ICYMI: Rep. Bishop Pens Op-Ed in Albany Herald Touting President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

This weekend, the Albany Herald published an op-ed from Congressman Sanford Bishop praising the overarching positive impacts that President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is bringing to southwest Georgia. In the op-ed, Congressman Bishop notes how the new funding for the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport, investments to rebuild crumbling bridges, and allocations to expand internet access for every Georgia household will bring a new generation of good-paying jobs to the Second Congressional District.

Read the full op-ed here:

Albany Herald: SANFORD BISHOP: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law already boosting southwest Georgia

• The more Albany has grown, the direr the need has become for serious upgrades to our community’s core infrastructure. Now, thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, help is on the way. Passed with support from both Democrats and Republicans in Washington, this historic infrastructure package is a generational investment in our local infrastructure and economy. The law’s $11 billion investment in Georgia will revitalize our state’s roads, bridges, transportation, and connectivity — and it’s already delivering relief to southwest Georgia.
• The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will expand developments from ground traffic to air traffic over the next five years. Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany is going to receive more than $1 million this year to improve travel and provide more job opportunities for folks in our area.
• Georgia also will receive $45 million to replace and repair bridges in our area that are long overdue for improvements, like West Shaw Road in Albany, this year alone. These infrastructure investments are going to make travel safer and more efficient for countless Georgians in our communities.
• I’ve talked to so many constituents across the Second Congressional District over the years who have endured struggles with their economic, educational, and health outcomes simply because they live in an area with poor broadband coverage. Nearly one in 10 homes and businesses in Dougherty County does not have access to broadband that provides minimally acceptable internet speeds — and in some of our neighboring southwest Georgia counties, like Worth and Mitchell, that number is nearly half. That’s why I’ve been pushing for federal investments in expanding internet access in rural Georgia throughout my tenure in Congress.
• Georgia will receive a minimum of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across our state — including expanding internet access to the at least 649,000 Georgians who currently lack it. It cannot be understated how transformational this expansion will be.
• Without raising taxes a single penny for middle-class Georgians, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will invest $20.7 million towards improving and expanding Dougherty County’s public transit. That could help provide more options, particularly for low-income residents who may rely on the Albany Transit System for school, work and more. Our state also will receive $8.9 billion to upgrade our roads and highways. These investments are going to fund the projects that boost our economy for the long-term.
• Over the next 10 years, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is estimated to bring around 400,000 new good-paying jobs to Georgia alone, and many of those jobs will be right here in the Second Congressional District. I was proud to help President Biden deliver this infrastructure package because it’s one of the most impactful job-creating, road-fixing, economy-boosting pieces of legislation I’ve seen in my entire career in Congress, and I’m looking forward to seeing these historic infrastructure investments better our communities.

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