Rick Allen

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, every day, Americans volunteer within their communities to help family, friends, and neighbors, including our Nation's elderly. Personally, I have had the opportunity to deliver Meals on Wheels on many occasions, and I have seen the impact it has had on our seniors. As a society, we must work together to take care of older Americans who are sometimes exploited, abused, or neglected. That is why, in 1965, the Older Americans Act was enacted to support a wide range of services and programs for individuals over the age of 60. This critical legislation supports many programs important for Georgia's seniors, like nutrition programs at churches and family caregiver support. I am proud to serve on the House Education and Labor Committee where, this week, with unanimous bipartisan support, we voted to move forward legislation to reauthorize the Older Americans Act. As Congress has done many times before, I urge my colleagues to reauthorize the Older Americans Act to protect our Nation's elderly.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the important work of Chicken of the Sea International and its investment in Georgia's 12th Congressional District. Ten years ago, we received exciting news that our nation's leading seafood provider was returning its tuna canning operations to the United States. Specifically, we learned it was opening its first domestic operations in Lyons, Georgia. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Lyons facility and learn more about how their operations have expanded over the last decade. Chicken of the Sea has invested millions in state-of-the-art technology and helped to train our next generation of skilled workers through their apprenticeship program, creating more jobs and promoting economic opportunity throughout Toombs County. I thank Chicken of the Sea for its continued investment in the community, and I congratulate the Lyons facility on a successful 10 years of serving quality seafood to Americans all across the country.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, as my colleagues and I come back into legislative session this week, I would like to take this opportunity to share what I learned from the 12th District of Georgia during the recent district work period. Like many of my colleagues, I spent the last 6 weeks meeting with constituents, and I hope my colleagues got the same earful I did. Our constituents want to know why Congress can't work together to deliver results for the American people. In fact, just last night, I hosted a telephone town hall, and constituents said that the two top issues they want Congress to focus on before the end of the year are healthcare and immigration reform. How do we solve these problems when Democrats are determined to ensure that our President is not successful? It is not fair to the American people to put politics ahead of the American people's interests. We have a President who is willing and eager to work with us on many issues, including healthcare and immigration, so let's get to work. The American people won't accept anything less.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 397. You can call it, Madam Speaker, whatever you want to call it, but the taxpayers are going to bail out an underwater multiemployer pension plan. It is just that simple, based on this legislation. Since my time in Congress, my colleagues and I on the House Education and Labor Committee have held numerous hearings on multiemployer pension plans. I have learned a few things. These plans currently are underfunded by $638 billion. How in the world did that happen? The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, PBGC, multiemployer insurance program has a $54 billion deficit and is expected to become insolvent by the end of fiscal year 2025. According to the PBGC data, 75 percent of multiemployer participants are in plans that are less than 50 percent funded. I think we can all agree that the system has failed, and these retirees, I agree, deserve better. How were they so misled to believe their contributions would cover their retirement? In fact, this is just another example of unions overpromising and underdelivering. The union says, hey, if you pay this, you are going to get this retirement. As the owner of a small business, I like to think of myself as coming to the table, negotiating, and solving the problem. However, both parties must be willing to find a reasonable solution that works for everyone. The Democratic solution on the multiemployer pension program is shortsighted and partisan. In the business world, we don't call that problem-solving. We call that another massive taxpayer giveaway. Taxpayers are not going to stand for this. Not to my surprise, the Democratic solution is Big Government and billions of dollars in new costs. Again, this bailout is an unserious policy. It has a zero chance in the Senate, and I recommend a ``no'' vote.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan) for chairing this Special Order tonight. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be a member of this House Energy Action Team. It is a special coalition of Members of Congress who are focused on energy policy. I was honored to be selected as the nuclear subteam leader. This will allow me to do my part to advance our nuclear energy priorities through Congress and allow America to remain a dominant player in the global nuclear industry. The theme for this Special Order is the American energy renaissance. I have to tell you, after President Trump took office, the war on energy and the war on business was over. It was like flipping on a light switch. America was open for business again, and the American people responded. We have the best economy in the world. Since then, we have continued to invest in our own energy resources and have successfully made the United States energy independent. Who would have thought that 10 years ago? Georgia's 12th Congressional District is on the front line of the American energy renaissance, with the first two new nuclear reactors being built in the United States in the past 30 years at Plant Vogtle. Just in March, I had the opportunity to be with Secretary of Energy Rick Perry to see the placement of the top of the Unit 3 containment vessel, truly a historic moment. There is Secretary Perry, and there is the setting of the top of that vessel. Finishing construction on these two units means that Americans can still do big things. I look forward to Units 3 and 4 coming online soon. Nuclear energy plays an important role in Georgia's energy portfolio, as it accounts for more than a quarter of all power generated and is the only clean air source that can produce large amounts of electricity around the clock. Georgia 12 is also home to all of Georgia's nuclear capabilities, with four nuclear reactors, two already online at Plant Vogtle and two at Plant Hatch. These facilities currently employ almost 2,000 people, year-round, high-skilled employees. The construction of Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle is the largest construction project in Georgia, with more than 8,000 workers onsite. When we talk about clean energy in this country, we don't need out- of-touch, costly socialist policies like the Green New Deal that would devastate the best economy in the world. We are talking about unleashing private-sector innovation, like nuclear power. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, Georgia's nuclear energy facilities alone avoid more than 21 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, the equivalent of more than 4.4 million passenger cars. It is of the utmost importance that we ensure these nuclear plants continue to provide energy in a safe, reliable, and affordable manner. Georgia has been selected 6 years in a row as the best State to locate your business. A big reason for that is our low energy costs. Overall, I believe we must continue to pursue a proactive, responsible, and all-of-the-above energy policy that will benefit hardworking Americans and lower the cost of energy in this Nation. The House Energy Action Team will continue to be laser-focused on continuing America's energy renaissance, and I am so glad to be a part of it.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I think it is laughable for anybody in this House to say that the government is going to raise your wages. The government doesn't raise wages. What the government does is provide an environment for businesses to raise wages, and that is where the decision should be. And it is laughable to me that Members of Congress actually believe that they are going to raise the wages of people in this country by this legislation. The Congressional Budget Office recently released a report saying that almost 4 million jobs could be lost if this legislation were implemented. I remind my colleagues that we had an 8-year war on business, and, guess what. In 2016, we said that war is over. America is open for business. With Georgia being the number one State to do business in for the past 6 years, this damaging Federal mandate would reverse all of the great work our State has done to grow jobs and the economy. And I am telling you, we are getting it done in Georgia, but I don't want Maryland to determine what Georgia is going to do and I don't want Seattle to determine what Georgia is going to do. As a businessman, I know that our economy is all about supply and demand, and with more job openings, then job seekers' wages are going to go up. You have to pay more to keep talent. It is supply and demand, folks. In fact, in 2018, wages and salaries saw the largest increase in more than a decade, thanks to the economic environment led by a Republican- led Congress and President Trump that has spurred economic growth and prosperity. The last thing we need are more one-size-fits-all Washington mandates that lead to job cuts, cut workers' hours for automation, and ultimately shut the doors of our Nation's small businesses. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this legislation.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Chair, I rise to thank the chairwoman and ranking member for including the Allen-Hice amendment in this en bloc package. Congressman Hice and I worked together to introduce this bipartisan amendment to fully fund the President's budget request for construction of the second project of the cyber instructional facility at Fort Gordon. As we all know, cyber is the present and future of modern warfare. In Georgia 12, the district I have the honor of representing, we are at the forefront of advanced cyber innovation. In the changing electronic world in which we live, U.S. Army Cyber Command is an increasingly significant part of our national security efforts. U.S. Army Cyber Command is currently transitioning to Ford Gordon, and this transition requires construction of state-of-the-art facilities that can accommodate the rapid change of pace required in cyberspace. I thank Congressman Hice for joining me in introducing this amendment, and I urge the passage of this en bloc package.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, I can't stress enough just how important it is to the future of this country that we take desperately needed steps to rein in our national debt and restore some fiscal sanity to this Chamber. H.R. 2740 is an unserious proposal that will not be signed into law by President Trump. I would ask all my colleagues to think about, again, their grandkids, their kids, and their great-grandkids before casting their vote. If we can't cut just 1 percent of one spending division on a bipartisan basis, then how will Congress ever get spending under control? Mr. Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on my amendment today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, as the designee of the gentleman from Illinois, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer this amendment on behalf of my friend and colleague from Illinois, Representative Bost. This simple, straightforward amendment will ensure that the State Department emphasizes working with veteran-owned and disabled veteran- owned small businesses when awarding contracts and grants. Small businesses are the backbone of our Nation's economy. Veteran- owned small businesses play an important part. The number of veterans and veteran entrepreneurs continues to grow as veterans return from overseas, with many making personal sacrifices to stand up for America. Veterans understand the needs of the State Department in a unique manner and should be relied upon to supply the necessary equipment and expertise. I believe it is our duty to look after our soldiers when they return home from serving our country, and we should continue looking to these heroes as the Federal Government contracts with these small businesses. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, we are nearly 6 months into the Democratic- controlled House of Representatives, and here we are debating amendments to an almost $1 trillion minibus, $176 billion above current budget caps, without even a glimpse of a fiscal year 2020 budget proposal from House Democrats. You might ask, how did we get to this point? Well, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are operating on a premise that an increase in defense spending justifies increases in nondefense spending across the board. Now and always, strengthening our defense should remain priority number one, but providing more than twice as much additional funding in fiscal year 2020 for nondefense programs as for defense programs is simply irresponsible. Additionally, if Congress does not come to a budget cap agreement, these spending levels would lead to sequestration, which would be devastating to our military. Folks, as a former business owner and someone who has experience operating within a budget, I am appalled by the lack of fiscal responsibility being shown here today. With an almost $22 trillion national debt, this minibus is a complete disservice to our country and our fellow Americans. If we wish to avoid passing an insurmountable debt along to the future generations, we must act immediately to tighten the purse strings on Washington's spending habits. My amendment today is simple. It would reduce State and Foreign Operations spending by 1 percent for fiscal year 2020. Democrats have increased this division by $2 billion, bringing foreign nondefense spending to a whopping $56 billion. If you do the math, my amendment would cut $560 million. Even with my 1 percent cut, this division will still increase spending for fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019. So, in my mind, my Democratic colleagues should support my amendment, as they will still be spending a lot more of your hard-earned money, just a bit less than they intended. It is not my intention to cut funding going towards our critical ally, Israel. And while our diplomatic efforts abroad are necessary, it is equally as important that we take a hard look at the balance sheet and make appropriate cuts wherever possible. Also, just to be clear, it was my goal to offer an amendment to reduce spending by 1 percent across all branches in this minibus spending package, with the exception of defense. However, House Democrats blocked this effort, continued to promote out-of-control government spending and neglecting our national debt crisis, and only ruled this amendment in order. Mr. Chair, I am a proud grandfather of 13 grandchildren, and I believe it is my duty to do everything in my power to avoid placing a $22 trillion--and rising--burden on their backs. I urge my colleagues in this body to support my amendment today and take a small step towards bringing fiscal responsibility back to Washington. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chair, I appreciate that we were able to debate this amendment on the floor today that would emphasize the State Department's working with veteran-owned and disabled veteran-owned small businesses when awarding contracts and grants, and we were able to agree on a bipartisan basis that this important amendment be passed. Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the House Energy Action Team, I am proud to rise here this evening to shed some light on our theme of the week, nuclear energy. Georgia's 12th District is home to two nuclear power plants, Plant Vogtle and Plant Hatch. We are leading the way in the expansion of our Nation's nuclear resources with the first two nuclear reactors being built in 30 years currently under construction at Plant Vogtle. After visiting Vogtle in March and witnessing the placement of the top of the unit 3 containment vessel, I can tell you that construction is full steam ahead. I look forward to units 3 and 4 coming online as soon as possible. However, we currently have thousands of spent fuel rods being held in spent fuel pools and dry cask storage containers on these sites and around the country. We must have a permanent geological site, like Yucca Mountain, to manage our nuclear waste. I cosponsored the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act, which provides a solution to this problem, and I urge Congress to act upon this bill as soon as possible.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the importance of H.R. 2480, the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, which we just passed in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. Although we are facing challenging times and political divide in our Nation, one thing we can absolutely agree on is this: Child abuse and neglect are heartbreaking, immoral, and simply inexcusable. As many of you know, the opioid epidemic has devastated families and communities across our country, which has been a major factor in the recent uptick in child abuse and neglect cases. H.R. 2480 assists States in addressing this recent increase in child neglect by improving data collaboration between States, strengthening accountability, supporting evidence-based services, and developing best practices for reducing child neglect linked to parental substance abuse. Most importantly, it provides parents with parental education and leadership skills developed to help keep them and their families safe and together. We have a duty to ensure that American children are protected from maltreatment and neglect, and the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act sets us on the right path to do so.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Banks for yielding, for the Special Order here this evening, for his leadership in crafting this very important budget, and for this discussion we are having on it tonight. Madam Speaker, obviously, we have been waiting on a budget to vote on in the United States Congress and have yet to see a budget. Then I think we learned that there may not be a budget in the United States Congress this year. That is very hard to understand because we are spending $4 trillion to $4.2 trillion. Two-thirds of that $4.2 trillion is mandatory spending, which is basically on automatic pilot, and it is skyrocketing. The biggest increases in our deficit are created by this mandatory spending. On the discretionary side, it is about a third of what we spend totally. As far as discretionary spending goes, we have had some modest increases. For the first part of the time that I was in Congress, we basically had budget caps, and, actually, discretionary spending was held to the same level the entire time. I think it is sad that we are financing our standard of living in my generation on the backs of my children and their children and their children and their children. So what do we do about it? I am very proud to talk about what Jim Banks and his leadership and what the Republican Study Committee have done in presenting here this evening. This budget exemplifies fiscal sanity and preserves American freedom. As most of you know, I spent my career in the running of small businesses, starting out in the construction industry, then participating in the banking industry and electronic medical records and real estate development. I did this in conjunction with my wife, Robin, as my partner. Many times, we would sit down at the kitchen table, just like every other American family, and we would map out a budget. I knew that spending more than my means was simply out of the question. Well, folks, why can't we do that here in Washington? We need more fiscal common sense here in Washington, and the RSC fiscal year 2020 budget does just that. Picture this: $12.6 trillion in total deficit reduction over 10 years, balancing the budget in just 6 years by 2025. On that fact alone, I would hope that every Member of this body would offer their support. This budget also fosters a rewarding environment for economic growth and job creation. We have heard it over and over again from those who deal in investments and deal with the economy and the growth of the economy that the biggest wind at our face is this budget deficit. It is a headwind. It is going to be a headwind against the growth of this economy if we don't get serious about a budget. This budget will give us that opportunity for economic growth and job creation. Right now, we have the best economy in the world: 263,000 jobs were created last month, and over 7 million jobs are available throughout this Nation, far exceeding the number of jobseekers. I was so glad to work with my colleagues here in Congress the last 2 years and with the President in making this happen. But the American people made it happen. All we did was provide an opportunity. We reformed regulations and we passed a tax reform bill that gave the economy a boost. Frankly, in dealing with the budget deficit and going forward, our only hope in this is to grow our economy. We must have GDP growth. In a telephone townhall with constituents from Georgia's 12th District last night, 73 percent of participants reported that our economy is headed in the right direction. When I ran for Congress in 2014, 70 percent of the people in my district said that the economy was going in the wrong direction, and we have flipped it. However, a soaring economy also creates challenges. As we face increasing workforce needs, this budget prioritizes moving Americans off the sidelines and back into the workforce, rewarding work and promoting innovation. Madam Speaker, I am the grandfather of 13 beautiful grandchildren, and the last thing I want to do is leave an insurmountable debt behind for our future generations. I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to get onboard with the RSC budget to restore a sense of fiscal responsibility to Washington. Our future depends on it.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize National Charter Schools Week, a week where we honor the opportunity to bring real educational choice to millions of families across America. Georgia has a rich history of school choice and in charter schools. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit Drew Charter School in Atlanta, Georgia. Serving more than 1,800 students from pre-K through 12th grade, Drew Charter School has implemented a project-based learning approach that is helping all students reach their highest potential. The numbers speak for themselves. Drew Charter School has a 100 percent graduation rate. No wonder there is a wait list to attend this wonderful school. While speaking with administrators, touring the beautiful campus, and visiting a few classrooms, it was evident that Drew Charter School has excelled in their mission to provide a quality education. As the senior Republican on the Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, I look forward to sharing my support for charter schools and everything they do for our young students. By supporting charter schools, we are putting kids first in education, not politicians more concerned about power and money.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Carter for yielding and for his efforts here this evening to shine a light on an issue that we all know is affecting far too many Americans. It is a shame to keep doing things when they don't work. Something has to be done. Madam Speaker, the rising cost of prescription drugs is causing significant financial burdens for millions of Americans, patients, seniors, and our businesses. Too often, Americans have to choose between much-needed prescriptions and household expenses. However, President Trump made it clear to the American people during his State of the Union Address that lowering the cost of prescription drugs was one of his top priorities. As we have seen throughout his Presidency, promises made are promises kept. Earlier this year, the Trump administration issued a proposal that would create incentives to lower list prices and reduce out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs, potentially becoming the most sweeping change to how American drugs are priced, a much-needed change. By delivering discounts directly to patients at the pharmacy counter and bringing long-overdue transparency to a broken system, we are putting patients and seniors first. That is how it should be. It is high time to end these kickbacks to pharmacy middlemen, referred to as PBMs, in this process of dealing with these DIRs, which are putting many of those in the pharmaceutical business in my district out of business. I thank the administration, Congressman Carter, and my fellow colleagues this evening for their commitment to righting this ship and reducing drug prices for all Americans.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I had the great privilege of joining President Trump and many others at the White House Rose Garden as Tiger Woods was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Tiger, not only for winning our Nation's highest civilian honor, but also for his standout victory at the 2019 Masters Tournament in my hometown of Augusta, Georgia. In 1997, Woods became the youngest man and first African Asian American to win the Masters at the young age of 21. After being tested by possible career-ending injuries and adversity, Tiger's comeback to win his 81st PGA tour event, 15th major championship, and fifth green jacket 22 years later is nothing short of remarkable. Now Tiger adds the Presidential Medal of Freedom to his already stellar resume, becoming only the fourth golfer to do so, joining the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Charlie Sifford. Congratulations to Tiger and his family for receiving such a well- deserved distinction. As the President said, Tiger, you are a ``true legend.''

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, today we observe the 68th annual National Day of Prayer, a day dedicated to bringing men and women of all faiths together in prayer for this great Nation. Statistically, only about 14 percent of Americans read the Bible and pray on a daily basis. That is why this year's theme focuses on our love for one another, just as we learned in the teachings of Jesus in John 13:34: Love one another just as I have loved you. This theme is just as important in our Nation today as it has been throughout our history. Right now, America is a divided nation, and we are fighting for the values that this great country was founded upon. More than anything else we need unity. Mark 3:24 says: If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. But to find unity, we must put our faith before our politics. We must do what is right for the American people. Why? Because our faith unites us in Christ. Jesus prayed for us, in John 21:17, that: All of them may be one, Father, just as You are in me and I am in You. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me. I encourage all Americans to join me in celebrating the National Day of Prayer and humbly come before God to seek his guidance on how we may become one America.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, over this past weekend the 2019 National Science Bowl finals took place down the road in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I am proud to rise here this evening to congratulate Stallings Island Middle School and Lakeside High School--both located in Georgia's 12th district--for their students' stellar performance in this year's competition. The path to the finals is no easy task. With over 1,000 high schools and nearly 650 middle schools participating in the regional tournaments nationwide, these Georgia-12 students worked hard to advance to the finals and compete at the national level. The students' brilliance solving technical problems and answering questions about all branches of science and math is truly incredible. I would like to thank and congratulate the educators, coaches, and especially the bright young students of Stallings Island Middle School and Lakeside High School who made this tremendous run possible. Georgia-12 is certainly proud, and we look forward to cheering them on again next year.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Dunn for his work here this evening to bring attention to something that is critical for not only our great citizens in Florida, North Florida, but of course we heard about North Carolina, Nebraska; and, of course, we have been waiting since last October in Georgia. You have heard about devastation from Hurricane Michael. It left a tremendous trail of destruction. It was a Category 3 storm that reached my district with winds over 100 miles per hour. We lost trees, power lines, crops, poultry houses, and much more. While traveling the district, I was able to see firsthand the heart- wrenching wreckage that Hurricane Michael left behind, and it is still there to this day, nearly 6 months later. Many of our farmers in my district are struggling to survive. I mean, we had cotton on the ground, probably the best harvest we were going to have in a long time. Gone. In addition to Hurricane Michael, it is also important to highlight the need for the assistance we have been working to secure for our blueberry and peach producers in the State who still suffer from losses and damaged bushes and trees resulting from late season freezes. Not a day goes by that I don't hear from a Georgia-12 farmer about the urgency of providing disaster relief funding immediately. And just last week, Senate Democrats chose to block a desperately- needed bipartisan disaster relief package that would have provided critical funding to our communities, not only in Georgia, but across the Nation that have been affected by these disasters. Let me just say this: Holding farmers who feed and clothe our Nation hostage over partisan politics is downright shameful. I cannot stress enough that local farmers must obtain bank loans ahead of the upcoming planting season. So the urgency of getting a bill passed in both Chambers and sent to the President cannot be overstated. We do not have time for political games aimed at undermining our President. Madam Speaker, agriculture is the number 1 industry in Georgia and in the 12th District of Georgia. I know this process has been more challenging than many of our farmers could have imagined, and I just want to reiterate that I will always stand with rural America 100 percent. I will not stop working until the farmers of the 12th District of Georgia and across our great State get this disaster relief that they need and deserve. I would like to thank Senators Perdue and Isakson for leading the effort in the Senate, my colleagues Austin Scott, Sanford Bishop, and Neal Dunn, and others that you will hear from here tonight in the House, and all of my colleagues here this evening for the commitment to getting this done. It cannot wait any longer.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, this week in Augusta, Georgia, we celebrate a tradition unlike any other: bringing together the most elite golfers in the world to take on the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club for the first major of the year, the 2019 Masters Tournament. The first full week of April in my hometown of Augusta is always filled with excitement and great competition, creating one of the most electrifying atmospheres in all of sports. This year, I am thrilled that a new tradition has unfolded. This past Saturday, the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur took place at the famed Augusta National for the first time. I congratulate the entire field for their stellar performance and especially our women's amateur champion, Jennifer Kupcho. I also thank Chairman Ridley, the membership of Augusta National, and all the volunteers for their continued success in conducting the finest competition in sports and in growing the game of golf worldwide. This special week allows the world to get a glimpse into Georgia's 12th District and the wonderful people who live and work there. I am looking forward to the final round on Sunday and the 2019 champion putting on that coveted green jacket. The tradition that encompasses the Masters is truly special.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Chair, I rise today to speak out against H.R. 7, legislation that places unprecedented restrictions and liability on job creators that will harm the very women it claims to protect. As a small business owner with over 40 years of experience creating jobs, I know just how hard it can be for employers to find skilled and qualified workers. With 7.6 million available jobs throughout our Nation, the last thing we need to do is overregulate our businesses, especially when Federal law already makes it illegal to pay different wages to women for equal work. H.R. 7 dramatically increases liability for employers, eliminates a business owner's ability to contest gender-based pay discrimination cases, expands damages, and encourages frivolous lawsuits. Furthermore, this partisan bill offers no new protections against pay discrimination in the workplace. Rather, H.R. 7 directly benefits trial lawyers at the expense of working women. Taken as a whole, this bill will very likely limit or obstruct an employer's efforts to recruit, hire, promote workers, and to increase their pay--once again, empty partisan promises from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. However, after passing historic tax reform under the Republican-led Congress and eliminating burdensome red tape under the leadership of President Trump, our businesses are continuing to empower women across this country at unprecedented levels. We have more women working in the U.S. than ever before, nearly 75 million. Women filled nearly 60 percent of the 2.8 million jobs created in the last year. One in five employer businesses nationwide is owned by women, including by my wife of 45 years, Robin. I need to keep this momentum going, not obstruct employers' efforts to recruit, hire, and promote workers. Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote today on H.R. 7.