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

WASHINGTON – Home owners along South Carolina’s coast are closely watching the path of Hurricane Isabel to see where she will make landfall. Hurricanes of this magnitude usually do terrible damage costing millions of dollars and countless hours of cleanup and repairs. The effects of a powerful hurricane such as Isabel will probably be felt years after the storm has passed. One lasting effect felt by homeowners long after the cleanup is over, is the lack of affordable insurance. Often times after a natural disaster, insurance companies will pay homeowner claims and then make a business decision to not renew or issue new policies in an area fearing another catastrophic event. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today sought to alleviate this problem by introducing legislation to create a federal backstop for catastrophic risk insurance coverage. The legislation would ensure the availability of affordable homeowners insurance in areas like the South Carolina coast that are at risk from major natural disasters. “Natural disasters have the potential to create significant insolvency in the insurance industry and keep affordable property and casualty coverage out of reach for many American homeowners,” said Graham. “Homeowners along South Carolina’s coast and elsewhere should not be punished. We need to help insurance rates stay low enough to ensure all Americans can purchase the insurance they need to protect their families.” The bill divides the country into six regions. When an earthquake, hurricane or typhoon occurs in one of these areas, the U.S. Treasury Department would auction off reinsurance coverage to private and state insurance carriers in the region. This federally backed coverage would be cheaper than reinsurance coverage offered by private providers. Graham noted the bill allows private insurers, reinsurers, and capital market companies to participate in these auctions. “This bill will create competition in the reinsurance market,” said Graham. “Competition is good for consumers because it lowers prices and improves the product.” The program will require a one-time government outlay of $2 million. Afterward, it will be self-sustaining, operating on the proceeds from the auctions and investments. ####

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

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Bamberg School District 2 will receive a $171,838 grant to improve school library collections. Graham is a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee in the U.S. Senate. The funds will be used to implement the Lifelong Learning through Libraries Project at elementary, middle and high schools throughout the district. The first priority of this project is to improve the book collection in each school to meet state and local reading standards. New material will be selected based on standards-based curriculum maps developed by teachers and curriculum specialists. The district will also develop school schedules to accommodate extended school media hours for students, teachers, and the community. “Reading is a vital part in the development of South Carolina’s youth,” said Graham. “This grant will help Bamberg County schools educate tomorrow’s leaders.” The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. ####

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

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced he will redouble his efforts on a plan to improve the healthcare benefits of National Guard and Reserve personnel by allowing them to enroll in TRICARE, the military health program. Under current law, members of the Guard and Reserve and their families can only enroll in TRICARE when called to active duty. The Graham provision would allow Guardsmen and Reservist to enroll themselves and their family in TRICARE at any time, assuring continuity of health coverage and access to the family’s doctors when the service member is activated. The premium would be low, would reduce out of pocket expenses for the reservist, and would be an incentive for employers to hire Guardsmen and Reservists. “The country is demanding more from these brave men and women, so we should do more for them,” said Graham, a member of the Armed Services Committee in the Senate. “On my recent trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, I saw first hand the significant presence of the Guard and Reserves and the impact they have on operations in the War on Terror. All of our air crews in the theater were National Guard and 90 percent of the civil affairs staff are Reservists. The same holds true for the military police, whose role is not only to protect our troops, but also train Iraqi police forces.” “This provision allows every Guard and Reserve family to have continuous access to high-quality, affordable health care, a large step in improving recruiting and retention,” said Graham. A similar provision passed the Senate earlier this year as an amendment to the 2004 Defense Authorization by an overwhelming vote of 85-10. “Since 9-11 there has been a seven hundred percent increase in the use of Guard and Reserve personnel,” said Graham. “We have not changed the benefits for these essential military personnel. It’s time we reward them for their service and patriotism, and make service to their country more attractive and fair. “I appreciate the strong support of my Republican and Democratic colleagues in pushing this provision through,” said Graham. “I will continue to work with Senators from both sides of the aisle in what is truly a bipartisan effort.” Graham noted there is also a need to modernize the retirement system in the Guard and Reserves. He recommends reducing the eligible retirement age by one year for every two years a member serves after twenty years of honorable service. Under the Graham plan, if an individual serves for 22 years, they are eligible for retirement at 59. An individual entering military service at 18 and serving for 36 years could retire at 52. “Providing these two benefits together would show our appreciation and responsiveness to the changing needs of our Guardsmen and Reservists.” ####

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

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) will receive a $350,000 grant to support programs that assist victims of domestic violence. South Carolina DSS will implement the following activities under this grant:

• Enhance the safety of women and children in the child welfare system by increasing protection through an interagency protocol and a county coordinating council;
• Enhance access to services and resources for women and children in the child welfare system who have been exposed to domestic violence;
• Provide cross-training on domestic violence and its effects, agency roles, use of the interagency protocol and creative solutions;
• Provide direct services to children who witness domestic violence including support groups, education, counseling, and transition support services;
• Contract with the 4-H Program to provide weekend camping retreats for child witnesses, and;
• Develop response teams to identify and assess cases involving domestic violence and child maltreatment. “Domestic violence is a devastating crime that not only brings physical harm, but also destroys families,” said Graham, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Corrections and Victims’ Rights. “We must punish domestic violence offenders, and offer support to the victims.” DSS will be the lead agency for this project and will partner with The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Clemson University’s 4-H Program, Family Court, and the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. The grant was awarded by U.S. Department of Justice. ####