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Lindsey Graham on Technology

Republican Sr Senator; previously Representative (SC-3)

 


$10 billion proposal for rural high speed internet

Graham: Let me talk a little bit about broadband for rural South Carolina. If you're in a poor area, in a rural area, we need to have high speed internet so your schools can get the best and brightest minds of our time. You want to help rural South Carolina? Pass my bill with Senator Warner from Virginia. That's a $10 billion grant to wire up rural South Carolina, rural America, with high speed internet.
Source: 2020 South Carolina Senate debate (Rev.com transcript) , Oct 3, 2020

You're isolationist if you don't monitor calls from abroad

Senator Paul and Senator Cruz, are isolationists. They both want to restrict the ability of the NSA to do the following; find out if somebody overseas is calling into America and if somebody is on the other end of the phone, don't you want to know who their talking to? If a terrorist is calling into America and we can match up phone numbers, we get a get a court order to find out what the content is.
Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican second-tier debate , Dec 15, 2015

If I have to monitor a mosque, I'll monitor a mosque

Do we all agree that ISIL is not the JV team? If I have to monitor a mosque, I'll monitor a mosque. If I have to take down a cyber wall, I'll take it. If I have to send more American troops to protect us here, I will do it. Hillary will not. She has empowered a failed agenda. She is going to empower a failed solution to an American economy dying to grow.
Source: Fox News/Facebook Second Tier debate transcript , Aug 6, 2015

Designate 25 "manufacturing universities" for engineers

Graham introduced the Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015 in March. The bill directs the Commerce Department to designate 25 universities as "manufacturing universities" to strengthen their engineering programs related to targeted industries. Each school would get $5 million a year for four years. He said: "I look forward to working on additional, innovative ways to ensure our manufacturing sector thrives and maintains its international competitiveness in the years to come."
Source: Forbes Magazine "2016 Candidates Want You to Know" series , Jun 2, 2015

I don't email & I've never sent an email

He's been a U.S. senator for 12 years, and was a Congressman for eight more before that, but South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham says he has never sent an email. In a discussion on NBC's Meet the Press about the controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton's use of a home-based email server while she was secretary of state, Graham was asked, "Do you have a private e-mail address?"

Graham's answer: "I don't email. No, you can have every email I've ever sent. I've never sent one." He added: "I don't know what that makes me." The South Carolina senator said that the email issue raises important questions about Clinton's communications. "Did she communicate on behalf of The Clinton Foundation as Secretary of State?" he asked.

Fellow Republican Sen. John McCain made a similar statement about his email practices on MSNBC.

Source: Meet the Press 2016 interviews of presidential hopefuls , Mar 8, 2015

Ban online gambling (but not casino gambling)

In a letter to Congressional leaders and the House and Senate Judiciary committees, Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) asked Congress to reverse a 2011 Department of Justice interpretation of the Wire Act that opened the door to legalized online gambling in the states.

In an effort to stop the gambling, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) are expected to introduce a bill this week to restore the former interpretation of the Wire Act. The introduction of their bills come after heavy lobbying from GOP mega-donor and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who opposes the legalization of online gambling.

In his letter, Perry--who received funding from Adelson during his 2007 campaign for governor--said restoring the former interpretation of the Wire Act and reinstating the federal ban on online gambling would bolster state rights.

Source: The Hill weblog 2014 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Mar 25, 2014

Voted YES on authorizing states to collect Internet sales taxes.

Congressional Summary: The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 authorizes each state to require all sellers with sales exceeding $1 million in the preceding calendar year to collect and remit sales and use taxes, but only if complying with the minimum simplification requirements relating to the administration of such taxes & audits.

Opponent's Argument for voting No (Cnet.com): Online retailers are objecting to S.743, saying it's unreasonable to expect small businesses to comply with the detailed--and sometimes conflicting--regulations of nearly 10,000 government tax collectors. S.743 caps years of lobbying by the National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association, which represent big box stores. President Obama also supports the bill.

Proponent's Argument for voting Yes: Sen. COLLINS. This bill rectifies a fundamental unfairness in our current system. Right now, Main Street businesses have to collect sales taxes on every transaction, but outbecause -of-state Internet sellers don't have to charge this tax, they enjoy a price advantage over the mom-and-pop businesses. This bill would allow States to collect sales taxes on Internet sales, thereby leveling the playing field with Main Street businesses. This bill does not authorize any new or higher tax, nor does it impose an Internet tax. It simply helps ensure that taxes already owed are paid.

Opponent's Argument for voting No: Sen. WYDEN: This bill takes a function that is now vested in government--State tax collection--and outsources that function to small online retailers. The proponents say it is not going to be hard for small businesses to handle this--via a lot of new computer software and the like. It is, in fact, not so simple. There are more than 5,000 taxing jurisdictions in our country. Some of them give very different treatment for products and services that are almost identical.

Reference: Marketplace Fairness Act; Bill S.743 ; vote number 13-SV113 on May 6, 2013

Voted YES on $23B instead of $4.9B for waterway infrastructure.

Vote on overriding Pres. Bush's veto. The bill reauthorizes the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA): to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, to authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States. The bill authorizes flood control, navigation, and environmental projects and studies by the Army Corps of Engineers. Also authorizes projects for navigation, ecosystem or environmental restoration, and hurricane, flood, or storm damage reduction in 23 states including Louisiana.

Veto message from President Bush:

This bill lacks fiscal discipline. I fully support funding for water resources projects that will yield high economic and environmental returns. Each year my budget has proposed reasonable and responsible funding, including $4.9 billion for 2008, to support the Army Corps of Engineers' main missions. However, this authorization bill costs over $23 billion. This is not fiscally responsible, particularly when local communities have been waiting for funding for projects already in the pipeline. The bill's excessive authorization for over 900 projects and programs exacerbates the massive backlog of ongoing Corps construction projects, which will require an additional $38 billion in future appropriations to complete. This bill does not set priorities. I urge the Congress to send me a fiscally responsible bill that sets priorities.

Reference: Veto override on Water Resources Development Act; Bill Veto override on H.R. 1495 ; vote number 2007-406 on Nov 8, 2007

Voted NO on restoring $550M in funding for Amtrak for 2007.

An amendment to provide an additional $550,000,000 for Amtrak for fiscal year 2007. Voting YEA would increase Amtrak funding from $900 million to $1.45 billion. Voting NAY would keep Amtrak funding at $900 million.
Reference: Santorum amendment to Transportation funding bill; Bill S.Amdt.3015 to S.Con.Res.83 ; vote number 2006-052 on Mar 15, 2006

Voted NO on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Vote to pass a joint resolution expressing congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission. The rule would therefore have no force or effect. The rule in question deals with broadcast media ownership and would allow media conglomerates to own more television stations and newspapers.
Reference: FCC Media Ownership bill; Bill S J Res 17/H.J.RES.72 ; vote number 2003-348 on Sep 16, 2003

Voted YES on allowing telephone monopolies to offer Internet access.

Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 2001: Vote to pass a bill that would allow the four regional Bell telephone companies to enter the high-speed Internet access market via their long-distance connections whether or not they have allowed competitors into their local markets as required under the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The bill would allow the Bells to increase the fees they charge competitors for lines upgraded for broadband services from "wholesale rates" to "just and reasonable rates." It also would also allow the Bells to charge for giving competitors access to certain rights-of-way for broadband access. Certain FCC regulatory oversight would be maintained although the phone companies' high speed services would be exempted from regulation by the states.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Tauzin, R-LA; Bill HR 1542 ; vote number 2002-45 on Feb 27, 2002

Criminal penalties for e-mail spamming.

Graham co-sponsored the Anti-Spamming Act:

Title: To protect individuals, families, and Internet service providers from unsolicited and unwanted electronic mail.

    Summary:

  1. Amends the Federal criminal code to provide criminal penalties for intentionally transmitting ten or more unsolicited commercial electronic mail messages to one or more protected computers in the United States, with the knowledge that such messages are accompanied by or contain materially false or misleading information as to the identity of the initiator.

  2. Allows a provider of Internet access service to bring an action against a person using such service to commit a violation of this Act.

  3. Allows certain statutory damages under such an action.

  4. Prescribe marks or notices to be included in electronic mail that contains a sexually oriented advertisement in order to inform the recipient of such fact.

  5. Provides penalties for not including such marks or notices.

  6. Requires the Attorney General to submit to Congress a detailed analysis of the effectiveness and enforcement, and need for modification, of this Act.
Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR718 on Feb 14, 2001

Permanent ban on state & local taxation of Internet access.

Graham co-sponsored permanently banning state & local taxation of Internet access

Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2007 - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.

Related bills: H.R.743, H.R.1077, H.R.3678, S.156.

Source: Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act (S.2128) 07-S2128 on Oct 2, 2007

Require websites to police for copyrighted materials.

Graham co-sponsored PIPA: PROTECT IP Act

Congressional Summary:Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act, or the PROTECT IP Act, or PIPA (in the House, Stop Online Piracy Act or SOPA) :

OnTheIssues Notes: SOPA and PIPA, proponents claim, would better protect electronic copyright ("IP", or Intellectual Property). Opponents argue that SOPA and PIPA would censor the Internet. Internet users and entrepreneurs oppose the two bills; google.com and wikipedia.com held a "blackout" on Jan. 18, 2012 in protest. An alternative bill, the OPEN Act was proposed on Jan. 18 to protect intellectual property without censorship; internet businesses prefer the OPEN Act while the music and movie industries prefer SOPA and PIPA.

Source: HR3261/S968 11-S968 on May 12, 2011

Prohibit the return of the Fairness Doctrine.

Graham signed Broadcaster Freedom Act

A bill to prevent the Federal Communications Commission from repromulgating the fairness doctrine. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), notwithstanding any other provision of any Act, from having the authority to require broadcasters to present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the Fairness Doctrine.

Source: S.34&H.R.226 2009-S34 on Jan 6, 2009

Secure the grid, according to CC survey.

Graham supports the Christian Coalition survey question on grid security

The Christian Coalition inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Take Federal Action to Secure the Grid Against Foreign/Terrorist Interference ?' Self-description by Christian Coalition of America: "These guides help give voters a clear understanding of where candidates stand on important pro-family issues" for all Senate and Presidential candidates.

Source: CC Survey 20CC-15 on Sep 10, 2020

Other candidates on Technology: Lindsey Graham on other issues:
SC Gubernatorial:
Catherine Templeton
Henry McMaster
James Emerson Smith
Joe Cunningham
John Warren
Kevin Bryant
Mark Sanford
Mia McLeod
Tommy Pope
Yancey McGill
SC Senatorial:
Gloria Bromell Tinubu
Jaime Harrison
Joyce Dickerson
Thomas Dixon
Tim Scott

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