What This Bill Does
This bill prevents the federal government from spending money to close or move the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. The bill also states Congress's view that Parris Island should remain where the Marine Corps trains recruits in its Eastern region.
Who It Affects
The Marine Corps and the Department of Defense are directly affected by this bill's spending restrictions.
Key Provisions
• No federal money can be used to close or realign (move or restructure) the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina (Sec. 3)
• No federal money can be used for any planning or other activity related to closing or realigning the depot (Sec. 3)
• Congress declares it is its position that Parris Island is and should remain the physical home of the Marine Corps Eastern Recruiting Region (Sec. 2(b))
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, the federal government cannot spend money on closing the Parris Island facility or moving its operations. The government also cannot spend money on planning activities for such a closure or move.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 473
To prohibit the use of Federal funds to close or realign the Marine Corps
Recruit Depot located at Parris Island, South Carolina, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 24, 2023
Ms. MACE (for herself, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. NORMAN, Mr.
TIMMONS, Mr. FRY, and Mr. DUNCAN) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To prohibit the use of Federal funds to close or realign
the Marine Corps Recruit Depot located at Parris Island,
South Carolina, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Parris Island Protec-
4
tion Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
6
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
7
ings:
8
VerDate Sep 11 2014
22:52 Mar 10, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H473.IH
H473
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2
•HR 473 IH
(1) The Marine Corps Recruit Depot located at
1
Parris Island, South Carolina (in this section re-
2
ferred to as ‘‘Parris Island’’), has served the United
3
States as a home to the Marine Corps since 1891.
4
(2) Parris Island was the first facility to inte-
5
grate women in boot camp training for the Marine
6
Corps in the United States.
7
(3) Female recruits have trained at Parris Is-
8
land since 1949.
9
(4) The first integrated company of male and
10
female recruits graduated from Parris Island in
11
2019.
12
(5) Parris Island has cultivated a legacy of ex-
13
cellence and faithful service to the United States.
14
(6) Parris Island’s coastal geographical location
15
is of important strategic purpose to the Marine
16
Corps.
17
(7) The Department of Defense issued a new
18
strategy for maritime deterrence called Advantage at
19
Sea that includes the Marine Corps.
20
(8) Parris Island completed a Climate Change
21
Adaptation and Resilience assessment that resulted
22
in changes to its master plan projects and adapta-
23
tion strategies from spatial planning.
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
22:52 Mar 10, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H473.IH
H473
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3
•HR 473 IH
(9) The Parris Island Climate Change Adapta-
1
tion and Resiliency Team produced a comprehensive
2
project portfolio and complete set of Handbook
3
Worksheets incorporating natural infrastructure
4
management (including green infrastructure and en-
5
hanced natural buffers), reduction of water and en-
6
ergy use, and master planning. The portfolio pro-
7
vides a guide for the Depot to address climate-im-
8
pacts to the mission in the short, mid, and long term
9
for current predicted storm surges, as well as future
10
sea level rise (2035, 2065, and 2100).
11
(10) Parris Island won the 2021 Secretary of
12
the Navy’s Environmental Award for ‘‘excellence in
13
integrating environmental and operational sustain-
14
ability efforts and mitigating impacts from storm
15
surge and sea level rise through 2065’’.
16
(11) Parris Island has received a grant totaling
17
$2,050,100 to improve natural infrastructure and
18
reduce erosion, stabilize the shoreline, reduce storm
19
surge impact, and improve water quality while also
20
protecting Department of Defense installations, sur-
21
rounding communities and resources from climate
22
impacts.
23
VerDate Sep 11 2014
22:52 Mar 10, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H473.IH
H473
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4
•HR 473 IH
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
1
gress that Parris Island is and should remain the physical
2
home of the Marine Corps Eastern Recruiting Region.
3
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF CLOSING OR REALIGNMENT OF
4
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT LOCATED
5
AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA.
6
No Federal funds may be used to close or realign Ma-
7
rine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina,
8
or to conduct any planning or other activity related to
9
such closure or realignment.
10
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
22:52 Mar 10, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H473.IH
H473
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB