Last updated on: 9/9/2010 | Author: ProCon.org

Lindsey Graham, JD Biography

Title:
US Senator (R-SC)
Position:
Con to the question "Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Good for America?"
Reasoning:

“The Democrats may have won today in the House of Representatives, but the American people lost. Higher taxes, more government control of health care, and Enron-style accounting define this bill. The upcoming elections will be a referendum on the substance and process used to pass it. I believe it will be a clear choice. Republicans will pick up a lot of votes from people who think this is bad for their business, their family, and the process used to pass it was sleazy.

I am committed to repealing this multi-trillion dollar health care nightmare and replacing it with bipartisan reform that will lower costs and improve access.”

“House of Representatives Passes Health Care Bill,” lgraham.senate.gov, Mar. 22, 2010
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • US Senator (R-SC), 2003-present
  • Colonel and Senior Instructor, US Air Force JAG School, 1995-present
  • Member, US Senate Committees on: Aging, Armed Services, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, Budget, Veterans Affairs
  • US Representative (R-SC), 1995-2002
  • One of the managers appointed by the US House of Representatives to conduct impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton, 1998
  • Lawyer, South Carolina Air National Guard 1989-1995
  • South Carolina State Representative, 1992-1994
  • City Attorney for Central, SC, 1990-1994
  • Assistant County Attorney, Oconee County, SC, 1988-1992
  • Staff Judge Advocate (Gulf War), McEntire Air National Guard Base, 1991
  • Recipient, National Humanitarian Healthcare Award, National Patients Advocate Foundation
  • Named “Distinguished Community Health Superhero” by the National Association of Community Health Centers
  • Recipient, Honorary Doctorates from several schools, including: Allen University, Coker College, Erskine College, Southern Wesleyan Univerisity, University of South Carolina
  • Lawyer, US Air Force, 1982-1988
  • Former lawyer, private practice
Education:
  • JD, University of South Carolina School of Law, 1981
  • BA, University of South Carolina at Columbia, 1977
  • Graduated from D.W. Daniel High School, 1973
Other:
  • Born in Central, Pickens County, SC, on July 9, 1955
  • Legal name is Lindsey Olin Graham
  • Included in Time‘s list of “Up-and-Comers” in the US Senate, Apr. 17, 2006
  • Recipient, Chief Justice John Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, Judge Advocates Foundation
  • Recipient, Colonel Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award, Military Officers Association of America
  • Recipient, President’s Award, National District Attorneys Association
  • Recipient, Commendation Medal for service at McEntire Air National Guard Base during the Gulf War, 1991
  • Recipient, G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Eagle Award, US National Guard
  • Recipient, President’s Award, National Guard Association of South Carolina
  • Recipient, Award for Preservation of Constitutional Rights, National Japanese American Memorial Foundation
  • Named “Legislator of the Year” by the South Carolina Citizens for Life
  • Named “Minuteman of the Year” by the Reserve Officers Association
  • Recipient, Medal of Honor Award, US Oncology
  • Recipient, Spirit of Enterprise Award, US Chamber of Commerce
Quoted in:
  1. Will the cost to fund public health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid decrease?