Congressman John P. Kline (R-MN-2) from Lakeville, Minnesota, is a retired Colonel and Combat Veteran who served his country in the US Marine Corps for 25 years. John Kline was born in Allentown PA in 1947 and grew up in Corpus Christi, TX; in 1965 he graduated from W.B.RayHigh School in Corpus Christi. John went on to receive a BA in Biology from Rice University, Houston, TX in 1969, and a MS in Public Administration from Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA in 1988.
John Kline received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the US Navy Marine Corps in 1969 and received his flight wings when he graduated from FlightSchool in 1970. In 1972 First Lieutenant Kline saw Combat Action as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam when based in Da Nang, Vietnam. He subsequently had tours of duty in Okinawa, Korea, and Somalia. During his successful military career in the US Marine Corps, Col Kline commanded US Marine Base Squadron in Camp Lajeune, NC and all US Marine Aviation Forces in Operation Restore Hope in Mogadishu, Somalia. Col Kline worked as Program Development Officer at Headquarters Marine Corps, and served as a military aide to Presidents Carter and Reagan, where his responsibilities included carrying the “nuclear” football – the package containing the nuclear launch codes. Among his many medals and awards are four Legion of Merit Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Award, a Meritorious Service Medal, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, a Naval Commendation Medal, the Presidential Service Badge, and numerous campaign medals. Colonel Kline is a 1987 graduate of the USArmyWarCollege and retired from the US Marine Corps in 1994 with 25 years of Honorable Service.
In Congress, Congressman Kline has distinguished himself as the foremost expert on defense and Veterans issues. He is a champion for military personnel, Veterans, military families, a champion for workers and small business, and an advocate for education. He is a leader in eliminating wasteful government spending and has employed the fiscal discipline we seek. In an effort to clean up a wasteful Washington spending system abused by Democrats and Republicans, John has led the charge for comprehensive earmark reform. In January of 2007, John declared his independence from pork projects by refusing to participate in the broken process and pushing for a system that establishes spending priorities based on a project’s merit. John’s position against pork has earned national support; this year Republican members of the House instituted a one-year moratorium on all federal earmarks. While serving in Congress, John has been recognized by many for his leadership on a variety of issues important to Minnesotans. John’s committed pursuit of economic growth, job creation, and tax relief have earned him the “Hero of the Taxpayer,” “Small Business Advocate,” and “Spirit of Enterprise” Awards. John also has been honored by the Minnesota TRIO Association for his unwavering support of low-income, first generation, and disabled students and named a “Star of Education” by the MinnesotaStateColleges and Universities. His pro-family voting record also earned the “True Blue Award” from the Family Research Council.
Congressman Kline is a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Burnsville, MN, the VFW, the American Legion, the NRA, the Minneapolis Rotary Club, the national Wild Turkey Federation, the Federation of Fly fishers, Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Unlimited, Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, Safari Club International and is a certified Fly Fishing Instructor. Congressman Kline has been endorsed by the Minnesota police and Peace Officers association, the Republican Party of Minnesota, the US Chamber of Commerce, The Taxpayers League Liberty Fund, the Club for Growth--Defender of Economic Freedom, Burnsville Chamber of Commerce, the American Conservative Union, and the Combat Veterans For Congress PAC. Congressman Kline’s wife Vicky (Sheldon) Kline is a retired Army Nurse. He is especially proud of his two children and four grandchildren. His son John, the father of two, is a Lieutenant Colonel and helicopter pilot in the US Army and is serving his second tour in Afghanistan. His daughter is a freelance author, mother of two, and creator of PBandJAHM e-zine, which offers community support and advice for stay at home mothers across the country. Congressman Kline and Vicky own a family farm in Houston, MN.
A Veteran is someone who, at one point of his life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America” for an amount “up to and including his life.” If you review Congressman Kline’s positions on various issues on his Web site, you would be pleased with his stands; they agree with the Combat Veterans For Congress Mission Statement. We look forward to working with Congressman Kline, and are pleased that a Combat Veteran of his stature is running for the US House of Representatives. If you have friends, associates, or relatives who know voters in the state of Minnesota, kindly pass this E-mail on to them, and ask them to support Congressman Kline by working in his campaign, providing financial support for his campaign in any amount, and/or by networking with others who would be willing to support his campaign. The military is one of the few remaining institutions producing the caliber of men and women needed to restore this nation to the greatness our Founding Fathers envisioned.
