Blog
Aug 12 2024
WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) issued this statement following their visit to Ukraine. The senators met with United States and Ukraine government officials today, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“After our sixth visit to Kyiv, we are more hopeful than ever that the tide of war has turned against Putin and his cronies. Ukraine’s decision to go on the offensive in the Kursk region of Russia was bold and brilliant.
“Bipartisan support for Ukraine is critical to American interests, and we will do whatever we can in 2024 to build on these successes and secure additional future military aid necessary to maintain the momentum.
“We urge NATO to issue an invitation this year to Ukraine for membership, making real what has been described as inevitable.
“President Zelensky was excited about and was committed to obtaining a strategic agreement with the U.S. regarding the more than a trillion dollars-worth of rare earth minerals owned by Ukraine and expressed a commitment to create a working group with the U.S. to make this happen.
“Expanding economic cooperation with Ukraine makes America stronger and accelerates Ukraine’s economic recovery. Ukraine is blessed with significant lithium, titanium, and other rare earth minerals that are needed by the American economy. An agreement with Ukraine in this area would make the U.S. less dependent on foreign adversaries for rare earth minerals.
“In addition, we will introduce the Stand With Ukraine Act, led by Senator Blumenthal, when the Senate reconvenes in September. This bipartisan piece of legislation will codify the bilateral security agreement reached by the Biden Administration and Zelensky’s government this past July. We believe this will send an important signal to the world and show that the United States continues to stand with Ukraine.
“After listening to President Zelensky, we urge the Biden Administration to lift restrictions on weapons provided by the United States so they can strike the Russian invaders more effectively.
“Additionally, President Zelensky told us both that he would be looking to supplement his Air Force by establishing a program to enlist retired NATO F-16 fighter pilots. We support this effort. Ukraine is already fielding units of freedom fighters on the ground, and this volunteer force should be replicated in the air.
“Now is the time to form a strategic partnership with Ukraine that can have tremendous economic benefits to the United States and lead to stability in Europe. Ukraine has demonstrated it has a genuine desire to join the democratic family of nations. We must not abandon them in their hour of need. We should accelerate the gains that have been achieved through dogged determination and courage.”
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Aug 06 2024
Three Ways to Confront Iran
By Senator Lindsey Graham
The Wall Street Journal
August 5, 2024
Iran and its proxies have intensified their attacks on Israel and on U.S. interests in the Middle East, beginning with Hamas’s barbaric incursion of Oct. 7. Much of the blame belongs to the Biden-Harris administration for deciding not to enforce sanctions against Tehran. When President Trump left office, Iran was exporting 300,000 barrels of oil a day. By October 2023, that figure was up to 1.4 million barrels a day. That generates money to fund Iran’s top export: terrorism.
For too long, the U.S. has at best played defense when it comes to Iran. It’s time to go on offense. To that end, I have introduced a series of bills:
I call my first proposal the terrorism tariff. If a nation buys oil or gas from Iran, the U.S. would levy a tariff on all imports from that country. By buying cheap Iranian oil, China, India and others are enriching the ayatollahs, cheating the market, and blatantly violating sanctions. My proposal would make these countries choose between cheap Iranian oil and normal business with the U.S. This idea originated after many discussions with Mr. Trump, who has used tariffs with great effect to change bad behavior.
The second proposal is a resolution declaring that any Hezbollah attack on Israel is an Iranian attack on Israel. This was the position President John F. Kennedy took in the Cuban Missile Crisis—any attack emanating from Cuba would be considered an attack by the Soviet Union on the U.S.
Hezbollah is getting more provocative, and the U.S. and Israel need to recognize that the problem doesn’t begin in Lebanon. Iranian oil refineries should be on the target list if Hezbollah or other Iranian proxies continue to attack Israel. If Iran’s rulers believe we are serious about destroying or diminishing their capability to refine oil, their behavior will change.
My third proposal lays out definitive red lines for Iran’s nuclear program. If Iran crosses these lines, the U.S. would be authorized to use military force against Iran. Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is its most potent threat. The ayatollahs continue to deny it, but when they chant “death to Israel” and “death to America,” they mean it—and we should take them seriously.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said recently that Iran has narrowed its nuclear breakout time—how long it would take to produce enough weapons-grade uranium to make a bomb—to a week or two. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence published an assessment that found “Iran continues to increase the size of its uranium stockpile, increase its enrichment capacity, and develop, manufacture, and operate advanced centrifuges. Tehran has the infrastructure and experience to quickly produce weapons-grade uranium at multiple facilities, if it chooses to do so.” I encourage every American to read that report, and I urge my congressional colleagues to read the classified version. It will put this threat into chilling perspective.
Under my proposal, if it is determined that Iran holds uranium enriched to weapons-grade level, possesses a nuclear warhead, or has obtained a delivery vehicle capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that threatens the national security interests of the U.S., then the president would be authorized to take military action.
It is hard to imagine a worse disaster for the world than if the ayatollahs acquire nuclear capability. It would throw the Middle East into a nuclear arms race and put us all on the road to Armageddon.
Until the Iranians understand what they can’t do, they will continue to sow chaos. We must define red lines for Iran and enforce them.
The only thing the Iranian regime will respect is strength. The Biden-Harris administration has been profoundly weak, and its posture toward Iran has been a catastrophic failure. Israel isn’t alone in paying the price.
We live in dangerous times. The best way to prevent further bloodshed and upheaval in the Middle East and protect America is to stand up to the Iranian regime. Together, these three legislative proposals will send an unambiguous message to Iran that the old way of doing business is over.
Mr. Graham, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from South Carolina.
Appeared in the August 6, 2024, print edition as 'Three Ways to Confront Iran'.
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Aug 02 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today attended the award ceremony in Summerton, South Carolina celebrating the $175 million federal grant to replace four bridges on I-95 over Lake Marion. This award is one of the largest federal discretionary grant awards ever received by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT).
Senator Graham and Congressman James Clyburn (D-South Carolina-06) led the South Carolina Congressional Delegation in securing funding for the project. In November, Governor Henry McMaster sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation supporting the delegation’s efforts.
“I am very pleased and grateful that after working with Congressman Clyburn, Governor McMaster and other state and local officials, we were able to secure a $175 million federal grant to build new bridges on I-95 over Lake Marion. The current bridge infrastructure needs to be replaced. The surrounding community is growing as one of the premier destinations for sportfishing, and the bridges will enhance economic opportunity across South Carolina.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation made this award based on merit, and it shows what can happen when officials from South Carolina at the state, federal and local level work together to tell our story. This will be transformative and create new opportunities for Santee, Summerton, and the entire state.”
Aug 01 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) today introduced a bill to strengthen the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ability to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes.
Chinese companies frequently violate U.S. trade laws by committing crimes including fraud, duty evasion, and avoiding customs checks at ports. These actions benefit the Chinese Communist Party’s monopolistic economy and have a detrimental effect on U.S. companies and workers. The Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act combats these crimes by directing DOJ to establish a new structure for prosecuting international trade crimes.
“The Chinese Communist Party and other bad actors exploit U.S. trade laws at the expense of American companies and workers,” said Senator Graham. “I’m glad to work with my colleagues on legislation to increase DOJ’s ability to investigate and prosecute these crimes.”
“International kleptocrats, smugglers, and shady front companies exploit American trade laws designed to protect workers, companies, and consumers,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Our bipartisan legislation will bolster the Department of Justice’s capacity to pursue criminal cases and hold violators accountable for their efforts to undermine American businesses.”
“We applaud Senator Graham and Senator Whitehouse for their leadership on introducing the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act, companion legislation that would create a formal structure within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division to aggressively combat widespread trade fraud that is adversely impacting American manufacturers. It is imperative that our government have the necessary tools to prosecute a range of trade crimes, including products made with forced labor that are evading the U.S. ban on such imports, fraudulent rules of origin claims under our free trade agreements, evasion of duties through abuse of the de minimis loophole, and myriad other predatory practices. This legislation is designed to do just that, by creating new federal tools and resources for DOJ to urgently address the pervasive trade crimes impacting our industry and ensuring those facilitating these crimes will be held accountable,” said National Council of Textile Organizations President and CEO Kim Glas.
Specifically, this bill:
- Establishes a new task force or similar structure within the DOJ’s Criminal Division to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes.
- Enhances nationwide responses to trade-related offenses by providing training and technical assistance to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, expanding investigations and prosecutions, and allowing for parallel criminal and civil enforcement actions.
- Requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress assessing the DOJ’s efforts, statistics on trade-related crimes, and fund utilization.
- Authorizes $20,000,000 for FY 2025 to support these efforts with appropriate guardrails.
The bill has been cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). A companion bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa-02) and Select Committee on the Chinese Community Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).
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Jul 30 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on the recent elections in Venezuela and Nicolas Maduro’s illegitimate regime.
“I stand with the people of Venezuela who believe Maduro and his thugs crushed democracy yet again. The Biden-Harris approach to Maduro has failed. It is now time to let the world know that Maduro is a bad actor at home and abroad.
“Sanctions should be reimposed at the highest level possible.
“The Venezuelan people deserve a fresh start and a brighter future. That will never occur as long as Maduro has a stranglehold on the country.”
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Jul 26 2024
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) at the Senate Appropriations Committee markup today criticized the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for their ties to Hamas and other terrorist organizations that operate in Gaza. Intelligence reports and media reports have found that UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 attack on Israel. Additionally, Hamas and other terrorist groups use UNRWA offices and schools to store weapons and act as command centers.
- GRAHAM: “UNRWA has blood on its hands. They’re part of the problem, not the solution. I have no desire, zero desire, to help UNRWA. You can’t convince me they’ve changed. Nothing’s changed that I know of… So, I want to make sure we don’t give a dime to this organization anytime soon.” https://youtu.be/eb6wgbgZOwA?si=vgsvV2atY0TNSmRx&t=551
- GRAHAM: “…How much more evidence do we need to have before we say UNRWA is not a good deal for the American taxpayer? It’s not a good deal for stability in the region.” https://youtu.be/eb6wgbgZOwA?si=LzztIJQ78DCffZgj&t=269
- GRAHAM: “I have no apologies to anybody for saying UNRWA should be defunded until it is fundamentally changed.” https://youtu.be/eb6wgbgZOwA?si=v8R7uD9c4iPTTd_N&t=312
Click here to watch Graham’s full remarks
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Jul 24 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today introduced legislation to hold countries accountable for financially supporting Iran. During the Trump Administration, Iranian crude exports dropped as low as 300,000 barrels per day. Yet according to United Against Nuclear Iran, under the Biden Administration, Iran exported nearly 1.4 million barrels of oil a day in October 2023 alone.
The Tariffs For Terrorism Act of 2024 would require the President to identify countries that purchase, trade, consume or import crude oil or petroleum products from Iran and subsequently impose tariffs on products imported into the U.S. from those countries.
“After many discussions with President Trump, I’m introducing legislation to impose tariffs on countries that purchase petroleum products from Iran,” said Senator Graham. “It is long past time to make those that enrich this terrorist regime pay a price, and there’s no better price than tariffs on products coming into the United States. On day one, President Trump will re-impose maximum pressure on Iran. Tariffs on countries that empower terrorism and the Ayatollah is a good place to start.”
Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in acts of international terrorism and continuously threatened the U.S., Israel and other allies and partners of the United States. Iran has been a designated state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law since January 19, 1984. To date, oil sanctions have been ineffective in deterring the Ayatollah’s malign activity. The Iranian Regime uses billions of dollars of oil profits to finance proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The Ayatollah is also sprinting toward a nuclear bomb. Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Iran has narrowed their nuclear breakout time – the time it takes to produce enough weapons grade uranium to make a nuclear bomb – to approximately one to two weeks.
Full text of the legislation is HERE.
Jul 22 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made the following statement.
“I understand and respect President Biden’s decision not to seek reelection. While we have political differences, I appreciate his lifelong service to our nation, which he dearly loves.
“I have known President Biden for over 25 years, traveling the world together pursuing America’s interests as we saw it.
“He has devoted his entire life to public service for the people of Delaware and the United States, and I wish him and his family well as this chapter in his life comes to an end.”
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Jul 17 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), and John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) today applauded the passage of their Senate Resolution designating July 17, 2024 as Glioblastoma Awareness Day.
“Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer, and I have seen three members of the Senate family, Ted Kennedy, Senator Barasso’s wife, Bobbi, and my dearest friend John McCain, lose their battle to it,” said Senator Graham. “This resolution honors my dear friends, all of those we have lost to glioblastoma and the strong individuals battling glioblastoma every day. It will create national awareness of this horrible disease and encourage medical professionals to work together to find a cure.”
“Glioblastoma Awareness Day honors Senator John McCain – my personal hero – and the thousands of Americans who have battled or continue to battle brain cancers, and their caregivers. We’ll continue strengthening efforts to find a cure and develop new treatments for this disease and other brain cancers,” said Senator Sinema.
“Glioblastoma remains a devastating disease that has taken the lives of far too many Arizonans, including Senator John McCain," said Senator Kelly. "In honor of those we have lost and in support of the many families affected by this aggressive disease, I remain committed to advancing research and treatment options. With continued dedication and support, we can make significant steps in the fight against glioblastoma and bring renewed hope to patients and their loved ones."
“After losing my wife to this deadly disease, I know firsthand how this tragic diagnosis affects patients and their families. Raising awareness and supporting efforts to find a cure is a personal priority for me,” said Senator Barrasso. “Our bipartisan resolution honors our Congressional commitment to supporting research that will find a cure for this deadly disease. I am proud to join this resolution to honor Bobbi Barrasso, our colleague John McCain, and all those who have lost their battles in the fight against glioblastoma.”
“I am happy to be working alongside Senators Sinema, T. Scott, Kelly, Van Hollen, Warnock, Rubio, Markey, Warren, Coons, and Barrasso. Together, we are working to prevent those from suffering from this disease in the future and honoring those who have lost their battle to Glioblastoma,” concluded Graham.
In addition to Graham, Sinema, Kelly and Barrasso, the resolution is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Christopher Coons (D-Delaware).
The resolution:
- Designates July 17, 2024, as “Glioblastoma Awareness Day.”
- Encourages increased public awareness of glioblastoma.
- Honors the individuals who have died from the devastating disease of glioblastoma or are currently living with the disease.
- Supports efforts to develop better treatments for glioblastoma that will improve the long-term prognosis for, and the quality of life of, individuals diagnosed with the disease.
- Recognizes the importance of molecular biomarker testing to the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma.
- Expresses support for the individuals who are battling brain tumors, as well as the families, friends, and caregivers of those individuals.
- Urges a collaborative approach to brain tumor research among governmental, private, and nonprofit organizations, which is a promising means of advancing the understanding and treatment of glioblastoma.
- Encourages continued investments in glioblastoma research and treatments, including through the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network and other existing brain tumor research resources.
To read the resolution, click HERE.
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Jul 11 2024
In Case You Missed It
Editorial: Where’s the Report to Congress on Iran’s Nuclear Program?
The White House has missed legal deadlines for more than a year.
Editorial: Where’s the Report to Congress on Iran’s Nuclear Program?
By The Editorial Board
The Wall Street Journal
July 11, 2024
President Biden says Donald Trump is a lawbreaker, but his Administration is hardly any better. A case in point is its failure to file a report to Congress required by law on the status of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Sen. Lindsey Graham helped to write Public Law 117-263, Section 5593 of the Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022. It requires the Administration to send Congress an assessment every six months about Iran’s progress on uranium enrichment and other nuclear weapons development.
Mr. Graham has been asking the White House for weeks about the report, and he’s finally lost patience. In a letter Wednesday to Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, the Senator said the Administration is “in violation of the law” for “missing two Section 5593 assessment deadlines over the past year and failing to submit Section 7413 assessments” when Iran reaches a major enrichment threshold.
He said he’ll put a hold on DNI nominations, and he’ll work with colleagues to condition funding for DNI headquarters, until the reports are sent to Capitol Hill.
There’s good reason to be worried. The board of the International Atomic Energy Agency recently censured Iran for failing to cooperate with the United Nations nuclear watchdog and escalating its uranium enrichment. Mr. Graham’s letter cites the agency as saying Iran has increased its stockpile of enriched fuel up to 60% purity to 313.3 pounds as of May this year.
As Mr. Graham’s letter points out, this is only “a small technical step away from weapons grade 90% purity” and that much closer to being able to stage a bomb breakout. Israeli officials are expressing their growing alarm in private conversations with U.S. officials. They’re concerned enough that talk of some military operation, long dormant, is back on the table.
Iran’s progress may be a reason for the failure of Ms. Haines’s office to provide the information to Congress. If it tells the truth about the program, members of both parties would increase the political pressure to do something. Yet the White House has been striving mightily not to say or do anything regarding Iran that could lead to more tension before the November election.
News reports have said the U.S. opposed the IAEA’s censure before finally going along with the Europeans. The White House has also failed to help the public understand Iran’s role as the head of the terrorist hydra of proxy militias behind the war in Gaza, Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, and attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria and Jordan.
An Iranian government with a nuclear weapon would make all of these threats exponentially more dangerous. It is therefore “unacceptable,” as Mr. Graham puts it, that the Administration isn’t providing “an updated assessment that outlines the exact status” of Iran’s nuclear program.
Anonymous intelligence sources somehow found it important to leak to the press this week that Russia wants Donald Trump to win the presidential election. After the fiascoes of 2016 and 2020, there’s no reason to believe anything the intelligence services say about the presidential race. But the least the Biden spooks can do is follow the law and be honest with Congress about Iran’s nuclear threat.
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