He was a teacher and a lawyer in private practice, and was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-fifth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative William A. Jones.

Educated at first by tutors, young Schuyler Otis entered Gloucester Academy at the age of 12 and afterwards matriculated at the College of William and Mary.

He won his Phi Beta Kappa key, but arranged his courses for the study of law, instead of working toward a degree.

From 1922 until 1950 Representative Bland was a member of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, and its predecessor, serving as chairman for 16 years.

Congressman Bland is principally remembered as "father of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936," the nation's basic maritime statute.