Bishop announces projects he wants funded in 2023

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Congressman Sanford Bishop said he has new plans to bring broadband to rural areas and improve southwest Georgia.

Bishop, who is running for re-election, explained the funding for projects he wants for the upcoming fiscal year at Thursday’s Rotary Club meeting in Albany.

Bishop told the Albany Rotary Club that he wants to buy communication equipment for 12 counties. This includes Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas and Worth counties. The equipment would be used for disaster relief and to fight crime.

“If we have a criminal that is going from one [county] to the other, they’ve got to use cell phones,” Bishop said.

Congressman Sanford Bishop spoke at the Thursday meeting of the Albany Rotary Club. — Congressman Sanford Bishop spoke at the Thursday meeting of the Albany Rotary Club. (WALB)

A $1 million project would send money to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers for Alzheimer’s caregiving.

“Everyone in this room has family members or know somebody who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Or is in need of a caregiver or has a caregiver, or maybe you are caregivers,” Bishop said.

Other projects in his current proposal are:

$2 million to Augusta University Southwest Campus in Albany for incentives to keep graduates in south Georgia
$500,000 for broadband in Donaldsonville
$1.1 million water control plan in Colquitt
Sewage cleaning and pump station in Leesburg

“My goal is so that no child in southwest Georgia doesn’t reach his or her full potential because of (a lack) resources, such as internet connectivity,” Bishop said.

Bishop said he wants to help rural Georgia towns without a big tax base.

Rotary Club President Pam Simmons said it was important for their members and guests to hear what Bishop is working on to help south Georgia.

“He always brings us what’s going on that affects southwest Georgia in the House and in the Congress. He’s always there with the best interest for us at heart,” Simmons said.

WALB News 10 reached out to his Republican opponent Chris West’s campaign for a response.

“Sanford Bishop has spent over 20 years in Congress, voting with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time and using campaign and taxpayer dollars to enrich himself. Georgians have no interest in hearing speeches from another politician who only looks out for himself,” West said.

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