Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced two South Carolina organizations will receive more than $460,000 in grants to support employment programs for persons with disabilities. The South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department will receive $252,924 to recruit, train, and maintain twenty “Disability Specialists” who can serve as coaches and mentors for rehabilitation staff throughout the state. These specialists will have the skills necessary to better serve those with the most significant disabilities, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, deafness, and mental illness. The Disability Action Center, Inc. (DAC) in Columbia will receive $207,109 to help increase opportunities for people with disabilities to enter competitive employment in the residential construction industry. DAC with partner with the National Association of Homebuilders and the Home Builders Institute for this project. Both grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. ####

Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made the following statement on President Bush’s selection of Harriet Miers to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Graham is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “President Bush has made a solid pick for the Supreme Court. “Harriet Miers has been in the legal trenches throughout her career and has a tremendous understanding of how the law works in people’s everyday lives. Her legal experience combined with her life experience makes her a solid choice. “I hope for and anticipate a smooth confirmation process with a significant bipartisan vote in support. In my opinion, there will be no filibuster as she is a mainstream conservative who will be a strict constructionist on the Supreme Court. “I expect the liberal left to make demands upon the Administration to produce information protected by attorney-client privilege. Efforts such as these to derail a qualified nominee like Miers should fail.” ####

Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham and Congressman Joe Wilson announced a $500,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration for the May River Technology Park in the Town of Bluffton, South Carolina. The funding will allow for the construction of infrastructure in the development of the Technology Park and is the final step towards getting the Technology Park underway. The South Carolina Department of Commerce, Palmetto Electric and Beaufort County have also contributed significant funding to the project. CareCore National, LLC plans to expand and create jobs in Bluffton and will serve as the anchor tenant in the technology park. CareCore has agreed to create 150 new jobs. The jobs to be created by CareCore LLC have an average minimum wage of $30,000/per year. CareCore has also agreed to contribute $2.8M toward the construction and equipment for Building One in the park and sign a 10-year lease purchase agreement. The CareCore National expansion will provide new projected payroll of approximately $5 million and will inject approximately $10 million in additional revenue into the South Carolina economy. “This is exciting news for Bluffton and the surrounding community,” said Senator Graham. “Ensuring we have the necessary infrastructure in place is a vital component of our economic development efforts. This investment will hopefully pay dividends for years to come.” “I am thrilled about this funding and the economic impact it will have in the Lowcountry,” said Congressman Wilson. “Bluffton families are now one step closer to having access to hundreds of new jobs, opportunities, and resources through the Technology Park.” “This project is critical to providing quality jobs to the people of the Lowcountry,” said Senator DeMint. “I congratulate the Mayor of Bluffton for his efforts to secure these funds.” “On behalf of Bluffton, we thank Senator DeMint, Senator Graham and Congressman Wilson for their advocacy and tenacity in helping bring federal funding to the May River Technology Park,” said Mayor Hank Johnston. “We are very pleased the US Department of Commerce has recognized the significant role the Technology Park will play in diversifying the region’s economy.” About the EDA The mission of the EDA is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was established under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. § 3121), as amended, to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the Nation experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic distress. In fulfilling its mission, EDA is guided by the basic principle that distressed communities must be empowered to develop and implement their own economic development and revitalization strategies. Based on these locally- and regionally-developed priorities, EDA works in partnership with state and local governments, regional economic development districts, public and private nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes. EDA helps distressed communities address problems associated with long-term economic distress, as well as sudden and severe economic dislocations including recovering from the economic impacts of natural disasters, the closure of military installations and other Federal facilities, changing trade patterns, and the depletion of natural resources. ###

Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced South Carolina Parents Involved in Education (SC PIE) in Lugoff will receive a $755,203 grant to support their abstinence education program. SC PIE is a grassroots organization committed to excellence in the public schools of South Carolina through the meaningful involvement of parents in children’s education. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ####