Tom Rice

Former Congressman, South Carolina

Since 2013, Former Congressman Tom Rice has represented South Carolina’s Chesterfield, Dillon, Georgetown, Horry, Marlboro, Darlington, and Marion counties as well as parts of Florence county in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Born and raised in South Carolina, Rice attended the University of South Carolina where he also earned his Master’s degree in Accounting and J.D. Rice obtained his CPA while beginning his career at Deloitte & Touche in Charlotte. In 1985, Rice returned to his home of Myrtle Beach and practiced tax law before establishing his own practice in 1997.

Rice served on many state and local advisory boards including Myrtle Beach’s Board of Zoning Variances, the Blue Ribbon Committee to Study Emergency Services for the City of Myrtle Beach, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Conservation Education and Communication Advisory Board. In 2010, Rice was elected Chairman of the Horry County Council, before running for the House of Representatives in 2012.

During his time in Congress, Rice deployed his tax law expertise as a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means. He has championed legislation to improve disaster recovery processes, and led successful efforts to secure relief in his district, including $92 million in relief for Marion and Horry County residents affected by flooding, $80 million for beach renourishment projects, and $130 million for farmers to rebuild following Hurricane Joaquin in 2015. A champion for resilience across South Carolina, Rice also served as Chair of the Federal Funding Task Force of the South Carolina Floodwater Commission, which was created by Governor McMaster to mitigate the effects of disasters before they strike. 

Rice lives in Myrtle Beach with his wife, Wrenzie, and the couple share three grown sons.

 

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Disaster declaration
A Presidential Disaster Declaration unlocks a suite of federal programs that assist local governments with disaster recovery. This is a good filter for communities included in recent Disaster Declarations related to flooding.
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The program has a strong focus on providing assistance to promote a healthy ecosystem as a critical defense against flooding impacts. Eligible activities may include floodplain restoration, environmental stewardship, projects that use natural features to mitigate erosion, and living shorelines.
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