Hunter’s Mail

I noted with some interest the recent article on Congressman Hunter’s volume of mail to his constituents. What was not pointed out in the article is that each congressman has a franking budget based on the population in his district. A more accurate comparison of congressional mail would have taken into account the type of mailings as well as district populations.

Some 2,000 letters are sent every month in response to constituent inquiries. Mail is also generated for the conferences the congressman sponsors in the district. Additionally, mail is sent to all high schools in the district with information about application procedures to our military service academies.

One mailing to the district concerned the repair of the border fence and border problems. Congressman Hunter’s district contains the entire California-Mexico border and border issues are of concern to his constituents. The construction of the border fence is the most substantive thing that has occurred on the border to interdict drug traffickers. Because of the fence, in the first four months of this year, cocaine interdiction has increased 900%, marijuana seizures have doubled and alien apprehensions have increased 23%.

Another mailing was announcing times and places of the congressman’s town hall meetings held throughout the district to which constituents were invited to meet with the congressman and his staff to discuss problems. These town hall meetings allow direct interface between the congressman and the people he represents.

Another mailing was a summary of the U.S. government’s annual budget. This information is not readily available to the public and our constituents deserve to know where their tax dollars are being spent. Our office received a number of “thank you” calls for this summary and constituents stopped by our office for copies as well.

Congressman Hunter believes strongly in keeping in touch with the people of his district. He is the “ombudsman” for the people he represents. This is reflected in the fact that his district offices handle over 1,000 cases a month on behalf of his constituents. This figure does not include some 150 cases per week handled over the phone. Duncan Hunter will continue to communicate with the people he represents and they with him.

WENDELL R. CUTTING, District Chief of Staff, U.S. House of Representatives