South-Carolina
Here’s what South Carolina politicians, parties had to say about passage of spending bill
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping spending plan that sends more money to the border and military while taking funds away from social programs.
The 1,116-page-long package narrowly passed in a 215-214 vote on May 22. President Donald Trump applauded the bill’s passage, which outlines a major restructuring of federal funds that would affect income tax rates, Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Congressional leaders from South Carolina and Greenville County Democrats and Republicans reacted along party lines to the bill and its potential impacts on South Carolinians.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it will likely face further amendments. It needs a majority vote to clear the chamber and go to the president’s desk.
Billions in cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits
Stacey Mars, the chair of the Greenville County Democratic Party, said the bill’s changes to social services like Medicaid and SNAP will have the biggest impact on Greenville County residents.
“We already have people who are falling through the gap when it comes to healthcare,” Mars said. “Everyone, if you are an American citizen, deserves to have the support from the government.”
Katherine Harvey, the chair of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party, also said she thinks the most concerning part of the bill is the possible Medicaid and SNAP cuts.
“This is a significant impact on a part of our state that is already experiencing health disparities,” Harvey said. “Nobody asked for this. The costs would be devastating.”
The Congressional Budget Office released a preliminary analysis of the effects of the bill on May 20 — which estimates a $698 billion cut to Medicaid and a $267 billion cut to SNAP benefits over the next 10 years.
About 20,800 households in Greenville County, 11,000 in Anderson County, and 17,300 in Spartanburg County receive SNAP benefits as of April, according to the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said that 95,000 of Greenville County residents are covered by Medicaid.
South Carolina spent $8.9 billion on Medicaid in 2022, according to KFF — which is a nonprofit that conducts health policy research. The federal government covered 75% of that total.
Republican Rep. William Timmons (SC 4th District) called the legislation a “must-pass bill” that will strengthen the economy. He said that this bill will help better confirm the identities of people applying for benefits – while making sure people who are qualified will stay eligible for Medicaid and SNAP.
“We have to pass this bill,” Timmons said prior to the vote. “The American people voted for it this past November.”
The Greenville County Republican Party chairman said his members would much rather see single bills passed than large spending packages like this one, but understands this is the legislative system America has in place.
“The Greenville County Republican Party is in full support of the TRUMP agenda,” said Jeff Davis, in a statement. “We look forward to the scheduled July 4th signing of this landmark legislation.”
Reverting to 2017 tax rates, removing taxes on tips and overtime
The spending bill would also extend the U.S. tax code that was passed in 2017 during the first Trump administration, which was set to expire at the end of 2025.
The measure reduced federal income tax rates for each of the seven brackets except the lowest quintile and the second-highest quintile. A new provision to the legislation would increase the child tax credit to $2,500 through 2028.
“Extending the tax from 2017 is critical,” Timmons said.
Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC 6th District) said the benefits of the 2017 tax code change were felt most by wealthier people, not the people in lower income brackets.
“You got the lower 20%, they get a negative result out of this tax cut and the upper 20% get a fantastic result,” Clyburn said. “Why are we putting taxes in such a way that benefits millionaires and billionaires?”
Clyburn joined every other House Democrat and two Republicans in a vote against the bill.
“I think it’s probably one of the worst pieces of legislation I’ve seen since I’ve been in the Congress,” Clyburn said.
No federal tax on tips and overtime
The 2025 budget reconciliation bill also gets rid of federal income taxes on overtime pay and tips, which are two items Trump campaigned on in 2024.
Just under 10% of Greenville metro area workers are employed in the food preparation and service industry, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Only three other occupational areas had more employees: production, office and administrative support, and sales.
“This bill delivers on the clear mandate voters gave us in 2024 — to restore security, sanity, and sovereignty to this country,” Republican Rep. Sheri Biggs (SC 3rd District) said. “It may not be perfect — few things in Washington are — but it delivers big wins for border security, personal freedom, and fiscal responsibility.
New details have emerged in an officer-involved shooting that left one dead and a deputy injured in Anderson County on Monday.
A deputy with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) initiated a traffic stop outside of Townville, SC, on I-85 Northbound near Mile Marker 11 for a traffic violation, according to a release from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
The deputy requested back-up and spoke to 32-year-old Austin Derrell Robertson, of Pennsylvania, in his patrol vehicle. Once the other deputy arrived, Robertson got out of the vehicle and “a physical altercation involving him and the two deputies” occured, according to SLED.
SC deputy critically injured after shooting during traffic stop, suspect killed
While deputies attempted to tase Robertson, officials said he grabbed a firearm from his vehicle and shot one of the deputies.
Both deputies then shot back at Roberston, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
SLED said the deputy was airlifted to the hospital and remains there for treatment at this time.
The incident remains under investigation by SLED, as requested by the ACSO.
NOTE: The above video is a livestream of WIS featuring current newscasts, Soda City Living and Gray Media’s Local News Live.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Former South Carolina Lt. Gov. André Bauer has been nominated for a position in foreign diplomacy.
The White House on Tuesday listed Bauer as a nominee to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Belize, a Central American country bordering Guatemala.
It’s unclear when a confirmation hearing will take place. WIS has reached out to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee for more information.
Bauer was South Carolina’s lieutenant governor from 2003-2011, serving under then-Gov. Mark Sanford. Before that, he served terms in the South Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate.
More recently, Bauer entered the race for U.S. Senate in July 2025, looking to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham in the Republican primary. He ended his campaign the following month.
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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Six Republican candidates vying to become South Carolina’s next governor met in downtown Charleston for a wide-ranging debate that put abortion, infrastructure and the future of data centers at the center of the race.
The forum was held at the Sottile Theatre, where Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, Lowcountry businessman Rom Reddy and Attorney General Alan Wilson took the stage.
Questions included whether they would support a state hate crime law, how they would address concerns about growth and infrastructure, how to navigate collaboration, abortion and the future of data centers in the state.
One issue that drew near-unanimous opposition was state Senate Bill 1095, a proposed total abortion ban that passed out of committee earlier in the day. All of the candidates opposed the bill, but they differed on what they would do if it reached the governor’s desk.
READ MORE | South Carolina governor candidates tout infrastructure, growth at business forum
Norman said he would sign it.
“You know, this is an emotional issue, but I will tell you if this bill came to my desk as governor. If it passed the House and the Senate, I would sign it,” Norman said.
All of the other candidates on stage said they would veto the bill if it came across their desk as governor, with Reddy arguing the question should be decided by voters.
“The Supreme Court did not say the loudest voice in the ruling class prevails. It said it’s up to the people in the state, so let’s put it to a referendum,” Reddy said.
On infrastructure, candidates discussed reforming the South Carolina Department of Transportation and allowing private-sector involvement to help pay for improvements.
Wilson outlined ideas that included leasing interstate easements and expanding private express lanes.
“We privatized that grass between the interstates. We turn it into private express lanes that can be told we leased the easements on the sides of interstates to telecommunication companies and energy companies, and charge them for natural gas line and fiber optic fiber optic cables,” Wilson said.
Evette also pointed to public-private partnerships and the possibility of fast-pass lanes.
READ MORE | South Carolina governor candidates tout infrastructure, growth at business forum
“We want to make sure that we’re innovative public private partnerships coming in and creating fast pass lanes to allow people that are in a hurry to be able to utilize that,” Evette said.
The final question focused on data centers, with candidates agreeing corporations should “pay their way.”
“They should pay for their water. They should pay for their infrastructure, any roads around it, and we should look at what Governor Ron DeSantis has done in Florida with the large data centers that are coming to Florida. That should be the model in South Carolina and everywhere,” Mace said.
Kimbrell said the state should set limits to protect natural resources and guard against higher power costs for residents.
“Put parameters around data centers to ensure that the water consumption does not impact places like the ACE Basin,” Kimbrell said. “Ensuring that the Public Service Commission makes absolutely sure nobody’s power rate goes up and we try to get behind the meter energy grids in place so they can be self-sufficient.”
Two more debates are planned ahead of the primaries on June 9.
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