Jun 08 2005

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Black River Healthcare, Inc. will receive a $288,489 community health center grant to expand services in Williamsburg County. The grant will help fund three new medical providers, additional exam rooms, clinical support staff, and a management position. Black River Healthcare is headquartered in Manning and has additional clinics in Greeleyville, Kingstree, and Olanta. Community Health Center grants are designed to promote the development and operation of community-based primary health care service systems in medically underserved areas. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ####

Jun 08 2005

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today said he was pleased the Senate had voted to end the filibuster on William Pryor of Alabama. The vote in the Senate was 67-32. On Thursday, the Senate will vote on his confirmation. Graham made the following statement after the vote. “Of all the judicial candidates who have been filibustered, I have felt the most sympathy for William Pryor and Charles Pickering. “Pryor is one of the most courageous and qualified individuals nominated to serve on the federal bench. He is a solid conservative who has taken some very brave stands in his home state of Alabama to uphold the law and enforce judicial decrees. He’s also been unmercifully maligned by critics for sharing the values of average every day citizens in Alabama and throughout much of the country. “He will be a conservative judge every American can be proud because he will uphold the law – not make it. “Today’s vote ending the filibuster was long overdue and allows a great nominee to move forward. I hope his vindication comes tomorrow when a majority of the Senate confirms him to the federal bench.” ####

Jun 08 2005

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made the following statement on the confirmation of Janice Rogers Brown to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The vote in the U.S. Senate was 56-43. Graham said: “It’s been a long journey for the daughter of an Alabama share cropper to a seat on our nation’s second highest court. Janice Rogers Brown has taken this journey and arrived with her head held high. “Judge Brown is a solid conservative who understands what the American Dream is all about and will be a thoughtful addition to the federal bench. “President Bush chose wisely when he nominated Judge Brown. Her presence will advance the cause of conservative judicial philosophy. She will be an ideal conservative judge who follows the law and does not legislate from the bench. “I’m pleased the Senate has now confirmed her to this important position which comes on the heels of Priscilla Owen being confirmed and sworn in as a Judge on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.” #####

Jun 07 2005

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced the Orangeburg-Calhoun Area Biotechnology Consortium Project administered by Claflin University will receive a $750,000 grant. The grant will be used to create an education infrastructure that helps about 100 students per year train and qualify for positions in the biotechnology industry. “Biotechnology is going to be a major focus of the American economy in the next decade,” said Graham. “It’s important we have a workforce that is well-trained and ready for new jobs in this sector.” Employment in the area’s biotechnology industry, which includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, is projected to increase 20 percent by 2010. There are currently no entry-level programs for biotechnology workers in the area and only one established two-year biotechnology entry-level program in the state. Employers and other related biosciences industries have employment needs for skilled workers, but there are no formal targeted or specialized certificate and degrees for entry into biotechnology. Local biotechnology employers also face high rates of turnover. The education process for participants will continue through the issuance of formal certificates for training in biotechnology while others will continue into degree programs. Job shadowing in the biotechnology field will also be a part of the curriculum. Among the disciplines to be established will be Biotechnology Laboratory Technician, Biomanufacturing Technician, Forensics Training, Radiography Technician, and Agricultural Biotechnology Technician. Key partners of the program will be Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, Zeus Corporation, Supersod, Albermarle Corporation, Orangeburg County Economic Development Board, and the Lower Savannah Workforce Development Board. Claflin was one of twelve recipients chosen for grants out of 229 proposals received by the U.S. Department of Labor. ####

Jun 07 2005

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made the following statement on the 65-32 Senate vote ending the filibuster on the nomination of Janice Rogers Brown to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on her confirmation. Graham said: “We now have the opportunity to have an up-or-down vote on an extremely talented and qualified judge. “President Bush chose wisely when he nominated Judge Brown for this important position. Her presence on the federal bench will advance the cause of conservative judicial philosophy. She will be an ideal conservative judge who follows the law and does not legislate from the bench. “I’m very disappointed she has been treated so poorly for nearly two years, but I’m also glad to know that tomorrow she will finally get the vote she has long deserved.” #####

Jun 02 2005

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been awarded a $449,000 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) grant. The goal of the NCHIP is to improve the Nation’s public safety by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information. SLED will use the funds to:
  • Move criminal history information to a more accessible computer platform;
  • Upgrade and replace network equipment to support access to criminal record files;
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice. ####

May 25 2005

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today voted in support of Priscilla Owen who was confirmed to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Her nomination had been on hold in the Senate for the past four years. “It’s a very good day when you confirm someone of her quality to serve at the highest levels of the judiciary,” said Graham. “The confirmation vote on Judge Owen confirms what we’ve know all along -- the criticism was politically manufactured opposition. I’m glad she was confirmed and will now take her position on the federal bench.” The vote in the Senate was 56-43. #####

May 25 2005

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today introduced former South Carolina Speaker of the House David Wilkins before a hearing of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. The subcommittee was considering Wilkins’ nomination to be Ambassador to Canada. Graham was joined by U.S. Senators Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island). Following the hearing, Graham released this statement: “The hearing went very well. Speaker Wilkins enjoys bipartisan support in the Senate and in South Carolina so I hope he will be confirmed soon. “Canada is one of our strongest allies and there has been some tension in the relationship because of the war in Iraq. David is a problem solver and has the personal skills to help repair any damage. He’s also very close and loyal to the President. “South Carolina will lose a great statesman, but the United States will gain a great ambassador. I think he’ll be confirmed in a bipartisan manner and know he and his wife, Susan, will make us all proud.” ####

May 23 2005

Statement from Lindsey Graham

Senate Reaches Agreement Which Clears the Way for Some of President Bush's Nominees to be Confirmed to the Federal Bench

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) tonight made the following statement on the agreement which clears the way for some of President Bush's nominees to be confirmed to the federal bench. Graham said: "The American people won tonight. The Senate is back in business. And I truly believe future judicial nominees will be treated better because of this agreement." "The agreement allows up or down votes on deserving nominees and gives the Senate a chance to start over regarding future nominees. It's my hope both sides have learned from their mistakes and we can get back to the traditional way of doing business when it comes to judges. "One of the major elements of the deal makes clear that if one of my seven Democratic colleagues decides to filibuster in the future because of an "extraordinary circumstance," I retain the right to vote for a rules change. It's my hope we never get to that point. "With better communication and a spirit of putting the country ahead of ourselves, I believe we can avoid future filibusters. "We are a nation at war which desperately needs a functioning Senate. Our men and women in harms way deserve Senators with personal courage and respect fo the institution. They are risking their lives to defend our freedom and those of us in the Senate should have the courage to put the welfare of the country ahead of our own personal political interests. That's the least we should do. #####

May 20 2005

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced the South Carolina Attorney General’s office will receive a $400,000 grant to support the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The Task Force brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement and child welfare organizations to:
  • Conduct reactive and proactive ICAC investigations;
  • Develop a prevention education program;
  • Establish a case management system;
  • Develop standardized protocol for interagency referrals; and,
  • Increase forensic and investigative capacity through training and the acquisition of specialized equipment.
The South Carolina ICAC Task Force was started in 1998, one of the ten original programs throughout the country. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice. ####