Transporting vets to go fishing

Congressman Tim Bishop continued his support for the veterans of Long Island this week, as he announced a grant of 12.5 million dollars for the Long Island State Veterans Home. This grant will allow the facility to renovate and make itself more accommodating to veterans living at the home. This continued support by Tim Bishop of improving the lives of veterans in Long Island gives him a strong backing in a very influential part of his constituencies, one which crosses political divides.

On a national level, Tim Bishop has been appointed to a House-Senate conference committee charged with producing consensus legislation to strengthen port and inland waterway infrastructure. Tim Bishop was named to this committee since he was so influential a figure in pushing WRRDA through the House last month. Since Tim Bishop's district relies heavily on water transport(due to being on a peninsula) it will help provide a boost to the local economies. 

Tim Bishop also joined a bipartisan push for adding fisheries disaster relief to a new fiscal year budget proposal. The proposal is supported by both House and Senate Republicans and Democrats from 10 states that have suffered such fishing disasters since 2012. According to Bishop, the Long Island fishing industry has suffered a double whammy, first from mismanagement of the northeast ground fish fishery and then from the devastation of Superstorm Sandy. If such a provision is included in the bill, it will, like the previously discussed water transport committee, boost the economy of the local community as much of his district, especially the east end of Long Island (Montauk) depend on that industry for economic stability. Support for this bill will also gain him constituents who may be Republican but whose livelihood is fishing. 

Congressman Tim Bishop continues to support veterans in his district and by doing so continually will gain support from them for the upcoming election in 2014. The committee on transportation and the budget proposal also look to stimulate the economy in his district, and ultimately will gain more support for the 2014 elections that cross party lines.