Columbus Ledger-Enquirer: House Subcommittee on Military Construction Bishop Named Ranking Member

By Staff Reports
Saturday, January 23, 2011

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr., who has one of the largest military installations in the country at Fort Benning in the 2nd Congressional District, will serve as a ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and related agencies.

“I am looking forward to meeting the challenge of serving as the ranking member of the subcommittee which funds our nation’s military construction and the programs that provide benefits for our nation’s veterans,” Bishop said in a statement after Rep. Norm Dicks made the announcement Wednesday. “This is a great honor for me and it provides great benefits for the state of Georgia and the Second District.”

Georgia has a total of nine major military facilities and bases throughout the state, representing tens of thousands of jobs and several billion dollars of the state’s economy.

Recent expansions are underway at the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany and Fort Benning. Fort Benning contributes more than $1.2 billion a year to the Columbus area economy and will have more than 51,000 military and civilian jobs when the U.S. Army Armor School and Center completes its move from Fort Knox, Ky.

In a state with more than 700,000 veterans, Bishop said the subcommittee is also responsible for the oversight of Veterans Affairs which is a chief concern.

The subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs & Related Agencies for fiscal 2011 is $78 Billion.

Bishop will remain on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration and Related Agencies.