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. ####

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

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Marlboro County will receive a $149,998 grant to improve the ability of the criminal justice system to deal with individuals suffering from mental disabilities or illnesses. The funds will be used to support a collaborative effort between the Marlboro County Probate Court and the South Carolina Department of Mental Health to identify, assess, and offer psychiatric treatment and follow-up to mentally ill individuals who find themselves in the criminal justice system as a result of their illness. “This is an important issue for South Carolina,” said Graham, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Corrections, and Victims’ Rights. “We must make every effort to provide the necessary treatment for these individuals in order to prevent them from becoming repeat offenders.” The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice. ####

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

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) were joined in Washington, DC today by a delegation of lawmakers from both states to meet with Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. The delegation demonstrated the support of both states for constructing a Modern Pit Facility at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC. In addition to Graham and Chambliss, the group consisted of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-South Carolina), U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Georgia), South Carolina Speaker of the House David Wilkins, S.C. State Senator Hugh Leatherman, S.C. State Senator Tommy Moore and S.C. State Senator Greg Ryberg. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has also been a strong advocate on behalf of the project. “This is one of the most productive meetings I have attended since I have been in Congress,” said Graham. “South Carolina and Georgia presented a united front to secure the modern pit facility, stressing the ability of SRS to go to work immediately on the project if necessary. Governor Sanford’s presence, along with Governor Perdue’s (GA) support sends a clear message that the leadership in both states is behind the MPF. Senator Chambliss and I will do everything possible to push the selection of Savannah River Site, and there is bipartisan support coming from Senators Fritz Hollings and Zell Miller. Our message was simple and clear, the Savannah River Site is the most secure, competent, and cost effective location for building a Modern Pit Facility in support of our future defense needs.” “Senator Chambliss has been great to work with,” said Graham. “He has been an able teammate in establishing a bright future for the Savannah River Site and its employees.” “We impressed on Secretary Abraham that no other site under consideration has any experience with raw plutonium,” said Chambliss. “The Savannah River Site has a well trained work force, infrastructure, and the space to do the job and provide proper security. SRS has processed this type of material in a safe and secure manner for decades. Placing this facility at the Savannah River Site is good for national security, as well as for Georgia and South Carolina. I am pleased to work as team with my colleagues from Georgia and South Carolina to make this happen for the Augusta community. ” "Our meeting this afternoon with Secretary Abraham was extremely positive. Our message was crystal clear - MPF belongs at the Savannah River Site," said Barrett. "It just makes sense to have the Modern Pitt Facility at SRS; we have full community support, the best safety record around and on-site expertise that is unmatched anywhere else in the nation. I look forward to working with the other members of the South Carolina and Georgia delegations in the coming weeks and months to ensure our message continues to be heard loud and clear." “In the interest of national security and saving our hard-working taxpayers money, the Savannah River Site is the absolute best location for a Modern Pit Facility," said Norwood. “It was clear from today's meeting with Secretary Abraham - having a unified and strong voice from Georgia and South Carolina to carry that message only helps our effort to make that a reality.” Georgia Gov. Perdue has conveyed his strong support for the project to Secretary Abraham with a follow-up call slated in the coming days. “The Savannah River Site is a great location for the MPF. It has a full array of supporting infrastructure and systems already in place as well as an unparalleled safety record," Perdue said. "SRS has a keen interest in protecting the public and the environment. That is why the surrounding communities including Georgia's second largest metropolitan area are excited about the possibility of gaining this facility.” If a facility is constructed and SRS is selected, the Site would manufacture PITs, the hollow spheres of metallic plutonium that trigger hydrogen fusion in atomic bombs. The United States has lacked a PIT production facility since 1989, when it shut down the Rocky Flats plant in Colorado. SRS is one of five candidates for the facility, an estimated $4 billion economic development project that would employ roughly 800 workers during construction and roughly 1,500 workers once the facility becomes operational. ####