Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) declared “war” Friday over a New York state bill that would require some Chick-fil-A restaurants to operate on Sundays.
“This is war,” Graham said wrote on Xthe platform formerly known as Twitter.
In a second post, he continued, threatening to introduce legislation that would withhold federal funding from cities that require the fast-food chain to remain open on Sundays.
“The founders of Chick-fil-A, consistent with their beliefs, made the early decision to close on Sunday,” the South Carolina senator said. “An administration’s attempt to reverse this decision is antithetical to who we are as Americans.”
“Chick-fil-A is a great company with thousands of locations that provide the public with a quality product and care for their employees,” he added. “New York is off base and their actions will not go unanswered.”
The New York bill mentioned above would require restaurants in rest areas on the state highway system to be open all week, according to the Associated Press.
However, Chick-fil-A is known for keeping its doors closed on Sundays. It's designed to allow its employees to spend time with their families and “worship if they wish,” the chain's website says.
According to the AP, restaurants operating now would not be affected by the bill.
Instead, any future food concession contract at transportation facilities would be owned by New York State and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
State Rep. Tony Simone (D), who introduced the bill, said its purpose is to provide travelers in the Empire State with a variety of dining options, according to the AP.
“Look, if you want to eat fried chicken while traveling over the holidays, then Chick-fil-A should be open on Sundays,” Simone argued.
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