SCHotline Press Releases

In a year when the Governor and the House had many victories together – we passed record $221 million tax cuts ($21 million above the Governor’s request), we exceeded the Governor’s requests to deal with our state’s unfunded liabilities by $50 million, we passed Workers’ Comp reform and DOT reform, and many others – and we tried to work closely with the Governor’s office to put together a list of targeted vetoes. 

Time and time again we have tried to work with Governor Sanford on improving our state.  That included trying to work with him on a targeted veto list of government waste that could be sustained by this conservative body.  When he sends a list that is too big, the ability to sustain them gets lost.  A huge list creates alliances all around the House chamber from members who want to protect items in their area.  Then, the real pork spending items get overridden and our state suffers.

The House ended up sustaining 15 vetoes, cutting $1.8 million of spending from this year’s budget.  Personally, I voted to sustain vetoes 66 times.  We could have sustained many millions of dollars of vetoes and saved the taxpayers a lot of money, but when unfortunate vetoes like these following are done, it makes it almost impossible to do that. 

I personally spent many hours and worked hard to reach an accord with the Governor’s office, but, Governor Sanford decided to take a stance that weakens our chance to sustain his vetoes.  We needed his help; we needed his cooperation in this effort.  A “my way or the highway” attitude will not move South Carolina forward.

Out of the 243 vetoes, we have compiled this short list of 12 vetoes that took attention away from the real pork spending we could have eliminated from this budget.  While this list could have easily included many more vetoes, we decided to list just a few to make the point. 

 

Veto 21 - State Children’s Health Insurance program (SCHIP’s program)

Vetoing this item would keep 71,000 poor children from gaining access to health care. 

Veto 64 - Economic Development Organizations - Department of Commerce

Vetoing this will hinder the job creating elements these Regional Economic Development Organizations provide for their areas. 

Veto 108 - Alcohol Enforcement Teams

This veto would pull a program aimed at preventing underage drinking and drunk driving

Veto 160 - Children in Crisis - Department of Social Services

This program serves sexually, mentally and physically abused children and works with DSS to find qualified foster care homes and permanent homes for abused children. 

Veto 163 - Children Advocacy - Department of Social Services

This veto would pull services that would be provided therapy to physically and sexually abused children

Veto 113 - Tourism Development

Vetoing this will take funding away that was to be used to help promote our state’s number one industry, tourism.

Veto 45 - National Board Certification for Teachers

Vetoing this would provide less funds to pay our teachers who achieve National Board Certification

Veto 24 - Special Olympics - Mental Retardation Family Support Programs

Funds Special Olympics programs for mentally handicapped and disabled children around our state. 

Veto 90 - Homeland Security Project

Vetoing this would prevent upgrades to the State House complex to protect it from potential terrorist attacks.

Veto 98, 105,106 - LightRail

Split up over three vetoes because this is a joint effort between Clemson, MUSC and USC.  This is a major research and economic development tool used to advance our research and private industry activity from its efforts. 

Veto 9 - Engenuity SC

This funding goes to fund a National Hydrogen Association Convention to be held in South Carolina.  A major economic development tool and alternative energy issue our state is leading our nation in.  The University of South Carolina is holding this event since they have our country’s only National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative for Fuel Cells

Veto 157 - Camp Spearhead - Department of Disabilities and Special Needs

This is funding for camp for mentally and physically challenged children.  This adds to money already committed by the City of Greenville and Greenville County

And your Baker’s Dozen Bonus Vetoes from S656

Life and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship enhancement

This bill gives an enhanced version of the scholarships to students majoring in math, science or engineering field.  Supported by our business community to increase our workforce in high-tech job related fields. 

Hydrogen Energy

This will provide incentives for hydrogen related companies to locate their headquarters in South Carolina.  This is a major economic development tool to help our state remain at the forefront of a developing multi-trillion dollar industry.

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Chairman, Committee on the Budget
Senior Member, Committee on Armed Services
US House of Representatives, Washington, DC
spratt.house.gov  |  budget.house.gov

Friday, June 29, 2007 – For Immediate Release
Contact: Chuck Fant, 202-226-2651

Spratt Backs Bill to Speed Processing of Veterans’ Claims in SC

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) has cosponsored a bill to speed the processing of pending claims for veterans’ benefits in South Carolina.

The bill would create a three-year pilot program in which County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) would contract with various veterans’ organizations for help with claims processing.  South Carolina would be one of five states participating in the program, along with California, Florida, Ohio, and Texas.

“South Carolina has a strong network of CVSOs serving some 413,000 veterans,” said Spratt.  “This program will help them process veterans’, dependents’ and survivors’ claims and clear the backlog.”

Nationwide, more than 500,000 claims are pending and 100,000 are over a year old and still unresolved.

The bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs Backlog Claims Reduction Act of 2007, H.R. 1435, has been referred to the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee, which has held subcommittee hearings on the legislation.

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“He comes from a background of wealth; he inherited it, and he married it.” College of Charleston Political Science Professor Bill Moore describing Mark Sanford. - Charlotte Observer. October 27, 2002

Sen. John Land’s reaction to Sanford’s veto of SC’s Children’s Health Insurnace Program:

“Not everyone can be born a trust-fund baby like Mark Sanford. He has never had a real job in is life and he doesn’t understand how things are in the real world. Regular folks have to work to provide for their families and the CHIPS program helps working families, who otherwise can’t afford it, gain access to health care for their children.”

“Mark Sanford has been born with the means to not have to worry about health care for his children, but over 100,000 other children in this state are not as lucky.”

Posted by SC Senate Democrats at Thursday, June 28, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC—House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today commented a decision by the United States Supreme Court in Parents Involved in Community Schools Inc. v. Seattle School District and Meredith v. Jefferson County (Ky.) Board of Education:.

“During my days as a history teacher in the Charleston County Public Schools, I always admonished my students, ‘If a thing has happened before it can happen again.’  But never in my wildest dreams did I think I would live to see the Supreme Court of the United States undercut the basic tenets of our society.  What’s more disturbing is the way this Supreme Court has worked systematically with the help of at least one who benefited from all the efforts that he seems hell-bent on undermining.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on the Senate immigration bill.

“Several months ago, I met with President Bush at the White House to discuss our out-of-control problems with illegal immigration.  He asked me if I would help him push immigration reform through Congress and I gave him my word I would.  I support President Bush and admire his leadership.  I will be forever grateful for his work to try and solve this difficult problem.

“President Bush and I made it clear we would not compromise on our guiding principle that securing our nation’s borders must be our first priority.  Our plan made unprecedented efforts and provided over $4.4 billion in funding to secure our nation’s borders and deal with immigration in a comprehensive manner. 

“The legislation first and foremost secured our border.  It also established a new comprehensive employee verification system for all workers to ensure people are in the country legally and eligible to work.  We were going to break the cycle of chain migration and institute a new merit-based immigration system to attract the best and brightest from around the world.  And we were instituting a temporary guest worker program to meet our nation’s labor needs.

“If the bill’s failing leads to Congress finding a better solution, then the American people will have won.  If the status quo and broken immigration system continue to go unaddressed, then the American people lost.  I do fear our failure to act will only allow the problem of illegal immigration to grow worse and the anger felt by some Americans will grow more intense. 

“I worry that local and state governments will begin to act more aggressively and create a hodge-podge of laws.  While the President’s legislation was not perfect, it was honest, realistic and an improvement over current law.  Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff, who is responsible for enforcing our nation’s immigration laws, made it clear that in some cases the tools he needs to control illegal immigration are either non-existent or very weak.  I’m disappointed some of the tools he wanted and desperately needed to control illegal immigration were left on the Senate floor.  

“The American people have a historically low view of Congress.  We seem unable to do the public’s business and find consensus on difficult issues. 

“Finally, I want to say a few words about my friend and colleague Jim DeMint.  We found ourselves in an unusual situation.  While we usually agree, President Bush and I have very different views from Jim on the best way to address this contentious issue.  Jim held firm to his beliefs and was a very strong advocate for his position.”

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U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision Thursday to declare Greenville and Spartanburg counties eligible for disaster farm relief will provide critical aid for hard-hit peach farmers.

More than 90 percent of the Upstate peach crop was lost as a result of a freeze in early April.

“The disaster designation won’t bring back the peaches that were frozen in April, but it may help some growers stay in business for next year’s crop,” Inglis said. “Helping with this freeze is the least we can do for the farmers who take significant risks to meet our food and fiber needs.”

The declaration designated 41 counties as primary natural disaster areas. Insufficient information did not allow confirmation of production losses in Beaufort, Jasper, Kershaw, Sumter and Union counties.

Inglis initially met with Upstate peach farmers May 4 at Strawberry Hill U.S.A. in Chesnee to discuss immigration and farm issues. At a follow-up meeting June 4, representatives of the USDA met with Upstate farmers for a question and answer session at Gramling Farms near Inman. USDA representatives Heyward Baker and Jeanne Lindsey gave a short presentation and answered questions from the more than 60 farmers.

Baker and Lindsey specifically addressed how crop loss payments are calculated in assessing the value of the peach crops destroyed.

According to the USDA:

Secretarial Disaster Designation Process

• • • • Damages and losses prompting disaster designations must be due to a natural disaster; and a minimum 30-percent production of at least one crop in the county must have occured.
      • If a loss occurs in the early spring, Farm Service Agency (FSA) may wait until the completion of fall harvest before completing the Damage Assessment Report (DAR).
      • The normal year’s dollar value is determined by establishing a normal yield year and price. Normal yield year will be the average of the 5 years immediately preceding the disaster year for each crop.

Emergency Loan (EM) Eligibility for All Four Types of Emergency Designations

“When a county is designated as a primary disaster area, eligible producers in contiguous counties are also eligible for emergency loans. Farm operators in the primary designated counties, and in the contiguous counties, can apply and may be approved for low-interest FSA Emergency loans, provided eligibility requirements can be met.”

Loan Limit

“Eligible producers may borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses, not to exceed a total amount of $500,000. Emergency loans are further limited to a maximum, cumulative principal of $500,000 at any time.”

Please contact Price Atkinson at 864.232.1141 to schedule an interview with Inglis or the USDA Congressional Relations Office can be reached at 202.720.7095.

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THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

Office of Media Affairs

Contact: (202) 456-6238

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Senator Graham is a leader in the Senate and I appreciate his steadfast dedication to confronting important issues before the Congress on behalf of the American people. He has been a tireless advocate for reforming our broken immigration system and I thank him for his hard work. The people of South Carolina are fortunate to have Lindsey Graham as their United States Senator.

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WASHINGTON, DC—House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today joined Democratic Leadership and Committee Chairmen to announce an energy independence initiative that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, while creating new jobs and addressing the global warming.

“The launch of this bold initiative today reminds me of a day in the Fall of 1957 on the campus of South Carolina State University when my friends and I gathered around a television to watch Russia launch Sputnik, the first man-made object to orbit the earth.  The little satellite that caught America off-guard started the ‘space race’ and a huge investment by the federal government in scientific research and development and education that has led to great advances in science and technology.

“Today we stand on the brink of a new revolution in America.  We have a grand opportunity to create jobs, protect the earth and its resources for future generations and protect our families.

“The initiative, that we are announcing today, takes bold steps toward an energy independent future for America, an energy industry ripe with opportunities that are as diverse as they are deep.

“We are starting with the largest investment in history towards home-grown and American-owned energy.  This initiative invests in ways to grow, produce, transport, and store biofuels that will power our cars and trucks, while creating American jobs and new economies in rural communities from coast-to-coast— Sweet sorghum in Texas, rice straw in California, corn stover in Iowa, switch grass in Minnesota, Sugar cane in Florida, soy beans in North and South Carolina, and we may have even found a good use for Kudzu throughout the Southeast.

“Not only will farmers have a part in this bright future but the technology and research industries will harness the imagination and ingenuity of the American spirit.  We have an opportunity to create a whole new workforce sector of “green collar jobs” through training programs in solar panel manufacturing, green building construction and sustainable forestry.  A major national investment could yield 3.5 million green collar jobs over 10 years.

“This initiative reestablishes the United States as a leader to re-engage the worldwide effort to establish a binding global warming agreement with commitments from all the major emitters including China, India and Brazil.

“But we understand that change must start here.  The federal government is the largest energy consumer in the United States and probably the world, and we know we must lead by example; that’s why this initiative requires federal government operations to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

“Democrats are committed to charting a New Direction and providing opportunities for all Americans in that future.  This bold initiative starts us on the right path toward a strong, and energy independent America.”

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PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!!!!

Dear Friends,

 
Governor Mark Sanford has vetoed the Family Service Center Special Needs Adoption money in the budget.

As you know, Children Unlimited ensures that children with special needs have loving, safe and permanent families and has placed over 500 such children in adoptive homes statewide. Unfortunately, SC DSS has recently determined that they will no longer utilize external agencies to place these high risk children. The funding for FSC’s Children Unlimited Special Needs Adoption Program will help recruit potential adoptive families and also help nurture and preserve these new adoptive families through various programs to ensure that the adoption is permanent.

With the funding, we can:

• provide each child on referral with a specific and targeted recruitment plan.  The way to best achieve success with this population is to involve the child in the planning.  They are mature and have many memories and experiences that may assist in the location of an adoptive home.  These children deserve to have a say in their future  
• develop child specific flyers for each referral.  These will be professionally printed in mass numbers to reach a multitude of prospective families, including those communities that may know the youth already
• work with the states Photography Association to have professional photos taken of each child that in turn will better illustrate their “energy and inner spirit”
• work closely with the adoption team to coordinate and facilitate recruitment efforts.  This will include public speaking with various community groups (school system, churches, support groups)
• contact past adoptive families via phone, mail and sometimes face to face contacts, specifically those that adopted older children, and assertively recruit for our current children on referral      
• work closely with our Director of Marketing to develop an enhanced Special Needs Adoption area of the Family Service Center website to ensure that we are using all resources available to recruit successful adoptive families.

We need your help. Please contact your Senator and House member IMMEDIATELY. They will come in session at noon so they will be traveling to Columbia right now. If you can’t call until noon please call their lobby numbers: 803-734-2010 for House members or 803-212-6700 for Senators. You will have to leave a message for them to return your call. They will start voting at noon, so PLEASE MAKE THIS CRITICAL CALL NOW!

Please contact your legislator immediately and let them know how important their OVERRIDE vote is. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Don Simmons

Family Service Center of South Carolina