uncertainty. This trade deal is vital to our economy, and passing USMCA would be a huge win for the American people. Canada and Mexico both serve as top markets for a number of our U.S. agricultural products. In Georgia, 22,558 jobs depend on manufacturing exports to Canada and Mexico. Passing this trade agreement would also strengthen our already vibrant economy. The USMCA can add another 176,000 new jobs and add $68.2 billion to GDP growth. Let's ensure free and fair trade while granting our farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers the protections they deserve. I urge my Democratic colleagues to end these partisan politics and pass USMCA or, at the very least, put the bill on the House floor for a vote.