Blog
Dec 21 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after the Senate passed legislation to fund the government, which included $110 billion in disaster relief for communities affected by droughts and Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
On Thursday, Graham joined U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) to urge Congress to pass disaster relief before the end of the year.
“I am extremely pleased that the Senate overwhelmingly supported disaster relief for hard-hit South Carolinians and many others. My top priority was to ensure the much-needed disaster relief package was not delayed any further.
“While this package ultimately did not include a debt limit deal, I was supportive of the effort and would have voted for it.
“This bill funds the government, provides urgently needed disaster aid, helps our farmers, and will give some hope and relief to those who have lost so much.”
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Dec 20 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after he was elected Senate Budget Committee Chairman by the Republican conference for the 119th Congress.
“I am honored to have been elected Senate Budget Committee Chairman by the Republican conference. The Senate Budget Committee – through the reconciliation process – will aggressively push the most transformational border security bill in American history and revitalize our military.
“We’re going to give President Trump and his team the resources they need to finish the wall, put technology on the border to obtain operational control, hire more ICE agents to deport gang members and criminals, and create more detention space so we don’t have to release illegal immigrants into the country.
“We will make the Navy bigger and more lethal.
“We are going to do all of this in weeks, not months.”
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Dec 20 2024
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) introduced bipartisan sanctions legislation following concerns about military action by Turkey or Turkish-backed groups in northern Syria. The Senators released the following statement upon introduction:
“Today, we introduced the Countering Turkish Aggression Act of 2024 while stressing that the United States should work with Turkey – through diplomatic means – to facilitate a sustained ceasefire and demilitarized zone along the border between Turkey and Syria, particularly the city of Kobani. These sanctions seek to prevent further Turkish or Turkish-backed attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which risk the reemergence of ISIS, threatening the national security of the U.S. and the rest of the globe.
“We remain hopeful that there will be a peaceful resolution to the problems that plague Syria.”
Earlier this week, Graham and Van Hollen spoke to SDF General Mazloum Abdi and reiterated their intention to introduce bipartisan sanctions if Turkey refused to extend the ceasefire.
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Dec 18 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation passed the House of Representatives earlier this week. It is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“I am very pleased that the Senate has passed the NDAA for the 64th year in a row,” said Senator Graham. “This bill is a win for our men and women in uniform, giving them pay raises and better equipment. It also eliminates many of the woke programs that have been plaguing the military. From a South Carolina perspective, this bill has millions for military construction and is a big win for the Savannah River Site to sustain our nation’s nuclear arsenal.”
Highlights of Provisions Included in the Final FY25 NDAA:
Advocates for South Carolina.
- Authorizes billions for the Savannah River Site to sustain our nation’s nuclear arsenal as well as to treat and remove radioactive liquid waste.
- Authorizes millions for military construction projects in South Carolina for both the active and reserve components.
Gives troops a much-deserved pay raise.
- Authorizes a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers as well as a 4.5 percent pay raise for other servicemembers.
Advances “warfighting, not wokeness” agenda.
- Prevents the Department of Defense (DOD) from paying for puberty blockers and other drugs for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization of minor dependents of servicemembers.
- Places a one-year hiring freeze on all individuals working on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the DOD.
- Prohibits personnel from promoting divisive critical race theory (CRT) concepts within the DOD.
- Requires all newly commissioned military officers to receive comprehensive training on the U.S. Constitution.
- Shifts over $50 million for DOD programming that promotes DEI concepts and directs it towards support for countering the flow of narcotics.
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Dec 13 2024
We are playing Russian roulette with national security if our broken border isn’t job one
By Senator Lindsey Graham
Fox News
December 13, 2024
There are old threats, new threats and growing threats to America that need to be addressed as soon as possible. We are playing Russian roulette with our national security if we delay securing our broken border.
More than 200 Americans die every day due to fentanyl overdoses. That is the equivalent of another September 11 attack nearly every two weeks because of the illicit drugs that are coming across our border. Every week we delay is a death sentence for thousands of Americans.
The shameful withdrawal from Afghanistan energized terrorist organizations around the globe. Now with the turmoil in Syria, the jihadist groups threatening America are growing in capability and numbers. While the recent collapse of the Assad regime in Syria was a big loss for Russia and Iran, the chaos it brings to the region can present a direct threat to the United States.
First, the radical group that toppled the Assad regime has been associated with Al Qaeda in the past and its leader is a former detainee who was captured on the battlefield in Iraq and was also associated with Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the founder of ISIS.
Second, Turkey views the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a primarily Kurdish force that is guarding more than 50,000 ISIS prisoners, as a terrorist entity. These Kurdish forces helped the United States destroy the ISIS Caliphate and if they are compromised, there could be an ISIS prisoner jailbreak.
That would be a nightmare for America and the rest of the world.
In case anyone forgot, ISIS is responsible for and inspired some of the worst terrorist attacks the world has ever seen. On November 13, 2015, Paris, France was attacked in multiple locations, including the Bataclan Theater, resulting in the death of 130 people. In 2016, 49 Americans were killed at a nightclub in Florida in an ISIS-inspired shooting. The next year, 22 people were killed in Manchester, UK, at a concert arena.
Now imagine a perfect storm.
The cartels are in the business of bringing people to America, and they will take anyone’s money – including terrorists. The terrorist groups that are taking over Syria – most of whom wish to eliminate the United States – are now in a new position of power. If any one of these terrorists, ISIS or otherwise, want to infiltrate our country, it would simply require paying a money-hungry cartel.
Over the past four years, there have been 1.7 million encounters on the southern border with illegal immigrants from "special interest countries" – countries that DHS has determined pose the greatest national security and counterintelligence threats to the U.S. – and 687 encounters with immigrants on the terror watch list. If our border crisis is allowed to remain, any number of terrorists could make their way into America and we would be none the wiser.
It is imperative that we ratchet up our national security. The way to do this is by securing our broken border, increasing the number of ICE agents to deport criminals and gang members, increasing the number of bed spaces in detention centers so we don’t have to release illegal immigrants into the United States, finish building the wall, and employing technology that will give us 24/7 situational awareness at the border.
President-elect Donald Trump ran on securing the border and making America safer and more prosperous. The centerpiece of his campaign was repairing the damage done by the Biden administration and doing it quickly.
I will be the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in the new Congress. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune and I have been working closely with Trump’s team to hit the ground running to make sure we have a transformational border security bill passed through the budget reconciliation process and on Trump’s desk as soon as possible in the new year.
I strongly believe that we should not let the Trump tax cuts expire. We should also find ways to accomplish regulatory reform and spending cuts to address the deficit. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and other stakeholders will be valuable resources for the committee when it comes time to reduce spending and lock in the tax cuts.
But the top priority for the Senate Budget Committee – and the Trump administration – is to secure our southern border and help the Department of Defense combat growing threats before it’s too late. I urge every member of the House and the Senate to receive an intelligence briefing about the threats coming our way.
We are living on borrowed time given the threats that are growing throughout the world. If we fail to secure our broken borders at this time of great peril, the United States will likely be victim to a national security catastrophe.
Republican Lindsey Graham represents South Carolina in the United States Senate.
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Dec 10 2024
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) met with Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“I had an outstanding meeting with Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to be the new FBI Director. We discussed how the FBI can deal with the national security threats that America faces at home and abroad. He indicated that one of his top priorities is to go after those groups on the internet who are grooming America’s children for sexual exploitation.
“Kash promised to get the FBI back to its original mission of protecting America, and that the days of the FBI leadership having their thumb on the scale politically will be over.
“I look forward to his confirmation hearing. President Trump did a great job in nominating Kash Patel.”
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Dec 10 2024
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WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) met with former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next Director of National Intelligence.
“I very much enjoyed my meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, who I have known for years. We served together briefly in a Capitol Hill reserve unit, and I believe she is a very bright person.
“We talked about the threats America faces and I look forward to continuing to engage with her on how to best defend our country.
“As I have said previously, I have a lot of deference for presidential cabinet nominations because I believe every president deserves their team.
“I look forward to hearing in more detail about Tulsi’s views on the threats America faces through the confirmation process.”
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Dec 09 2024
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after meeting with President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.
“I had a very positive, thorough and candid meeting with Pete Hegseth about his nomination to be the next Secretary of Defense. I appreciated how forthright and forthcoming he was.
“I have known Pete for many years, and I am familiar with his service in Afghanistan, as I was doing my reserve duty at the same time. Everyone in his unit in Afghanistan – including our Afghan partners – had nothing but great things to say about Pete. He is smart, passionate, and loves our men and women in uniform and our country.
“The accusations being made regarding financial management of veterans service organizations and personal misconduct should only be considered by the committee if they are supported by testimony before Congress – not anonymous sources.
“When it comes to supporting presidential cabinet nominees, I have a record of being supportive regardless of party because I think every president deserves the right to pick their team.
“The confirmation process for all nominees does and should allow for challenging questions, and I expect that to be the case here. However, I told Pete that he will be given the opportunity to defend himself and that his confirmation hearing should not be allowed to become a three-ring circus.”
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Dec 04 2024
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement after his meeting yesterday with President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next Secretary of State of the United States, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida).
Graham is currently the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs which has jurisdiction over the budget for the U.S. Department of State.
“I had a great meeting with Senator Marco Rubio, President Trump’s nominee to be our next Secretary of State. Marco is the best man for the job, and he will work with President Trump to restore order and balance to the world.”
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Dec 04 2024
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today released the following statement after meeting with President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-New York-21).
Graham is currently the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs which has jurisdiction over funding for the UN.
“I had a very good meeting with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik regarding her nomination to be the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. She is well qualified and shares my view that American taxpayer dollars going to the UN cannot be used to undermine our country and our allies.
“As to the anti-Israel bias at the UN, that practice in the future will not be rewarded.
“It is long past time to take an in-depth look at U.S. support of the UN from top to bottom.
“Elise Stefanik will be a great partner and advocate in that endeavor. Business as usual regarding the U.S. and UN is about to change. Elise will be a strong supporter of President Trump’s agenda to bring about change.”
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