Toni McAllister, a logger from Winn Parish, said the One Big Beautiful Bill is “progress for small business owners, for working families, for rural community communities, and for our law enforcement.”
WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson and House Republican Leadership hosted constituents from their districts to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill will benefit their small businesses, keep their communities safer, and put more of their own money back in their pockets.
Speaker Johnson hosted Toni McAllister of Winn Parish, a small business owner, wife of a law enforcement officer, and the Executive Director of the Louisiana Logging Association, to share her support for the One Big Beautiful Bill and urge its immediate passage. Speaker Johnson also addressed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran and discussed the constitutionality of President Trump’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Speaker Johnson:
The One Big Beautiful Bill is so important literally to every sector of the US economy. And we could have chosen constituents of ours from any sector in the economy. But it occurs to me we chose the letter L as our theme today. You heard about lasers and law enforcement and liquified natural gas, and now we’re going to go to logging, because I brought, Toni McAllister here. And she is a small business owner. She’s going to talk to you about what it would mean to them. She’s also a mother, and she’s the wife of one of our greatest sheriffs in the state of Louisiana. They hail from Winn Parish; I’m so grateful that Toni is here with us.
Toni McAllister:
My name is Toni McAllister. I’m a proud resident of rural Louisiana in the Fourth Congressional District. I am a Louisiana logger. I’m a mom. I’m a wife of a Louisiana sheriff, and as a logger, for years small businesses like ours with our team of 30 hardworking employees have carried the weight of this governmental system that often seems to grow on the backs of small businesses and middle-class families like mine. It’s been tough, it’s been challenging to compete and to grow and to simply get a fair chance to thrive right here in the U.S. But today, I am filled with gratitude. I’m thankful to President Trump and the House Republican Leadership who have made it a priority to reset this system, to put hardworking Americans first, to support the businesses and the families who are the backbone of this great nation.
When the One Big Beautiful Bill is signed into law, it will finally give small businesses like ours a better opportunity to not just to survive but to grow and to succeed. Some of these have been mentioned already, but just as a reminder, this legislation will lower the effective tax rate for producing in America, increase and make permanent the small business deduction, double immediate small business expensing, and reduce reporting burdens for small businesses.
In Louisiana, timber is not just what we do, it’s who we are. It’s the largest agricultural product in the state, and it is vital to the survival of so many rural communities across our state and across the South. This bill recognizes this impact on small businesses just like mine. It protects us. It strengthens us. For far too long, the U.S. has been one of the largest importers of raw pulp, pulp, wood, and timber products. This has led to the shutdown of many mills and the loss of way too many American jobs. So, I want to personally thank the President for continuing to fight to reduce unregulated imports from other countries and for standing firm to support American-made products by American workers.
Another piece of this bill that hits even closer to home is the historic investment in our border security. This will protect our communities and support our law enforcement officers and agencies by keeping dangerous illegals out of our country. As a wife of a Louisiana sheriff, knowing that this Administration is working hard to stand behind law enforcement gives me a peace of mind. It empowers our officers–federal, state, and local–to do their jobs because they know they have the backing of this Administration and the Republicans in Congress. It means the world to me to see leaders who value the safety, wellbeing, and dedication of those who put their lives on the line for us every single day.
The One Big, Beautiful Bill is more than policy. It’s progress. It’s progress for small business owners, for working families, for rural community communities, and for our law enforcement. Again, thank you Mr. Speaker, for having me. Thank you to the President for seeing us. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you to the House Republicans for working hard to get this done, not just for today, but for future generations.