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 the Treasury report saying China is not a manipulator of its currency.
“The continued practice of the Chinese manipulating their currency is devastating to American manufacturers. We had good meetings with the Chinese on our visit in March, but if that's mistaken for an abandonment of the issue that would be a mistake on their part.
“We’ll see what happens between now and the end of September. But if the yuan does not appreciate in a significant manner between now and then, we’ll have a vote on our bill. If it comes to a vote, I think we’ll get more than the 67 votes we received in April 2005.”
Graham, along with U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has introduced legislation allowing for a 180-day negotiation period between the United States and China on currency revaluation. If the negotiations are not successful, a temporary across the board tariff of 27.5 percent will be applied to all Chinese products entering the United States. The bill received 67 votes in April 2005 on a procedural motion. The Senators reserve the right to call it up for a Senate vote on passage before September 30, 2006.
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today released the following joint statement regarding the unanimous consent agreement to bring comprehensive immigration reform legislation back to the Senate floor Monday:
“Under the unanimous consent agreement reached today, the Senate will resume the immigration debate next week. Senate Republicans are united in their commitment to an open and full debate on multiple amendments -- just as we have done on other bills of this magnitude like bankruptcy and class action reform.
“We are willing to put differences aside so we can get on with the important work to be done securing our borders and grappling with the 12 million illegal immigrants currently living in our country. We are also in agreement that efforts to curtail the debate prematurely will only derail this process. We call on Senate Democrats to allow an open debate and votes on this complex and challenging issue.”
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today voted in support of $70 billion in tax relief over the next five years. The measure passed the Senate 54-44. The bill has passed the House of Representatives and President Bush is expected to sign it into law.
Graham made this statement after the Senate vote.
“I firmly believe our tax cutting policies over the past few years are a major reason our national economy is performing so well. Tax relief helped create one of the strongest economic expansions in years and a national unemployment rate below 5 percent. Also, since the first Bush tax cuts were enacted, revenues to the federal treasury have gone up.
“Our latest extension of tax relief will also be helpful in continuing to push our economy forward. I enthusiastically supported today’s tax stimulus package and look forward to President Bush signing it into law.
“Unfortunately, many of our Democratic friends have opposed us in our tax cutting efforts at every turn. If the Democrats were in charge, nothing would have changed and Americans would still be paying higher taxes.”
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate creating the H-Prize. The H-Prize is meant to help overcome the technical challenges related to using hydrogen as a widely available and abundant fuel source by offering cash incentives.
“As a nation, we need to become less dependent on foreign oil,” said Graham. “It would be irresponsible if 50 years from now we’re still reliant on Middle Eastern oil to drive our national economy. We need to get away from fossil fuels and start looking at using different sources of energy such as hydrogen. The H-Prize will help foster additional research and development in the long-overdue effort to make hydrogen a significant source of our nation’s energy supply.”
Graham serves as the co-chair of the Senate Hydrogen Caucus, along with Senator Byron Dorgan
(D-ND). Dorgan has signed on as the lead Democratic sponsor of the H-Prize legislation in the Senate.
“Prices at the gas pump make plain that when it comes to how we use energy ‘yesterday forever’ is not a strategy that works very well,” said Dorgan. “While fossil fuels will always be a part of our energy mix, developing new domestic sources of energy is more important today than it has ever been. The H-Award will provide a powerful incentive for research and advancement in one of the most promising new areas on the horizon – developing hydrogen fuel cells and making them an integral part of our economy.”
Graham noted South Carolina is a national leader in hydrogen research. The University of South Carolina is developing hydrogen fuel cells, Clemson is working on hydrogen vehicles, Aiken County has established a Hydrogen Research Center, and the Savannah River Site is a leading research facility in hydrogen storage and technology. These groups and others recently united behind the South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association which coordinates the state’s efforts to be a leading player in the emerging hydrogen economy.
The H-Prize is modeled on the Ansari X Prize which last year spurred the first privately funded suborbital human spaceflight. Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation by U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL) creating the H-Prize.
Awards will be offered in the following categories:
Technological Advancement: Four prizes of up to $1 million will be awarded every two years for outstanding achievements in the Production, Storage, Distribution, and Utilization of hydrogen.
Prototypes: One prize of up to $4 million will be awarded every two years for working hydrogen vehicle prototypes that meets performance goals.
Transformational Technology: Over the next ten years, a single $10 million prize funded by the federal government or private donations for breakthrough hydrogen technologies.
The legislation directs the Secretary of Energy to contract with a private foundation or other non-profit entity to establish criteria for the prizes and administer the prize contest.
“Hydrogen holds tremendous promise for the future,” said Graham. “The H-Prize is an important step forward in the drive to help our nation become energy independent. I’m proud to be part of this effort in the Senate and appreciate the work done by Congressmen Inglis and Lipinski in creating incentives for the private sector to create hydrogen-based vehicles. The H-Prize is a clear signal from the federal government that we are interested and believe in a hydrogen-based transportation economy. The H-Prize puts our money where our mouth is.”
“I’m proud to be the lead Senate co-sponsor of legislation that will spark research and development that can take us to a more secure and stable energy future,” concluded Dorgan.
The passage into law last year of the Energy Bill contained more than $3.5 billion in funding over the next 5 years for hydrogen research. The hydrogen provisions in the bill were largely based upon language authored by Graham and Dorgan.
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Hillary Clinton (D-New York), co-Chairs of the Senate Manufacturing Caucus, today hosted a roundtable discussion about the future of the defense industry in a global economy. The discussion included companies from New York and South Carolina and experts in defense manufacturing.
Graham and Clinton co-founded the Manufacturing Caucus to promote the interests of domestic manufacturing and create a dialogue between industry leaders and Members of Congress. As our nation faces the new and different challenges of the 21st century, the United States must develop a thoughtful policy that both secures our domestic industrial base and enhances the economic benefits provided by foreign employers and consumers.
“It’s now time for Republicans and Democrats to join together to strengthen the manufacturing sector and take steps to create a better business environment to ensure our soldiers and sailors have the equipment they need to carry out their mission,” said Graham. “The caucus explores all aspects of the manufacturing sector with the ultimate goal of restoring this vital part of our economy. To improve the manufacturing climate in our state and nation, we’ll have to work together. Honest and informative discussions between Members of Congress and industry leaders are a step in the right direction.”
“A strong manufacturing base is important in order to keep our economy and middle class strong, but it’s also important to support our national security,” said Senator Clinton. “In the post-9/11 world, it is time for a reexamination of what we need and should expect from our defense industrial base. We face critical questions about how we maintain the capacity to produce components needed for our national defense and today’s discussion was an important start to addressing them.”
Participants included: Dr. Loren Thompson, COO, Lexington Institute; John Douglass, President and CEO, Aerospace Industry Association; Hon. Dave McCurdy, President and CEO, Electronic Industries Alliance, and former Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Bob Roberts, President & CEO, Syracuse Research Corporation; Dr. Brian Dailey, Senior VP, Lockheed Martin; Steve Evered, Director of Government Affairs, Michelin North America, Inc.; and, Mike Aldrich, Vice President, Force Protection, Inc.
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Lancaster County will receive a $589,950 grant for improvements at Lancaster County-McWhirter Field.
The funds will be used to rehabilitate the apron.
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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Wes Hickman (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today said he was pleased the Senate Armed Services Committee had fully funded the U.S. MOX program for Fiscal Year 2007.
Construction of the MOX facility at Savannah River Site (SRS) is scheduled to begin in fall 2006. Earlier this week, Graham announced that an estimated 500 jobs related to construction of the MOX facility will be coming to the Site.
“I’m pleased and grateful to the committee for fully funding the MOX program,” said Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “With full funding we’ll be able to start construction in the fall and move toward completing the facility. The MOX program is vital to our national security and we will continue to work together to ensure it is adequately funded. The citizens of South Carolina, along with the Savannah River Site workforce, should be proud of the role we are playing in making the world a safer place.”
The Senate’s full funding for the MOX facility at Savannah River Site totals $368.2 million. $289.5 million will go toward construction of the facility. Additionally, the committee approved $78.7 million in funding for the Pit Disassembly and Conversion Facility to be constructed at the Site.
Last week, a House panel slashed $150 million in construction funding for the MOX facility at the Site. On Wednesday, Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) successfully added $34.7 million in the House Armed Services Committee back to the MOX program.
The Site is also scheduled to receive $1.16 billion in cleanup activities at the Site. Graham was able to secure $80 million over the president’s original budget request. This is also $50 million more than the current House Armed Services Committee figure.
“I believe restoring $80 million will help the site continue its cleanup work,” said Graham. “It hopefully will also create stability for the workforce at SRS throughout the budget cycle.
“I will continue meeting with the Department of Energy, along with members of the South Carolina and Georgia congressional delegations, to make sure our accelerated cleanup efforts are adequately funded,” said Graham. “We must protect the local environment and the taxpayer’s wallet by cleaning up these tanks in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The Site has done its part to embrace reforms that allow for sound environmental polices to be implemented at a substantial savings to the taxpayer. Now we need DOE to keep its funding commitments to the Site.
“I hope these numbers can hold in the House-Senate conference,” concluded Graham.
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Wes Hickman (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today was one of twenty Senators to vote against the Supplemental Appropriations Act. The Senate vote was 78-20.
The supplemental is meant to fund emergency spending priorities outside the normal appropriations process.
“The Republican Party of old cared about numbers when it came to spending. It’s long past time our Republican majority gets back to our fiscally conservative roots. A perfect place for us to start was with a supplemental spending bill where some spending priorities defied any rational definition of being an emergency.”
Graham recently signed a letter to President Bush with thirty-four other senators, including South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, saying he would vote to sustain a presidential veto if the supplemental bill spends more than the President’s $94.5 billion request. Thirty-four votes are needed to sustain a presidential veto.
The final bill passed by the Senate contained $108.9 billion in spending.
“I completely agree with President Bush’s view that $94.5 billion should be our outer limit on spending in this bill to rebuild the Gulf Coast and fund the War on Terror,” said Graham. “I will enthusiastically support a presidential veto if the bill comes out of the House-Senate conference over $94.5 billion.”
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
(Washington, DC)-- A bill which would allow veterans to hire lawyers to represent them in their efforts to obtain federal benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been introduced by U.S. Senators Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina).
The legislation (S.2694 - the Veterans’ Choice of Representation Act of 2006), if enacted, would repeal restrictions flowing from a policy born nearly 150 years ago when attending law school was not required to become a lawyer and many practicing law were considered ill trained and unscrupulous.
"I suppose that some would still warn that lawyers are not to be trusted, but the reality is that the laws are complex and I want veterans to have the option of hiring an attorney to help navigate the system, if they choose," said Sen. Craig, who chairs the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. "A recent editorial put it this way, ‘If American soldiers are mature and responsible enough to choose to risk their lives for their country, shouldn’t they be considered competent to hire a lawyer?’ I believe the obvious answer to that question is ‘yes,’ Simply put, the current paternalistic restriction is outdated."
Under current law, all 24 million living veterans are prohibited from hiring a lawyer to help them navigate the Veterans Affairs system. It is only after a veteran has spent months and even years exhausting the extensive VA administrative process that the veteran then may retain counsel – a process that often takes 3 or more years to complete.
"This overdue change will significantly improve veterans’ access to the VA and expedite just outcomes," said Sen. Graham, who also serves on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. "In today’s complicated world, legal assistance in navigating the system is more timely than ever. I thank Chairman Craig for his leadership in this effort."
Under the current appeals system, about 85 percent of veterans choose to be represented by Veterans’ Service Organizations or state veterans agency personnel.
"I want to be clear that I am not suggesting that attorneys should be considered necessary in order to obtain VA benefits," Chairman Craig said.
"We must ensure that the system continues to serve veterans in a friendly, non-adversarial manner – regardless of the presence of an attorney or any other representative. I also want to be clear that, although I believe veterans should have the option to hire attorneys, they should not be discouraged in any way from utilizing the valuable free services now provided by many dedicated representatives of veterans’ service organizations."
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Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham announced a $4,469,789 grant under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to the City of Greenville. The grant falls under the COPS Interoperable Communications Technology Program and is one of only three awarded nationally.
“These funds will allow local law enforcement and fire and medical service communities to have the ability to share critical information and significantly increase public safety,” said Senator DeMint.
“First responders and emergency personnel risk their lives every day to protect others,” said Senator Graham. “They are the first line of defense during natural disasters and other emergencies. This grant will help provide them with the technology they need to save lives.”
Communications interoperability refers to the ability to talk across disciplines and jurisdictions via radio communications networks on demand, in real time when needed, and as authorized. One of the major issues currently facing emergency services providers is the inability of first responders to communicate with one another. This grant is a regional effort, affecting Greenville, Spartanburg, Laurens and Pickens.
Greenville City Police Chief W. L. Johnson said, “This is going to connect Law Enforcement in four counties where we will have interoperability for day-to-day police activities and for crisis response. It is a huge step forward for law enforcement in the Upstate of South Carolina, and something that could not be done on our own. The federal government has provided a way through this grant program.”
The funds will offset the cost of purchasing voice and data communications equipment, enhancing communications infrastructures, and project management.
The COPS Office awarded 26 agencies nearly $93 million in FY2005 to address this growing need through the COPS Interoperable Communications Technology grant program. This initiative was coordinated with the Office of Justice Programs, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the SAFECOM Program. Targeted agencies were invited to apply for funding for both voice and data interoperability projects. In addition to these 2005 grants, the COPS Office awarded 37 projects across the nation totaling $149 million in fiscal years 2003 & 2004.
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