Horry County's Congressional representative visited a fundraiser Wednesday night for the Black River District Boy Scouts. Tim Scott was the keynote speaker at a dinner at Litchfield Country Club where participants paid $125 a seat to hear him speak to the young men on working hard to achieve your dreams.
"I got to spend time with the leaders of our future," Scott says. "It was a privilege for me to get to speak to them for a few minutes on the future that they're going to have."
Scott also spoke with NewsChannel 15 about the Census results that came out today.
Horry County's population grew 37%, with a 2010 population of 269,291. State Rep. Alan Clemmons says the increase makes it certain for South Carolina to pick up a 7th United States Congressional seat. Which part of the state gets that representation will be determined in the state legislature. Clemmons says he will "advocate for all of Horry County to be included as a significant part in the new 7th Congressional district."
Scott, though, isn't too happy to hear that news. Depending on how lines are drawn, Scott's district, which stretches from Charleston to the North Carolina line, could change drastically if Horry County got its own representative.
"It's bittersweet. The bitter part is there's an opportunity for Georgetown and Horry County to get their own district, which would mean I would not be their Congress member." But Scott adds, "I made a promise on the campaign trail that if Horry County got their district or not, I would be their Congress member."
The state legislature will decide on a new Congressional district by August.
"It's their decision, and I have to go with it," Scott says. "To me what makes sense is for me to be your Congress member. That's what I think makes sense. What the general assembly will say will make sense is out of my hands."
Tim Scott also discussed the conflict in Libya and the one year anniversary of President Barak Obama's health care plan passing, which seemed to stir frustration in the lawmaker.
We asked Scott to weigh in on whether Congress should have been consulted before President Obama gave the go ahead for U.S. jets to bomb targets in Libya under a UN resolution.
Scott says Congress wasn't even briefed on the mission.
"I certainly understand the necessity of action. I would say, however, that it is impossible for America to be the world's police."
And on the day of the one year anniversary of a 2,700-page, $2.6 trillion healthcare bill, Scott emailed his constituents today calling the bill an ill conceived takeover. The email said, "I pledge to continue our efforts toward repeal of this misguided legislation and the federal government's takeover of healthcare."
Scott will also speak 10:30 a.m. Thursday at a breakfast fundraiser at the Pawleys Plantation Conference Center. The event will benefit the Georgetown Republican Center.
