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

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today introduced an amendment along with Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) to the Democratic Budget Resolution extending tax relief for the American taxpayer. The amendment was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 51-47. The Kyl-Graham amendment: * Established the Death Tax exemption at $5 million and ensures the rate will be no more than thirty-five percent. * Extended the lower rates contained in 2001 Bush tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. This change would help more than 200,000 taxpayers in South Carolina. * Extended educational tax deductions including deductions for tuition and student loan interest. * Permanently extended the $250 teacher classroom expense deduction. "I'm disappointed the Senate did not accept our amendment," said Graham. "One of my top priorities this year was for Congress to begin extending the Bush tax cuts. They have proven to be very beneficial to our nation's economic health." The Democratic Budget Resolution under debate in the Senate does not extend the Bush tax cuts while the Kyl-Graham amendment would have saved taxpayers $72.3 billion over the next five years. "There are going to be a lot of mysterious deaths on New Years Eve 2010 in order to enjoy the benefits of no Death Tax," quipped Graham. "People in South Carolina understand the Death Tax going from zero to a fifty-five percent overnight is a nasty blow. "There are no good reasons why small business owners and family farmers should have to buy their businesses back from the government," said Graham. "Unfortunately, if we allow the Death Tax to go back into effect at pre-2001 tax relief levels, it will devastate family farmers and small business owners once again." Under current law, the 2001 Bush tax cuts are set to expire on December 31, 2010. When they expire the marriage penalty, Death Tax, lower tax rates, lower tax rates on capital gains, and an assortment of other tax breaks will revert to the pre-2001 tax structure resulting in a $916 billion tax increase. "I hope Congress will extend the Bush tax cuts," said Graham. "The Bush tax cuts have been a central piece of the puzzle in creating a robust national economy," concluded Graham. "Allowing the tax cuts to expire will have a devastating impact on economic growth." #####

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

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today voted against the Democratic budget resolution in the Senate Budget Committee. The budget resolution establishes spending levels for Fiscal Year 2008 and lays out budget projections for future years. "One of my top priorities this year was for Congress to extend the Bush tax cuts," said Graham. "The tax cuts have proven to be very beneficial to our nation's economic health. Instead of extending the Bush tax cuts, the Democratic proposal actually allows them to lapse creating a $900 billion tax increase on the American taxpayer." The Democratic budget resolution passed through committee by a vote of 12-11. Graham said unless changes are made to the proposal he will be forced to vote against it against on the floor of the Senate. "The Democratic budget resolution leaves much to be desired," said Graham. "The budget process is never easy and I don't expect this year to be any different. However, we seem to be charting a path that leads to higher taxes, increased spending, and does not prepare us for the looming entitlement crisis. There is no doubt we can and must do better for America's taxpayers." #####

MEGYN KENDALL, FOX HOST: If he is telling the truth, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was planning a truly devastating series of attacks when he was arrested back in 2003. According to him, he was plotting to destroy the Empire State Building, the New York Stock Exchange and the Panama Canal. He also says he was trying to kill presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, as well as Pope John Paul II. But can these claims be believed? Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina joins us now live from Capitol Hill. Hello, Senator. Thanks for being with us. LINDSEY GRAHAM: Good morning. KENDALL: OK. So here's the first question: Can these claims be believed? GRAHAM: I think we can believe the claim about 9/11. I can assure you that happened, and everybody in America knows it happened and the families know it happened. He listed a long list of terror enterprises that go back over a decade. Yes, I think we can believe that he considers us the enemy, that he considers anyone who disagrees with him religiously the enemy. I think we would be stupid not to believe that we're at war with these people. He is not a criminal; he's a warrior who's committed criminal acts. He should be treated as an enemy combatant, someone who's at war with the United States. And if we don't believe Al Qaida and their agenda, we do so at our own peril. It's time to wake up and realize that we are in a global war. They've been at war with us a lot longer than we've been at war with them, and we need to get with it and win this war. And he's in the right place -- a military prison. He should never be in a federal court or a federal civilian prison. He needs to be in a military court and a military prison. KENDALL: Senator, do you see this -- I mean, if you actually believe that he was planning on committing all of these atrocities, I mean, is this, is this -- what kind of a testament is this to the efforts of U.S. intelligence and anti-terror forces? GRAHAM: The only thing that one would question -- is he trying to embellish his role in Islamic jihadist history. I do believe that the details he's provided us will be corroborated. What it tells us -- that he has been at war with us and the Al Qaida network has been at war with us for a decade. And what did they say will happen next? They want to win in Iraq, drive us not just out of Iraq, but the Mideast; topple every moderate government in the Mideast. Set up a religious theocracy cruel in nature in Baghdad in the Iraq region and eventually destroy Israel. So this should be a wake-up call. We should understand that the intelligence agents who have captured this man, the military members who are detaining him, are doing us a great service; that we need the ability to interrogate in an effective manner people like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. And they ought to be in a military prison, not a civilian prison. KENDALL: Right. And on that score -- I mean, obviously, these admissions were made in the context of him defending his label of being an enemy combatant, and now the next step is a trial. What now for him? What do you expect is going to happen to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed now? GRAHAM: I think that based on the record that there will be a solid case that he is an enemy combatant, not a common criminal, but somebody who's at war with the United States, who has planed attacks against the United States in a military fashion with a military objective, who operates out of uniform; that the definition of enemy combatant used at Guantanamo Bay fits him to a tee. And the next thing awaiting him would be a war crimes trial, because the activity that he has confessed to is illegal activity under the law of armed conflict. I've been a military lawyer for 20-something years. We're at war, and the body of law we should apply to these people is the law of armed conflict, not domestic criminal law. So I expect him to be tried. KENDALL: It's pretty amazing that somebody like that in the United States of America gets even those rights, right, Senator? Thanks so much for being with us this morning. GRAHAM: Thank you.

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

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint today announced more than $450,000 in grants to fire departments in South Carolina. "Firefighters and emergency service personnel dedicate themselves to protecting the health and safety of South Carolinians," said Graham. "These grants will help our local fire departments by providing them the means to obtain the best equipment and training available." "South Carolina's firefighters risk their lives to protect our families each day and I'm proud they have been awarded these competitive grants," said Senator DeMint. The grants were awarded for Operations and Firefighter Safety Programs. Fire departments may use these funds for training, wellness, and fitness programs; the purchase of firefighting and personal protective equipment; and modifications to fire stations and facilities. The grants awarded include: Denmark Denmark Volunteer Fire Department will receive $37,354. Dillon Dillon County Fire Department will receive $74,590. Great Falls Great Falls Fire Department will receive $58,164. Greenville Duncan Chapel Fire District will receive $155,330. North Charleston City of North Charleston Fire Department will receive $72,696. Salem Keowee Fire Department will receive $20,235. Saluda Old Town Fire and Rescue will receive $36,813. The Assistance to Firefighters grant program awards one-year grants directly to local fire departments, enhancing their ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards in the community. The program supports departments by providing them the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and their firefighting personnel. Grantees share in the cost of the funded project at a percentage based on the population of their respective jurisdiction. Grantees that serve jurisdictions of 50,000 or fewer residents are required to provide a non-Federal cost-share of 10 percent while grantees that serve jurisdictions of over 50,000 provide a 30 percent cost-share. The match must be in cash without the use of in-kind contributions. In addition, the maximum amount of federal funds that an applicant can be awarded is $750,000 during any fiscal year. The grants are made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ####