In Congress, we trust Jim Marshall to work hard for what matters most.

• Always be guided by principles and values: I grew up in a deeply religious, military family with traditional values. We believed in duty, honor, country, reverence, respect and love of others. I try to be faithful to these values in every decision I make, in every action I take.

• Preserve Georgia jobs, farms and businesses and help them prosper in the global economy: Working on economic development as the Mayor of Macon and as a leader in the United States Conference of Mayors really opened my eyes to the great potential and threat presented to Middle Georgia by global financial markets and world trade. Success or failure on this one front alone will have the largest impact on our future. Failure is unacceptable.

• Ensure a strong national defense with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center as a key component: I've personally relied on air power in infantry combat. Maintaining the core maintenance capability of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center is a key component of our national defense strategy. In Congress, I plan to be a member of the Armed Services Committee to help shape and execute that defense strategy.

• Support public education and insist on discipline, accountability and rigorous standards: Education is the single most important factor that will determine our success or failure in the global economy. Improvements in public education simply will not happen without discipline, accountability and rigorous standards along with a substantial commitment of resources from families, communities and all levels of government.

• Protect Social Security, fairly fund Medicare and provide prescription drug relief for seniors: I'm pleased and honored to have the endorsement of the non-partisan National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, by far the largest seniors group that makes political endorsements. Social Security benefits should be guaranteed without worry. Medicare administration must be cost effective and assure quality care for all Medicare recipients. And on the subject of prescription drugs, politicians in Washington have been all talk and no action. It's well past time to make prescription drugs more affordable, particularly for the elderly and children.

• Meet our moral commitment to veterans: That's what it is, a moral commitment. Please see my Veterans' Page.

• Use our resources wisely. Don't leave a mountain of debt, dirty water and foul air for our children: America’s resources are ours only in passing. We are obligated to prior generations that passed life, wealth and opportunity to us. We have a fundamental social duty to pass along greater wealth and opportunity to later generations. Civilizations rise and fall by that basic rule of social survival.

• Guarantee privacy rights and personal freedoms, such as our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms: Personal privacy and freedom is a fundamental right and privilege of all Americans. Whether the subject is medical records or firearms or any number of other personal or family matters, law-abiding citizens enjoy a basic zone of personal privacy. Government needs to keep its nose out of that zone.