Kingston decries lack of waterway funds – The Brunswick News
For as long as he can remember, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-1, has been crusading for federal funds to properly maintain the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Georgia. And as long as he can remember, he has always come up empty-handed. There has been some funding, but it's been limited and never enough to reverse the depth-reducing effects of shoaling. This year is shaping up to be no different. In his new fiscal year budget, President Bush is proposing $2.2 million. That sounds like a lot money, but it's not when considering it is the amount the president is proposing to spend on dredging projects along the entire 1,200 miles of waterway, from Virginia to Florida.
Kingston wants funds yanked – The Brunswick News
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-1, is co-sponsor of a measure that would make Berkley, Calif., ineligible for federal funds. The legislation follows in the wake of a vote by the Berkley City Council last week to send a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps asking it to refrain from recruiting in Berkley. "If the Marines aren't welcome in Berkley then our tax dollars shouldn't be either," Kingston said. Kingston joined 60 other members of Congress in asking President Bush to block the $2.1 million in federal appropriations Berkley is to receive.
Shortage of Veterinarians has 'Makings of a Crisis' – FOX Business Network
The president of the nation's largest veterinary association appeared before a Congressional subcommittee Feb. 7 and urged the United States Department of Agriculture to implement a long-standing, but dormant, program that would help address a critical shortage in the number of veterinarians who protect the country's food supply…
…Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), and ranking member of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, testified that Congress has appropriated about $1.9 million for NVMSA. He warned, however, that future funding may be at risk if the USDA doesn't implement the program. "We will think long and hard before we put any more money into it without seeing any movement by USDA," he said…
NCBA Convention, Edward Schafer, Farm Bill, COOL – Cattlemen’s Capitol Concerns
Hearing on National Veterinary Medical Service Act: The House Ag Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held a hearing February 7, to review the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA). The NVMSA was enacted in 2003 and directs USDA to help pay the educational loans of licensed veterinarians who agree to work in areas of the country that are underserved by veterinarians, in underserved disciplines of veterinary practice or in underserved areas of the federal government…
“I think we are headed for a train wreck if we do not address the lack of veterinarians in rural areas and the lack of ‘heir apparent’ large animal/food animal veterinarians to take the place of soon-retiring veterinarians,” said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) who is the Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. “There are about 85,000 veterinarians practicing today, and of that number, 8,550 are food animal veterinarians - that’s only 10 percent of veterinarians working in the food animal field.”…
Earmark Moratorium Vote Fails in House – The Foundry (Heritage Blog)
House Republicans made a valiant stand on earmark reform today, falling just short in their effort to institute an immediate moratorium. By a vote of 204-196, the GOP’s procedural effort failed. Just seven Democrats voted with all Republicans: Reps. Joe Donnelley (Ind.), Tim Mahoney (Fla.), Baron Hill (Ind.), Brad Ellsworth (Ind.), Nick Lampson (Tex.), Nancy Boyda (Kan.) and John Barrow (Ga.)…
…The moratorium Republicans want to institute was introduced by Reps. Jack Kingston of Georgia, Frank Wolf of Virginia and Zack Wamp of Tennessee and has 129 cosponsors. Following their retreat in West Virginia last month, Boehner called on Pelosi to bring the earmarking process to an immediate halt…
Republicans Say They'll Press for a Vote on Earmark Reform – Crosswalk
House Republican leaders said they are disappointed that Democrats have rejected a Republican call for an immediate moratorium on taxpayer-funded earmarks (also known as pork-barrel projects or wasteful spending). House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said they will force a vote on an earmark reform provision Thursday, when a higher education authorization bill comes to the House floor…
…Three Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee -- Reps. Jack Kingston of Georgia, Frank Wolf of Virginia and Zack Wamp of Tennessee - are sponsoring legislation that would bring the earmark process to a halt and establish a panel to identify ways to permanently change the spending process…
Good morning, all hell will now break loose-AJC
House Republicans this morning will try to force a vote on an earmark moratorium on which Georgia Republicans have played a crucial role. The bill, introduced by Rep. Jack Kingston, a Savannah Republican, and co-sponsored by the six other GOP members of the Georgia delegation, would establish a 16-member study commission to review all aspects of often-secretive earmark process, which allows lawmakers to slip funding for pet projects into massive spending bills with little or no public review. Under the bill, no earmarks could be introduced while the commission is conducting its study.
Kingston hopes Moody housing will soon be solved – WALB-TV
First district Congressman Jack Kingston hopes the problems with family housing at Moody Air Force base will soon come to an end. Work halted a year ago on the Magnolia Grover housing project near Moody Air Force Base when the former contractor, the Carabetta Group failed to pay local subcontractors millions of dollars for their work. Kingston says he expects the Air Force to award the contract to finish the Magnolia Housing Project within the next few months and then will work to get all the debt paid.
GOP to Force Vote on Earmark Freeze – Roll Call
House Republicans plan to force a vote on their proposal to enact a short-term earmark moratorium during debate today on a higher education authorization bill. “House Republicans regret Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi’s [D-Calif.] decision to keep the earmark factory open,” said Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). “We need to bring fundamental change to the way Washington spends the American people’s money, but this change cannot begin until the earmarks stop.”…
…Three Republican appropriators, Reps. Jack Kingston (Ga.), Frank Wolf (Va.) and Zach Wamp (Tenn.), have sponsored a bill that would establish an earmark reform panel and halt earmarks until additional reforms are adopted…
Vote Tomorrow on Earmarks – The Corner (National Review)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) essentially ignored Republicans' letter calling for a bipartisan moratorium on Congressional earmarks — that is, the pet projects that members of Congress slip into the budget for their own districts. In response, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) will use a parliamentary maneuver tomorrow to force a vote on a six-month moratorium.
The plan, drawn up by Reps. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.), Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), would also create a panel to assess the question of earmarks and spending reform.
The vote will come tomorrow when the House considers the Higher Education bill. This is certainly not a vote that Democrats will want to take.
House GOP to Force Vote on Earmark Moratorium – The Foundry (Heritage Foundation)
House Republican leaders were serious when they promised to hold Democrats accountable for ignoring the request for an immediate earmark moratorium. The first test will come tomorrow when Minority Leader John Boehner and Whip Roy Blunt plan to force an earmark reform vote on the higher education authorization bill…
…Following their retreat in West Virginia last month, House Republicans called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democrat colleagues to bring the earmarking process to an immediate halt and establish a panel to identify ways to permanently change the spending process. A measure introduced by Reps. Jack Kingston of Georgia, Frank Wolf of Virginia and Zack Wamp of Tennessee has 129 cosponsors…
What Would You Do With $16872000000? – Government Bytes (National Taxpayers Union)
After presiding over an historic growth in earmark spending over the past decade, it now appears House Republicans are ready to get serious about the practice. House Minority Leader John Boehner has announced that tomorrow Republicans will force a vote on an immediate moratorium on all taxpayer funded earmarks. According to Boehner: Three GOP members of the House Appropriations Committee — Reps. Jack Kingston of Georgia, Frank Wolf of Virginia and Zack Wamp of Tennessee — have authored legislation that would bring the earmark process to a halt and establish a panel to identify ways to permanently change the spending process…
House GOP moves on earmarks – Peach Pundit
House Republicans will force a vote on an earmark moratorium tomorrow. The moratorium is sponsored by Rep. Jack Kingston. This measure was adopted by the House Republican Conference as the “standard” for earmark reform during a retreat last month. Kingston’s moratorium would setup a committee to study earmarks and exclude certain earmarks from the appropriations process and would hold the Executive Branch accountable for its earmark requests. Some members are swearing off earmarks on their own until Congress reviews the process. However, only two members from Georgia have joined that list (Lynn Westmoreland and Tom Price). You can read the text of Kingston’s moratorium here.
Millions of Dollars for Ft. Stewart/HAAF –WJCL-TV
Congressman Jack Kingston’s office is reporting Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield will receive $438 million in funding towards new facilities under the President’s new budget plan. Here is a breakdown: Barracks & Dining Facilities $121M; Brigade Complex $30M; Brigade/Battalion Headquarters $36M; Child Development Center $20M; Company Ops Facility $75M; Infrastructure $59M; Physical Fitness Center $28M; Shoot House $2.3M; Vehicle Maintenance Shop $67M; TOTAL $438M Plus a Replacement Fuel Storage Tank for Defense Logistic Agency at HAAF for $3.5M.
Bush budget lacks funding for Savannah's harbor – WSAV-TV
Three Georgia Republicans who sought federal support to deepen Savannah’s harbor were disappointed by the lack of funding for the project in President Bush’s budget released Monday.
Sen. Johnny Isakson, Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Rep. Jack Kingston had sought $76 million to deepen Savannah’s harbor from 42 feet to 48 feet. The project is needed to help prepare Savannah port to accommodate bigger ships that will arrive with the widening of the Panama Canal in 2014, Isakson said.
GA immigration population grows – WALB-TV
Georgia's illegal immigrant population is growing at an alarming rate. "Georgia, Arkansas and Tennessee now have the fastest growing illegal alien population and Georgia is number seven in the country in terms of population," says Congressman Jack Kingston. Last year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents arrested nearly 10,000 illegal immigrants in Georgia and the Carolina's alone.
Fort Stewart/Hunter garner $440 million – SMN
Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield would get $438 million for expansion in President Bush's proposed 2008-09 budget. "The funding allocated in the president's budget for Georgia's military community is great news," U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said Tuesday. "Our military men and women at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield contribute mightily to our national security, and we should do all we can to ensure they are fully equipped and well-prepared."…
…"What this really amounts to is a columniation of lots of years of work," said U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga. "The economic impact of that many soldiers is almost the equivalent of getting a new base." Kingston's hope is that local contractors will get part of the pie, from builders and lumberyards to concrete plants and construction workers. "It's a great economic stimulus for our area at a time that we need it," Kingston said…
Restore the money – SMN Op/Ed
It's up to Georgia's congressional delegation to get millions for port deepening back into this year's federal budget. PRESIDENT BUSH has dropped $76 million for deepening Savannah's harbor from his proposed civil works budget, which is a big disappointment. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, along with Reps. Jack Kingston and John Barrow must now rectify a harmful delay in modernizing one of the nation's fastest growing ports.
All have pledged to restore the money to the final budget, which is encouraging.
Savannah port project under-funded – Georgia Public Broadcasting
Construction to deepen the Savannah Harbor didn’t get funded in Bush’s 2009 budget. Dismayed Georgia lawmakers on Capitol Hill say the budget only allows for preliminary engineering and design work. The Savannah Expansion Project will deepen the channel 6 more feet in order to accommodate larger ships, which Senator Johnny Isakson says is critical to Georgia’s economic future. He intends to campaign for the project in the appropriations process with Representative Jack Kingston and Senator Saxby Chambliss, but they say with the recent backlash against earmarking, it will be an uphill battle.
Bush's record $3.1 trillion budget would bring big increase for military and federal deficit – Savannah Morning News
In his fiscal year 2009 Civil Works budget, President Bush allotted $51.8 million for projects, studies and operations and maintenance in the Savannah area. The total civil works request of $10.502 billion went to Congress on Monday. The budget contains $700,000 for continuing studies on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project to cover the completion of the General Revaluation Report and Tier II Environmental Impact Statement by the middle of 2009. This money will allow the Savannah District to provide funding for the oversight of the GRR study and the completion of Tier II EIS for public and agency reviews. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Departments of Commerce and Interior, and the Department of the Army must approve the project and its mitigation plan before construction can begin…
…U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and U.S. Representative Jack Kingston, R-Ga., on Monday voiced disappointment that funds to begin construction of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project were not included. The three sought $76 million toward construction, but the proposed $700,000 is for preliminary engineering and design work for the project and includes no funding for construction…
No money for deepening Savannah’s harbor in Bush Budget – Media General (WSAV)
Three Georgia Republicans who sought federal support to deepen Savannah’s harbor were disappointed by the lack of funding for the project in President Bush’s budget released Monday.
Sen.. Johnny Isakson, Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Rep. Jack Kingston had sought $76 million to deepen Savannah’s harbor from 42 feet to 48 feet…
…Kingston, however, said the Georgians thought the conversations more fruitful. Administration officials had not signaled the money would not be coming, he said. “We thought we were a little bit closer coming together than this,” he said. All three congressmen hope to see money added to the budget in Congress…
Ga. Republicans to Bush: That aint pork – Atlanta Journal Constitution
President Bush released a record $3 trillion budget proposal for 2009 on Monday and he’s left at least three Georgia Republicans stomping their feet, and shouting at him. Bush included in that budget no construction money for the expansion of Savannah Harbor, upsetting both of Georgia’s Republican senators - Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss - along with Rep. Jack Kingston, a Savannah Republican and member of the House Appropriations Committee. Kingston called Bush’s action a “shock and disappointment.”
OUR OPINION: Thumbs up, thumbs down – Valdosta Daily Times
THUMBS UP: To Sen. Saxby Chambliss for leading the plea to Congress to restore funding for the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program. This program is instrumental in helping law-enforcement agencies pay for drug task forces, courts and treatment programs, police salaries, innovative technologies, and gang-prevention strategies. The South Georgia Drug Task Force relies on the program for 75 percent of its funding and will lose vital equipment and manpower if the funding is not restored. Citizens urge the government to fight the war against drugs and Congress must work to provide the resources necessary for our law enforcement to do their jobs. Also a thumbs up to Sen. Johnny Isakson and Rep. Jack Kingston who voted against the cut in funding for the program.
Lawmakers vary on Bush's call for no budget earmarks – Macon Telegraph
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland's pledge not to pursue any earmarks during the upcoming budget process included an apology to his constituents in Georgia's 3rd Congressional District, one of the fastest growing areas in the nation…
…Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, who like Bishop sits on the House appropriations committee, is pushing a measure that would call for a moratorium on earmarks until a 16-member, bipartisan House and Senate committee can study and recommend how to limit earmarks. His proposal, currently in the House rules committee, is gaining traction among Republican lawmakers and he hopes the Democrats will soon put forth a similar plan. "We have to weed out the ones that are hurtful and support the ones that are helpful," Kingston said. "Separate the sheep from the goats."…
US Rep. Jack Kingston Talks to Cotton Growers – AG Net Online.
One speaker at the Georgia Cotton Conference today was U.S. Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia. Afterwards he talked with me about a few topics concerning agriculture, with one of course being the farm bill. To listen to the interview, click here.
Lawmakers: Day 9 (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
The House voted today 119 to 48 to pass House Bill 881, which will offer another avenue for creation of a charter school. The bill allows for the creation of seven-member charter commissions that would have jurisdiction over a charter school on the local level. The commissions would be made up of local leaders and educators…
…Over 50 Georgia legislators, including some Democrats, announced their support today for presidential candidate Mit Romney. Those giving their support included House Speaker Pro-Tem Mark Burkhalter and Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston…
Perdue backs transit board incumbent – Savannah Morning News
Larry Peterson reports Gov. Sonny Perdue on Thursday weighed in on behalf of Raybon Anderson, an embattled State Transportation Board member who has supported Savannah-area projects. Anderson faces two challengers today in a race for the 12th Congressional District seat on the panel, which helps decide which transportation projects are built where and when…
…Earlier, about a dozen Chatham County people listened as U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston and dozens of GOP state lawmakers held a news conference to tout Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney…
Officials fight cut in funds – Valdosta Daily Times
Local law enforcement agencies have expressed continued support for U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss as he urges Congress to restore funding for the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program. This program is instrumental in helping law enforcement agencies pay for drug task forces, courts and treatment programs, police salaries, innovative technologies, and gang prevention strategies…
…“The Byrne Grant funds 75 percent of the South Georgia Drug Task Force budget,” Norton said. “The cut will eventually put us well below the minimum standards for fighting drugs. Someone was obviously not paying attention when they voted to cut the grant, but I applaud Rep. Jack Kingston and Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson for voting against the cuts.”…