A cell phone interruption during the Coastal Regional Commission’s regular meeting Wednesday prompted guest speaker U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, to discuss technological advances in relation to Congress with members of the group.
Kingston told the group he remains amazed at how constantly changing technology is, and he used the example of a new parking meter app for smartphones to show how far technology has come since he was first elected to Congress.
“To think that when we first had email in our office in Congress when I was first elected, the only person that used it was the 20-year-old and she used it to line up her Friday nights,” Kingston said with a laugh. “We saw no application of it beyond that it was just kind of a novelty.”
But now, he said, he and other members of Congress hear faster than ever from constituents about not only hot-button issues, but some that may not be so popular.
“Now it’s not unusual for us to get an email on the way to the floor of the house saying ‘vote no on the so-and-so amendment,’” Kingston said. “And it’s a real obscure amendment and you’re thinking ‘how the heck do people back home know not only is that amendment being offered but that we’re about to vote on it.’ It’s changed our world tremendously.”
Kingston said despite all the new technology available on the market today, he strongly feels communication still is a problem in Washington D.C.

Read more in the Oct. 13 edition of the News.