• Appropriations for Safe and Secure Communities - Congressman Bishop has brought a total of $525,000 in related appropriations to the 2nd Congressional Disctrict of Georgia for FY04

DRUGS


Continued the Fight for Drug-Free Workplaces - Partnered with Rep. Rob Portman to introduce H.R. 4119, the Drug-Free Workplace Reauthorization Act of 2004. This bill proposes to reauthorize the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998 in an effort to better equip small businesses in making their workplaces drug-free.

Fought For Drug-free Housing - Cosponsored HR 1981, to reauthorize the public and assisted housing drug elimination program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Fought for Drug Policy Reauthorization -Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization (HR 2086) This bill reauthorizes through FY 2008 the Office of National Drug Control Policy and its associated programs, including the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, Drug-Free Communities grants, and the Counter Drug Technology

LAW ENFORCEMENT


Supported Concealed Carry Reciprocity for Law Enforcement - Cosponsored H.R.218, to exempt qualified current and former law enforcement officers from State laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed handguns.

Honored Those Who Serve - Cosponsored H.R.527, to provide Capitol-flown flags to the immediate family of fire fighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians, and other rescue workers who are killed in the line of duty.

Fought for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program - Cosponsored HR 1708, to extend the authorization of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program.

Fought to Ensure That Law Enforcement Officers Are Afforded Due Process - Cosponsored HR 2135, to provide grants to law enforcement agencies that ensure that law enforcement officers employed by such agency are afforded due process when involved in a case that may lead to dismissal, demotion, suspension, or transfer.

FOUGHT FOR SAFETY OFFICER BENIFITS


Cosponsored H.R. 919 - Cosponsored H.R. 919, to ensure that a public safety officer who suffers a fatal heart attack or stroke while on duty shall be presumed to have died in the line of duty for purposes of public safety officer survivor benefits.

SENIOR CITIZENS


Supported Elder Justice - Cosponsored H.R. 2490, the Elder Justice Act, which sets up an office and a committee within HHS, which will be responsible for elder justice programs and policy. It also establishes a council and an advisory board to provide recommendations on elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. H.R. 2490 will award grants for the prevention of elder abuse and includes provisions on law enforcement of crimes.

FOUGHT FOR CHILD SAFETY AND WELFARE


Supported Additional Prosecutorial Resources - Supported the Conference Report on Prosecutorial Remedies & Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act (S 151), which directs the Justice Department to establish an office to act as national coordinator of the AMBER alert system that issues public alerts when a child is abducted; outlaws pornography using computer-generated, "virtual" children; and increases penalties for sex crimes against children, including mandating a life sentence for anyone convicted a second time for a sexual offense against a child, but excluding statutory rape as an offense triggering the required sentence. Yea - Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 400 - 25, 2 Present (Roll no. 127).

Fought Against Child Abuse - Supported the Conference Report on Keeping Children & Families Safe Act (S 342), which reauthorizes programs under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act, and Abandoned Infants Assistance Act through FY 2008. It also extends through FY 2008 the authorization of programs under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, most of which are currently authorized through FY 2005. The measure authorizes a total of $312 million in FY 2004, and such sums as may be necessary through FY 2008. Yea - Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 421 - 3 (Roll no. 282).

Fought for Child Support Collections - Cosponsored HR 2300, to improve the collection of child support arrears in interstate cases.

FOUGHT FOR DECENT HOUSING AND HOMEOWNERSHIP


Fought for the Housing Choice Voucher Program - a) Fought for full funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program in FY2005 and expressed concern about the Flexible Voucher proposal.

Fought to Provide Decent Homes for the People of the United States - b) Cosponsored H.CON.RES.184, which expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should participate in and support activities to provide decent homes for the people of the United States.

Fought to Establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund - Cosponsored H.R. 1102, to establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury of the United States to provide for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable housing for low-income families.

Fought to Provide a Credit to Promote Homeownership - Cosponsored H.R. 1132, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a credit to promote homeownership among low-income individuals.

Fought to Provide Housing Loan Benefits - Cosponsored HR 1935, to provide housing loan benefits for the purchase of residential cooperative apartment units.

Opposed Increasing Closing Costs - Oppose HUD's promulgation and finalization of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) which threatened to increase closing costs by eliminating small businesses from participation in this process.

Fought for Increased Funding for HUD's Capitol Fund - Fought for increased funding for HUD's Capital Fund to support the ability of public housing authorities to effectively maintain properties.

Fought for the Rural Housing Loan Program - Fought for the same level funding for the USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Rural Housing loan program to be maintained in FY2005 and cosponsored H.R. 4521, legislation to allow 502 borrowers to finance the amount of the guarantee fee.

Fought to Lessen the Negative Impact of Requirements Affecting Select Residents of Public Housing Communities - Congressman Bishop is an original co-sponsor of two pieces of legislation attempting to lessen the negative impact of a Community Service Requirement affecting some residents of public housing communities.

Fought to Reauthorize the HOPE VI - Cosponsored H.R. 1077 to reauthorize the HOPE VI public housing redevelopment program for FY2004.

Fought for Housing as a Basic Human Right - Cosponsored H.R. 2897, the Bringing America Home Act, recognizing housing as a basic human right and declaring Congress' goal to end homelessness in the United States.

Fought for Full Funding for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program - Fought for full funding for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program in FY2004.

Fought for Zero-Down Payment Mortgages - m) Cosponsored H.R. 3755 to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to insure zero-down payment mortgages for one-unit residences.

Fought to Raise FHA Loan Limits - Cosponsored H.R. 4110 to raise Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan limits in areas with high home prices, to permit loans up to the local median home price.

Fought to Establish a Program to Assist Homeowners - Cosponsored H.R. 1357 to establish a program to assist homeowners experiencing unavoidable, temporary difficulty making payments on mortgages insured under the National Housing Act.

Fought for the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit - Cosponsored HR 3107, the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act of 2003, to provide a tax credit of up to $1,500 for property owners who remove lead-based paint hazards, which disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities.

Fought to Retain the House's $150 million VA-HUD increase - Fought to retain the House's $150 million VA-HUD increase and to tap unspent FY2004 balances to fill 2004 funding shortfalls in VA-HUD appropration.

Fought for the Homeownership Tax Credit - Cosponsored HR 839, the Homeownership Tax Credit to allow a tax credit for the provision of homeownership and community development.

Fought to Reauthorize PHDEP - Cosponsored HR 1981, to reauthorize the public and assisted housing drug elimination program (PHDEP) of HUD.

Fought to Increase Loans Made to Low-Income and First-Time Buyers - Cosponsored H.R. 284, to repeal the required use of certain principal payments on mortgage subsidy bond financing, allowing an increased number of such loans to be made to low-income and first-time homebuyers.

Recent Appropriations Congressman Bishop has Brought to the 2nd District - Details