Rick Allen

Rick W. Allen
Born	Richard Wayne Allen
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Hlist
Title	Chairman, Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee
Known for	U.S. Representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district
Website	[[allen.house.gov allen.house.gov] Official site]

• • Richard Wayne "Rick" Allen** is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, Allen has represented the district — which encompasses a large swath of eastern and southern Georgia, including the cities of Augusta and Vidalia — since first winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Before entering politics, Allen built a career in the construction industry, founding and operating a construction company in Georgia. In Congress, he has focused on issues related to labor, healthcare, and economic regulation, serving as Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Allen has been an active legislator on matters affecting small businesses, healthcare access, and energy policy, and has attracted attention for his financial disclosures relating to stock transactions conducted while serving in office.

Career

Construction Industry

Prior to his tenure in Congress, Rick Allen established himself in the construction industry in Georgia. He founded and operated R.W. Allen & Associates, a construction and development firm. His background in construction and business ownership has informed much of his legislative agenda in Washington, particularly his focus on labor regulations, workforce development, and policies affecting small and medium-sized enterprises.

U.S. House of Representatives

Rick Allen serves as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district. As a Republican member of the House, Allen has positioned himself on committees and subcommittees that address workforce, healthcare, and economic issues. He holds the chairmanship of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee, a role that places him at the center of legislative debates over healthcare policy, employment law, and pension regulation.

Safe Step Act

In September 2025, Allen led a bipartisan coalition of colleagues in reintroducing the Safe Step Act. As Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee, Allen spearheaded the legislation, which addresses the practice known as "step therapy" or "fail first" protocols used by insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers. Step therapy requires patients to try and fail on one or more insurer-preferred medications before gaining access to the treatment originally prescribed by their physician. The Safe Step Act seeks to establish a transparent and timely process for patients to request exceptions to step therapy requirements in cases where the mandated treatment is unlikely to be effective, could cause adverse reactions, or would delay necessary care.

The reintroduction of the Safe Step Act reflected Allen's sustained interest in healthcare access issues and his role in shaping policy affecting patients and healthcare providers through his subcommittee chairmanship.

Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act

Allen has been involved in legislative efforts relating to energy efficiency standards for home appliances. The Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act, a bill that targets federal appliance efficiency regulations, advanced toward a potential floor vote in the House in February 2026. The legislation reflects broader Republican concerns about the impact of federal energy efficiency mandates on consumer costs and product availability. The bill's proponents argue that certain efficiency standards increase the cost of household appliances without proportional benefit to consumers, while critics contend that such standards reduce long-term energy costs and environmental impact.

Financial Disclosures and Stock Transactions

As a sitting member of Congress, Allen is required under the STOCK Act and other federal disclosure laws to report securities transactions. His financial activity has been documented through periodic disclosures filed with the Clerk of the House. In February 2026, multiple filings revealed a series of stock transactions by Allen.

In one disclosed transaction, Allen sold shares of Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ: PAYX), a payroll and human resources services company. In a separate filing disclosed around the same time, Allen sold shares of American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE: AWK), a large publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. Additionally, Allen purchased shares of S&P Global Inc. (NYSE: SPGI), a financial data and analytics firm, during the same disclosure period.

The stock transactions of members of Congress have been a subject of ongoing public and media scrutiny, particularly following the passage of the STOCK Act in 2012, which was designed to prevent insider trading by lawmakers and other government officials. Allen's disclosed transactions are part of the routine reporting required of all members, though the volume and timing of congressional stock trades continue to generate debate about potential conflicts of interest. Allen's trades were reported by financial news outlets that track congressional stock activity.

Legislative Priorities

Throughout his time in Congress, Allen has focused on several recurring legislative themes. His chairmanship of the HELP Subcommittee has given him a platform to address issues at the intersection of healthcare and employment, including step therapy reform, employer-provided health benefits, and pension protections for workers. His background in the construction industry has also informed his positions on workforce development, occupational safety, and regulatory reform for small businesses.

Allen has been a proponent of reducing what he characterizes as overly burdensome federal regulations on businesses and consumers. His involvement with the Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act is consistent with this approach, as the legislation seeks to limit the scope of federal energy efficiency mandates that Allen and other supporters argue increase costs for American families.

His work on the Safe Step Act demonstrates a willingness to engage in bipartisan coalition-building on healthcare issues. The legislation has drawn support from patient advocacy groups and healthcare organizations that oppose step therapy mandates, as well as from members of both parties who view the practice as an impediment to timely medical treatment.

Political Positions

Allen's voting record and legislative activity reflect positions generally aligned with the Republican Party's platform. He has emphasized economic deregulation, opposition to what he views as excessive federal mandates, and support for employer and small business interests. His healthcare-related work, particularly on the Safe Step Act, has focused on patient access and reducing the role of insurance intermediaries in treatment decisions.

On energy policy, Allen has supported efforts to push back against federal appliance efficiency standards, arguing that such regulations can result in higher consumer costs and reduced product choices. This position is consistent with broader Republican skepticism toward environmental regulations that are perceived to impose disproportionate economic burdens on households and businesses.

Allen's financial disclosures indicate an active investment portfolio, which has placed him among the members of Congress whose stock transactions receive regular media coverage. The transparency of these disclosures is mandated by federal law, and Allen's filings have been reported by outlets specializing in tracking congressional financial activity.

Committee Assignments

Allen's most prominent committee role is his chairmanship of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee, which falls under the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. In this capacity, he has oversight over legislation affecting healthcare access, employment law, labor relations, and pension systems. The chairmanship has provided Allen with a platform to advance legislation such as the Safe Step Act and to participate in hearings and debates on issues affecting American workers, employers, and patients.