I voted to sustain all but 2 line item vetoes in this year’s budget and all of the line item vetoes in the capital reserve spending. Here are links to Governor Haley’s Budget veto messages and Capital Reserve Fund veto messages

veto 7 – I voted to over-ride. Pay raise for teachers – People need to realize that teachers would get these raises regardless of this veto. If the veto were sustained, the raises would be funded at the local level. Gov. Haley vetoed this line because teachers were awarded a pay raise with one time money. I don’t agree with this reason, and certainly agree that our teachers deserve a pay raise. Next year the local school districts will need to fund this raise. One of the school districts I represent spent $347,000 renovating their board room complete with an 80 inch flat screen tv. I’m sure funding a pay increase won’t be a problem.

veto 67 – I voted to over-ride. This line uses funds from the National Mortgage settlement to increase the Commerce Department’s closing fund. When folks sign the dotted line to a bank on a mortgage and they can’t make the payments, is it government’s role to help them make these payments or is it better to help them find jobs? I sympathize with those out of work and have found themselves in this situation. However, the closing fund for Commerce will be used to recruit job creators to SC. It is better to cultivate pro-business soil conditions to reduce our unemployment roles.

The vetoes below are ones that several constituents contacted me about:

veto 1 – I voted to sustain. I agree with the Governor in that a commission should not skim 30% off the top for administration. Also, many people voluntarily support the arts organizations with their own money. Arts are a necessity for society, but funding is beyond the core function of government.

veto 50-55 – I voted to sustain. All of these lines were vetoed with a collective message. These non-profit organizations serve a worthy purpose, but they broaden the mission of the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Also, these groups represent a small portion of South Carolina’s chronically ill or abused. The victims of sexual assault, kidney disease, hemophilia, and sickle cell anemia are served by non-profit organizations. I supported the Governor on these vetoes, yet have reached out to our local organizations to see if I will support their funding next year. I will also explore the possibilities of funding these needs through a more appropriate agency such as Health and Human Services and/or Disabilities and Special Needs. Also, child protective services and law enforcement have been unfunded for too long.

As always, y’all are welcome to comment on any of these or vetoes ones I have not included.

Fellow Patriot,

The Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the Constitutionality of ObamaCare sets a disturbing and dangerous precedent. Their ruling in effect confirms that there are no limitations whatsoever on the powers of Congress.

To use the now-famous example from the oral arguments in this case, if Congress wished to mandate that everyone buy and eat broccoli, the Court has essentially ruled today that they have such a power.

Just as dangerously, ObamaCare takes control of people’s health care decisions out of the hands of doctors and patients and puts them instead into the hands of unaccountable government bureaucrats. By making doctors answerable ultimately to the government and not to their patients, this threatens to corrupt the very foundation of medical ethics.

It is clear that, irrespective of the intentions of those who passed this law, the Act will impair access, increase costs, reduce choice, cripple innovation, and diminish quality of care.

In the wake of this disappointing decision from the Supreme Court, Independent Women’s Voice will continue our efforts to see to it that this deeply unpopular and perilous government take-over of private health care decisions is fully and completely repealed.

It is important to note that the Court’s ruling today isn’t the end of the challenges to this law. In fact, it’s just one of the many Constitutional challenges to ObamaCare, including cases regarding privacy, the conscience exemption, and freedom of contract. And, there’s also the issue of the IRS now taxing employers without Congressional authorization and absent any statutory authority to do so.
The Court’s decision today also reaffirms the importance of The ObamaCare Repeal Pledge.

With ObamaCare having been upheld by the court, it is now even more necessary and important for any and all candidates seeking elected office and all incumbents currently holding office to sign the Pledge and demonstrate to the American people that they are serious about repeal of ObamaCare and willing to be held accountable for taking the necessary steps to ensure full repeal.

Independent Women’s Voice looks forward to continuing to lead the charge for repeal through the ObamaCare Repeal Pledge, as well as being a part of crafting new, patient-centered health care reform that empowers individuals once the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is fully and completely repealed.

Thank you, Heather R. Higgins, President & CEO, Independent Women’s Voice

Thursday 2012.06.28 Sen. Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg) offered an amendment to the Continuing Resolution, H. 5418, to not allow any taxpayer funds to pay for any services provided by the nations largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood.

Whether its an abortion or a vitamin C tablet, I can’t in good conscience vote to send a single cent to this organization.

June 25, 2012

The Honorable Paul Broun, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC

The Honorable Jeff Duncan, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC

Dear Representatives Broun and Duncan:

Subject: Savannah River Basin Management

As President of the Lake Hartwell Association, I am making the following requests on behalf of the thousands of voters and businesses that make up its membership. Based on feedback I am getting from them, during what should be the peak of our recreation season that is once again being diminished by drastically low lake levels, I am sure there are many thousands more who would join in.

We discussed these issues on April 4th in Representative Duncan’s office in Anderson, and it was agreed that the following would be investigated and appropriate action taken in Washington. First, we discussed your taking a lead role in forming a bi-state (SC &GA) coalition, including senators and other congressmen representing Savannah River Basin (SRB) interests at the federal level. Second, you would investigate and take appropriate action to get the SRB Corps of Engineers substantial relief from the stringent rules, regulations and bureaucratic constraints they now must work within. Third, you would investigate and take steps necessary to ensure that funding for future studies, operational updates, and other actions that would improve lake level management, and the basin in general, would be made available by using some of the power generation revenues now being sent to the general fund in Washington.

The most recent Savannah River Basin Advisory Committee (SRBAC) quarterly meeting was held on June 19th, with an agenda focused on the current drought situation and its impact on the Savannah River Basin’s lakes. It was well attended and informative, and further confirmed for me the importance of two issues that we discussed on April 4th.

First, the Corps’ authority to use proven adaptive management techniques to help mitigate the impact of a drought is severely limited by the bureaucratic environment they must operate within. Once again this became evident when it was announced that a final decision on the Environmental Assessment (EA) that was drafted by the Corp last November and would have given the Corps the flexibility to decrease flows by 200 cfs this summer, if necessary, has again been delayed pending an “unnamed agency” response. LHA’s response was due May 12th, 30 days after receipt. It seems that review times for the more than 100 agencies and stakeholders vary from 30 to 90 days depending on the different operating agreements with the Corps. Meanwhile, South Carolina and Georgia citizens whose businesses, jobs, home values, etc., depend on the lakes’ levels during this peak of the recreational season , suffer severe economic losses while the bureaucracy keeps a partial solution tied up in “red tape” and paperwork.

Second, attendees were told that South Carolina’s contribution needed to get phase 2 of the comprehensive study underway would be less than the $250K needed to match Georgia’s. Hopefully, in-kind services will be available and acceptable to make up the difference. This is the study we discussed as being so very important because it addresses lessons learned from the recent drought of record of 2009. Given the drought conditions we have been experiencing for the last year, one would think it would have been high on the priority list for funding. No doubt, the loss of tax revenues to the state due to low water levels this year alone will far exceed $250K.

As mentioned above, another topic we discussed on April 4th was the possibility of keeping some of the power generation funds (that now go into the general fund in DC) in the basin to pay for future studies, plans, etc. that will help to ensure better management and maintenance of the basin. Total cost of the phase 2 study, for example, is estimated at $1 million, 1/60th of average annual power generation income.

We thank you for your support of SRB issues and ask that you give these matters your immediate attention and highest priority, and keep us informed on a regular basis. A federal delegation tour of businesses hardest hit by the low water conditions would be welcomed and very beneficial. Please advise if the Lake Hartwell Association can assist in making arrangements… or in any other way.

Sincerely,

Herb Burnham, President
Lake Hartwell Association

On Tuesday 2012.06.26 I put up an amendment to add S. 1409, commonly referred to as the Big Annual Tax bill, to the Sine Die resolution. This is an annual bill that clarifies tax law and to be honest, it contains a lot bad stuff.

Why would I do this? An amendment to add the school choice legislation would have been germane to S. 1409. This would have been an excellent opportunity for school choice. Unfortunately, we lost this effort, however, next year, if I return, I will use every opportunity to continue to promote educational opportunities for our children.

The Sine Die resolution is an annual resolution that determines what the General Assembly may take up after adjournment for the year. The Sine Die resolution requires a vote of 2/3rd of the General Assembly.