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Graham to Participate in 'Preserving America's Strength' Highlighting Impact of Looming Defense Cuts

WASHINGTON ­– U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) will participate in “Preserving America’s Strength,” a series of town hall-style meetings in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and New Hampshire highlighting the devastating impacts of the looming defense cuts now scheduled to take place under budget sequestration next year.

Graham will be joined on the tour by Senators John McCain (R-Arizona) and Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire).  The three senators, all members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, will discuss how the cuts will weaken American national security, put one million jobs at risk, and break faith with the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families. The Department of Defense has already agreed to reduce defense spending by nearly $500 billion over ten years. The additional military spending cuts called for under sequestration would add another $500 billion on top of that figure.

Earlier this summer, Graham led a two-day tour across South Carolina visiting military installations and meeting with local community leaders warning of the severe, negative impact of sequestration.  He noted South Carolina is home to some of the finest military installations in the country and our states’ contributions to national defense -- through military bases and training facilities, defense contractors and other civilian support -- are an estimated $13 billion a year. (Related: http://youtu.be/ZLTw884eWLk, http://bit.ly/Ojm577 , http://youtu.be/3VDnwkrmHfg, http://youtu.be/6kEhn8UbQEk, http://bit.ly/OjlQZU, http://bit.ly/Ojmerb, and http://nyti.ms/L6UHVM) 

“The first priority for the federal government is to provide for our nation’s defense,” said Graham.  “As we enter into a time where fiscal austerity has gained greater importance, we must ensure that we continue to provide our military with the resources to meet our national security needs.  While we must ask the military to do more with less, we cannot, and should not, ask them to bear a dramatically disproportionate share of the burden. Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening under sequestration.”

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Monday, July 30, 2012

TAMPA, FLORIDA

WHO:

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)

WHAT:

Town Hall Meeting highlighting impact of looming defense cuts

Media Availability following event

WHEN:

Monday, July 30, 2012, 9:00 a.m. ET

Press set-up time, 8:30 a.m. ET

WHERE:

Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation

124 South Franklin Street

Tampa, FL 33602

FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)

WHAT:

Town Hall Meeting highlighting impact of looming defense cuts

Media Availability following event

WHEN:

Monday, July 30, 2012, 1:30 p.m. ET

Press set-up time, 1:00 p.m. ET

WHERE:

Fayetteville Technical Community College

2201 Hull Road

Fayetteville, NC 28303

NORFOLK, VIRGINA

WHO:

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)

WHAT:

Town Hall Meeting highlighting impact of looming defense cuts

Media Availability following event

WHEN:

Monday, July 30, 2012, 5:00 p.m. ET

Press set-up time, 4:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: 

Half Moone Cruise Terminal

1 Waterside Drive

Norfolk, VA 23510  

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

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