Our Communities
AGRICULTURE: Georgia’s farmers, ranchers, and producers are the backbone of our state’s most important industry: agriculture. As a Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Chicken Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Congressional Peanut Caucus, I am a staunch supporter of the agricultural community in Georgia's Second Congressional District and the entire nation. I support assistance to farmers affected by drought, wildfires, and other natural disasters that occur each year. In addition, I have worked to ensure that the peanut support program remained strong in the 2014 Farm Bill; strengthen our nation's nutrition programs; reform the H2-A program for non-immigrant agricultural workers; bolster child nutrition programs in our nation’s schools; prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing burdensome regulations on agriculture; ensure that Mexican tomatoes and chicken do not drive down the prices of U.S.-produced tomatoes and chicken due to illegal dumping; and advance agricultural research, food safety initiatives, and broadband services to rural communities.
EDUCATION: As Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in education always pays the best dividends.” I have worked tirelessly to make our nation’s schools and universities accessible and affordable. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have secured millions of dollars for education programs, including new schools and libraries, after-school programs, math and science initiatives, school nutrition and physical education programs, as well as family counseling and youth mentoring. I strongly support legislation to make vital investments to modernize, upgrade, and repair school facilities across the country and to encourage service and volunteer opportunities for all Americans. I believe we must make education a top priority by bridging the digital divide, promoting healthier school lunches, enhancing educational opportunities for veterans, encouraging colleges to rein in tuition increases, boosting college aid, strengthening programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and reinvigorating the Head Start program to help more children arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed.
HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: It is vital that individuals and families have access to the American Dream – namely, homeownership. I support legislation to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, stop predatory and irresponsible mortgage loan practices, increase the supply of affordable housing, expand veteran and rural housing opportunities, promote fair housing education and enforcement activities, and finance community development initiatives.
TRANSPORTATION: Investing in our nation’s transportation infrastructure will create millions of jobs and boost economic activity. I will continue to fight for Georgia’s Second Congressional District to receive its fair share of funding to improve its highways, roads, and bridges. I support more highway-related construction jobs, reduced gasoline prices, and the increased use of biofuels. I also support efforts to make our roads safer, increase fuel efficiency, and create an Infrastructure Bank to finance much needed investments in our nation’s roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, airports, railways, ports, broadband, and power grids.
IMMIGRATION: It is vital that immigration reform is addressed to secure our borders, protect our workers, and grow the nation’s economy. Immigration reform must include provisions that strengthen border security by increasing manpower, utilizing new technology and fencing, and providing the tools, resources, and infrastructure necessary to enforce existing immigration laws and punish offenders. In addition, it is vital that immigration reform ensures the needs of various economic sectors such as agriculture that depend on guest workers to fill labor shortages are significant. I have supported the DREAM Act, which would permit certain immigrant students who grow up in the United States to apply for temporary legal status and to eventually obtain permanent legal status and become eligible for U.S. citizenship, if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military.
More on Our Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) joined over 70 Democratic and Republican members of Congress from both chambers at a rally to announce the Make Government Work! legislative reform package of nine bills drafted to make government more efficient and effective. Today’s rally demonstrates the trust-building priorities of the new group, and willingness to work across the aisle on common sense legislation for the good of our nation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last month, the Farm Bill was defeated on the floor of the House of Representatives by a series of ‘poison pill’ amendments that would weaken nutrition assistance for our nation’s poor. Today, a new and controversial version of the Farm Bill, H.R. 2642, Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, was reintroduced for a vote, completely dropping the historically included nutrition benefits. In protest, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.
ALBANY, GA – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released a statement regarding Independence Day.
The Fourth of July has always been a time for communities to reflect on the journey of this great nation. As we celebrate our nation’s birth, we must never forget the provisions of justice, freedom, and equality set forth in the dreams of our forefathers as established in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. We must also never forget the many service members who have dedicated their lives to protect this land.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies as well as co-Chair of the Congressional Military Families Caucus, rallied for the National Guard by voting against the McCollum Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – H.R. 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM Act) was killed on the floor of the House of Representatives by a series of ‘poison pill’ amendments. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) released a statement regarding the missed opportunity to provide our nation’s farmers and ranchers a farm bill with the necessary tools and stability to continue producing the safest, most abundant, and most affordable food and fiber in the world.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) took action to force an up-or-down vote by signing a discharge petition to bring up a bill he has cosponsored, H.R. 1595: the Student Loan Relief Act of 2013. The bill would freeze the interest rate on these loans at 3.4% for the next two years, giving Congress time to enact comprehensive student loan reform as part of a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released a statement regarding the recent controversy surrounding data gathering by the National Security Agency.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, many students across the nation are burdened with rising student loan debt. In an effort to keep college loans affordable, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) has signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1595, the Student Loan Relief Act of 2013, which would extend the current subsidized Stafford student loan rate of 3.4% for two years. If action is not taken, the interest rate will double to 6.8% on July 1, 2013 due to the expiration of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act enacted in 2007 and extended for one year in 2012.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, issued the following statement regarding the passage of the H.R. 2216, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2014. H.R. 2216 passed 420 to 4.