Congressman Sanford Bishop

Representing the 2nd District of Georgia

Small Business

Small businesses are the cornerstone of our economy.  I support legislation to establish a lending fund to provide community banks with capital to increase small business lending.  I also support investing in innovative state small business lending programs, providing tax incentives to purchase employee health insurance coverage, reducing regulatory burdens and unnecessary paperwork, and enacting measures to spur small business creation and new jobs.

More on Small Business

Jan 29, 2013 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) and Martha Roby (R-AL) announced the re-formation of the Congressional Peanut Caucus for the 113th Congress.

The group of 17 lawmakers representing states with significant peanut farming and production will work together to ensure that peanut interests have a strong voice in Congress and that peanut issues are taken into account in agriculture legislation. Reps. Bishop and Roby will again co-chair the group.

Jan 28, 2013 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), will again serve as Ranking Member on the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the 113th Congress. Congressman Bishop will also remain on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration and Related Agencies as well as the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch. 

Jan 24, 2013 Press Release

ATHENS - January 23, 2013 Applications are currently being accepted for the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) for projected 2013 funding of the program.  The Rural Development’s RBEG program provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural businesses, help fund distance learning networks, and help fund employment related adult education programs. To assist with business development, RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities.

Jan 15, 2013 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released the following statement commending the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on launching a new microloan program aimed at assisting small and beginning farmers, veterans, and disadvantaged producers secure loans up to $35,000.

Jan 10, 2013 Press Release

Public encouraged to comment on new proposals.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed two new food safety rules that will help prevent foodborne illness. The proposed rules implement the landmark, bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and are available for public comment for the next 120 days. FDA encourages Americans to review and comment on these important proposed rules.

Nov 19, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As co-chairs of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) expressed their concern with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to not waive its’ mandate on the use of corn for ethanol production, ignoring the needs of family farmers and poultry producers. Affected negatively by drought conditions, corn production has decreased, which has driven up the cost of feed grain.

Oct 10, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, welcomed notification of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s preliminary decision to terminate an antidumping investigation that has hurt U.S. tomato growers. In a July 2012 letter to Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Rebecca Blank, Congressman Bishop stood in support of Georgia’s tomato industry concerning unfair Mexican trade practices.

Oct 2, 2012 Press Release

CAMILLA, GA – Last Thursday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) was awarded the Congressional Partnership Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for his longtime support and leadership in promoting federal community, economic, and infrastructure development programs.

Oct 2, 2012 Press Release

Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted in favor of H.R. 3409, the “Coal Miner Employment and Domestic Energy Infrastructure Protection Act” in order to keep energy prices affordable, to streamline the federal regulatory process, and to prevent regulatory initiatives that unnecessarily impede economic growth.

Sep 14, 2012 Congressional Record Statement

Mr. Bishop (GA) – Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Erin Daly and the rest of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program team at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture for being selected to receive a 2012 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary’s Honor Award in the category of “assisting rural communities to create prosperity so they are self-sustaining, repopulating, and economically thriving.” The team and its program leader, Dr. S.

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