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Kingston deserves area votes
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Editor, In the Sept. 16th edition of the Coastal Courier, a Sound-off caller made a statement saying, “I live in the first district. I will be going to the polls in 2008 to vote for the Democrat veteran. Jack Kingston must go.”
This letter is in no way meant to discredit the man who is running against the Honorable Jack Kingston of our first district. It is, however, meant to explain to the person who phoned in that comment what Mr. Kingston has done for this area.
Mr. Kingston was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 and began his first term in 1993. Since then, Jack Kingston has served this district honorably and faithfully. He served for eight years in the Georgia House of Representatives.
In 2004, the National Journal claimed Kingston was the most conservative member of the House of Representatives on economic issues, social issues and foreign issues, judging solely by his voting record. His conservative track record has won him continual awards and recognition, and he has been named each term as a “Taxpayers’ Hero,” and "A Guardian of Small Business."
Congressman Kingston was also awarded the “Watchdog of the Treasury” award and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Spirit of Enterprise” award.
Mr. Kingston is also a member of the very powerful Appropriations Committee and is the ranking Republican on the Agriculture Sub-Committee of the Appropriations Committee. Thanks to both of these positions, Mr. Kingston has been able to help the agricultural community of the first district. He has also fought and been successful in keeping the four military bases in our district open. These include Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield, Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base and Moody Air Force Base. Mr. Kingston is also a staunch supporter of the armed forces.
During the time the Okeefenokee Swamp was burning out of control, Kingston was able to secure federal funding to help extinguish the area and has recently announced FEMA has awarded the state of Georgia over $4 million to help in the reconstruction of the areas destroyed.
Kingston was able to secure nearly $600,000 from the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a clinic in Long County. He has also helped numerous counties receive grants from the Department of Justice to buy much needed equipment. Most recently, grants were awarded to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department and the Hinesville Police Department.
Congressman Kingston also helped secure over $1.5 million for the Georgia Ports Authority from the Department of Homeland Security to secure our local ports, many of which serve as international shipping destinations.
I would also like to say, having met Congressman Kingston, he is an extremely agreeable person. I am very thankful he was able to take time out of his extremely busy schedule to meet with me when I was in Washington, D.C., for the Law and Justice in a Democracy Program through the Presidential Classroom. The fact he would take time out to meet a 17-year-old from his district shows, at least to me, he truly cares about his constituents.
All in all, I would like to say that if people really care about the first district, they should go to www.kingston.house.gov and see how many good things Congressman Jack Kingston has done for the area. Then in November 2008, when he is up for re-election, they should vote, no matter their party, for Congressman Kingston.

Jared Peden
Liberty County
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