Kevin Bryant

NO BUDGET UNTIL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE

At the heat of the budget debate in the South Carolina Senate, there are a few issues that are of great concern to the SCBC Office of Public Policy. These issues include no advances for the unborn and significant increases in spending.
We have tackled many concerns in the legislature this year, but none more important than the pro-life issues that have been considered. Taxpayer-funded abortion is a critical matter and your senator needs to hear your views today.
Currently, our allies in the senate have one more shot at cutting out taxpayer-funded abortions from our already strained budget. We encourage you to call your senator and ask him to support Lee Bright, Kevin Bryant, Tom Davis, Larry Grooms, Shane Martin, Phil Shoopman, David Thomas, Mike Fair, Chip Campsen, Danny Verdin and others to curtail spending and strengthen the constraints of taxpayer-funded abortions on our state budget.
Pro-life senators are working tirelessly to turn the tide on public abortion funding. Two of our most vocal pro-life senators, Lee Bright and Shane Martin (both from Spartanburg), have asked churches to become engaged and involved in this vital issue (brief video from SC ETV).
Last week, we sent a letter to members of the senate asking them to vote NO to ending debate on this issue until our requests were met. See how your senator voted on cloture. We ask that same request towards the current debate until these important changes are made.
Thank you for taking the time to be informed and involved! More and more, Christians understand that the most immediate way to change our culture for the better is to impact legislation. We cannot do this alone. We need every person to be aware of actions of our leaders. We need you to pray about this issue. We need you to call and ask your senator to listen to your view.
Please contact your senator and ask him to vote NO on cloture until taxpayer-funded abortion is removed and further restraints on the expansion of the largest State Budget in history.
Call the legislative switchboard at 803-212-6200 and ask to speak to your Senator.

$63 million investment expected to create at least 700 new jobs over the next six years

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gov. Nikki Haley, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation today announced that Amy’s Kitchen, the nation’s leading maker of natural and organic convenience foods, will establish a new production facility in Greenville County. The $63 million investment is expected to generate more than 700 new jobs over the next six years.

“We are pleased to move forward with our plans to locate a new facility in South Carolina, allowing us to expand production capacity and more easily and efficiently reach customers and markets all along the East Coast. Greenville County provided us with an excellent site and an existing structure suiting our needs. The state of South Carolina offered us a positive business environment as well as exceptional market access. We appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials,” said Andy Berliner, CEO of Amy’s Kitchen.

Amy’s Kitchen will be purchasing the former Sara Lee building in Greenville County and will be upfitting the facility with new machinery and equipment. The company expects to begin local operations by January 1, 2012.

“Today’s announcement is a major economic development win not just for the Upstate, but South Carolina as a whole. Amy’s Kitchen’s commitment to invest $63 million and create 700 new jobs will have an impact for years to come. Our administration continues to work daily on making sure South Carolina has the competitive business climate that attracts investments like this one. We thank Amy’s Kitchen for deciding to invest in the Palmetto State and look forward to a long relationship with them,” said Gov. Nikki Haley.

“Amy’s Kitchen is truly a world-class company and this announcement is another indication that South Carolina is doing the right things to attract the kinds of investments that create new job opportunities. It is more important than ever that we continue our efforts to strengthen our state’s business-friendly climate so that we can see more investments like this one. We congratulate Amy’s Kitchen on the decision to invest here and welcome them to the Palmetto State,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.

Amy’s Kitchen produces a wide range of natural and organic foods. The company will produce a select line of frozen entrées at its new facility in Greenville.

“This decision by Amy’s Kitchen to bring a new production facility to Greenville County is greatly appreciated. They could have gone other places, but chose this area because of the available facilities, good workforce, and the excellent support provided by our extended economic development team, from local to state level,” noted H.G. “Butch” Kirven Jr., chairman of Greenville County Council and a director of the Greenville Area Development Corporation. “This is another example of how putting your best foot forward pays off in new jobs, new investments, and new opportunities for businesses to be successful here.”

A formal welcome ceremony will be held for Amy’s Kitchen in Greenville in June.

Amy’s Kitchen will begin hiring for the new positions this summer. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should contact http://www.amys.com/about-us/employment.
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Rob Godfrey, Press Secretary | Office of Governor Nikki Haley

After being swept out of office for binge spending, trading favors and turning a blind eye to moral and ethical concerns, Republicans in Congress got the message and reversed course. After taking back the US House in 2010, the GOP got right down to business on its mandate in 2011, cutting the federal budget, defending free enterprise and defunding Planned Parenthood.

Republican majority state legislatures around the nation are also moving in an aggressive fiscal and social conservative direction this year, passing reduced budgets and strengthening laws to give unborn children a fighting chance.

With solid majorities in the House and Senate and an electorate that installed a Republican into every statewide office in 2010, South Carolina should be far outpacing the US Congress, as well as nearly every other state legislature. The South Carolina General Assembly should be a model for the country legislatively, celebrating at this time of year the passage of a post-election budget that rolls back state expenditures and advances the causes of life and economic development.

But this is not the case.

The SC Senate has drifted into another week of deliberation on the state budget, but judging from its content, it doesn’t appear that word of the 2010 election made it to the Gressette Senate Office Building.

As it reads today, H.3700 includes no significant rollbacks in spending, no advances for the unborn, and no real reform. According to Senator Tom Davis (R-Beaufort), it is the largest budget in state history and includes $600 more in general fund revenues. What’s more, liberal Democrats and their staff allies are playing puppet master to well-meaning but gullible Republican Senators in key fiscal areas. (Last week, Democrats fooled the GOP into believing that banning state taxpayer funded abortion in the state health plan would “endanger billions in federal Medicaid funds” until Americans United for Life and the Department of Health & Human Services set the record straight.)

When the Senate convenes today, the Majority Caucus has what may be their last chance to live up to the name “Republican.” A group of young conservative legislators is proposing a series of amendments that will provide the reforms the citizens of South Carolina expect from a conservative majority.

Ten (10) Senators have made it clear to the Senate leadership that without: 1) reform in the state employee early retirement (TERI) program, 2) a rollback in the huge Unemployment Tax increase, and 3) a defunding of taxpayer funded abortion, there won’t be a budget. As it is in their power, these seven plan to filibuster until these three reforms are included in H.3700.
We are proud to lend our support to their efforts of Senators Lee Bright, Kevin Bryant, Tom Davis, Larry Grooms, Shane Martin, Phil Shoopman, David Thomas, Mike Fair, Chip Campsen and Danny Verdin, and encourage all South Carolina conservatives to urge their Republican colleagues in the Senate to join them.

Call the legislative switchboard at 803-212-6200 and ask to speak to your Senator.

You can also send an email to your Senator (or to ALL Senators) from the Statehouse web site at http://www.scstatehouse.gov/html-pages/senateemail.html

If you’re not sure who your Senator is, use this link to find out: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/cgi-bin/zipcodesearch.exe
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