Tom Rice

Tom Rice
Official portrait of Congressman Tom Rice (R–SC)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	District re-established Hampton P. Fulmer before district abolished in 1933
Personal details
Born	Hugh Thompson Rice Jr. August 4, 1957 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Wrenzie Rice
Children	3
Residence	Myrtle Beach
Education	B.S. MA in Accounting, Juris Doctor (J.D)
Alma mater	University of South Carolina (B.S., M.A., J.D.)
Profession	Businessman, Lawyer
Religion	Episcopalian
Website	Representative Tom Rice

Hugh Thompson "Tom" Rice Jr. (born August 4, 1957) is the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 7th congressional district. Elected to the 113th Congress in November 2012, he is a conservative Republican, supports the right to life movement and thinks the U.S. government has strayed from tenets of the Constitution.^[1] He was a member of the freshman class chosen to sit at the House Republican leadership table. Rice was chair of the Horry County Council until he resigned from the position on December 31.^[2]

Rice won re-election in 2014. Rice defeated Democratic challenger Gloria Bromell Tinubu on November 4, 2014.^[3] He also defeated Bromell Tinubu in the general election on November 6, 2012.^[4]

Early life, education and pre-congressional career

Rice was born in Charleston on August 4, 1957. He was four years old when his parents divorced, and his teacher mother took him and his brother Clay to Myrtle Beach. Rice’s first job was a busboy when he was 12, and he was variously a night shift fry cook, a grocery store bag boy and miniature golf course manager while still in high school. Rice was 16 when his father died.

Rice had a scholarship to Duke University but enrolled at the University of South Carolina in Columbia where he earned a master's degree in accounting in 1979 and a law degree in 1982.

After college, he worked at accounting/consulting firm of Deloitte & Touche in Charlotte where he earned his CPA certificate. In 1985 he returned to Myrtle Beach to practice tax law with the Van Osdell law firm, then established his own practice, Rice & MacDonald, in 1997. He was elected chair of Horry County Council in 2010.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Rice won election in the U.S. Congress elections, 2012 for the U.S. House, representing South Carolina's South Carolina's 7th congressional district. Rice defeated Jay Jordan, Randal Wallace, Dick Withington, James Mader, Chad Prosser, Katherine Jenerette, and Renee Culler in the Republican primary on June 12, 2012 to advance to a runoff. He defeated major rival Andre Bauer in the run-off election on June 26, 2012 Rice defeated Gloria Bromell Tinubu (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.^[5][6]

Rice won re-election in 2014 defeating Democratic challenger Gloria Bromell with 60.15 percent of the votes over Rommel-Tinubu's 39.85 percent.^[3]

Tenure

Rice has co-sponsored several pieces of legislation including Safe Schools Act of 2013, a bill to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and others.^[7]

Rice has pushed changes to port funding,^[8][9] offered victims help to replace Social Security cards, and other federal documents after massive fire destroys 26 condo buildings,^[10] made statements on President Obama's press conferences,^[11] made a statement on the passage of the Require a PLAN Act,^[12] statement on the Presidents State of The Union Address,^[13] among other things ^[14]

Committee assignments

United States House Committee on Ways and Means

In early November 2015, Rice was appointed by the United States House of Representatives to the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. On November 18, 2015, Congressman Kevin Brady appointed Rice to the Oversight, Social Security, and Human Resources subcommittees.^[15][16]

Past Committee assignments

• Committee on the Budget
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access (Chair)
  • Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

In early December 2012, Rice was appointed by the United States House of Representatives to the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, United States House Committee on the Budget and United States House Committee on Small Business of the 113th Congress.^[17][18]

On January 8, 2013, Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO) appointed Rice chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access. Graves said that Rice would be a "great fit" because of his knowledge about the challenges facing small business owners. Rice said he would "work to limit government overreach, enact serious tax reform, and lower the cost of doing business in America, so our small business owners—America’s economic engine—can compete in our economy and the global marketplace."^[19]

On January 22, 2013, Rice was appointed to the following subcommittees: Highways and Transit, Water Resources and Environment, and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Rice said the appointments would allow him to work for the funding and construction of Interstate 73 as well as the dredging of the Georgetown Port.^[20][21]

On November 11, 2013, Rice was appointed to the water resources conference committee which is to help resolve differences between the U.S. House and Senate versions of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013. The version that has recently passed the House would allow for the dredging of the Georgetown port which is a $33 million project and would bring an estimated $30 million annual economic boost to the local economy. In a press release from his office Congressman Rice stated “My district sent me to Washington to work on our infrastructure needs and the needs of the state,” and also “Since joining the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have made it my goal to do whatever it takes to champion South Carolina’s ports.” ^{[22][23][24][25]}

Electoral history

2014 General Election [26]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Rice	102,833	59.95
	Democratic	Gloria Bromell Tinubu	68,576	39.98
	Independent	Write In	115	0.07%
Total votes			171,524	100

2012 U.S. House of Representatives District 7 Republican Primary [27]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Andre Bauer	12,037	32.13
	Republican	Renee Culler	279	0.74
	Republican	Katherine Jenerette	1,457	3.89
	Republican	Jay Jordan	8,107	21.64
	Republican	Jim Mader	180	0.48
	Republican	Chad Prosser	3,824	10.21
	Republican	Tom Rice	10,252	27.36
	Republican	Randal Wallace	691	1.84
	Republican	Dick Withington	641	1.71
Total votes			37,468	100

2012 U.S. House of Representatives District 7 Republican Primary – Runoff [28]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Andre Bauer	13,173	43.89
	Republican	Tom Rice	16,844	56.11
Total votes			30,017	100

2012 U.S. House of Representatives District 7 General Election [29]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Rice	153,068	55.51
	Democratic	Gloria Bromell Tinubu	114,594	41.56
	Working Families	———	7,795	2.83
	Independent	Write In	281	0.10
Total votes			275,738	100

Personal life

Rice and his family reside in Myrtle Beach.In his free time he enjoys fishing, hunting, golfing and spending time with his family and friends. He married his wife, Wrenzie, in 1982 and they have three adult sons; H.T., Jacob, and Lucas.

References

1. Jones, Steve (November 3, 2012). "Tom Rice: Inexperience could be a good thing.". The Sun News. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
2. Hinnant, Lauren. "Horry County Chair seat empty Dec. 31, filing opens mid-January". WBTW News 13. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
3. Jones, Steve. "Rep. Tom Rice declared victor in bid for 7th District". The Sun News. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
4. "Associated Press, "2012 Primary Results"". The Associated Press. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
5. WYFF News-2012 Primary Results
6. SC Now "Tinubu wins Democratic runoff; Rice beats Bauer for GOP spot," June 26, 2012
7. "Tom Rice: Bills Co-Sponsoring". US House of Reps / Library of Congress. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
8. "Rice pushes change in port funding". Georgetown Times. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
9. "Port critical to economy". Greenville Online. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
10. Jones, Steven (18 March 2013). "Rice offers victims help to replace Social Security cards, other federal documents". The Sun News. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
11. "Rep. Rice: Mr. President, we cannot afford continued deficit spending". Rep. Tom Rice / US House of Reps. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
12. "Rep. Rice: We Will #RequireAPlan from the President". Rep. Tom Rice / House of Reps. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
13. "Rep. Rice’s Statement on the State of the Union Address". Rep Tom Rice / US House of Reps. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
14. "Rep. Tom Rice Press Releases". Rep.Tom Rice / US House of Reps. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
15. "Rice Appointed to Ways and Means Subcommittees". Congressman Tom Rice. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
16. "Congressman Rice Named to House Committee on Ways and Means". Congressman Tom Rice. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
17. Jones, Steve (December 12, 2012). "Rice appointed to House transportation committee". The Sun News. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
18. "Rep. Tom Rice committee appointments". WBTW. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
19. "Rep. Rice Named Small Business Subcommittee Chairman". US House of Representatives. January 8, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
20. "Rep. Rice Appointed Transportation Subcommittees". US House of Representatives/Rep. Tom Rice news release. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
21. Jones, Steve (January 25, 2013). "Rice appointed to key subcommittees for 7th District". The Sun News. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
22. Jones, Steve (15 November 2013). "Rice named to Water Resources conference committee.". The Sun News. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
23. "Rice named to Water Resources conference committee". Congressman Tom Rice. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
24. "Speaker Boehner Appoints Negotiators to Water Resources Reform Conference Committee". Speaker of the House John Boehner. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
25. "WRRDA Moves Forward with House Conferee Appointments". transportation.house.gov. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
26. 2012 South Carolina Statewide General Election Results
27. 2012 South Carolina U.S. House of Representatives District 7 Republican Primary Election Results
28. 2012 South Carolina U.S. House of Representatives District 7 Republican Primary Runoff Results
29. 2012 South Carolina U.S. House of Representatives District 7 General Election Results

External links

• Congressman Tom Rice official U.S. House site
• Tom Rice for Congress
• Tom Rice at DMOZ
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress