Harvey Peeler

Gaffney, SC – November 8, 2011 – Senator Harvey Peeler will hold a community workshop in Gaffney at the Gaffney Visitor’s Center (the old Post Office) on Tuesday, November 15 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

At the community workshop, Senator Peeler will be available to assist local constituents in resolving their problems with state government. This is Senator Peeler’s final community workshop in a series that he has held across Senate District 14 which consists of Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union and York counties. This meeting will be open to the community.

“If there is a problem, we want to assist in resolving it. With the economy in a recession and bordering on a depression, sometimes people are only left with the option to contact their elected officials after trying every other avenue for help. I want to be open and available to the people of District 14 to offer my help in any way I can,” Senator Peeler said.

Senator Peeler is a Gaffney, SC native and a local dairyman. More information on these community workshops can be found on Senator Peeler’s website, http://www.harveypeeler.com/ .

We live in a great nation, one that divides the power between the states and the federal government. Our founding fathers believed that by sharing the governing power, liberties of each individual would best be protected.

Over two centuries later, the federal government has grown well beyond the size and scope that was originally envisioned. With the federal government ever growing and increasing in its bureaucratic complexity, more and more important issues are not adequately being resolved.

These issues are falling through the cracks in federal government even though citizens are demanding action. Lacking anywhere else to turn, state legislatures across the country have been left with the burden to pass laws and try to handle issues that are clearly the federal government’s responsibility.

This problem is clearly demonstrated in the illegal immigration debate. States across the nation have been forced by the inaction in Washington to actually do something about this growing problem.

All state leaders agree: immigration laws and reform would clearly be best handled at a national level. That way a unified policy can help to secure our nation’s borders instead of a patchwork of laws across the nation.

However, if those in Washington aren’t going to secure our national borders, states have the right and responsibility to their citizens to set immigration policy within their own borders. While by no means perfect, it is clearly the only option left.

That is why it is so frustrating to see the U.S. Justice Department attack South Carolina’s response to the federal government’s inaction. By trying to stop South Carolina’s immigration law from taking effect, the Justice department is only adding to the problem.

Instead of attacking South Carolina, they should be devoting their energies to developing a nationwide solution to this national problem. Once they have adequately addressed this problem on a national scale, there will be no need for state-by-state immigration policies.

The fact of the matter is that immigration is an important issue to our state and our country. We are a nation founded by immigrants looking for ways to better themselves and their families. By not addressing the illegal immigration problem, we are lowering the value of legal immigration for all immigrants.

The citizens of South Carolina and many other states around the country have demanded action. Without any leadership from Washington, citizens have turned to their state governments. Until those in D.C. decide to move on this issue, they must support the states in taking an active role in solving this national problem.

Republicans in the South Carolina state Senate lashed back after the U.S. Justice Department sued to stop South Carolina’s new immigration law from taking effect.

The Senate GOP caucus issued a statement Wednesday accusing the federal government of failing to act on illegal immigration.

That statement came after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit Monday arguing South Carolina’s new immigration law is unconstitutional, partly because it gives local law enforcement the ability to enforce immigration law– which only the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency can do.

“I wish that the federal government was as vigilant in protecting the country’s borders and enforcing our nation’s immigration laws as they are in attacking states like South Carolina that try to step up to the plate and act because the federal government refuses to do so,” President pro tempore Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston) said.

Meanwhile Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler echoed those statements. “The federal government’s inaction on this issue has forced states across the nation to react to the growing problem of illegal immigration, Peeler said, “However, when the states pass laws that address this problem, the federal government rushes in to stop them.”

The Justice Department says the law also violates due process rights because it gives police the power to check a person’s immigration status during a traffic stop. ”A state may not establish its own immigration policy or enforce state laws in a manner that interfere with federal immigration law,” the agency’s Civil Division director Tony West said Monday.

Courtesy of the South Carolina Radio Network

Cowpens, SC – November 2, 2011 – Senator Harvey Peeler will hold a community workshop in Cowpens at Cowpens Depot on Monday, November 7 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

At the community workshop, Senator Peeler will be available to assist local constituents in resolving their problems with state government. This is Senator Peeler’s next community workshop in a series that he will hold across Senate District 14 which consists of Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union and York counties. These meetings are open to the community.

“If there is a problem, we want to assist in resolving it. With the economy in a recession and bordering on a depression, sometimes people are only left with the option to contact their elected officials after trying every other avenue for help. I want to be open and available to the people of District 14 to offer my help in any way I can,” Senator Peeler said.

Columbia, SC – November 2, 2011 – This week, the United States Justice Department challenged South Carolina’s new immigration law, preventing it from going into effect. The Justice Department argues that the new law preempts the federal government’s overview of immigration. Both Senator Glenn McConnell and Senator Harvey Peeler believe that the federal government would be the perfect governing body in the country to initiate immigration policy, but for years it has been failing to act.

Senator McConnell said, “I wish that the federal government was as vigilant in protecting the country’s borders and enforcing our nation’s immigration laws as they are in attacking states like South Carolina that try to step up to the plate and act because the federal government refuses to do so. South Carolina has a duty to protect our citizens and our budgets from the problems caused by unfettered illegal immigration and I believe that we have done so in a lawful manner. But if the federal government wants us to quit acting in this area, the solution is simple – do your job.”

“The federal government’s inaction on this issue has forced states across the nation to react to the growing problem of illegal immigration. However, when the states pass laws that address this problem, the federal government rushes in to stop them. It’s time for Washington to stop focusing their energies on those trying to solve the problem and start addressing the real problem of illegal immigration on a national level,” Senator Peeler said.

It has been over half a decade since the United States passed a broad immigration law. Since then, immigration has continued to be a problem for states. In response, states across the nation have enacted immigration laws to help combat this problem in our country. These laws vary, but the federal government has thus far seemed intent on removing key enforcement provisions through federal court cases, rendering the laws ineffective.

Senator McConnell and Senator Peeler have always been strong supporters of legal immigration. They believe illegal immigration cheapens the value for all immigrants who come to the United States through legal means. South Carolina’s immigration law will help provide one more disincentive for those looking to illegally immigrate to the U.S.

“Immigration has been part of our nation’s heritage from the beginning. However, the federal government’s inaction is tarnishing this national tradition. If those in Washington are unwilling to act, they must support states in their efforts to do what is best for their citizens,” Peeler continued.

Clover, SC – November 1, 2011 – Senator Harvey Peeler will hold a community workshop in Clover at the Clover Community Center on Thursday, November 3 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

At the community workshop, Senator Peeler will be available to assist local constituents in resolving their problems with state government. This is Senator Peeler’s next community workshop in a series that he will hold across Senate District 14 which consists of Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union and York counties. These meetings are open to the community.

“If there is a problem, we want to assist in resolving it. With the economy in a recession and bordering on a depression, sometimes people are only left with the option to contact their elected officials after trying every other avenue for help. I want to be open and available to the people of District 14 to offer my help in any way I can,” Senator Peeler said.

We expect the federal government to be slow. They are slow to react to crisis situations and sometimes wait to the last second to “fix” our nation’s most pressing problems, many of which were caused by their previous last-minute actions in the first place.

One needs to look no further than the recent debt ceiling fiasco back in August for an example at how inept our federal government can be. While they knew for months that we would reach the debt ceiling, they waited and sat on their hands until the last minute to fix the problem.

Unfortunately, this slow reaction speed doesn’t seem to be limited to Washington, DC. Here in South Carolina, our Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) did not react fast enough to ban dangerous drugs sitting on store shelves, available to anyone.

Over a month ago, I asked DHEC to issue emergency regulations to ban both bath salts (synthetic cocaine) and spice (synthetic marijuana). Both of these substances can be found in many stores across the state and can mimic the effects of illegal drugs except with much harsher and more dangerous side effects. Users often experience agitation, paranoia, hallucinations, chest pain, and even suicidal thoughts and actions, forcing many to seek medical attention after just one use.

Both bath salts and spice are relatively new on the drug market. Doctors currently do not have a way to test to see if a person has taken them and must rely on a person’s honesty. Without the truth, doctors can misdiagnose the symptoms and the user can suffer side effects long after they have stopped taking the drug.

DHEC took no official action for over a month following my request. With no statewide guidance, many cities and counties were forced to move quickly to ban the dangerous substances within their limited jurisdictions. Surprisingly, even the federal government moved forward and enacted a nationwide ban within this time period. However, no statewide policy was set until Monday of this past week.

Sadly, all of the bans have either been too small in geographical scope or have come too late. Earlier this month, a 19-year-old Anderson University student died after using synthetic marijuana. Many other people who used these two substances had horrible reactions to them including episodes of severe paranoia that caused them to put themselves and others in physical danger.

I am under no illusions that a ban by a government agency will end drug use. However, a ban does reduce the availability of these harmful substances and clearly communicates the physical and legal consequences that result from their use.

The great thing about our country is that states can react quickly to issues affecting their populace and don’t have to wait for national rulings from the federal government. With this issue, our state failed and did not take advantage of this benefit. In the future, our state agencies must act faster to successfully address crises that face our state in order to protect our citizens and ultimately save lives.

Tomorrow I’m giving a flag to Bethany Elementary School for their prestigious honor of becoming the highest achieving Distinguished Title 1 School. This isn’t the first time that Bethany has been noticed for its outstanding academics. Last year, the school won the state’s Closing the Achievement Gap award.

Bethany will now compete against other states at the National Title I Conference for the top award in the nation.

Can’t wait to meet with the teacher and students tomorrow. Bethany Elementary, you make York County proud!

York, SC – October 25, 2011 – Senator Harvey Peeler will hold a community workshop at Black’s Peaches and Bakery, located at 1800 Black Highway, York, SC, on Tuesday November 8 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

At the community workshop, Senator Peeler will be available to assist local constituents in resolving their problems with state government. This is Senator Peeler’s fourth community workshop of several that he will hold across Senate District 14 which consists of Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union and York counties. These meetings are open to the community.

“If there is a problem, we want to assist in resolving it. With the economy in a recession and bordering on a depression, sometimes people are only left with the option to contact their elected officials after trying every other avenue for help. I want to be open and available to the people of District 14 to offer my help in any way I can,” Senator Peeler said.