U.S. Rep. Bishop hoping for short government shutdown

A 2nd Congressional District congressman, who represents Fort Benning and opposed the continuing resolution to fund the federal government, is hoping the shutdown is short-lived.

“There are a lot of concerns, and I’ve heard from the brass at Fort Benning and I’ve heard from the brass at the Pentagon,” U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., said Saturday. “They do not need this continuous, short-term funding. It’s uncertainty and can’t protect our country. We need to deal with it.”

The resolution passed in the House but fell short of votes in the Senate, shutting down the federal government. The Republican Party holds majorities in both houses, but the Senate required 60 votes to pass the resolution.

Bishop, whose district includes Fort Benning and south Columbus, hopes the shutdown is short. “We hope this will be temporary,” he said. “Hopefully, the government will be open by Monday.”

Gary Jones, a retired Army colonel and vice president of Government and Military Affairs at the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, said he hasn’t heard of any impacts at the post but feels comfortable the missions will continue at Fort Benning. “I’m very comfortable the command group is in charge of the situation at Fort Benning,” he said. “They are making sure the missions are happening.”

Bishop, who voted for the previous continuing resolution, pointed out the resolutions have devastated military readiness and training.

“I stand with the people at Fort Benning, with the military and our miltary families,” Bishop said. “You might note that our military folks who sacrificed for us leave their families.”

Under the resolution opposed by Bishop, he said the Children Health Insurance Program wasn’t covered in the resolution. It provides health care for military dependents treated at VA health centers and hospitals like the Midtown Medical Center and Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.

“The time is now for both sides to sit down and finalize a long-term funding bill that modernizes our defense capabilities, ensures our service members have adequate resources, fully funds vital health programs including CHIP and Community Health Centers, enacts into law the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and provides necessary investments for infrastructure, economic development, education, and research,” Bishop said.

Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue wasn’t available for comment on the shutdown but agrees the short-term mentality has to stop. A spokeswoman said Perdue voted for the continuing resolution but also said illegal immigration and government funding are separate issues.

“When Congress fails to complete its budget, the best outcome is that six or eight people determine how to spend a trillion dollars of discretionary spending,” Perdue said in a statement. “Clearly, Congress’ funding mechanism does not work and will never work. We are doomed to this cycle of fiscal irresponsibility until Congress reworks this budget process to successfully meet its Constitutional responsibility of funding the federal government.”

This story was originally published January 20, 2018 at 4:47 PM with the headline "U.S. Rep. Bishop hoping for short government shutdown."