Moultrie News:  Meet The Candidates - Bill Young

Bill Young is one of three Republican candidates vying for the 1st congressional district seat currently occupied by Rep. Nancy Mace, with primary elections slated for June 11. The military veteran recently responded to questions posed to him by this newspaper.

Moultrie News: Briefly tell us about your background and what are you greatest past accomplishments that make you worthy of your candidacy?

Bill Young: I graduated from Marine Corps boot camp just down the road at Parris Island. Was deployed to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008. Through these experiences I was able to build a foundation of knowledge for foreign policy. After the Marine Corps, I attended NC State where I earned my Bachelors of Science in Economics. While in college, I volunteered to help in creating a 115-bed facility that was called the Veterans Life Center. This facility helped veterans reintegrate to civilian life. It has behavioral health therapy on site, and gets them ingrained into the local Veteran Affairs system. Additionally, it partnered with the neighboring community college to help veterans get certified trade skills, such as HVAC certifications to be self-reliant individuals when they leave.

I was a licensed financial advisor after graduating college. However, I started to have several of my colleagues from the Marine Corps lose their battles at home and started to take their own lives at an increasing rate. I decided to rededicate my life towards veteran mental health. Where I am currently the state director for a national nonprofit that enriches Veteran lives through outdoor recreational therapy. It is through these experiences that I have a background in finance and economics that allows me to find comprehensive solutions to our countries' issues. My experiences have also given me insight into Veteran issues, this insight gives me the ability to make needed significant changes to the VA that will benefit our nation's Veteran community.

MN: How do we keep the US and Lowcountry economies thriving and viable? What’s working and what needs to be rectified?

BY: Keeping the economy viable nationally and in the Lowcountry takes understanding the engine of our economy and gears that make the economy work. As our nation had a low-to-zero interest rate for years, we are facing a time of higher interest rates. However, historically they are still low if you consider the Volcker rates of the 80s. In order to create a situation that is complementary to this higher interest rate environment, we must get back to drilling in the same manner we did under the Trump administration. This flooded the market with oil and brought down the price per barrel significantly. The price of oil is up at least 50 percent under Biden compared to Trump. Our supply chain and logistics cost is greatly affected by this. If we can create an environment for relief in this manner, we will help the economy tremendously. We also should renew the Trump corporate tax cuts, which brought the rate from the mid thirties to 21 percent. This broadens the tax base and lowers the rates, attracting more companies to America, more tax revenue and more jobs.

Regarding local small businesses here in the Lowcountry, our local wild caught shrimpers are being decimated. I have been advocating for our shrimping industry since I started my campaign. Congresswoman Nancy Mace didn’t start to support our shrimping community until hearing about our Shrimping Town Hall on April 10, when she conveniently announced in a press release she was signing the Save our Shrimpers Act. This bill does the bare minimum, it does nothing to address the large amount of foreign shrimp being imported that are produced by slave labor and pumped full of chemicals. That's why I support the LESS Act and the Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement act. The LESS Act will address illegal foreign shrimp of terrible quality that our country has deemed illegal, forcing the FDA to enforce the law. They currently inspect less than 1 percent of the shrimp that comes over. Then the Fishing Industry Enhancement Credit Act addresses domestic supply. Amending the Farm Credit System so companies that assist shrimpers and fishers such as cold storage facilities and shrimp processors can get access to capital in the form of a loan. This multi-faceted approach is critical because we are only a few weeks into one of the best shrimping seasons in 15 years. However, our shrimpers have had to either slow down or completely halt operations because the cold storage facilities are filled with this foreign low quality shrimp.

MN: What are your views on the US border crisis?

BY: Over 2 million illegal immigrants crossed our border just last year. We currently have systems in place which incentivize this illegal migration. For one, it takes 5 years for an individual who crossed here illegally to be seen for their first court case. Two, we arrest them and then release them into our country, with no repercussions and a 15-20 year process to deport. This must end. We must reinstate, remain in Mexico, end catch-and-release and finish the wall! Our immigration judges need to be staffed with a team so they can work through the 10 million-plus asylum claims, 60 percent of which are estimated to be meritless. We must use tariffs to force Mexico and other central American countries hands. Legislation should also be passed that forces ICE and local law enforcement to work together when an illegal is detained, ICE works with them to facilitate picking them up and deporting them from the country.

Additionally, our border problem has expanded to the Darien Gap at the Colombia/Panama border. In 2019 and 2020 combined, crossings were under 30,000 in two years. However, last year alone in 2023 they had over 500,000 migrants cross through this path. It has been confirmed that they are all headed to America. Of those crossing the Darien Gap, 113,000 of them are kids. If this continues unchecked, this will flood our education system throughout all of America. Congresswoman Nancy Mace uses the Triangle Asylum Cooperation Agreement to use foreign aid as a carrot to withhold from Central American countries if they don't give asylum. However, this will just be a pathway to more foreign aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. So what will happen when we don't increase their funding when they increase asylums? This is not a long-term solution.

The new President of Panama has emphasized support for shutting down the crossings at the Darien Gap. America needs to work closely with him to shut down the Colombian Panama border. If tariffs are needed to get Colombia to take us seriously, then that’s something I’m willing to consider.

MN: What unique qualities do you bring to the table that the others may not offer?

BY: As a Marine, leadership was not only encouraged but it was demanded, taught and has been passed down through history since November 10, 1775. Leadership qualities, such as setting the standard, inspecting what you expect out of your employees and duty discovered is duty responsible for. This is why Major General (James E.) Livingston and Medal of Honor recipient, has endorsed my campaign. Additionally as an economics major with a financial background, I have an understanding of how to bring back fiscal responsibility in an efficient manner. Also having an education in economics allows me to be able to look at all our nation's issues and find data-driven comprehensive solutions instead of pandering lip service. I look forward to meeting with the constituents in our district and asking for your vote on June 11.

(https://www.postandcourier.com/moultrie-news/moultrie-news/news/meet-the-candidates-bill-young/article_697857fe-115c-11ef-aab7-0703af4db634.html) 

As a Marine Veteran, I understand the needs of our men and women in uniform. It's time that we have an elected representative that has been in their shoes to fight for the issues they care about.

This morning I had the pleasure of attending the Berkeley County Republican Party breakfast. It was great to meet and talk with voters about the issues that matter to them.

I have stood with our local shrimpers since Day 1! It's about time we had a Representative that looked out for the best interests of our Lowcountry business owners. 

Let us introduce you to Bill Young For Congress. 

Bill Young is running for South Carolina’s First Congressional District in the upcoming November, 2024 Election. He is running against incumbent, Nancy Mace. Bill went on Hello Edisto to tell them why you should elect him this time around instead of Nancy Mace.

March 27, 2024

Our interview yesterday on CBS Live 5 News aired at 3pm. Check it out. Thanks to Live 5 News for having us on.

This past week has been a whirlwind for our campaign! From endorsements to filing along with meet and greets and interviews, our coalition is on the move.