Congressman Bishop Helps Lead Full-year Appropriations Bill, Includes $11 Million Directed to Projects in Georgia's Second Congressional District

Statement

Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), applauded the passage of H.R. 2471, government funding legislation that he co-authored which provides discretionary funding for all federal departments and agencies as well as military, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine. Congressman Bishop secured over $11 million for projects within Georgia's Second Congressional District to directly support programs that promote literacy, healthcare, education, infrastructure, community programs, and public safety.

"This legislation touches the lives of every American in so many ways -- all impacting their quality of life. I was proud to co-author and lead the effort to pass this funding bill," said Congressman Bishop. "It makes the robust investments America needs to keep safe, deal with world crises -- like the invasion of Ukraine -- and unburden working people like those here in Georgia. It invests in our first responders, servicemembers, and veterans as well as our working families, teachers, small business owners, and farmers that drive our economy. It helps prepare us for the extraordinary challenges we sometimes face -- like natural disasters -- and will improve everyday things that impact Georgians' lives such as roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools."

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee -- where he also serves as the Chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies, Vice Chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and a member of the Financial Services and General Government subcommittees -- Congressman Bishop supported efforts to provide crucial funding to help Georgians from all walks of life, including:

A 2.7 percent pay raise for all 2.1 million uniformed U.S. service members and approximately 750,000 civilian Defense Department employees
$397 million above the President's request for basic allowances for housing and subsistence to address rising housing and food prices
$20 million for Army National Guard Transformation Plan projects; $75 Million for barracks and headquarters construction at Fort Benning; and $69 Million for Cyber Instructional Facility construction
A record $97.5 billion for Veterans Medical Care and $2.2 billion for VA Construction to ensure that Veterans can access care in modern facilities
$1.4 billion for military family housing as well as $224.7 million for Child Development Centers to help care for the 1.2 million children of active duty service members worldwide
$18.8 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster response and recovery efforts as well as $275.5 million for flood mapping to help communities mitigate the impacts of future disasters
$9.8 billion for the Employment and Training Administration, including $1.8 billion for Job Corps
$8.3 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support project construction, operation, and maintenance, including efforts to address invasive hydrilla
$674.5 million for Byrne Justice Assistance grants and $512 million for COPS program grants to provide resources for local law enforcement
$1 billion for the Small Business Administration to help entrepreneurs access capital and contracting opportunities
$3.5 billion for agriculture research programs, including the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to ensure that American farms can bountifully produce the best food in the world
$1.9 billion for the Farm Service Administration to continue to provide direct assistance to farmers and $250 million for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection to intercept foreign agricultural pests and diseases, including African swine fever and avian influenza
$550 million for expanding broadband internet service, including an additional $450 million for the Reconnect program to increase access in rural areas
$102.9 billion in budgetary resources for the Department of Transportation to invest in airports, highways, transit, passenger rail, and port systems
$3 billion for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure through the Environmental Protection Agency grants programs
$9.9 billion for the Department of Commerce with investments in economic development in distressed communities and support for small businesses, including small and medium sized American manufacturers
Robust increases for programs that expand access to higher education with increases for Career, Technical and Adult Education, Higher Education, and Student Financial Assistance -- including $400 increase in the maximum Pell Grant
$1 billion for maternal health and child health, $2 billion for mental health, and $3.9 billion for substance use treatment programs.
$3.2 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy as well as $7.5 billion for the Office of Science to support scientific research that will secure America's global leadership in energy innovation
$95 million to strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check system
And addressing the international crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine by providing $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative as well as $300 million for allies and partners in region who are directly confronting the Russian threat

Congressman Bishop also secured direct funding for several community-building projects within Georgia's Second Congressional District:

$5.2 million to the City of Albany, including $3 million to renovate and rehabilitate Driskell Park as well as $2.2 million for the renovation and rehabilitation of the historic Ritz Theater and Cultural Center, located in the "Little Harlem" district of Downtown Albany.
$2 million to the Southwest Georgia Project for the creation of a community food hub that will address local hunger while bringing together local farmers and promoting local food systems.
$1.5 million to the Georgia Family Connection Partnership to support the Get Georgia Reading Campaign -- Georgia's third grade reading proficiency initiative -- in the counties the campaign serves within Georgia's Second Congressional District.
$1 million to the City of Bainbridge for water and wastewater systems improvement costs that will facilitate the construction of an industrial park facility.
$1.1 million to The Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) for Caregivers which is located in Americus and -- through these funds -- will enable RCI to better manage, collect, analyze, and share data with its many community partners and stakeholders to improve caregiving services.
$1 million to support Phoebe Putney Health System's Mobile Medical Units Program's purchase of two mobile clinics to improve rural healthcare services.
$746,250 for a collaborative project between Fort Valley State University and Albany State University to establish community gardens that will help eliminate food deserts -- places with limited or no access to fresh, healthy foods -- and promote outdoor activity and healthy living.
$500,000 to the Urban League of Greater Columbus to renovate its facilities allowing it to better provide services to the local community
$225,000 to the City of Pelham for new communications technologies that will allow it to be better integrated and interoperable with surrounding area law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The legislation also included report language to support efforts to preserve low-income individuals' access to transportation for nonemergency medical treatment. Many Medicare patients in need of dialysis and wound care need alternative transportation, especially in rural areas.

The recipients of the funded projects shared with the Congressman how the project will impact the communities they serve.

"The citizens of Albany are extremely grateful for the community project funding secured by Representative Bishop," said Albany Mayor Bo Dorough. "The funds will be utilized for Driskell, formerly Carver, Park to construct a community center, meeting spaces, an exercise track and adult wellness/fitness programs, and other enhancements to benefit Albany residents. Other amenities will include youth playgrounds and ballfields for youth sports. These improvements will enhance an historic South Albany neighborhood that has been in decline for decades. Additional funding for the Ritz Theater will allow for the renovation and rehabilitation of an iconic venue in the Harlem district of Downtown Albany. The City of Albany also plans to use local funding to match these important federal dollars provided through the strong leadership of Congressman Bishop."

"South Albany was disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, 85% of COVID related deaths in Dougherty County came from South Albany. The disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 and other chronic conditions in this community are directly correlated with the history of systemic marginalization and poverty that result in limited access to healthy affordable foods, economic opportunities and access to healthcare," said Shirley Sherrod, Executive Director Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education, Inc. "The Southwest Georgia Project and its partners have created a community hub, called The Table, that combines food, healthcare, and banking. This intentional investment in South Albany will make a world of difference, it is an opportunity to tackle the issue of food insecurity and poor health outcomes."

"The Collaborative table is always key to meeting the needs of children and families, but in times of crisis, it becomes critical," said Georgia Family Connection Partnership Executive Director Gaye Smith. "The negative effects brought on by the valuable time our children lost in the classroom over the past two years has been exacerbated by mental health, housing instability, food access, and other pandemic-related challenges. Because of pre-existing relationships and partnerships, Georgia Family Connection is well-positioned to support our children's acute needs and the long-term recovery of communities in Middle and Southwest Georgia. This strategic investment will enable Georgia Family Connection Collaboratives to utilize local data, decision-making, and partnerships to leverage resources to best meet the needs of the children in their communities."

"As Bainbridge and Decatur County grow and add new jobs, we have had one consistent and never failing ally -- Congressman Sanford Bishop. Congressman Bishop has been a true friend of our community for many years and we are grateful for his steadfast support. Funding secured by Congressman Bishop will assist with upgrades to the city's sanitary sewer system that will support industries such as the new Danimer Scientific facility" said Bainbridge Mayor Edward Reynolds.

"For 53 million Americans, caring for a friend or family member is part of daily life. While we know a person's caregiving role impacts their mental, physical, and financial health, we have limited knowledge about the drivers of those impacts," said Dr. Jennifer Olsen, Executive Director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. "Thanks to the incredible leadership of Congressman Bishop, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers is one step closer to changing that through this landmark investment to create the nation's first caregiver data platform."

"In the year since our initial mobile wellness clinics hit the road, Phoebe has utilized them to provide more than 7,500 free COVID-19 vaccinations and health screenings at more than 260 locations across southwest Georgia. We greatly appreciate Congressman Bishop's leadership in securing funding for two additional mobile wellness clinics that will allow us to take primary, preventive and specialty care to many more people in underserved areas throughout our region," said Scott Steiner, President and CEO of Phoebe Putney Health System. "Congressman Bishop's dedication to improving access to quality healthcare in rural southwest Georgia will have a considerable and lasting impact on the health and wellness of people in our part of the state."

"This community partnership between Albany State University and Fort Valley State University to produce Community Gardens in support of Smart Agriculture is a valuable project for our communities and a testament to ASU's standard of excellence," said ASU President Marion Ross Fedrick. "This partnership will continue to create engaging service opportunities for our students, faculty and staff as they build relationships that cultivate effective collaboration with business, industry, education, governmental, and service organizations."

"Albany State University is honored to be a part of a collaboration with Fort Valley State University to establish Community Gardens to support Smart Agriculture. This opportunity will create a tremendous positive impact on the communities in Southwest GA, particularly by providing fresh, nutritious produce for many families which in turn promotes a healthy lifestyle," said Dr. Angela W. Peters, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Albany State University.

"As the lead Principal Investigator on the project at ASU, Dr. Robert Owor is excited about training farmers in modern methods of climate smart agriculture and increased production through Agricultural Priming. "This project will utilize students, K-12 teachers and farmers including creating new jobs for our community," said Dr. Owor, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Executive Director of the Center for Blockchain, Innovation and Emerging Technologies at ASU. "We will develop stronger neighborhoods and healthier communities. For us at ASU… that is what life is all about."

"As an 1890 land-grant institution, Fort Valley State University has a long history of being at the forefront of tackling critical agriculture-related issues such as food insecurity," said Fort Valley State University President Paul Jones. "Through this alliance with Albany State University, we are enhancing our ability to directly impact economically strained rural communities in Middle and Southwest Georgia that have been identified as food deserts. We're pleased to have an opportunity to not only provide education on nutrition and healthy lifestyle changes but also greater access to more nutritious foods through gardening."

"This project will create a tremendous positive impact in the targeted communities by providing fresh and nutritious produce for many families, educating them on the relationship between food and health, and promoting healthier lifestyle," said Govind Kannan, Vice President for Economic Development and Land-Grant Affairs. "This will also be a positive step toward eliminating food deserts in rural Georgia as the community gardens established in selected counties will serve as great examples for other communities to emulate. We are grateful to Cong. Sanford Bishop for supporting this project," Kannan added.

"First we would like to thank Congressman Sanford Bishop for his leadership and having such a huge impact on Columbus, Muscogee County, and the River Valley Region. The implementation of this project will kick off our Urban League of Greater Columbus Financial Empowerment Center which will serve our entire region to help all our citizens improve their financial well-being and overall quality of life," said Tracey R. Mosley, President & CEO of the Urban League of Greater Columbus. "As we celebrate our affiliate's 50th Anniversary this approved Community Project Funding will support our mission of Empowering Communities and Changing Lives for years to come."

"The City of Pelham is grateful to receive this funding which will help provide much needed communications equipment for our law enforcement and public safety agencies. Oftentimes, the large, up-front expense for equipment makes it difficult for smaller communities to undertake crucial improvements like this. Making these upgrades will allow the city's law enforcement and public safety to be better integrated with their colleagues in Mitchell County and the surrounding counties," said Stephen Collier, Pelham's Acting City Manager. "Thanks to these funds, the City of Pelham will be better able to respond to emergencies and natural disasters as they occur, improving the safety and quality of life for its residents."

Source