Guest Viewpoint: Protecting Parris Island means protecting our national defense, SC interests

We all know Washington isn’t like the rest of the country, but did you know that time works differently there as well?

Sure, it may be the beginning of summer, but Congress has already started its 30-day, final countdown until the end of its “year.” That’s right, between now and Election Day in November, the laundry list of to-dos continues to grow while the days that Congress actually meets to pass laws continues to shrink.

And one of those must pass legislative items — perhaps the most important — is the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. It’s a bill that must pass every year to keep our military funded, our troops paid, and military installations around the world fully operational. With eight military installations calling South Carolina home, and half of those found right here in the Lowcountry, you better believe this is an important bill with real impacts on our state.

That is why I will continue to do everything I can to protect Joint Base Charleston, Naval Hospital Beaufort, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and, of course, MCRD Parris Island.

From listening and engaging with military leaders and local officials on ways to strengthen our communities, to promoting environmental resilience measures that will protect them from severe weather outcomes to introducing legislation to prevent future Base Realignment and Closures (BRACs) from impacting Parris Island, I have made it my mission in Congress to see that our military family here has every tool necessary to thrive well into the next decade and beyond. Our national security depends on it.

We make Marines in Beaufort, and we have since 1915. We are proud of that tradition, of our contribution to our country and, in return, of the economic impact it has on our community.

But I won’t sugarcoat it, as I’m sure you all all are aware, there is a fight here in Congress and at the Pentagon to move or consolidate operations. I saw this last year when a senator from the West Coast tried to add language in the NDAA that would place unfair and burdensome gender integration deadlines on Marine recruit depots — language that would have impacted only Parris Island it turns out — and not the California-based San Diego depot. I, along with our South Carolina senators, fought to have this successfully removed from the final version.

Regrettably, I expect similar legislative shenanigans again this year, which is why in the coming weeks, as DC “time” winds down, I will continue to fight for Parris Island and all our military communities in the Lowcountry and South Carolina.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican, represents South Carolina’s 1st District, which includes Beaufort County and the Lowcountry.