Congressman Bishop Responds to Affordable Care Act and Voting Rights Issues

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) gave a legislative update to crowd made up of business and community leaders along with elected officials, Friday.

Bishop was the guest speaker of a luncheon co-hosted by Central Georgia Technical College and the Partnership for Individual and Community, which was held at the Promise Center in Macon.

The congressman toured the facility and then gave a legislative update

U-S Congressman Sanford Bishop was in town today for a special partnership luncheon at the Macon Promise Center.

A host of business and community leaders along with elected officials crowded into the banquet hall at the school. Congressman Bishop said it takes partnerships between the different entities of the community to accomplish great things.

“This is an opportunity for me to see a resource that’s come alive in the heart of this community as a result of many partners,” said Bishop. “We have participation from this entire community. People here are concerned about the quality of life for everybody in the Macon area.”

Bishop said he wants Macon to have safe communities, a clean environment and affordable healthcare.
To insure that they have a better way of life. The congressman said he is working in Washington to make several things happen.

“To utilize the political process in Washington and to improve the qualities of their lives with policies that will help us have jobs and a stronger economy, better education for our youngsters,” said Bishop. “

He said the affordable health care act, is bringing health care to millions of peopleacross the country.

“People who’ve had previous existing conditions who were banned by insurance companies from getting insurance coverage and people who have had illnesses with lifetime caps as well as young people who are now able to stay on their parents insurance coverage are all benefitting from the affordable health care act,” he added.

Bishop said as the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., birthday approaches he is working to insure every resident has a right to vote and participate in the political process.

“We just recently introduced and developed concepts for a Voting Rights Act that will address some of the concerns thwt were raised by the Shelby case and the supreme court,” said Bishop. “I think that the right to vote is so vitally important  to every citizen and to a sound government. Every citizen should take part in voting, regardless of any economic, social, or racial demographics.”

“It’s absolutely important for our government to work for everyone. Dr. King was a strong proponent of voting rights and with the celebration of his birthday forthcoming, I think that there is no more appropriate time for us to rededicate ourselves to making sure that voting is accessible for everyone,” added Bishop. “So, that the decisions the policies that influences who gets what, when and how through our political process has the participation and the input of every single citizen in this country.”