Kingston Blog

FUEL INDEPENDENCE: Seeing Smoke Signals?

2006-03-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

From today's Roll Call story, "Boehner Sets Spring Calendar," where Majority Leader Boehner sets forth an agenda for the next few months, one curious item caught our eye:

Wrapping up the draft calendar, the week of June 25 will include a yet-to-be-developed energy package.

Congressman Kingston has an idea.

Congressman Kingston Signs Letter Urging Senate To Move Forward With Border Enforcement Legislation

2006-03-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

Today, 72 House Republicans released a letter they wrote to Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter asking him to move forward with legislation that would help control our borders. Illegal immigration is a serious problem in Georgia. Consider that in 1996, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) estimated that there were 32,000 illegal aliens living in

Georgia

. By 2000 that estimate jumped to 228,000 illegal aliens which is a 613 percent increase in just four years. The pressure on schools, emergency rooms, and public assistance programs has never been greater. In fact, you may recall that Congressman Kingston testified before a House panel regarding Georgia's illegal immigration crisis. You can read his RedState.com blog post from November on this issue which includes his testimony HERE. Congressman Kingston believes that we must secure our borders to help prevent illegal immigration and criminal activity which is why he signed the letter and issued this press release. Here's Congressman Kingston's statement:

There is no quick fix to defuse the current crisis of illegal immigration. The issue is complicated in Congress by geo-specific problems where states on the border want the border controlled immediately, and where agriculture-heavy states like Georgia want to ensure that there is a steady supply of available labor.

While the challenges to address this issue are clear, it is time for America to secure its borders first and then develop a temporary, non-amnesty guest worker program. The House passed a strong border enforcement bill already. It is now time for the Senate to act.

The JackCast

2006-03-15T11:02:00.000-08:00

With your iTunes program open, click on this link to subscribe to The JackCast (Congressman Kingston's PodCast). Another great tool to communicate more often and more effectively.

Fuel Independence Effort Getting A Push From An Unlikely Duo

2006-03-15T10:51:00.000-08:00

Great article by John Fialka in todays Wall Street Journal which shows the growing coalition of supporters to Help America Realize Its Fuel Independence. Here is the text of the article:

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Farmers Sign On to Energy Push

Lobby Seeks Incentives, Aid To Boost Use of Biofuels, Wind Power

By JOHN J. FIALKA March 15, 2006; Page A4

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's call for Americans to use less oil and more agricultural waste to meet the nation's fuel demands is about to get a lift from the farm lobby.

In an unlikely alliance with the environmental movement, farm groups are seeking federal incentives for forms of renewable energy such as cellulosic ethanol -- a gasoline additive made from farm byproducts -- and electricity from farm wind turbines.

The target for the effort is a farm-support bill that Congress expects to pass in 2007. Two former farm-belt Senate majority leaders, Democrat Tom Daschle of South Dakota and Republican Bob Dole of Kansas, are among the strategists trying to reshape American agriculture to help farmers and ranchers produce so-called energy crops. The two are co-chairmen of the 21st Century Agriculture Policy Project and plan to meet in Washington today to announce their initiative.

The meeting comes just over a month after Mr. Bush used his State of the Union speech to brand the U.S. as "addicted to oil" and to call for replacing much of it with fuel from "wood chips, stalks, or switch grass." The groups are working to assemble the bipartisan muscle to push the policy through Congress.

"We want to create a broader coalition," says Mr. Daschle, who aims to bring industry and financial groups to the mix. He has a good track record. With Mr. Dole, he helped create the coalition that pushed the passage of a federal mandate to almost double the use of ethanol from corn as the centerpiece of last year's energy bill.

A similar coalition met in Washington a week ago to work out the details of getting the 70 farm groups it has assembled to lobby with church groups, labor unions and environmentalists.

"We want to redefine the core functions and the role of American agriculture," says J. Read Smith, a wheat farmer from Washington state and co-chairman of the "25 X '25" group, which is named for its goal of raising the use of renewable fuels to 25% of U.S. energy consumption by 2025 from 3% presently. Mr. Smith says one concern is that U.S. farm subsidies will shrink amid world trade negotiations. Getting more farm and ranch income from energy, he says, will ease the transition.

The politics won't be easy. In the previous farm bill, in 2002, Congress authorized $150 billion over five years for various programs. For the first time it included a portion of the money for energy incentives, but members of Congress's appropriations committees shifted much of the money back to more traditional programs. Despite Mr. Bush's sweeping rhetoric, he asked for only a modest amount of money to promote alternative energy in his budget proposal. And fiscal conservatives in his own party are getting antsy about budget deficits and pricey new government programs.

The policies that both groups are considering include:

Federal loan guarantees and other assistance for electricity-transmission lines from the Dakotas and Montana, which have the nation's greatest wind-power potential, to cities in the Midwest and along the West Coast.

Incentives for companies to build factories that make ethanol from corn stalks, wheat straw, rice hulls, wood chips and other farm wastes.

A federal mandate to require more use of biodiesel, or diesel fuels blended with soybean oil and other vegetable and animal fats.

Tax breaks to promote farm energy cooperatives that can broker sales of energy produced on farms and channel financial assistance to farmers to build wind turbines and other energy-producing devices, such as digesters that extract methane from animal waste.

The presence of environmental groups in the movement is unusual because they have battled with farm groups over the use of fertilizers and pesticides. The Sierra Club opposed incentives for ethanol made from corn as a waste of resources, but it has joined "25 X '25."

Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, says promoting cellulosic ethanol helps the environment. The farm fuels might ease dependence on oil imports and lessen the use of carbon-rich fuels believed to cause global warming.

Environmental groups previously have pushed more incentives for wind and solar energy and other renewable energy forms but lacked the clout to get them passed by Congress. "The environmental chorus was never big enough to sing this song. We needed a bigger chorus, so now we're adding the bass section," Mr. Pope says.

The goal of 25% renewable energy use by 2025 is ambitious. Currently, according to the U.S. Energy Department, only 3.3% of the nation's energy comes from the renewable fuels that the groups are considering. So far biodiesel has penetrated only 0.14% of the diesel market. Federally subsidized ethanol has captured just 3% of the gasoline market -- but its proven political appeal is the template that the new coalition wants to apply to other energy sources.

According to a study financed by the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, production of ethanol from corn has added more than $1 billion to the economy of Mr. Daschle's home state, creating what economists call a "multiplier effect" that has raised tax revenue, created jobs and prompted at least a 10% increase in the price farmers get for their corn.

Building a bigger coalition, Mr. Daschle says, also might give Congress an added push to regulate man-made releases of carbon dioxide, which are thought to accelerate climate change. Under some regulatory proposals, farmers would get income from selling credits they could receive for planting trees and taking measures to reduce carbons.

"There are still some open questions about the degree to which all of these dots will connect," says Mr. Daschle, whose group plans two more meetings to solicit ideas from farmers, ranchers and conservationists before issuing its policy options in October, on the eve of congressional elections.

FUEL INDEPENDENCE: Meeting At The White House

2006-03-14T17:59:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all, I wanted to follow-up with you regarding last week's meeting on fuel independence at the White House which I attended. Overall the meeting was very productive, on all ends. Along with the President, the Vice President, and the Energy Secretary, the meeting was bipartisan with 10 Members from the House. During the meeting, the President emphasized America's addiction to oil. Noting that the increased thirst of countries like China and India, he highlighted the fact that our reliance on foreign countries for our fuel is bad for our national security. I couldn't agree more. The President then discussed some of the great things that are happening with renewable fuels like ethanol in Brazil, solar plants in Michigan, and others. We discussed how we can get ethanol up-to-speed faster. We also talked about the notion of having E10 (10 percent ethanol use in fuel) in 10 years (which is what our bill calls for). Particularly we discussed some of the geographical problems with requiring or mandating E10 everywhere. (Due to Clean Air standards, some urban cities, especially those in the Northeast have problems with using ethanol.) The President was pleased to hear that our bill doesn't mandate or require E10 everywhere. Our bill suggests that 10 percent of the entire pie of fuel used in our nation must be ethanol. In other words, it may make sense to have E85 in some parts of the country, and zero ethanol in others. The President was particularly interested in new Hydrogen technologies which are coming to the market quicker than ever. I was pleased to be a part of last week's discussion. The meeting was another step forward for the broad coalition which is working together to Help America Realize Its Fuel Independence. Thanks for your friendship, Jack

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Debates Senate Democratic Attempts To Censure President Bush

2006-03-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

Ian over at Expose The Left captured video of U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) debating Sen. Feingold's attempts to censure President Bush last night on the Senate floor. Download and watch the video HERE. Here's the text of the speech:

Mr. Speaker, in their rush to be against everything that President Bush is for, Democrats have once again given us reason to question their timing and judgment. A resolution has been introduced in the Senate to censure the President for ordering the National Security Agency to intercept communications of suspected al Qaeda members or related terrorist groups.
Apparently, this offends some Democrats so much that they seek to scold the President in the midst of the War on Terror. To them, I ask: How would you monitor terrorist operatives who move to this country, blend in and wait to strike? Do you think they hang a shingle on their front door reading "terrorist in waiting?"

The NSA program is one that provides the speed and agility that is needed as we fight this new kind of war. We must adapt because in this day and age, terrorists move faster than any court possibly can. A span of just a few hours could make the difference between life and death.

Mr. Speaker, we are not questioning the Democrats' patriotism as they so often charge; we are however questioning their poor judgment. They are unwise in opposing what is clearly a vital tool against terrorist organizations and in allowing a censure resolution on the Senate floor which could damage the President as he fights this War on Terror.

Democrats Attempt to Censure President for Fighting and Winning the GWOT

2006-03-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

As you may have heard, Democratic Senator Russ Feingold attempted to censure the President last night on the Senate floor for the President's use of surveillance of Al-Qaeda operatives. Congressman Kingston issued a statement this morning on the issue:

The fact that the Senate Democratic Leadership has failed to call this stunt what it is - political grandstanding - is outrageous. Senator Feingold's actions reaffirm that the Democratic Party is more interested in playing politics than coming up with their own ideas.

Do Democrats have another way to monitor surveillance on communications with al-Qaeda? Do Democrats have a better way to protect Americans from another terrorist attack?

Of course they don't, that's why Democrats are always willing to heckle the starting quarterback from the cheap seats but they are never willing to get in the game themselves.

Not one Democrat has offered an amendment or a bill to repeal this important national security program. They like to harp about it at Democrat fund raisers and at red meat partisan clubs but when it comes to actually trying to stop it they don't have the guts. Once you get past their left wing rhetoric, even their own members know this is a vital program.

So far, no response from Democratic Leadership. We'll keep you posted.

PODCAST: Subscribe To The JackCast!

2006-03-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Using iTunes or another feed reader, you can now automatically receive Congressman Kingston's audio comments delivered directly to your MP3 player so you'll never miss a beat. You can find subscription links and directions to do so at the Congressman's podcasting station. Do you like this feature? Let us know what you think.

The Week Ahead in Congress: National Security

2006-03-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

Each week the Majority Leader's press office puts out a one-pager on messaging for the week ahead. This week's focus will be National Security. Congressman Kingston will work with his colleagues, through Theme Team and with one-minute floor debate to help the team articulate this message.

A Record of Action on National Security:

The Week of March 13, 2006

This week House Republicans will build upon their strong record on national security by funding our troops fighting terror around the world and supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

While the Democrats' message of retreat and defeat on supporting democracy efforts in Iraq and around the world continues, Republicans continue to demonstrate their strong support for our men and women in the Armed Forces. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are serving on the front lines of the War on Terror, and Republicans are committed to providing each of them with the support they need to get the job done and return home safely.

Supporting our Armed Forces and Providing Access & Honor for America's Military Recruiters

Tomorrow, the House will vote on two resolutions to (1) honor the men and women of our Armed Forces; and (2) express the House's continued support for ensuring that military recruiters have equal access to college campuses across the country for recruiting purposes.

Last week in a unanimous decision the Supreme Court reaffirmed the Solomon Amendment, a 1996 law that authorizes the Secretary of Defense to deny federal funding to colleges and universities that prohibit or prevent Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) or military recruitment on campus. The Court's ruling ensures the military will have the same access to students as any other organization recruiting on campus. After it was handed down, Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) applauded the Court's decision:

"Military recruiters ought to have the same opportunities on college campuses as any other employer or organization there for recruiting purposes. If colleges and universities are willing to accept taxpayer dollars to operate, they also must be willing to accept those who recruit the men and women who defend our nation, and our freedom."

Funding Our Troops Fighting Terror Around the World

Later this week the House will consider supplemental appropriations legislation that provides $67.6 billion in funding for our troops in the field and make sure they receive the best equipment and resources available. The House is expected to approve legislation to:

· Provide funding to ensure the safest, most effective armored vehicles are made available to the troops in the field (including the National Guard) as quickly as possible;

· Provide $4.85 billion to fully fund the President's request to train and equip security forces in Afghanistan and Iraq;

· Fully fund the nearly $2 billion request to procure and develop countermeasures to prevent improvised explosive device (IED) attacks on our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan;

· Provide $423 million for military commanders in the field to spend on small-scale, urgent reconstruction projects, a request that came directly from field commanders; and

· Fully fund the $400,000 life insurance benefits for service members and $100,000 death gratuity for combat related fatalities, a small but appropriate response for soldiers, and the families of soldiers, who have given their life in service to our country.

Appropriations legislation to be considered by the House this week will also include language to block the proposed transaction by Dubai Ports World to take control of some operations at six U.S. ports and provide $19.1 billion in funding to help rebuild the hurricane-impacted Gulf Coast.

New Medicare Prescription Drug Program is Working

2006-03-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston penned an opinion piece for Roll Call's policy briefing on the "Health of our Nation. Here are the first few paragraphs:

Despite the naysayers, there are 22,084,710 reasons why the new Medicare prescription drug program is working for America. As of Feb. 11, that is the exact number of seniors that had already signed up for the new voluntary benefit.

Politicians sometimes forget that there are real folks outside of Washington, D.C. They lose touch with reality and play petty political games by grandstanding and sniping. But this year’s debate about the success of Medicare has been changed by the simple fact that it is working.

In fact, despite the Democratic-coordinated campaign of confusion, seniors who have signed up now are spreading the good news that the program is very real and providing a very real benefit. Whether Democrats like it or not, they can’t stop the good news about this program from spreading.

According to data released by the Health and Human Services Department in February, more than 51 percent of Medicare-eligible seniors already have signed up for the program. And independent analysts predict that nearly 75 percent of Medicare-eligible seniors will sign up in the program’s first year alone.

Read the full piece here.

Protecting The Blogosphere

2006-03-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

Today on RedState.org, I blogged again about HR 1606 - the Online Freedom of Speech Act -which aims to protect freedom of speech online. Here are the first two paragraphs of the post: Folks- Today in our Theme Team meeting with Al Hubbard, House Administration Chairman Vern Ehlers (R-MI), had to leave the meeting a few minutes early to begin marking up HR 1606 - the Online Freedom of Speech Act. The bill has already been on the floor once, where it achieved a bipartisan majority, but fell short of the two-thirds needed to pass under suspension of House rules. Also, next week the FEC will release its decision on how campaign finance rules will apply online. You can read the rest of the story HERE.

PODCAST: Working Together To Break The Addiction

2006-03-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

As you may recall, following up on the President's State of the Union Address, Congressman Kingston and others authored a letter to President Bush asking him to consider bipartisan legislation already being worked on in the House and Senate.

Today at 2 PM, Congressman Jack Kingston and others will discuss how America can help realize its fuel independence with President Bush in the Roosevelt Room at The White House. This meeting will include Republicans and Democrats.

This morning, Reps. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), Bob Inglis (R-SC), and Jack Kingston (R-GA), three Members who will attend this afternoon’s meeting at The White House, recorded audio statements, previewing what they hoped to accomplish at the meeting.

Here are some pictures of the Members podcasting. You can download the MP3 audio clips at Congressman Kingston's Podcasting Station.

Take That Blog And Read It!

2006-03-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

John Hawkins over at RWN scouted out which blogs Republican members of the House and Senate are reading.

Jack Launches Podcasting Station; Discusses Port Issue

2006-03-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Click HERE to check out Congressman Kingston's Podcasting Station where you can download and listen to MP3 files of Jack discussing current issues. Today we recorded him discussing the current port issue and Congress' expected action today to block that deal. Let us know what you think and we'll post some of your comments in a follow-up post.

More Colbert...

2006-03-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

Stephen Colbert stories just keep rollin' in. This from the Savannah Morning News:

Mixing punch lines and politics
Politicians don't win elections because they can tell a joke. Otherwise, the Founding Fathers would have started a Comedy Store, not Congress.

But leaving the public laughing - or at least chuckling - helps.

It softens the hard edges. It makes a politician seem less like a one-dimensional, cardboard figure assembled by a committee and more like a real person. It balances the invective and noise that often tries to pass itself off as a reasoned political discourse.

Besides, laughing is healthy. So is having a good sense of humor.

President Reagan knew how to laugh, and to laugh at himself. He was a fine chief executive. I'm not sure if President Carter ever laughed. He had that "malaise" thing going on. And President Nixon probably wouldn't have recognized a one-liner or a limerick if it jumped up and bit him in the participle.

That's why I'm proud of Jack Kingston.

The 1st District congressman from Savannah can trade jokes and tell stories with the best of them. Of course, when your competition includes such laugh riots as Cynthia McKinney and Henry Waxman, it doesn't take much to bring down the House.

I mention this because I recently watched a tape of Kingston's appearance on "The Colbert Report." That's the late-night show on cable TV's Comedy Central starring Stephen Colbert (pronounced "kol-BEAR," as in "Betty Sue, bring me a kol bear to wash down my tater tots"). The New York Times also did a recent article on what it called a growing trend in Washington: Being humiliated on national TV, when done in good spirit, is better than not being on TV at all.

I won't say that Kingston slayed 'em, although the several-minute segment is hilarious at times. Instead, it shows why politicians must be careful when choosing their schtick, especially when poking fun at themselves. They want voters to laugh with them. Not at them.

It's a fine line. And in this venue, it's a line without a safety net.

"The Colbert Report" is "The O'Reilly Factor" on laughing gas. But it's 100 times more cleverly done.

Colbert's show has sprouted long legs after it was spun off "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart." The host is earnestly deadpan, and he goes where many straight-laced, sour-puss politicians fear to tread - the comedy zone.

It's also not a show that's watched by many people in my age bracket - a person who actually remembers Pat Paulsen, the stone-faced funnyman who ran for president in 1968 while appearing on the tube on "The Smothers Brothers Show."

"It appeals to a younger audience," said Kingston's 20-something-year-old press secretary, David All. "Most of the people who watch it are under 30." Gee, thanks.

"They asked him to play it straight," All said of his boss Tuesday. And why play it at all? Demographics. It's also cool. "Mr. Kingston said he can do Fox News 100 times and no one will remember it," All said. "But 10 years from now, people will remember he appeared on the Colbert Report."

I showed the Colbert clip to a contemporary of mine who's of GOP persuasion. She hated it. My college-age daughter, on the other hand, is still laughing. Different jokes for different folks.

That's why mixing humor and politics is like mating porcupines. To succeed, it must be done carefully.

And another from The Hill:

Sighting: Stephen Colbert on Capitol Hill For many Capitol Hill aides, seeing Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” is a little bit like Catholics seeing the pope or Beatles fans running into Paul McCartney. It can seem like a spiritual experience.

Some aides lost their minds last week as Colbert, who routinely makes fun of lawmakers and politics on his late-night fake news show, showed up in Cannon to interview Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) for his “Better Know a District” segment. He also was the highlighted guest at a GOP Theme Team meeting hosted by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) in Rayburn with lawmakers and aides concerning how to master the blogosphere.
David All, Kingston’s spokesman, remarked, “We had an escort [pronounced in a Colbert French accent] pick him up.

“He is always on. He’s pretty hilarious,” All said. “The funny thing is his facial expressions — his eyebrows, oddly enough. He’s just very overdramatic.

“He recommended that Republicans come on his show; he said he’s not out to get them, that he’s not an assassin, that staffers could give him the issues they want to address.”

Another Republican Enters The Blogosphere

2006-03-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has entered the blogosphere.

Republican Policies Working for America

2006-03-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

The House Republican Conference just released more good news about the economy: an extremely low unemployment rate. In other words, more folks are finding jobs. Clearly, House Republicans will continue to promote responsible spending and pursue commonsense, pro-growth policies to create more jobs and bolster our thriving economy.

Unemployment Rate: The unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent in January, well below the average of each of the past three decades. The unemployment rate has fallen from 6.3 percent in June 2003 to its current 4.7 percent. (House Budget Committee)

There is a movement on Capitol Hill and in the White House to pass a Legislative Line Item Veto to provide the President the authority to propose the elimination of wasteful spending and special-interest tax breaks, while preserving Congress' power of the purse. More news on this later...

The Week Ahead

2006-03-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

Today, the Majority Leader's office sent out the following "Week Ahead" document that you might find helping.

Securing America’s Communities: The Week of March 6, 2006 This week the House will consider several pieces of legislation devoted to securing America’s communities. Today, the House will consider the USA PATRIOT Act reauthorization to: give the law enforcement community the tools necessary to track down, capture, and prevent terrorists from carrying out acts of violence against America. strengthen efforts to combat the scourge of methamphetamine labs and abuse across the country. An Associated Press story today highlights the meth issue (excerpts below): Patriot Act includes crackdown on meth use WASHINGTON (AP) — Suffer from springtime allergies? You could be among the first affected by the USA Patriot Act poised for final congressional passage this week. Besides terrorism, the bill takes aim at the production of methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that cannot be manufactured without a key ingredient of everyday cold and allergy medicines. The bill would impose new limits next month for how much relief a person can buy over the counter. Later this week, the House will also consider other important legislation designed to help secure America’s communities, including: The Children’s Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act (H.R. 4472), sponsored by Chairman Sensenbrenner (R-WI), will help protect children, secure the safety of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and their family members, while combating and preventing gang violence in our nation’s communities. The Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2829), sponsored by Rep. Souder (R-IN), supports state and local government efforts to combat illegal drug activity that threatens local and regional communities and their quality of life.

Congressman Kingston plays the straight guy on Stephen Colbert

2006-03-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

Democrats Have No Agenda; Republicans Could

2006-03-07T08:36:00.000-08:00

Tim Chapman of Townhall's Capitol Report writes an interesting post today about the lack of policy agenda put forth by House Democrats. Here is the Washington Post story which he excerpts:

Democratic leaders had set a goal of issuing their legislative manifesto by November 2005 to give voters a full year to digest their proposals. But some Democrats protested that the release date was too early, so they put it off until January. The new date slipped twice again, and now House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) says the document will be unveiled in "a matter of weeks."
Some Democrats fear that the hesitant handling is symbolic of larger problems facing the party in trying to seize control of the House and Senate after more than a decade of almost unbroken minority status. Lawmakers and strategists have complained about erratic or uncertain leadership and repeated delays in resolving important issues.

Congressman Kingston has laid out his ideas for a Republican agenda which he has coined the American Renewal Project. You can read more about those ideas here (part I of II) and here (part II of II).

OP-ED: Curing The Addiction To Foreign Oil

2006-03-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston and Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) have co-authored an opinion piece which is running on RealClear Politics on the need to help America realize its fuel independence. Here are the first few paragraphs of the piece:

Curing the Addiction to Oil By Jack Kingston & Eliot Engel As President Bush said during his State of the Union address: America is dangerously addicted to oil.
We consume nearly 21 million barrels of oil per day, everyday, and our appetite is increasing. Today, the American economy demands over 25 percent of global oil production while our known oil reserves make up only 3 percent of global supply.

Even as our thirst for more oil increases, China, India and the developing world are demanding a greater share of the pie. China alone recently attempted to acquire the American oil giant Unocal and has signed contracts worth billions of dollars with Iran for oil and natural gas.

Being so completely dependent on a single, finite, and pollution-causing fuel might only be an economic or environmental problem if it were not for the fact that we must import over 60 percent of our oil (over 12 million barrels per day) and much of that from nations that are unstable, unfriendly or outright hostile. Whether it’s the belligerent ranting of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, the kidnappings in Nigeria’s oil fields, the rampant corruption in Russia, the war in Iraq or the nuclear stand-off with Iran, when it comes to oil, America has few good options.

Townhall Weighs in on Blog Workshop

2006-03-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

Tim Chapman at Townhall.com's Capitol Report weighs in on the blog workshop:

On the whole, the event was great. House press secretaries were eager to learn about blogs -- and many were eager to get their bosses blogging. There will be an innate desire on the part of many though to control and carefully script the message and delivery of it in the blogosphere. But as many of the panelists cautioned, this would be very unbloggy and may be counterproductive. Authenticity and candor, agreed most panelists, is key to Congressional success in the newly emergin medium.

You can read the full post HERE. UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit linked to Tim's piece about Republicans entering the blogosphere.

National Review's The Corner on Stephen Colbert

2006-03-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

From Kathryn Jean Lopez at the Corner:

STEPHEN COLBERT DROPS IN [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
on bloggers on the Hill.

Expect the voice of those parody Oscar lobbying attack ads last night (Colbert) to host next year; it's my early prediction. First he'll takes D.C. at the White House Correspondents Dinner this spring. As long as he's heavier on knocking the pols than the Hollywood types, consider Colbert a frontrunner for Oscar host 2007.

There you have it, in case anyone cares.

Republicans Embrace New Media Strategies.

2006-03-05T16:19:00.000-08:00

On Friday, more than 50 Republican staffers attended a Theme Team blog workshop to learn more about a new communication tool: blogging.

You can check out more pictures of the event HERE.

The workshop was divided in to three panels to help answer three basic questions: 1. What is a blog? Who are bloggers? And how can Republicans interact with bloggers better?

To help us answer those questions, we were joined by two National Journal bloggers, five conservative bloggers, and five Republican staffers who are currently engaging the blogosphere. You can see who participated on the agenda. (Due to technical difficulties we were unable to video conference with Captain Ed.)

Theme Team distributed two documents at the event which you can access. These include a one-pager on why and how Theme Team suggests Members could interact with the blogosphere, and the agenda of the event and a suggested blog roll.

Here is a wrap-up of some of the coverage the event received.

Roll Call:

In the 1990s, talk radio was crucial to disseminating the ideas of the Republican revolutionaries. Today, House GOP Conference Vice Chairman Jack Kingston (Ga.) believes that the blogosphere is poised to become the next big thing in the GOP communication machine's armada.
"If you look at what blogs have impacted, from the Swift Boat situation to the Dan Rather retirement, they are very effective," Kingston said. In the past three years, 100,000 Web logs have grown into 29 million, according to Kingston. GOP to hold seminar on mastering the blogosphere, Bree Hocking.

National Journal's Beltway Blogroll:

All of the panelists sang the praises of blogs. One said that blogs are the best way to stay informed these days. They report the news more quickly and the links to various articles via blogs serve as a reader's "personal editor." That blogger added that the personal connections bloggers have with their readers, as well as the personalities they develop online, make them effective movers of people in ways that newspapers never could.

“Another expert predicted that blogging actually will seem "primitive" sometime soon, as innovations like personal Web television shows spread. But he also said, "Blogging is the future. It's good for the country." A Fly On The Blog, Danny Glover, National Journal.

Human Events Online:

House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Jack Kingston of Georgia sponsored an informational blogging seminar today that brought together conservative bloggers and GOP aides on Capitol Hill. Kingston, a blogger himself, not only deserves credit for embracing this new medium, but also for making sure other Hill staffers utilize it.

As one of the panelists, I found the whole event very useful for myself, but I think it was equally valuable for the Republican press secretaries and other staffers who spent two hours listening and asking questions. GOP Aides Get Briefed on Blogging, Robert Bluey, The Right Angle, Human Events Online.

Hugh Hewitt:

It is the politician who recognizes this ability to shape and move messages as an advantage instead of a hindrance who will do well in the blogosphere and in the future of political communication. The blogosphere is a world in motion, and deliberative bodies aren't always comfortable with how it moves. Hence, panels like this one.

We had a good time. Things were learned, hackneyed metaphors employed, Rathergates lauded, and bottled water drunk. I Get Blog With A Little Help From My Friends, Mary Katharine Ham, HughHewitt.com and BeyondTheNews.com.

Suitably Flip:

Just returned from Washington, where I took part in a GOP seminar on "mastering the blogosphere", hosted by Rep. Jack Kingston's Theme Team. Alongside primobloggers Mary Katherine Ham, Tim Chapman, Robert Bluey, and Ben Domenech, we were joined by dozens of press secretaries of Republican House members, eager to learn the way of the blog, share best practices, etc.

All in all, it was a very insightful day. There's a formidable blogward movement afoot among Republican legislators, which could have exciting implications. Blogging Above My Paygrade, Philip Pidot, Suitably Flip.

I would like to thank all of the bloggers and staff who helped make this event a success, including those bloggers that couldn't be with us but who have helped flesh out ideas and offer perspective and guidance, including John at Right Wing News, Captain Ed of Captain's Quarters, Matt at Blogs For Bush, Ian at Expose The Left, and Mike and Blanton at RedState.

Savannah townhall meeting now on streaming video

2006-03-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

On Monday, I held a townhall meeting on crime in Savannah. Thanks to Savannah-based CarriageTradePR.com, you can now watch the entire event in streaming video format. You can watch it HERE. (If you're having problems with the link above, please cut-and-paste the following URL to your web browser: http://link3.streamhoster.com/video_player.php?u=picaco1&p=%2Fsavannah.wmv&odaid=3146&w=360&h=240&title=Easy+Video+Player)

E-10 in 10

2006-03-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

Dow Jones Newswires is reporting that 20% of the gasoline consumed in China consists of ethanol-blended gasoline. The government hopes that using this type of gasoline will help reduce the country's dependence on conventional fuels. China's National Development & Reform Commission stated that the ethanol-blended gasoline output has reached 10.2 million tonnes annually in the nine provinces designated to use the cleaner fuel under a pilot program. The President mentioned the use of alternative fuels in his State of the Union address and my own bill, Fuel Choices for American Security Act aims to replace 10 percent of gasoline demand with Ethanol in 10 years - reaching a national goal of "E-10 in 10." While this is an ambitious goal, it certainly can be accomplished.

Follow Up On Last Night's Crime Forum

2006-02-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

Several hundred people turned out at the Civic Center last night to try to find ways to fight crime in Savannah. Former Charleston Police Chief Reuben Greenberg was on hand to discuss his experience in making that city safer. Afterwards Congressman Kingston noted, "He doesn't pull any punches. As with all great leaders, he can be very frank, he can be somewhat controversial around the edges, but we're not looking for sappy syrupy stuff at this point." You can read more about the event in the Savannah Morning News and at the WTOC TV website HERE , HERE and HERE.

Support Our Troops Project

2006-02-27T15:09:00.000-08:00

The Media Research Center's "Fight Media Bias.org" has started a campaign to show the troops in Iraq that despite the media's liberal bias when it comes to the war, Americans support our men and women in uniform 100 percent. In order to show the troops your support, you can specially order a "dog tag" with your name and the message "Don't Believe The Liberal Media -- America Supports Our Troops" which will be sent to one of our soldiers on the front line. The goal is to get a dog tag to every man and woman serving in Iraq. You can order one HERE.

Kingston helping lead the new media revolution on Capitol Hill

2006-02-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

From the Associated Press:

In a world where cable channels, Web sites and cell phones compete for voters' attention, politicians can't afford to let any opportunity go by, says Rep. Jack Kingston.

So the Georgia Republican has created his own blog where he posts his thoughts -- as well as his top 10 songs on iTunes. On a recent week, he talked online about the need to cut federal spending. His songs included Ray Charles' "Georgia on my Mind" and "Love Shack" by the B-52s.

Kingston knows it's not always easy for politicians to keep up. So he has become something of an evangelist for the blogosphere among House Republicans.

The challenge, he says, doesn't stop at blogs. Most members of Congress were raised with four TV networks and newspapers. But politicians have to adapt and use new technology -- or else. "We can lose our audience if we don't meet (voters) on their venue."

Just a few years ago, members of Congress were discovering C-SPAN. From BlackBerrys to e-chats, the need to keep up with voters now is dragging lawmakers into the digital age.

Congressman Kingston, Mayor Johnson, Chairman Liakakis and "Save Our Savannah" To Host Public Forum On Public Safety

2006-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Congressman Jack Kingston, Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson, Chatham County Commission Chair Pete Liakakis and "Save Our Savannah' will host a town hall meeting this Monday to address crime in the city. Joining them will be Sheriff Al St. Lawrence and Police Chief Willie Lovett. At the invitation of Congressman Kingston and Mayor Johnson, Charleston, South Carolina Police Chief Emeritus Reuben Greenberg will also be attending. Chief Greenberg is known nationally for his innovative methods of combating crime. His book, "Let's Take Back Our Streets," published in 1989, is used as a reference text for police forces across the nation. He has appeared on television programs such as 60 Minutes, Larry King Live and The Today Show. "The Mayor, City Council and County Commission have been working to combat crime for many years. Some things have worked well, but we all agree that there is more to do and all ideas are welcome," Congressman Kingston said. "More importantly, none of us are interested in finger pointing; we're all in this together." Everyone is encouraged to attend the town hall which will be held: Monday, February 27, 2006 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Savannah Civic Center Ballroom 301 Oglethorpe Avenue Savannah

Cartoons, Iran, Jihad, Oh My!

2006-02-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

We need to open our eyes.

There is something very real and very threatening going on in the Islamic community. The red flags couldn't get much higher.

Just this past week, Danish diplomats were attacked in Iran, Syria, and Lebanon in protest over cartoons which were published in a Danish newspaper more than a year ago. Check out the cover of this week's Weekly Standard which shows muslim protesters holding signs reading, "Behead all those who insult Islam," and "Europe, you will pay! Your 3/11 is on its way!" ("3/11" of course referring to the bombings in Madrid on 3/11.)

I'm a message guy. I get their message.

Adding more fuel to the fire, the Iranian government responded with an attack of its own by suggesting that Holocaust cartoons should be drawn.

You can continue reading the post and comment on this post by clicking here. (Picture via Michelle Malkin.)

Jack Kingston on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report

2006-02-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, Congressman Kingston was the first Congressman interviewed for a new show on Comedy Central, The Colbert Report. As Vice-Chairman of the House Republican Conference, Congressman Kingston understands the importance of using every communication tool available to send a Republican message, including uncharted waters like blogs and satirical comedy shows. You can watch the video HERE.

Quest For Independence From Foreign Oil

2006-02-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

We are seeing more signs of progress in America's quest for independence from foreign oil. This is exactly what my Fuel Choices for American Security Act aims to accomplish. And one of the keys to reaching that goal is to embrace new fuel choices. Today there are two articles about the use of alternative fuels in Georgia that I encourage you to read HERE and HERE.

Some of Your Comments on Congressman Kingston

2006-02-14T07:07:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, the Savannah Morning News, in their Vox Populi column, published some of your comments on Congressman Kingston: "Jack Kingston will always get my vote. I have written to him twice about problems I had and each time he took the time from his busy schedule to write a nice answer and to make contacts on my behalf. I don't know what the outcome will be yet, but I surely do appreciate his efforts." "I'll tell you how Jack Kingston stays so young - he runs half-marathons. He did a great job, too." And just so you know, Jack finished 311 out of 974 runners which placed him in the top 35 percent in the Memorial Health Tybee Marathon on February 4th. You can check out the results HERE.

Fleshing out our ideas; Part II

2006-02-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston posted part II of his American Renewal Project. You can read it HERE.

America Is Ready For Big Ideas

2006-02-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Today I blogged on redstate.org about the need for Republicans to really focus on an agenda this year because I believe America is ready for big ideas. Here is my opening paragraph: Friends- As some of y'all know, one of my colleagues I admire most is former Nebraska head coach Tom Osbourne. We will miss Tom in the hallways of Congress (and in bible study) when he becomes Nebraska's next governor, but his presence will never be forgotten. My friendship with Tom has taught me a few things about team work and how those relate to Congress. When it comes to having a successful team, one thing is clear -- you need a solid coach. The coach is the guy who is always looking at the big picture, calling plays for the good and glory of the team, and unifying the team. Tom Osbourne's a humble man - in fact when he spoke to a group of Members at a Theme Team breakfast he said that the only time he ever let himself celebrate after a victory was during his walk off the field. Tom Osbourne's players respected him because of his love and respect for the game and the team. That's a leader. Humble with victory, and always looking toward tomorrow's challenges. I encourage you to read the rest of my post HERE.

Kingston: Show 'em Republicans Have A Sense Of Humor

2006-02-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

Newsweek has a story on Stephen Colbert and his new show "The Colbert Report." Always willing to try out new media opportunities, Congressman Kingston was one of his first guests. He continues to receive praise from the younger generation for being a good sport and is encouraging his fellow Congressman to appear on Colbert's show. You can read the Newsweek article HERE.

Radio And Blogger's Row

2006-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to stop by Radio and Blogger's Row before President Bush's State of the Union speech on Tuesday. I visited some of the bloggers and then sat down with Alan Nathan of Battle Line for a radio interview to discuss what the President was going to talk about and my Fuel Choices for American Security Act.

The Economy Keeps On Growing

2006-02-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

With the latest great economic news that was released today, I have to agree wholeheartedly with Speaker Hastert's declaration that the "economy keeps on roaring." The Labor Department reported that 193,000 jobs were created in January and the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.7 percent, the lowest level in almost five years. This is solid proof that Republican policies have spurred economic growth and opportunity.

Congressman Kingston And Bipartisan Coalition Urge President Bush To Support Fuel Choices Legislation

2006-02-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Congressman Kingston and Congressman Eliot Engel, along with their Senate cosponsors, sent a letter to President Bush calling on him to support their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help America realize its energy independence. In the letter, the Members express their support for President Bush's call for energy independence and urge him to support their legislation as a solution to our dependence on foreign oil. You can read the text of the letter HERE.

Congressman Kingston's Thoughts On Tuesday's State of The Union

2006-02-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

I thought President Bush gave a strong speech. It is clear that he is committed to finishing the job in Iraq rather than cutting and running as the Democrats would have us do. I was very pleased that President Bush also highlighted our need for energy independence. He understands that we need to embrace a fuel strategy that includes technology and new fuel choices. My bipartisan plan does just that. I also managed to find a great seat for the President's speech last night.

Kingston Lends A Hand To Fellow Congressman Bill Shuster

2006-02-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

Today, Congressman Kingston demonstrated once again that he is a team player for the Republican Party when he sat down for an interview with Pennsylvania Congressman Bill Shuster for a local radio station. Congressman Kingston gave his reaction to the State of the Union as well as touting his Fuel Choices for American Security Act which aims to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. President Bush made this same point in his speech last night. You can see a picture HERE.

Fuel Choices To Be Major Theme In State Of The Union

2006-01-30T09:40:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that President Bush will promote fuel saving technologies in his State of the Union address tomorrow night. In his speech, the President will focus on new energy proposals that will make us less dependent on foreign oil. This is exactly the goal of my Fuel Choices for American Security Act. You can read the article HERE. And read more about my bill HERE.

The American Renewal Project

2006-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

This past week, Congressman Kingston sent a letter to his GOP colleagues outlining eight items he believes the American people want Congress to deal with in the coming year. He is calling the agenda the American Renewal Project. From the letter:

Dear Republican Colleague:

In December we were on offense and had a strong finish. In fact, our team came on strong in the second quarter to pass a strong border enforcement bill, pension reform, legislation to reform federal programs to save taxpayers billions of dollars, appropriations bills that made real reductions in federal spending, and a Department of Defense spending bill which included a pay raise for our soldiers and the funds necessary to win the war on terror.

But now there are those who want to put us back on defense. They would like the current transition process to weaken, not strengthen us. And they would like to keep it going until November.

But it will only happen if we let it.

Our Conference has been through tougher transitions and tackled tougher issues. The way to move forward is to do just that—move forward. We need to get back to our basic priorities, to the issues that our constituents want us to address. We need priority-based leadership.

Enclosed is a list of issues with which we are all familiar. These are the issues that have great support among our base and swing voters. These are the issues that matter outside of the beltway, regardless of what the New York Times or Washington Post opine.

Over the past months I have spoken to many Members–from our Freshman class to our Senior Committee Chairmen—about these issues and how they would play out in their district. I have also talked to consultants and wordsmiths. While not everyone agrees with everything on the list, I hope it can help us focus on our priorities and serve as a point of discussion. I hope you will consider these or other priorities you feel are key to the debate.

At the upcoming retreat, we should work together to agree on a list of issues that we will dedicate all our efforts to passing this year. It will be our commitment to America that we are focused on their concerns and worthy of retaining the majority.

You can download the American Renewal Project HERE.

New Energy Policy Initiatives

2006-01-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

It's being reported that President Bush may recommend some new energy policy initiatives in his State of the Union next week. Some of the initiatives he has already endorsed include developing new technology so that coal will burn more cleanly and advocating more research and development of alternative fuels made from farm products. Along those same lines, I've already introduced the Fuel Choices For American Security Act. Among other things, the bill would establish an aggressive goal to achieve oil savings and embrace new fuel choices, including a goal to replace 10 percent gasoline demand with ethanol in 10 years. All of this is aimed at reducing our dependence on foreign oil. You can read more about my plan HERE. And the text of my bill can be found HERE .

Congressman Kingston Scheduled To Meet With The Grinstead Family This Week

2006-01-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

A meeting between Congressman Kingston and the family of missing teacher Tara Grinstead has been set for this week. He is scheduled to meet this week with Tara's sister Anita Gattis to discuss the ongoing search. Tara, a teacher at Irwin County High School, disappeared from her home back on October 22nd and has not been heard from since. Congressman Kingston wants to bring continued attention to the search for Tara as well as help the family in any way possible. After the private meeting with the Grinstead family, he will meet with the press at the Tara Search Command Center which is located at 415 West Fourth Street in Ocilla. For more information go to http://www.findtara.com/

Congressman Kingston Cuts Ribbon On Food Bank

2006-01-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Congressman Kingston assisted in the ribbon cutting on a new satellite facility for Second Harvest food bank. Joining him in the ribbon cutting were Brunswick Mayor Bryan Thompson, Glynn County Commissioner Carl Johnson and members of the Second Harvest Board of Directors. The new facility will service non-profit agencies and churches that provide vital food assistance in Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn, McIntosh and Wayne counties.

Congressman Kingston Presents Medals To Family Of Deceased WW II Veteran

2006-01-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today Congressman Kingston had the honor to present military awards and medals to the family of Elton Tucker, a World War II veteran who sadly passed away in 2000. Upon presenting the awards, Congressman Kingston remarked that Americans were able to enjoy the freedoms they do thanks to veterans such as Mr. Tucker. The Bronze Star, Purple Hearts and Good Conduct Medal were among the many honors bestowed upon Mr. Tucker who was only 18 years old when he enlisted in the Army and fought with the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division in Italy. Mr. Tucker's son, Tommy Tucker, had asked Congressman Kingston's office for assistance in obtaining the medals for his father. You can check out the picture HERE.

Congressman Kingston Scheduled To Meet With Tara Grinstead's Family

2006-01-13T08:11:00.000-08:00

As was reported on Court TV's Crimelibrary.com, Congressman Kingston is scheduled to meet with the family of missing Ocilla teacher Tara Grinstead later this month. She has been missing now for almost four months and there is currently a $200,000 reward being offered. Congressman Kingston will lend his support to Tara's family, including exploring the possibility of enlisting more law enforcement to assist in the search for Tara. He is also hoping to attract more media attention to the case. Read the article HERE.

Soldiers From The 3rd ID Return From Iraq

2006-01-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

I had the great honor to be at Hunter Army Airfield in the early morning to welcome home soldiers of the 3rd ID. Their commanding officer, and my good friend, Major General William Webster brought home the division's flag from Iraq. These brave men and women deserve our thanks and gratitude for all their sacrifice in bringing democracy and freedom to a country that suffered under Saddam Hussein for so many years. Check out the pictures HERE.

More Good Economic News

2006-01-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

As we begin 2006, more good economic news continues to roll in. Today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 11,000 today for the first time since before the September 11th attacks. This news comes on the heels of recent reports that jobless claims plunged to a five-year low. These numbers certainly demonstrate that the Republican party's pro-growth economic agenda of low taxes and fiscal restraint is a winning combination. Read all about it: Dow Jones Industrials Close Above 11,000 The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 11,000 Monday for the first time since before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, lifted by a five-day rally that has sent stocks soaring so far in 2006. According to preliminary calculations, the average of 30 blue-chip stocks ended the day up 52.59, or 0.48 percent, at 11,011.90, its first finish above 11,000 since June 7, 2001, when it closed at 11,090.74. Monday's advance followed a 241-point surge last week as investors grew increasingly optimistic that the Federal Reserve will soon end its string of interest rate hikes. Investment firms' upgrades of Dow components General Motors Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. gave the Dow the final push above 11,000 Monday. Jobless Claims Plunge To Five-Year Low The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in more than five years last week, providing strong evidence that the labor market is shaking off the effects of a string of devastating hurricanes. The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for unemployment benefits dropped by 35,000 to 291,000, the smallest number since Sept. 23, 2000, when the economy was in the concluding months of the longest economic expansion in history. The decline of 35,000 claims was much better than Wall Street had been expecting and bolstered the belief that the labor market is on the mend after a rough period in the fall when Gulf Coast hurricanes caused the loss of more than 600,000 jobs over a period of four months.

Media Bias: Most Notable and Quotable

2005-12-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

The Media Research Center has released its hilarious report,

THE BEST NOTABLE QUOTABLES OF 2005, The Eighteenth Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting

You can download the report as a pdf file HERE. One of our favorites:

Captain Dan the Forgery Man Award

Dan Rather: "My principal problem was that I stuck by the [Memogate] story, I stuck by our people for too long. I’m guilty of that. I believed in the story, and the facts of the story were correct. One supporting pillar of the story, albeit an important one, one supporting pillar was brought into question. To this day no one has proven whether it was what it purported to be or not....You know, I didn’t give up on my people, our people. I didn’t and I won’t." [Applause] Marvin Kalb: "Dan, thank you. You said, I believe you just said, that you think the story is accurate." Rather: "The story is accurate." — From The Kalb Report, an interview series produced by the George Washington University and Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard University, and shown live on C-SPAN September 26. [80]

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Runners-up:

"As was the practice in all he did, Dan was meticulously careful to be fair and balanced and accurate. When did we stop believing that this is indeed how we all perform our jobs, or try to? When did we allow those with questionable agendas to take the lead and convince people of something quite the opposite? It’s shameful. But I digress." — MSNBC President and former ABC and CNN news executive Rick Kaplan praising ex-CBS anchor Dan Rather on September 19 as the latter received a lifetime achievement award from the National Television Academy, a ceremony televised on C-SPAN on October 1. [58]

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"A panel was appointed by CBS News to look into this ....They concluded that whatever happened, whatever you thought about it, it was not motivated by political bias, and they said that, although they had four months and millions of dollars, they could not demonstrate that the documents were not authentic, that they were forgeries. They said they couldn’t make that conclusion....Whatever one thinks of what we did or didn’t do with the story in question here, nobody broke the law, nobody lied. Depending on your point of view, it was a mistake, and who hasn’t made a mistake somewhere along the line?" — Outgoing CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather discussing the investigation into his forged memo story, on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman, March 3. [35]

Congressman Kingston Live Blogging from the Capitol

2005-12-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

FYI, the Congressman posted an entry on his RedState.org regarding the Dept. of Defense Appropriations bill which you can read and comment on HERE.

Congressman Kingston delivers emotional speech on Iraq, reads soldier's letter

2005-12-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston delivered an emotional speech on the floor of the House yesterday during debate of the Victory In Iraq Resolution (H.Res 612) which passed by a wide bipartisan margin last night.

Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for the time and really wanted to stand in support of the resolution and believe that the resolution is a good one and that yesterday in this week's election speaks volumes for all the work that we have accomplished.
I want to speak more importantly in memory and honor of Sergeant Daniel Clay, who was killed when the marines were attacked in Fallujah on December 1. His dad, Mr. Bud Clay, wrote the President a letter and said that "I am writing to tell you how proud and thankful we, his parents and family, are of you and what you are trying to do to protect us all. This was Dan's second tour in Iraq and he knew and said that his being there was to protect us.

"I want to encourage you. I hear in your speeches about 'staying the course.' I also know that many" of you are against this war and you must get weary of fighting to try to do what is right. "We and many others are praying for you to see this through, as Lincoln said 'that these might not have died in vain.'"

I also have the actual letter that Daniel Clay wrote his family to be opened in the event of his death, and I think it would be in his honor to read it. This is of course by a very young man"

"Mom, Dad, Kristie, Jodie, Kimberly, Robert, Katy, Richard, and my Lisa.

"Boy do I love each and every one of you. This letter being read means that I have been deemed worthy of being with Christ. With Mama Jo, Mama Clay, Jennifer, all those we have been without for our time during the race. This is not a bad thing. It is what we hope for. The secret is out. He lives and His promises are real! It is not faith that supports this but fact and I now am part of the promise. Here is notice! Wake up! All that we hope for is real. Not a hope but real.

"But here is something tangible. What we have done in Iraq is worth my sacrifice. Why? Because it was our duty. That sounds simple. But all of us have a duty. Duty is defined as a God-given task. Without duty life is worthless. It holds no type of fulfillment. The simple fact that our bodies are built for work has to lead us to the conclusion that God, who made us, put us together to do His work. His work is different for each of us. Mom, yours was to be the glue of our family, to be a pillar for those women, all women around you. Dad, yours was to train us and build us, like a platoon sergeant, to better serve Him. Kristie, Kim, Katy, you are the fire team leaders who support your squad leaders, Jodie, Robert and Richard. Lisa, you too. You are my XO and you did a hell of a job. You all have your duties. Be thankful that God in His wisdom gives us work. Mine was to ensure that you did not have to experience what it takes to protect what we have as a family. This I am so thankful for. I know what honor is. It is not a word to be thrown around. It has been our honor to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge that you would not have to. This is as close to Christ-like I can be. That emulation is where all honor lies ..... I thank you for making it worthwhile.

"As a marine this is not the last chapter. I have the privilege of being one who has finished the race. I have been in the company of heroes. I now am counted among them. Never falter! Don't hesitate to honor and support those of us who have the honor of protecting that which is worth protecting.

"Now here are my final wishes. Do not cry! To do so is to not realize what we have placed all our hope and faith in. We should not fear. We should not be sad. Be thankful. Be so thankful. All we hoped for is true. Celebrate! My race is over. My time in the war zone is over. My trials are done. A short time separates all of us from His reality. So laugh. Enjoy the moments and your duty. God is wonderful.

"I love each and every one of you.

"Spread the word. Christ lives and He is real.

Semper Fidelis,

Sergeant Daniel Clay."

Daniel Clay is like so many others who have fought to make yesterday possible, and yesterday is certainly not a conclusion but let us hope a beginning of a new and significant chapter in Iraq where the military sacrifices become smaller and the political engagement becomes greater.

One thing I have learned and loved about this House is the fact that we are using politics as a substitute for civil war. Let us hope that Iraq learns that lesson and that 200 years from now they will look back at yesterday as one of their first most significant days in democracy.

You can download a copy of the original letter in a .pdf format by clicking HERE.

LIVE From Iraq (Part III)

2005-12-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Late last night, a commanding officer who is currently in Baghdad sent me the following email regarding the successful elections in Iraq. Here is the email in its unedited form:

Jack, the polls are closed and it was a very peaceful day, relatively speaking. We have been careful to help the Iraqi Security Forces get set for a successful day, and to stay away from the polling places so as not to be accused of tampering. We believe record numbers voted in Baghdad, above the referendum numbers. We only had 12 attempted attacks by insurgents, and only one US WIA-very slight. Only one polling place was actually attacked and that was a rocket from about 18 miles away. It wounded 4 Iraqis and the polling place closed for less than 15 minutes. The voters stayed in place and continued to vote. Only one Iraqi soldier died in Baghdad today, and he died from an accident. Sunnis were out in large numbers thanking us and showing off their purple fingers. We congratulated the Iraqi police and Army forces for their success and for guaranteeing the citizens' right to vote. They are very proud. Our mission is still on the way to success. There will still be bloody days, but another major milestone to our victory has been reached. The results won't be known for a while, possibly many days. We are now shifted to protecting the ballots themselves with Iraqi forces backed up by us. Gotta keep the election legit. We will then continue to look for the cell leaders, the foreign fighters and terrorists, and to train the Iraqi forces to take over the nation's security. Our men and women have a lot to be proud of. We now want to keep the political parties from killing each other to prevent the shifts of power to other parties. We expect al Qaeda insurgents to start a new round of violence against us. We will be ready. Very successful day, and we continue the mission. Thanks for your continued support.

Yesterday's successful election begins the end of the military phase of our involvement with

Iraq

and begins the political stage, permanently. I am very proud of what is going on in Iraq and the elections are another great accomplishment for the people of Iraq, the

United States

, and all of the Coalition Forces. -Jack UPDATE: I have posted this note on my diary over at RedState.org where you can post comments on this topic.

Iraqi Solidarity Day

2005-12-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I joined about 20 of my Republican colleagues to help show our support for the Iraqi people and our troops abroad. I represent the first district of Georgia which has five military bases including the Army's 3^rd Infantry Division. I have over 20,000 constituents in Iraq right now. And the 3^rd ID was the original group that went up the Euphrates River in 2003. Indeed they have led our troops in many amazing military victories, but tomorrow is probably the most significant victory and chapter in the liberation of Iraq because tomorrow will be a huge political victory for the people of Iraq.

Tomorrow the people of Iraq will democratically elect the four-year, permanent government of Iraq. And when I was in Iraq just two weeks ago with a bipartisan delegation consisting of three Democrats and three Republicans, we were told that 228 different political parties were offering candidates for the 275-seats of parliament, but today the number of political parties is well over 300! The bottom line is that candidates are participating in the process and that's good news.

Tomorrow's elections will begin the end of the military phase of our involvement with Iraq and will begin the political stage, permanently. We are very proud of what's going on in Iraq and this will be a great accomplishment for the people of Iraq, the United States, and all of the Coalition Forces.

NewsBusters highlights Congressman Kingston's Support

2005-12-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Hat-tip to the guys over at NewsBusters.org for THIS post:

Congressman notes bias of NYT, Cites MRC Study on Iraq War
Posted by Michael Chapman on December 13, 2005 - 14:13.
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) noted the bias of the New York Times on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal." The show's host quoted from a pessemistic NYT story about the military situation in Mosul, Iraq. Kingston, who recently returned from an extensive trip to Mosul and first-hand talks with GI's and officers questioned the story thus: "Now, would that be on the New York Times editorial page or their regular page?" The host said the regular page. Kingston replied with a smile: "And there is a difference? I would only have to say that when you cite the New York Times, it is not exactly objective."

Rep. Kingston also blasted the major networks as "overwhelmingly pessimistic" and increasingly negative." He further cited the MRC study, TV's Bad News Brigade, to buttress his arguments.

Japan Now Open to U.S. Beef

2005-12-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

Great news this morning for Georgia's first district where we have nearly 100,000 heads of cattle: Japan has opened its borders to allow U.S. beef. Congressman Kingston has long supported the expansion of the beef market in Japan and has worked closely with the Georgia Cattleman's Association. He has signed letters in the past to the administration to do just that. US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns just released the following statement:

"I'm very pleased to announce that the Japanese market is now open to U.S. beef products. Resuming beef trade with Japan is great news for American producers and Japanese consumers, as well as an important step toward normalized trade based on scientifically sound, internationally recognized standards. "Japan's action today sets an excellent example for other countries in Asia whose markets remain closed. Now is the time for Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and others to open their markets to U.S. beef. I urge all countries to take a science-based approach and adopt OIE standards for allowing beef trade from 30-month animals. Building bridges of understanding and collaboration between nations is an important part of ensuring food safety. American producers are proud of our safe, high-quality beef products and we greatly value the opportunity to promote the safety of our products to consumers in Japan and around the world. As I have said many times throughout this process, our goal is the resumption of normal beef trade throughout the world and we will continue to aggressively work toward that objective." Under the agreement announced today, the United States is able to export beef from cattle 20 months of age and younger to Japan. More than 94 percent of total U.S. ruminant and ruminant products, with a total export value of $1.7 billion in 2003, are now eligible for export to Japan. In 2003, the United States exported $1.4 billion worth of beef and beef products to Japan. Prior to the December 2003 discovery of the first BSE-infected cow in the United States, the U.S. exported beef and beef products to 119 countries. With the opening of Japan, 70 countries have now established trade to at least selected U.S. beef and beef products.

According to the University of Georgia's 2004 beef head count, here are Georgia's first district counties which will benefit from expanding the market: Colquitt 13,150 Irwin 11,000 Coffee 10,000 Berrien 9,896 Jeff_Davis 6,000 Cook 5,900 Appling 4,700 Wayne 4,600 Atkinson 4,400 Wilcox 4,400 Lanier 3,800 Brantley 3,200 Lowndes 3,000 Pierce 2,800 Ben_Hill 2,600 Charlton 1,600 Long 1,600 Bryan 1,100 Pulaski 1,000 Liberty 950 Clinch 900 Echols 900 Ware 650 Glynn 580 Chatham 300 Camden 250 Mcintosh 150 Total 99,426

EDITORIAL: Congressman Kingston's Fuel Independence Legislation is a "Realistic Remedy For Fuel Woes"

2005-12-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

The editorial board at the Macon Telegraph penned an editorial today strongly endorsing Rep. Kingston's fuel independence legislation.

In a world with finite supplies already stretched to shortage, the increasing demand of the giant populations of China and India for fuel make it almost certain that prices will rise. And while Kingston says our need for foreign oil supplies would not disappear if his program is adopted, it would not be as acute - giving the U.S. more control and more political leverage with suppliers. It would be good to say to the Saudis, "You want our business? Let's talk human rights."

Kingston's legislation would use tax credits and other devices to promote the manufacture and sales of electric hybrid vehicles and those using alternative fuels, and push the use of ethanol, biodiesel and other petroleum alternatives to replace up to 30 percent of the nation's fuel demand. The legislation would accelerate the development of technology to exploit renewable fuel resources. Kingston is seeking support from auto manufacturers for the legislation.

Other plans to reduce demand, such as getting people out of their cars and into mass transit, subsidizing car pools or penalizing SUVs, have had little effect. Kingston's plan, while its goals would be reached only at the end of a 20-year process, might just work where more radical ideas have foundered.

You can read the full piece HERE.

Congressman meets with Secretary Rumsfeld

2005-12-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

On Thursday in Washington, Congressman Kingston met with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace in his House office. The Hill reported on the trip which you can read HERE.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with a handful of House members Thursday morning as part of an ongoing effort to improve communications with Capitol Hill.

Those House members, in turn, asked Rumsfeld and his associates at the Pentagon to do a better job of communicating success on the ground in Iraq as both parties fight for political advantage over the issue of American troop involvement in the war-torn nation.
Kingston, Rehberg and Shuster recently returned from a quick trip to Iraq during which they met with ground forces in Baghdad, Balad and Mosul. During one of the briefings, they were surprised to learn that American-trained Iraqi forces were patrolling about half of Baghdad, Rehberg and Shuster said. Both members said those details are exactly what Americans need to hear as support for the war has wavered.

The U.S. Department of State has issued a press release which you can view HERE. Excerpt from the release:

Congressional Report, December 9: Consultations on Iraq

Rumsfeld, senior general meet with members of Congress on Iraq strategy

A congressional delegation that recently returned from Iraq met with senior U.S. military and civilian leaders December 8 in Washington to say that they think Iraq is moving in the right direction toward democracy.

Representative Jack Kingston said he and his traveling companions were excited to see that 50 percent of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad, now is controlled exclusively by Iraqi security forces and in Mosul they are responsible for security in a quarter of the city.

Thank a Soldier Week

2005-12-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

Townhall.com has started a website for "Thank A Soldier Week" which is Dec. 19-25. A friend and colleage of mine, Georgia Congressman Tom Price wrote a nice letter to the troops which you can read HERE. Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Pitts also wrote a nice piece. Read it HERE.

Congressman Kingston participates in a blogger conference call

2005-12-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

Today, Congressman Kingston and Congressman John Kline (MN) participated in a conference call with some of the webs top bloggers regarding Iraq. Here is a round-up of the links to each post: Right Wing News Kennedy Vs. The Machine Blogs For Bush Blogs of War Decision '08 Thanks to all of you for taking the time to participate. If we missed your blog - please email us at J.Kingston@mail.house.gov and let us know.

I'll be on C-SPAN Thursday morning RE: Iraq

2005-12-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

I will be appearing on C-SPAN's Washington Journal program on Thursday, December 8 from 8-8:30 AM (tomorrow). I will be discussing my recent trip to Iraq and will be fielding calls from Democrats and Republicans. I hope you'll tune in and feel free to email me at J.Kingston@mail.house.gov and let me know how you think I am doing. Check your local listings for times/channel. Thanks. -Jack

REPORT: On Iraq, Media Coverage Has Been Bias

2005-12-07T15:00:00.001-08:00

Today I sent a letter to my GOP colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives highlighting the results of a recent study by the Media Research Center which found that over the past year, the media coverage in Iraq has been:

Overwhelmingly pessimistic;
Increasingly negatvie over time;
Highlighting terrorist attacks as centerpieces of the nightly news;
Downbeat on the Iraqi political process; and
Included only eight stories fo heroism or valor by U.S. troops -- out of 1,388 news reports!

You can read the the letter HERE. You can download the Media Research Center's report HERE. UPDATE: Hat-tip to the guys at Power Line for linking to this important report. Read their post HERE.

Dem Party Taken Over By Liberal Extremists?

2005-12-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston posted an entry at RedState.org regarding recent comments from Sen. Kerry and Democratic Chairman Howard Dean. You can read and comment on the post HERE.

Jack's op-ed on Iraq

2005-12-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston just sent out an editorial on Iraq. You can read it first by clicking HERE.

Iraq Trip District Press Round Up

2005-12-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston held a press conference in Savannah Friday to highlight the progress he saw in Iraq. Here are some of the press stories: Macon Telegraph: Kingston contests MoveOn.org ad after trip to Iraq

Kingston returned this week from a bipartisan, three-day visit to Iraq, a whirlwind trip that took him and five other members of Congress to Baghdad, Mosul and Balad. He said their conversations with Iraqi leaders and U.S. troops reinforced the "clear, hold and build" policy currently being followed.

Kingston said his conversations with U.S. troops - from generals to enlisted men and women of all ranks - confirmed that morale is sky high. "We keep hearing the troops are unhappy, don't believe in what they are doing and are scared," he said. "That's not the way it is. They're enthusiastic about what they're doing. If there is any disturbance, it's with the way the New York Times of the world are portraying their efforts."

The troops also are well equipped, including armored vests, uparmored Humvees and a broad range of personal items. "They have everything they need," Kingston said, "from tanks to toilet paper. Last time I took phone cards, peanuts and baby wipes. This time, they didn't want that stuff. And that's straight out of the soldiers' mouths."

He said the job is not over. "And if we cut and run in the MoveOn.org fashion, the outcome will be ten times worse than it was in Somalia or Lebanon. It will say that Americans don't have staying power and when the going gets rough we go home. It would be disastrous," he predicted.

Iraq sits in a troubled region, he acknowledged, and likely will never be a peaceful, quiet, little country. "But we have a real opportunity to have an independent nation that could be an American ally and a source of stability," Kingston said. "That's why it's so important for us to transition out of there slowly and in a deliberate fashion."

WTOC - Savannah: Kingston on Iraq Trip

"We've trained 36,000 school teachers," he said. "Schools are back open, electricity is back on. You can see satellite dishes where people have TV again."

The improvements to the quality of life are thanks in part to Third ID troops. Kingston met with division commander Maj. Gen. William Webster and the soldiers who are still working hard to let Iraqis have control of their own destiny.

"The Iraqi military forces are up, 212,000 strong," Kingston told us. "Nine thousand more are being trained, 10,000 after them."

This was Kingston's second trip to Iraq. The last time he was in the country was two years ago, just as the war began.

Despite continued insurgent attacks, the changes he's seen in Baghdad alone are like night and day. "Traffic jams, people walking on the streets, we did not see that two years ago," he said. "Commerce is beginning to happen again, which is a very positive development."

But Kingston says the biggest challenge is yet to come. With the Iraqi elections just weeks away, troops will have to make sure the new government gets up and running smoothly.

"We're taking a country that has been oppressed for 30 years and we're saying, 'Okay, now you can self-govern,'" said Kingston. "It's hard for us to self-govern after 200 years, and yet, we're telling them to do it overnight. The change in culture, understanding democracy and freedom, it's always an experiment."

Brunswick News: Kingston sees good work in Iraq

If U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-1, learned anything from his trip to Iraq, it's that things look different in person than they do from afar – a lot different.

"I wish that everybody could come here and see the progress that has been made in terms of rebuilding the country and the participation of the Iraqis," said Kingston, speaking Tuesday from Kuwait and on his way home after a two-day tour of Iraq that included Baghdad and Mosul.

"They are pretty happy with the progress that is being made."

Kingston, who last visited Iraq two years ago, said the fact that there are 212,000 Iraqi police and military troops trained indicates that the Arab nation is well on its way to self-rule with December elections.

"The Army's 3rd Infantry is now able to step back and concentrate on other efforts," Kingston said.

Kingston said he talked to a soldier from Brunswick – Amber Slawnyk, who worked with an engineering division.

"She's doing fine," Kingston said. "She was very upbeat in what she was doing."

Another Sign of Progress...

2005-12-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

I posted an entry on my RedState.org diary which you can read and comment on HERE regarding the members of al-Zarqawi's family in Jordan renouncing him. Al-Zarqawi is the chief al Qaeda operative in Iraq. This is another strong sign of progress in the War on Terrorism. -Jack

Jack's pics from Iraq

2005-12-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

We have uploaded Congressman Kingston's pictures from Iraq. Some are better than others, but still an interesting set. You can view the pictures HERE.

Fuel Independence Bill now online

2005-12-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

For those who have been following Congressman Kingston's fuel independence legislation, we wanted to let you know that you can now READ the bill online, see who has COSPONSORED the bill, and track the PROGRESS of the legislation. These links should work - but if they stop working - you can direct your browser to http://thomas.loc.gov and do a bill search for HR4409.

Rep. Kingston helping lead the charge to support the troops in Iraq

2005-12-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hat-tip to the guys over at RedState.org who highlighted Congressman Kingston's recent editorial on Iraq. You can read their post and write comments HERE. UPDATE: PowerPundit is also blogging it HERE.

Is The Media Bias?

2005-12-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 30 at Noon, Johnathan Finer, the Washington Post's foreign correspondent held an online chat from Iraq. We think you'll find this question interesting:

New York, NY: Sir: Representative Jack Kingston (R-GA) wrote yesterday, from Iraq, where he was visiting the troops, the following: "the war that we saw is not the same war that we are reading in the media everyday. In fact, our soldiers are very frustrated that the media is only reporting the bad news instead of highlighting the progress being made."
I agree with the Congressman. I have contact every day with troops in Iraq, and virtually all of them are frustrated that you people in the media are only reporting one side of the story. Do you have any comments?

Jonathan Finer: We hear this a lot from readers and soldiers. My view is that if we see evidence that things are improving, we report that. I wrote a story recently from Tall Afar about progress made by the Iraqi Army. But if we are constantly bombarded by incidents of violence, political in-fighting and other "bad news" stories, we have an obligation to report those too. I'll offer an analogy a reporter/friend here uses: if you go to the hospital for a check-up and are told you have a disease, you don't go back and tell your family all the illnesses you don't have. For now, the problems in Iraq seem to be the story.

Fuel Independence Bill

2005-12-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Chemical & Engineering News offers this gem on Congressman Kingston's fuel independence legislation:

Push On Hill For Fuel Independence

Lawmakers seek to cut U.S. demand for oil, boost biofuels and alternative-technology vehicles.

America's reliance on imported oil is receiving new attention on both sides of Capitol Hill as bipartisan groups of lawmakers have introduced legislation designed to curtail domestic petroleum consumption, particularly in the transportation sector, while increasing demand for renewable fuels and alternative technology vehicles.

The Vehicle & Fuel Choices for American Security Act would set specific oil-saving targets to reduce U.S. dependence and require the mass production of automobiles that can run on any combination of gasoline and alternative fuels or, alternatively, cars powered by efficient hybrid engines.

"For far too long, the U.S. has been at the mercy of foreign nations for its fuel," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.). "This dependence is one of our greatest risks because it not only threatens our national security but also our economic security. This legislation is a plan to help America realize its fuel independence from Middle East oil."

Read the full story HERE.

President Bush Releases Strategy For Victory In Iraq

2005-11-30T11:24:00.000-08:00

The following document articulates the broad strategy the President set forth in 2003 and provides an update on our progress as well as the challenges remaining. You can download and read more about it HERE.

The United States has no intention of determining the precise form of Iraq's new government. That choice belongs to the Iraqi people. Yet, we will ensure that one brutal dictator is not replaced by another. All Iraqis must have a voice in the new government, and all citizens must have their rights protected. Rebuilding Iraq will require a sustained commitment from many nations, including our own: we will remain in Iraq as long as necessary, and not a day more.

- President George W. Bush, February 26, 2003

LIVE From Iraq pt.II

2005-11-29T15:35:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston just posted a blog entry to RedState.org which you can read HERE. Here are the first few graphs:

We just left Iraq. As expected, the trip was a great success.
First and foremost: the war that we saw is not the same war that we are reading in the media everyday. In fact, our soldiers are very frustrated that the media is only reporting the bad news instead of highlighting the progress being made.

Our troops are in high spirits and are doing well. Their morale is high, and they are proud of the work that they are doing.

Special Report Highlights Liberal Media Bias

2005-11-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

The media bias watchdogs over at the Media Research Center just sent Congressman Kingston a copy of their latest findings documenting media bias regarding the Iraq war. The report was produced by the Media Research Center, headed by Brent Bozell. The study analyzes all 1,388 news stories from ABC, CBS, and NBC (January - October 2005) and documents the networks' overwhelmingly negative and pessimistic coverage of the Iraq war. To read the report online, go to: http://www.mrc.org/SpecialReports/2005/sum/sum101405.asp.

Dems' Statements on Iraq STILL Not Settling Well

2005-11-28T17:07:00.000-08:00

From an article in Sunday's Washington Post:

Seventy percent of people surveyed said that criticism of the war by Democratic senators hurts troop morale -- with 44 percent saying morale is hurt "a lot," according to a poll taken by RT Strategies. Even self-identified Democrats agree: 55 percent believe criticism hurts morale, while 21 percent say it helps morale.

Their poll also indicates many Americans are skeptical of Democratic complaints about the war. Just three of 10 adults accept that Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe this will help U.S. efforts in Iraq. A majority believes the motive is really to "gain a partisan political advantage."

Read the article HERE.

Fuel Independence Bill Picking Up Media Steam

2005-11-28T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Brunswick News in Georgia's First District had an excellent piece on Congressman Kingston's fuel independence legislation which you can read HERE.

Imagine living in a nation that no longer relies on foreign oil.U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-1, can. And as vice chair of the House Republican Conference, he is making an effort to share his vision with the rest of Congress. He's already on his way to accomplishing that, picking up bipartisan support for legislation he's introduced that he says will help the nation achieve oil independence by the year 2015. Called the Fuel Choices for American Security Act of 2005, the bill details an energy strategy that pivots on stronger conservation, new fuel choices and modern-day wizardry.

GOP Accomplishments...The Record

2005-11-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

U.S. Representative Mike Conaway (R-Texas) has compiled an impressive list of House GOP accomplishments over the past year on his blog. You can see his post HERE.

LIVE From Iraq

2005-11-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

Congressman Kingston posted a blog entry at RedState.org regarding his current trip to Iraq. You can read it HERE.

Frank Gaffney Touts Energy Independence Plan

2005-11-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

In an op-ed running tonight at RenewAmerica, Frank Gaffney, Jr. declares that Representative Kingston's plan for energy independence by 2015 is the right plan for America. Here are a few key excerpts from the column. "Fortunately, last week was memorable for one other reason: The Congress was the scene of a third approach — a bipartisan initiative that might be called the "winning alternative": Members of Congress led by conservative Republican Jack Kingston of Georgia, Democrat Eliot Engel of New York and a GOP moderate, New Jersey's Jim Saxton, joined forces on Wednesday with a similarly diverse group of Senators led by Democrat Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, conservative Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas and a member of the centrist "Gang of 14," Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, to make a real contribution to America's energy security. "Their idea is compelling: Reduce dramatically the use of oil in America's transportation sector by utilizing existing technologies massively and rapidly to ramp up the availability of alternative fuels (ethanol, methanol and electricity) and the vehicles that can use them. By so doing, we can make our economy and security less reliant on a commodity whose purchase requires us to transfer tens of billions of dollars every year to regimes that are unstable at best, and violently hostile at worst." America's ready for big ideas again.

GOP Sends a Message of Unity, Strength, Resolve to Troops

2005-11-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

This was the headline our troops read in Al-Jazeera on Friday:

"US Democrat Calls For Troop Pullout"

Saturday's headline in Al-Jazeera:

"US House Rejects Troop Pullout Calls"

Any questions?

Dems Statements Encouraging Our Enemies?

2005-11-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

Dems Iraq Strategy: Cut-and-Run

2005-11-17T18:12:00.000-08:00

THE DEMOCRATS' PLAN FOR IRAQ: LOSE, LEAVE AND WAIT

LOSE: Democrats want to cut-and-run and dishonor the sacrifices of the soldiers who are doing such a great job and sacrificing so much;

LEAVE: They want us to leave, signaling to the world that the United States no longer stands for freedom, democracy and the defense of human rights in the face of terrorism;

WAIT: They prefer the French model-wait for the terrorists to bring their murder and destruction to the home-front.

THE RHETORIC OF DEFEAT:

Rep. John Murtha (D-PA): "I Believe Before The Iraqi Elections, Scheduled For Mid-December, The Iraqi People And The Emerging Government Must Be Put On Notice. The United States Will Immediately Redeploy." [CNN's "Live Event," 11/17/05]

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): "I Respect The Opinion [Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)] Expressed ... What He Said Was That Under The Present Plan, The War Is Unwinnable." [Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Press Conference, 5/20/04]

Pelosi: "Each Passing Day Confirms That The Iraq War Has Been A Grotesque Mistake." [Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Congressional Record, 6/16/05, p. H4569]

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY): "[The Iraq War] Is The Biggest Fraud Ever Committed On The People Of This Country. ... This Is Just As Bad As The 6 Million Jews Being Killed." [Lloyd Grove, "Rangel In 'Holocaust' Firestorm," New York Daily News, 6/9/05]

WHAT DO THE GENERALS THINK ABOUT THIS STRATEGY?

From today's Washington Post, "General Decries Call For Timetable in Iraq":

Army Maj. Gen. William Webster: "Setting a date would mean that the 221 soldiers I've lost this year, that their lives will have been lost in vain," said, whose 3rd Infantry Division is responsible for security in three-fourths of Iraq's capital.

Making up the bulk of Task Force Baghdad, the 3rd Infantry patrols some of the most dangerous turf in Iraq, encountering massive bombs and suicide assaults in attacks that Webster said average 35 a day in the city.

Iraq's armed factions would likely take a cue from a timetable for a U.S. withdrawal to lie low, gathering their strength and laying plans for renewed conflict when theAmericans leave, Webster said.

While the United States has an exit strategy from Iraq, Webster said he believed leaders had yet to fix a plan setting dates for phased withdrawals. "I think it's a recipe for disaster," he said of the demands for such deadlines.

"Setting a date is a loser."

THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN:

"Our strategy is to clear, hold, and build. We're working to clear areas from terrorist control, to hold those areas securely, and to build lasting, democratic Iraqi institutions." [President Bush, Bolling AFB, 10/25/05]

PROGRESS IN IRAQ:

As of October 31, 2005, a total of 210,400 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have been trained and equipped. This number includes 99,600 Ministry of Defense forces and 110,800 Ministry of Interior Forces including police and highway patrol.
36 Army battalions and three combat support battalions are leading the fight in their areas, a 71% increase since March.
A total of 2,939 new police officers graduated from basic police training courses throughout Iraq and Jordan on October 27. To date, more than 50,800 Iraqi police have completed the basic training course.

(Source: House Armed Services Committee)

###

Energy Independence by 2015? America Can Do It.

2005-11-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

Today I introduced a bipartisan bill to help America Realize its Fuel Independence by 2015. I posted a note about the bill's introduction at RedState.org. You can read my entry here. Here's my press release on the issue:

AMERICA COULD BE FREE OF MIDDLE EAST OIL BY 2015

Introduces Bill to Realize America’s Fuel Independence, Ensuring America's Security

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Representative Jack Kingston (R-GA), the vice-chairman of the House Republican Conference, introduced legislation to help America realize its fuel independence by 2015, ensuring America’s security.

The bill, the Fuel Choices for American Security Act of 2005, offers a viable blueprint to independence by helping transform the nation’s transportation sector into a 21^st Century model. It presents a new energy strategy which strengthens current supply, increases conservation efforts, and embraces new fuel choices.

"For far too long, the United States has been at the mercy of foreign nations for its fuel. This dependence is one of our greatest risks because it not only threatens our national security, but also our economic security. America can and must do better. This legislation is a plan to help America realize its fuel independence from Middle East oil by 2015," Kingston said. "America has proven in the past that when it sets a goal, it always crosses the finish line. The time to start and win this race is now."

Among other things, the bill would:

Establish an aggressive goal to achieve oil savings of:

· 2.5 million barrels of oil per day by 2015 (10 percent savings over 10 years) – which is MORE than the U.S. imports from the Middle East everyday. And reduce total oil demand in the United States by over 5 million barrels per day (or 20 percent in 20 years) by 2025.

Develop better "scoring" requirements for the federal government to take into account the "oil savings" of a proposed measure to ensure an honest debate. Require an internal audit of the federal government’s usage of fuel and based on those findings, develop a plan to save more fuel.

Provide incentives to consumers and producers to help speed 21^st Century technologies to the American public.

· Doubles the consumer tax credit for the purchase of flexible fuel electric hybrid vehicles,

· Provides tax credits to American manufacturers to produce more efficient lightweight materials and produce advanced technologies needed by modern alternative fuel efficient vehicles,

· Helps truckers equip APU's (auxiliary power units) to help save diesel while heating or cooling the cab,

· And empowers Americans with better information on tire efficiency to give them better choices for their vehicles.

Embraces new fuel choices and gets them to Americans FASTER.

· Establishes a goal to replace 10 percent of gasoline demand with Ethanol in 10 years – reaching a national goal of "E-10 in 10."

· In 20 years we seek to replace 20 percent of our oil based vehicle fuels with alternative fuels like Ethanol produced from corn, sugar or other bio products, diesel that can be made from coal, bio or waste sources, methanol, hydrogen or electricity.

U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) co-authored the bill with Kingston, and a similar bill was introduced today by U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Norm Coleman (R-MN), and Joe Lieberman (D-CT).

###

Happy 230th Birthday US Marine Corps

2005-11-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

Today at Theme Team we had a special briefing in the Capitol by U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General John Kelly and Private First Class Claire Buffington who discussed their experiences in the Marine Corps and the current situation for troops in Iraq. (Pictured above with me are House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter of California, BrigGen Kelly, and PFC Buffington.)

I wish I could be with every Marine today to say how grateful America is for all that the Marines have given over the years and give today in the defense of freedom. For 230 years, whenever America has called, the Few and the Proud have responded.

As we all know, the Marine Corps motto is Semper Fidelis, 'Always Faithful,' but it is not only a motto, but also a tradition -- a tradition as old as America and as young as the newest Marine. It is a tradition of which all Americans are proud. And so, to all those who are first to fight for freedom and democracy, America today says thank you and God bless you.

The cake-cutting ceremony followed the briefing, where we stuck to Marine Corps tradition to cut the cake with a Mameluke Sword, which is the type of dress sword carried by officers of the Marine Corps. The first piece of cake was served to the oldest Marine and the second piece to the youngest Marine.

A Special Prayer...

2005-11-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

Today the U.S. House of Representatives was honored to welcome Reverend Griffin Lotson of Sams Memorial Church of God in Christ in Darien, GA as he opened the House with the daily prayer. Rev. Lotson did a great job and I am pleased he was able to make the trip from Georgia's First District for this special event.

Paying up on a bet!

2005-11-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

As you all know, last weekend the Georgia Bulldogs (my alma mater) lost to the Florida Gators. Before the game, I made a friendly bet with Florida Rep. Adam Putnam -- a Georgia Pecan Pie for his Key Lime Pie. Unfortunately, I had to pay up with a pie straight from River Street in Savannah -- but at least Adam was nice enough to share it with me. The only thing missing was a dollop of ice cream. After all, November is Georgia Pecan Month.

Online Freedom of Speech Act

2005-11-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

You can read my statement on HR 1606, the Online Freedom of Speech Act at RedState.org. Here's a direct link to my post.

Hydrogen3

2005-11-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

I had a chance to drive a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle today in Washington. This technology is the future and we need to find ways to encourage the growth of this market. I have a few ideas that may help do just that... Stay tuned.

...On Gas Prices.

2005-11-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

I was interviewed on WSAV about the record high gas prices and the recent record breaking profit reports by oil companies: “We are raising cain about the excessive profits,” emphasized Rep. Jack Kingston of

Georgia

’s 1^st District. “It's ok to make a profit,” he continued, “we're a capitalist system but when Exxon made 75 percent last quarter and told us that they weren't driving up the price of it then I feel a little, well, wait a minute this isn't what Exxon was telling us back September 3rd in the wake of Katrina.” You can read the entire article HERE.

SCOTUS: Judge Samuel A. Alito

2005-10-31T17:19:00.000-08:00

This morning, the President nominated Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to be Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Here's my statement: ``It appears that Judge Alito is the type of person the president really campaigned to place on the bench - an individual with excellent credentials that will narrowly interpret the constitution in the mold of Justice Antonin Scalia. Perhaps more importantly, Judge Alito has an impressive law career and his tenure on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia has prepared him well for what will be a difficult nomination process. I am sure the Senate Democrats are going to fight this one tooth and nail--regardless of his qualifications--because they are committed to being the party of obstruction instead of the party of ideas and viable alternatives."

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-31T14:29:00.000-08:00

"Jack-o-lantern." Get it?

Scooter Indicted and I'm on AFII with VPOTUS Cheney

2005-10-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was just indicted. I am currently on board Air Force II with Vice President Cheney at Warner Robins AFB in Georgia. Here is what I think:

"Mr. Libby's resignation is appropriate. The court can now decide the facts of the case. An indictment is not a statement of guilt, but simply outlines the case for the prosecutor. Keep in mind that we have not heard Mr. Libby's side of this story.

"Furthermore, the Vice President and the White House can now move forward. The Vice President has a capable staff of professionals that will step up to the plate.

"It's significant that the indictment does not mention the outing of Valerie Plame. It appears that after two years of investigation, Mr. Fitzgerald does not agree with the administration’s critics that her situation is what this is all about."

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Release from the Office of the Vice President

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For Immediate Release October 28, 2005

STATEMENT BY THE VICE PRESIDENT

Mr. Libby has informed me that he is resigning to fight the charges brought against him. I have accepted his decision with deep regret.

Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and talented individuals I have ever known. He has given many years of his life to public service and has served our nation tirelessly and with great distinction.

In our system of government an accused person is presumed innocent until a contrary finding is made by a jury after an opportunity to answer the charges and a full airing of the facts. Mr. Libby is entitled to that opportunity.

Because this is a pending legal proceeding, in fairness to all those involved, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the charges or on any facts relating to the proceeding.

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America's economy continues to surge.

2005-10-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Good news that you probably won't read on the front page of most newspapers:

Speaker Hastert Comments On America’s Economic Endurance

Says New GDP Numbers Illustrate "That America's Economic Engine Continues to Churn"

(Washington, D.C.) House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) today released the following statement regarding the latest GDP numbers:

"Today's GDP numbers illustrate that America's economic engine continues to churn because of Republicans' pro-growth policies. We endured devastating hurricanes in recent months, and our already strong economy was able to cope so that the economic destruction was not greater. This latest report proves that Republican policies of tax relief and fiscal responsibility are just the prescription the American economy needs. The House will continue to act to improve our economy. We're working hard to impose fiscal responsibility in government spending, and just yesterday, we passed the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005, which cracks down on attorneys who file frivolous lawsuits that hurt job-creating small businesses. The Democratic strategy is clear. They want to raise taxes and impose runaway spending, a plan that will only stymie growth and kill off jobs."

Note: The Commerce Department reported Friday that the economy grew 3.8 percent in the third quarter, higher than analysts expected. The GDP is widely considered a benchmark measure of the strength of the economy. The third quarter rate was an improvement over the 3.3 growth reported in the second quarter.

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Former Speaker Newt Gingrich at Theme Team today

2005-10-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

On the CIA leak...

2005-10-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

From today's The Hill newspaper:

Rep. Jack Kingston (Ga.), the House GOP conference vice chairman, meanwhile, played down the impact White House indictments would have on House reelection chances.

"I think there’s concern about it, but [people are also wondering] where this investigation is going because we have all read that it does not seem like there was a violation” of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982.

"I don't think it translates to anything that is going to hurt the House, in terms of anybody's own fortunes or reelections," he continued. "We're more concerned about immigration, gas prices and spending cuts."

You can read the full article HERE.

Oil companies announce huge profits.

2005-10-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

According to the Associated Press, BP has "reported a 34 percent rise in quarterly profit Tuesday. BP said net profit for the three months ended Sept. 30 rose to $6.53 billion, up from $4.87 billion in the third quarter of 2004. Revenue jumped to $97.73 billion from $66.73 billion." Read the whole story HERE. Here's my statement on these record breaking profits:

Today's news that oil companies have made record profits over the past few months when most Americans are getting squeezed at the pumps is troubling. I know all too well that families have had to cut back on important expenses and vacations due to the high cost of gasoline. While oil companies have a right to make a living – I am proud to join House Leadership today in calling on them to give back to the American people and put some of that profit toward lowering the cost of gas and improving the nation’s energy infrastructure.

The looming problem is our nation’s dependence on oil, both foreign and domestic. In 2004 the U.S. economy consumed over 20 million barrels of crude per day and our nation imported over 11.8 million barrels of crude per day (over 58 percent). With a limited oil supply, we will remain threatened by high gasoline prices until we increase supply or decrease demand.

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will seek to dramatically decrease our dependence of foreign oil. By bringing new fuel choices, new technologies, and new conservation efforts to the market we will be taking steps to do just that.

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Dems seeking a new slogan. I have an idea.

2005-10-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

You may have read that House Democrat's are holding a closed door meeting this week to come up with a new slogan (read it here: The Hill).

Always one to add my two cents, I sent out my recommendation for their new slogan: "TAX OR SPEND? For Democrat's The Answer Is Yes."

Here are a few of the points that I highlighted in a document I sent around to my GOP colleagues:

House Republicans are committed to fiscal responsibility while the Democrats are convinced that the only solution is to "tax-and-spend" and increase the size of government.

Over the past three years, Democrats have offered amendments totaling:

$61 billion additional spending – [House Appropriations Committee]
$392.4 billion additional taxes – [House Budget Committee]

And the Democratic vision? Democrats in Congress have tried to increase federal spending by tens of billions of dollars at every stage of the legislative process. Many times these attempted spending increases were financed by raising taxes on small businesses. Earlier this year, not a single Democratic House Member supported the lean budget that passed the Congress.

In fact as the Speaker highlighted in a release earlier this week, Minority Leader Pelosi said: "We must rid the nation of this national debt and the debt service, the interest on the debt that goes with it, which is as big as the discretionary domestic spending, hundreds of billions of dollars." [Pelosi News Conference, October 20, 2005]

Yet Democrats offered an additional $17 billion in additional spending for THIS YEAR during the FY '06 appropriations process. And they proposed an additional $61 billion in spending over the past three years. (House Appropriations Committee)

Before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit - our economy was surging, and deficits were shrinking. In fact:

The budget deficit shrank last year from $412 billion to $319 billion — which is more than a 22 percent decrease.
Continued Strong Economic and Jobs Growth – 24 straight months of rising job numbers, falling unemployment, and strong growth in GDP.
Rising Tax Revenues – up 15% over the same period last year, and largest factor in deficit reduction.

Restrained non-Security Discretionary Spending: Prior to Katrina, we were on course to holding non-security spending below last year’s level.
And last year, Congress held non-security discretionary spending to a 1.4% growth rate – less than inflation – and already a significant reduction from previous 5-year average of 6.3% growth.
FY06 budget continues freeze on non-security spending for 2007-2010 period.
Lower Deficits – Both OMB and CBO projected dramatic decrease in deficit (OMB projection $94 billion drop from February estimate) – had we not reduced the deficit, we’d be in much worse position to deal with recent catastrophe. [SOURCE: House Budget Committee]

Our nation is at a fiscal crossroad – one party stands for responsibility and making tough choices in difficult times – while another party stands for raising taxes and growing government.

The time to act is now and I urge my Democratic colleagues to support fiscally appropriate measures that will ensure that our children and grandchildren do not have to pay down the national credit card.

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