Mace tours Parris Island for 2nd time since election

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace made two stops to the Lowcountry Wednesday about protecting a historic Marine Corps recruit depot and training base and conservation.

Mace, a new member of the House Armed Services Committee, held news conference Wednesday afternoon at the entrance to the facility. That news conference began at 12:45 p.m.

“It’s great to be down with our marines, we make marines here, and most people may not know this, but the Lowcountry itself has about half of all of the military installation and bases in the entire state of South Carolina,” Mace said at the news conference.

Mace has co-sponsored a bill to protect Parris Island by prohibiting the use of federal funds to close or plan its closure.

She says the economic impact the island has is massive.

“Not just with the number of jobs, over 6,000 jobs are impacted here, hundreds of billions of dollars, over 800 billion dollars invested to train marines, and to the economy in the Lowcountry is massive, and it’s something that I support and will continue to support on armed services,” Mace said.

The facility has trained recruits east of the Mississippi since 1915 and Mace has said it has served a vital role in the nation’s defense.

She’s passionate about keeping the historic training depot open and continuing to make marines on Parris Island.

“Over one million brave Marines have trained at the base and served our country in every conflict since World War I,” Mace said last month when introducing the Parris Island Protection Act in January. “Parris Island is fundamental to our national defense.”

Congresswoman Mace says she and other supporters of the proposed bill like Congressman Joe Wilson will work together on the legislation as long as needed.

She will then travel to Hilton Head to host a “Cocktails with Your Congresswoman” event. She will invite the public to ask questions about conservation efforts in the area.

Mace said on her Twitter page she will host the event at The Smokehouse, at 34 Palmetto Bay Rd., from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission is free, but participants are asked to sign up to reserve a spot at the Eventbrite page.

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