Rick W. Allen

Employer Health Plan Flexibility Act

This bill would allow certain employer health insurance plans to drop coverage requirements that the Affordable Care Act currently mandates, such as prescription drugs, mental health services, and hospitalization. The change would apply specifically to plans governed by ERISA, a federal law regulating employer retirement and health benefits, potentially allowing companies to offer cheaper but less comprehensive health coverage to their workers. Employees covered by these plans could face higher out-of-pocket costs or gaps in coverage for essential medical services.

PBM Kickback Prohibition Act

This bill would ban pharmacy benefit managers (the companies that handle prescription drug coverage for insurance plans) from accepting payments or rebates from drug manufacturers in ways that could incentivize them to favor expensive drugs over cheaper alternatives. The goal is to reduce hidden kickback arrangements that can drive up drug prices for patients and employers. The measure would affect insurance companies, pharmacies, drug makers, and anyone with prescription drug coverage.

Health Care for Energy Workers Act of 2025

The proposal would establish or expand health care coverage and benefits for workers in the energy industry, potentially including those in oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and renewable energy sectors. It aims to address health care access and costs for energy workers and may cover areas like medical insurance, occupational health protections, or retirement health benefits. The bill is currently being reviewed by committees in Congress to determine what specific health care provisions should be included.

Timber Harvesters, Haulers, and Landowners Market Disruptions Relief Act

The proposal would provide financial relief and support to timber companies, truck drivers, and landowners who have been hurt by recent market disruptions in the logging and wood products industry. It aims to help these workers and businesses recover from economic losses caused by factors like supply chain problems or sudden price drops. The measure is currently being reviewed by lawmakers who focus on forestry issues.

Clean Air and Building Infrastructure Improvement Act

Clean Air and Building Infrastructure Improvement Act This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish timely guidance related to regulations on national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and exempts certain preconstruction permits from the 2024 fine particulate matter standard under the Clean Air Act. First, the bill requires the EPA to concurrently publish final regulations and guidance on the implementation of the regulations when it publishes any final rule establishing or revising NAAQS. If the EPA fails to publish the final regulations and guidance for the new or revised NAAQS, the updated standard must not apply to the review and disposition of a preconstruction permit application until the EPA publishes the final regulations and guidance. (A preconstruction permit is a permit required under the Clean Air Act for the construction or modification of a stationary source and includes permits issued by the EPA or a state, local, or tribal permitting authority.) Further, the bill exempts the review and disposition of preconstruction permit applications from the 2024 fine particulate matter standard if (1) an application is complete on or before the date the area involved is officially designated as a nonattainment, attainment, or unclassifiable area; or (2) the permitting authority publishes notice of a draft permit before the date that is 60 days after a final area designation is made.

Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act

Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act This bill modifies the process by which the Department of Energy (DOE) issues or revises energy conservation standards for consumer products such as household appliances, including by requiring DOE to consider additional factors related to the cost and availability of such products. First, the bill allows DOE to amend an energy conservation standard for a consumer product when needed rather than by a deadline. The bill also allows DOE to grant a petition to revoke or amend energy conservation standards if the standards (1) result in additional costs to consumers, (2) do not result in significant conservation of energy or water, (3) are not technologically feasible, and (4) result in a product (e.g., gas stoves) not being commercially available in the United States to all consumers. Additionally, the bill modifies the criteria used to prescribe new or amended energy conservation standards, including by establishing new criteria for determining whether a standard is economically justified. The bill establishes disclosure requirements for DOE meetings with entities that have (1) ties to China or the Chinese Communist Party; (2) produced studies regarding, or advocated for, regulations or policy to limit, restrict, or ban the use of any type of energy; and (3) applied for or received federal funds. The bill also prohibits DOE from prescribing new or revised energy conservation standards for distribution transformers. Finally, the bill allows DOE to prescribe certain new or amended energy and water conservation standards for clothes washers and dishwashers.

Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act

Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act This bill modifies the requirements for fiduciaries of employer-sponsored retirement plans. First, the bill generally requires a plan fiduciary to make investment decisions based solely on pecuniary factors (i.e., factors that a fiduciary prudently determines are expected to have a material effect on the risk or return of an investment based on appropriate investment horizons consistent with the plan's policies and objectives). The bill allows nonpecuniary factors to be considered in certain situations, such as when selecting investment options for certain participant-directed retirement plans or if the fiduciary is unable to distinguish between investment alternatives on the basis of pecuniary factors alone. The bill also prohibits a plan fiduciary from discriminating when selecting, monitoring, and retaining any fiduciary, counsel, employee, or service provider of the plan. The bill requires a plan fiduciary to act solely and prudently in accordance with the interests of the plan's participants and beneficiaries when exercising a shareholder right (e.g., voting of proxies). However, the fiduciary duty to manage shareholder rights does not require the voting of every proxy or the exercise of every shareholder right. Finally, the bill requires a plan fiduciary to provide specified notices with respect to a pension plan that provides a participant or beneficiary the opportunity to select from designated investment alternatives.

Retire through Ownership Act

Retire through Ownership Act This bill allows the fiduciary of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to rely on a valuation provided by an independent valuation or business appraiser in determining the fair market value of the plan's securities if the securities are not traded on a national securities exchange (i.e., not publicly traded) and the expert or appraiser follows specified methodologies. In general, ESOPs are defined contribution pension plans where employees accrue shares of their employers' stock in individual accounts as part of their compensation. After separating from employment or retiring, employees receive the cash value of their shares. Under the bill, an independent appraiser or expert must adhere to the methodology established under the Internal Revenue Service Ruling 59-60, which prescribes the factors a professional business appraiser should consider in forming a valuation of the stock for a closely held business.

Safe Step Act

The Safe Step Act would establish new safety standards and protections related to health and workplace conditions, though the specific requirements depend on the bill's detailed provisions. The legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce, suggesting it likely affects workers, employers, and possibly students or educational institutions. Once reviewed by the committee, the bill could advance to a full House vote if approved.

To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to authorize a study to review specific outcomes of entrepreneurial skills development programs, and for other purposes.

This bill requires states to incorporate into their career services programs (1) information about entrepreneurship, and (2) referrals to microenterprise services. It also requires the Department of Labor to conduct a multistate study of entrepreneurial skills development programs, including a review of successful practices for developing such skills.

Validate Prior Learning to Accelerate Employment Act

This bill would make it easier for workers to get credit for job skills and experience they've already gained outside of traditional college programs, so they can move faster toward getting degrees or certifications without repeating training they've already completed. The law would likely require schools and employers to recognize and validate prior work experience, military training, or other hands-on learning as equivalent to classroom coursework. This could help workers—especially those switching careers or returning to the workforce—save time and money while filling job openings more quickly.

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to establish technical and procedural standards for artificial or prerecorded voice systems created through generative artificial intelligence, and for other purposes.

This bill provides statutory authority for the application of certain technical and procedural standards to systems that transmit artificial or prerecorded telephone messages generated using artificial intelligence. Specifically, the standards require (1) that such messages clearly identify and state the telephone number or address of the individual or entity initiating the call, and (2) that any system making such phone calls release a recipient’s telephone line within five seconds of notification that the recipient has ended the call. Such standards are prescribed and implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and apply under current law to any system used to transmit an artificial or prerecorded voice message by telephone. The bill also permits the FCC to apply the standards to other technologies used to transmit artificial and prerecorded telephone messages as it deems appropriate.