Rep. Rick Allen

R

Georgia – District 12
representative

Leadership

Vice Chairman Communications and Technology

119th Congress

News & Announcements

Mar 18, 2026
Press Release

C&T Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled Securing U.S. Leadership of Communications Technology . “Our nation is the world’s economic powerhouse, and we lead the world in innovation,”  said Chairman Hudson.  “The United States is home to the world’s best technology companies, which have led in the creation of new devices and services that we rely on every day. On our committee, we are working to ensure we continue to lead in the new technologies of tomorrow.” Watch the full hearing  here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Subcommittee Vice Chairman Rick Allen (GA-12):  “If the U.S. were to reduce its engagement at the conference, what countries are most likely to fill that vacuum? And what are the national security implications associated with their increased influence?” Ms. Alexander:   “In my 20 years of doing ITU work, what I’ve seen is a marked engagement of Asian countries, in particular China. So, in some cases, when the U.S. companies don’t come, China comes— and China comes even more. And I think that will happen in this case as well. If we were not there and we don’t show up, they will and they’ll show up in big numbers. And that will be bad for national security in the long run for us.” Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01):  “Can you describe a worst case, best case? Best case if we hold them accountable or worst case if we don’t, what happens?” Ambassador Lang:  “Well, I think the worst case we need to prepare for is that China would structure the informal conversations that take place on the side of the conference in such a way that the U.S. would not have a seat at the table, and that at some point the U.S. would be presented with something that other parties were viewing as a consensus, and that we would be pressured to accept. So, I think what’s important is for us to make sure that we are—that we have a seat at the table in every single conversation that takes place. [...] The best case is that they actually conduct it in a transparent and fair manner. I think that they will be under a lot of pressure. They will want this conference to be viewed as a success widely. So, I think, there is reason to think that they will want to have a successful conference that is viewed favorably.” Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11):  “Talking about the WRC that’s upcoming and the coordination that you think needs to happen, how behind are we and what needs to happen in order to catch up?”  Ms. Alexander:  “For WRC, my observation historically is that these processes can be slow, and they can be cumbersome because spectrum is hard. [...] And it’s hard to sometimes deconflict and resolve these competing priorities. But that needs to happen. It needs to happen faster for us to be effective in these environments.” ###

Feb 25, 2026
Press Release

House Passes Energy and Commerce Legislation Rolling Back Unaffordable Government Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, celebrated the House passage of two bills that lower prices for hard-working families, protect consumer choice, and cut burdensome regulations.  The House passed H.R. 4626, the  Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act , and H.R. 4758, the  Homeowner Energy Freedom Act , legislation that modernizes outdated energy efficiency regulations, restores consumer choice in home appliances and commercial equipment, and repeals costly green energy programs that drive up prices for homeowners. Chairman Guthrie, along with Reps. Allen (GA-12) and Goldman (TX-12), issued the following statements on the passage of the two pieces of legislation.  “For too long, burdensome regulations established by the Biden-Harris Administration have driven up costs for home buyers, forcing them to pay more for appliances that fail to offer reasonable energy savings,” said Chairman Guthrie. “The Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act cuts red tape and ensures that regulations aren’t being weaponized as part of a radical, left-wing agenda. Likewise, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act puts an end to expensive building code mandates that push homeownership out of reach for millions of hardworking families. Thank you to Congressman Allen and Congressman Goldman for their work on lowering prices in communities across the country.”   “The American people do not need the federal government to tell them which household appliances will best meet the needs of their families. In issuing egregious regulations on home appliances and attempting to tilt the scales on what consumers purchase, the Biden-Harris Department of Energy significantly drove up costs and reduced availability for American families,”  said Rep. Allen.  “My legislation, the Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act, is a commonsense measure to prevent future administrations from repeating the same harmful mistakes. House passage of H.R. 4626 is a win for consumer choice. I thank Chairmen Guthrie and Latta, as well as House Republican Leadership for their continued support of this legislation.”   “The Biden-Harris Administration implemented costly green energy regulations that made life unaffordable for many Americans,”   said Rep. Goldman.   “Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Guthrie and support from my fellow Republican Energy and Commerce Committee colleagues, my Homeowner Energy Freedom Act has passed out of the House. This bill repeals costly red tape and will help improve housing affordability for Americans.”   BACKGROUND:   H.R. 4626, the  Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act— Rep. Allen (GA-12) Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) by reducing regulatory burdens on home appliances to increase consumer choice and prevent the weaponization of energy efficiency standards, while ensuring standards are cost-effective and can demonstrably lower energy prices for hardworking households. Since 1975, EPCA has regulated more than 60 products representing about 90 percent of household energy use. The Biden-Harris Administration used this authority to push far-left electrification policies that ignored costs and technological feasibility, reducing consumer choice and raising prices for families. H.R. 4626 establishes guardrails against unrealistic, unaffordable standards and restores consumer choice while lowering energy costs for American homeowners and businesses. H.R. 4758, the  Homeowner Energy Freedom Act— Rep. Goldman (TX-12)   Repeals three sections of the Inflation Reduction Act that subsidized the Biden-Harris Administration’s suffocating regulatory agenda and mandated expensive building codes, pushing homeownership out of reach for millions of hardworking families. This legislation repeals these programs to protect finite taxpayer resources and protect consumer choice for home energy needs. Currently, the Inflation Reduction Act’s energy efficiency and building code programs raise home energy bills and exacerbate the housing affordability crisis while doing nothing to address the root cause of higher costs facing hardworking families.  ###

Dec 16, 2025
Communications & Technology

C&T Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Improving Public Safety Communications

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled Legislative Improvements to Public Safety Communications in the United States.

“Important things like upgrading our 911 call centers, improvements to our wireless emergency alerting, and improvements to our outage reporting are crucial improvements that we now can look at through a legislative lens,” said Chairman Hudson.“Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs.”

Watch the full hearing here

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

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Subcommittee Vice Chairman Rick Allen (GA-12): “More than a year ago, Hurricane Helene—with over 100 mile per hour winds—ran through the entire stretch of my district and caused widespread damage and loss. We suffered multiple deaths and a loss of power for weeks in some areas. [...] We all learned the importance of resilient communication networks when commercial networks were severely disrupted. It was next to impossible for constituents to access information and resources.”

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Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11): “During natural disasters, when communication infrastructure is damaged, or in rural areas where it doesn't exist at all, like in my district, mobile service can be inconsistent. Not having access to emergency alerts can also mean the difference between life and death. Every member of this committee has learned this all too well, whether it was during wildfires that we've talked about today, or the flooding in central Texas at Camp Mystic, for which the bill I'm going to talk about is named after.”

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Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09): “Public safety communications is one of those rare areas where the technology is moving fast. The stakes are high, and Congress has a real opportunity to make systems work better in the moments that matter most. When I've met with first responders in my district in southeast Indiana, I consistently hear that clear, coordinated systems allow them to share information quickly, direct resources effectively, and keep both first responders and the public safe.”

Letters

Mar 31, 2026
Press Release

Chairman Guthrie Issues Subpoena to California Air Resources Board

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued a subpoena to California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Lauren Sanchez for documents and communications related to CARB’s implementation of vehicle emissions regulations that were nullified by Congress. This marks Chairman Guthrie’s first subpoena as Chairman of the Committee.

Despite three bipartisan Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions being signed into law last year preventing California from implementing vehicle standards that would ban the sale of gas-powered cars and trucks through its Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) II, and Omnibus Low NOx (Omnibus) regulations, Committee staff received reports that California has been denying auto manufacturers approval to bring vehicles to market unless manufacturers agree to comply with the nullified regulations.

After CARB failed to cooperate with multiple requests from the Committee, despite repeated accommodations, Chairman Guthrie issued the subpoena to compel the production of documents regarding CARB’s implementation of the ACT, ACC II, and Omnibus regulations, including communications between CARB and Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, as well as CARB and the California Attorney General’s Office.

Chairman Guthrie issued the following statement following the subpoena:

“The Committee began its investigation after reports that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) had been denying approvals to bring new vehicles to market unless auto manufacturers agreed to comply with California’s burdensome EV mandate, despite the fact it had been nullified by CRA resolutions signed into law last June. California’s refusal to cooperate with our investigation has left the Committee no choice but to issue a subpoena in order to receive the documents it requested from CARB,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Forcing Americans to buy unreliable, and costly, EVs would eliminate consumer choice, strain our electric grid, raise costs, and increase our reliance on entities tied to the Chinese Communist Party. We will continue to follow the facts and demand accountability from California. I urge California to comply with this subpoena speedily and in good faith.”

BACKGROUND:

  • Section 209(a) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) prohibits states from adopting or attempting to enforce emissions standards for new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. Under Section 209(b), California may request a waiver of federal preemption from the EPA.

  • The EPA had approved waivers under prior administrations that allowed California to implement vehicle regulations, including bans on gas, diesel, and hybrid vehicles and mandates for 100% electric vehicle sales by 2035.

  • On June 12, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed three resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act—H.J. Res. 87, H.J. Res. 88, and H.J. Res. 89—which collectively disapproved California’s waivers of preemption that allowed the state to impose vehicle emissions standards that effectively banned the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. The CRA resolutions passed Congress with bipartisan support.

  • California and several other states have challenged the CRA resolutions in court; the case is currently pending, and no injunction has been issued.

  • EV adoption rates remain below the targets outlined in those waivers. For example, ACC II would have required New York to reach 35% EV sales in model year 2026, while current EV market share is substantially lower. California, which leads the nation in EV adoption, had a market share of almost 26% as of December 2024.

  • The production of EV batteries relies on critical minerals sourced largely from supply chains controlled by foreign entities. Mining and processing of these minerals, particularly in China, is highly emissions-intensive compared with U.S. production.

CLICK HERE to read the New York Post’s exclusive coverage of the ongoing investigation.

CLICK HERE to read the cover letter of the subpoena.
###

Mar 26, 2026
Press Release

Chairman Hudson Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing to Review the 1996 Telecom Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled The Telecommunications Act of 1996: 30 Years Later . Subcommittee Chairman Hudson’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:   “Good morning, and welcome to today’s hearing examining the Telecommunications Act of 1996.    “It’s hard to believe that 1996 was 30 years ago. That February, I was a student at UNC Charlotte. I won’t ask my colleagues where they were at that time – or staff if they were even born yet. Here in Washington, right across the street at the Library of Congress, members of Congress celebrated the passage of the Telecommunications Act. I have to admit, this event was not on my radar as a senior in college.    “However, the Telecom Act was a huge milestone when it was enacted. It was the first major rewrite of communications policy since the Communications Act of 1934. The law was designed to deregulate the market, unleash competition, and open opportunities for new technologies and services. In many ways, it succeeded. By eliminating certain monopoly-era laws and preempting state and local barriers, the Telecom Act opened the communications ecosystem to new players, leading to competition and innovation that ultimately benefited consumers.    “Competitors could enter local phone markets, telephone companies could now provide video, cable companies could provide voice service, and they could do this while entering markets they previously could not serve. It also enshrined the principles of universal service that are so important to rural America. Finally, it included what we now know as Section 230—26 words that created the internet economy we know today.    “But the world has changed significantly since 1996. Back then, the Internet was a new technology. We were just beginning to hear the familiar, but now extinct, dial-up tone and use web browsers like Netscape. None of us could have predicted the technological revolution that was coming.   “The Telecom Act unfortunately did not foresee how essential broadband would be to our lives. Nor did it see the rise of new ways to communicate. Back then, everyone relied on their home landline to make calls. Cell phones were considered a luxury. But today, we all have a computer in our pocket that among other things is a very quality cell phone. I’m not sure if any of us even still have a home phone...if we do, I wonder how many can even remember their number.    “And if we wanted to talk with someone on the other side of the world in 1996, we had to rely on a long-distance carrier to place an expensive, charge-by-the-minute call, whereas today, we can connect with anyone, anywhere via a cell phone call, a video call, a text message, or through social media.    “The world of 1996 looks nothing like the world of today, and it’s time we update our laws to reflect that. That’s why we are holding this hearing. Today’s hearing is an opportunity to look back at the Telecom Act—as well as the law it amended, the Communications Act of 1934—and find out what continues to work and what does not.    “For example, does it still make sense to regulate communications technologies in different silos? Do we still need an entire section on payphone service?  Is it time to revisit Section 230? And how should we address media ownership as broadcasters must now compete for engagement and revenue against platforms that did not exist in 1996?  Congress needs to consider how we should modernize our communications policy framework to reflect the technologies of today in way that will also work for the technologies of tomorrow.    “We have an esteemed panel of witnesses here today—some of whom were intimately involved with drafting the Telecom Act. I look forward to hearing from them, and I look forward to this discussion.”   ###

Mar 26, 2026
Communications & Technology

C&T Subcommittee Holds Hearing to Review the 1996 Telecom Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a hearing titled The Telecommunications Act of 1996: 30 Years Later . “The world of 1996 looks nothing like the world of today, and it’s time we update our laws to reflect that,” said Chairman Hudson. “Congress needs to consider how we should modernize our communications policy framework to reflect the technologies of today in a way that will also work for the technologies of tomorrow.” Watch the full hearing here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05): “Can we maintain a light-touch regulatory approach to ensure we maintain that lead globally when we talk about telecommunications in the United States?” Mr. Pickering: “Yes, I believe we can take a light-touch approach, building on the lessons from the ’96 Act. That approach now applies to both energy and telecommunications, including broadband—the critical infrastructure for AI that converges at the data center. You’re in a great position as Chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, working with Chairman Hudson, to advance permitting reform this session. We’re in a race against China, and the clock is ticking. Their advantages could swing the race in their favor if we don’t act in this Congress. We need to build new energy networks and capacity, as well as achieve the fiber connectivity that distributes AI applications and uses across the country.” Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01): “30 years is a long time. Think of what has changed in 30 years, particularly when you talk about telecommunications. And don’t get me wrong—the Telecommunications Act of 1996, we all agree, was great. It unleashed competition and innovation, but it was different then. We need to make sure we are dealing with the [modern] times.” Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11): “I’d like to ask how Congress should update the framework of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to match the work Chairman Carr is doing, such as deleting obsolete, technology-specific rules and moving toward a more technology-neutral approach.” Mr. Thierer: “The ‘delete, delete, delete’ proceeding is a good example of how we can move in that direction. We should have been doing that a long time ago. Instead, Congress, in the Telecommunications Act, delegated broad forbearance authority and hoped the FCC would voluntarily loosen the chains—and it hasn’t worked out that way.” ###