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 South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford signing medical malpractice legislation into law. Graham has voted against medical malpractice legislation on the federal level. He has argued the proper venue for this change in state law should be addressed by the South Carolina state legislature and governor, not the federal government in Washington. Graham said: “Working together, the General Assembly and Governor Sanford have brought about major medical legal reform we can all be proud of. It’s the result of a lot of hard work on the part of doctors, lawyers, consumer groups and elected officials. The Governor and legislature struck a good balance between competing interests and their work will serve the citizens of our state well. I congratulate them on taking on this difficult task and coming together to move South Carolina forward. “It’s my belief government closest to the people it represents is the most effective. I believe reform legislation designed by our elected officials in the state legislature and signed into law by our governor was the best way to deal with this contentious issue. “South Carolina’s reforms may be different than what has been done in other states, but it’s what we believe will work for us. “At some point, Congress will most likely again take up this issue and seek to establish a one-size fits all remedy. It’s my hope elected officials in Washington will not try to undo the progress our state has made in addressing this issue.” #####