Congressman Jared Golden is an outstanding young man. One thing I really appreciate is that Jared sets aside the demands of congressional Democrats and Republicans and bases his decisions on what is best for the people he represents.

I am also amazed at how much Jared has accomplished in this nonfunctional nasty partisan Congress. And he’s fighting for us on so many important issues.

I am very grateful that Jared joined a bipartisan group urging Democratic leaders to send a new coronavirus relief package to the Senate. Jared’s letter reads: “Our constituents’ expectations in the midst of this crisis are that we not only rise to the occasion and stay at the table until we have delivered the relief they so desperately need, but also that we set aside electoral politics and place the needs of the country before any one region, faction, or political party.” That is so right.

Jared also introduced the FLAT Prices plan in February, which would penalize pharmaceutical companies that “harm consumers with sudden, exorbitant price increases.” And I am very proud of Jared for standing up to the pharmaceutical industry, passing a bill that would cap seniors’ prescription drug costs and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. That would really help me.

He put together a detailed guide to help small businesses in our state get the support they need to make it through the coronavirus crisis and keep their employees on payroll. His staff is working with businesses to find the grants, forgivable loans, tax credits, or other programs that are right for their small businesses.

Jared introduced an amendment to the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act to help Maine loggers generate additional revenue through biomass energy. His proposal makes it easier for loggers to sell their extra materials, and helps our state move towards more renewable energy sources.

He also jumped into the controversy over the postal service, introducing the bipartisan Postal Service Emergency Assistance Act to provide emergency funding that allows USPS to function at full capacity during this pandemic and recession.

And he led the rest of the Maine delegation in pressing the U.S. trade representative to put in place essential trade protections for wild blueberry producers and processors, while protecting the supply chain that Maine processors use to sustain their businesses.

They’re building a new 24-bed facility to treat veterans with substance use disorder and mental illness at Togus, a project Jared has been fighting for since he was in the Maine Legislature.

I’m very pleased that Jared stepped up to help those of us who oppose Central Maine Power’s destructive corridor through western Maine. He called on the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement for the controversial CMP corridor project.

And I am very happy that the Great American Outdoors Act was enacted recently. Sen. Collins and King were both sponsors, and Jared joined 11 bipartisan colleagues to introduce the House version of the bill. Maine will benefit greatly from that project.

When Jared got to Congress, he made fighting corruption a priority. He wrote and introduced the Stop Foreign Payoffs Act, which forbids the families of members of Congress, the president, the vice president and cabinet officials from receiving an income or holding investments in a foreign-owned company. Great idea!

I’ve really appreciated Jared’s positive TV campaign ads, especially the one that shows him doing the dishes for his wife. I’m so disgusted by all the nasty Collins and Gideon TV ads, many of them sponsored by national corporate PACs that don’t have to disclose their donors.

Even though there are 435 members in the House of Representatives, Jared was one of only six of them that had the courage to sign their name to legislation abolishing corporate PACs. And last year, when congressional leaders tried to give themselves a pay raise, Jared led the effort to stop them.

You should enter public service to work for your community, not for your own financial gain. That’s why Jared backed a bill to ban members of Congress from becoming lobbyists. Another great idea.

From pushing to improve broadband for rural small businesses to passing legislation to expand the 11 Small Business Development Centers in Maine, Jared also works hard for Maine small businesses and their workers.

These are only a few of the many things Jared has done for us, and we certainly need to reelect him so he can continue his good work for us. I hope you agree.

George Smith can be reached at 34 Blake Hill Road, Mount Vernon 04352, or georgesmithmaine@gmail.com. Read more of Smith’s writings at www.georgesmithmaine.com.