🏛 From the Desk of Congresswoman Nancy Mace

As your Representative in Washington, we are working every day to fight for our Lowcountry values. This newsletter is your inside look at what’s happening in D.C. and how our team is working to serve you right here at home. Whether it’s securing our borders, standing up for our military, or protecting your freedoms, we’ve got your back.

Here’s what we’ve been working on in Washington:

Mace Means Business

We secured 26 key amendments to the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) during the House Armed Services Committee markup. With more than double the committee average of amendments adopted, these wins are a clear demonstration of leadership and a results-driven approach to defense policy. Our proposals reflect a clear, America First focus: supporting service members, strengthening national defense, restoring accountability in government, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.

Highlights of Rep. Nancy Mace’s Adopted Amendments Include:

Protecting Survivors & Modernizing Military Justice

1. Sexual Assault Forensic Exams – Requires the Department of Defense to provide forensic exams for civilian employees and contractors affected by sexual assault.
2. VA Support Training for MST Survivors – Requires Department of Defense to update sexual assault prevention and response training to include available VA resources for survivors of military sexual trauma.
3. Capital Punishment for Child Rape – Authorizes the death penalty under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for those convicted of raping a child.
4. Protocols for Screening for Unwanted Sexual Conduct – Requires DoD to establish uniform procedures for handling reports of non-consensual sexual behavior.
5. 24/7 Access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners  – Mandates all Military Treatment Facilities maintain constant access to certified sexual assault nurse examiners.
6. Sexual Assault Review Commission Implementation – Requires updates on implementation of the recommendations from the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault.
7. Modernized Revenge Porn Law – Updates the Uniform Code of Military Justice to modernize the prohibition of revenge porn and prohibit sexually explicit deepfakes.

Mental Health, Family Support & Veterans Care

1. Digital Health Records for Veterans – Creates a pilot program for separating service members to retain a digital copy of their health records.
2. Suicide Prevention Strategy Update – Mandates a detailed update on efforts to reduce suicide among service members and veterans.
3. Mental Health Access Review – Reviews current mental health services, barriers to access, and needed improvements.
4. Childcare Access Evaluation – Requires an update on military childcare resources, barriers to access, and steps being taken to improve the provision of childcare.
5. Maternal Health Resources Online – Directs the Department of Defense to compile and share maternal health care resources on Military OneSource.

Defense Modernization & National Security

1. Army Prepositioned Stocks Protection – Prevents the Department of the Army from operational reductions in the Army Prepositioned Stocks-Afloat (APS-3) program until further planning is submitted.
2. Eastern Range Regional Complex Authorization – Would create an Eastern Range Regional Complex across 24 eastern states, including South Carolina, for joint training, testing, and experimentation hub for multi-domain operations and autonomous systems.
3. Cybersecurity for Federal Contractors – Incorporates Rep. Mace’s bill to require federal contractors to adopt vulnerability disclosure policies.
4. Blockchain for Inventory Management – Authorizes a pilot program using distributed ledger tech to improve inventory accuracy and security.

Science, Research, & Animal Welfare

1. Ban on Gain-of-Function Pathogen Research – Halts Department of Defense funding of risky gain-of-function research on potential pandemic viruses in FY26.
2. Flood Mitigation & Resilience Update – Requires the Department of Defense to provide a report on infrastructure upgrades and flood risk planning.
3. Permanent Ban on Dog & Cat Testing – Permanently bans painful animal testing involving dogs and cats.
4. Shift to Non-Animal Testing Methods – Directs a report on progress toward alternative scientific testing models to move away from animal testing.

Government Accountability & Reform

1. Extended Lobbying Restrictions for Generals – Increases post-retirement lobbying bans for general and flag officers from 1–2 years to 3–5 years.
2. Degree Requirement Reduction Plan – Directs a review of degree requirements and moves toward skills-based hiring across Department of Defense positions.

End ‘Woke’ DEI Initiatives

1. Ban on DEI Offices and Programs – Prohibits creation or implementation of any DEI initiatives within the Department of Defense, and abolishes existing DEI offices.
2. Report on DEI & Transgender Medical Costs – Requires cost transparency on DEI-related initiatives and transgender medical procedures under the Biden administration.
3. Military Academy Admissions Reform – Reforms the admissions process to prioritize standards and competitive excellence in selecting cadets and midshipmen.
4. Merit-Based Personnel Policy – Ensures military hiring and promotion decisions are based solely on merit, without regard to race, ethnicity, or national origin.

In addition to her 26 adopted amendments, Congresswoman Nancy Mace secured several key victories included in the NDAA base text, including:

1. Joint Base Charleston Nuclear Training Expansion: Secures a long-term authorization of $357.9 million, $65.4 million of which is allocated for FY26, for the construction of a Nuclear Power Training Facility at Joint Base Charleston. 
2. Maternal Health Access: 5-year TRICARE pilot treating pregnancy as a qualifying life event and requires a maternal health access briefing.
3. Adversarial Country Animal Testing Ban: Ends taxpayer funding for cruel experiments and prohibits funding animal research facilities located in, owned, or controlled by countries of concern, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
4. U.S.-Israel Defense Cooperation: Extends joint counter-UAS, anti-tunnel, and tech development efforts through 2028.
5. Military Housing Reform Study: Directs a review of how Basic Allowance for Housing rate is calculated to reflect real housing costs, better reflecting regional market trends in high-cost areas.
6. Advancing Nuclear Readiness: Directs the Department of Defense to establish a working group focused on transitioning to advanced nuclear technologies and requires a formal briefing on nuclear propulsion simulation training.

We voted to save American taxpayers 9 billion dollars. Not one more cent of your money to unnecessary woke nonsense. Defunding PBS and NPR is more money back in your pockets where it should be. When we say America first, we mean it. 

Two of our amendments passed in the FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill in the House last week:

1. Blocks the early retirement of vital APS-3 Army vessels (Maintained by Joint Base Charleston).

2. Invests $15M in Navy R&D to drive next-gen ship design in the Lowcountry.

Now it’s the Senate’s turn. We’ll keep fighting for a stronger, smarter military, built on America First principles.

Our Veterans Affairs Distributed Ledger Technology Act, passed out of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

This marks a major step forward in efforts to modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs through blockchain innovation. Next stop: U.S. House Floor. 

During a House Oversight Subcommittee hearing, we filed to redact victims' names, any personal identifiers, and all child sexual abuse material in the Epstein files, to protect those who’ve already suffered enough. We know what it’s like when the system turns its back on survivors. These victims deserve justice, accountability, and the full truth. We stand with President Trump on full and complete transparency.

Mace Bills Introduced

We introduced the Responding to Exploitation and Sharing of Private Explicit Content and Threats (RESPECT) Act, to enhance the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which President Trump signed into law on May 19, 2025. This bill goes even further, amending the Communications Act of 1934 to impose enhanced criminal penalties for publishing or threatening to publish non-consensual sexual content involving minors, ensuring predators face real prison time in line with the severity of the crime.

As part of our fight to end government-funded animal cruelty, we reintroduced the Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste (PAAW) Act, a bill prohibiting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or funding research causing significant pain or distress to dogs and cats.

We reintroduced Tyler's Law, which requires hospitals and medical examiners to report child injuries or deaths tied to unsafe children’s products within seven days. This bill is named after 10-month-old Tyler Jonathan, who tragically lost his life due to a defective crib. The goal is to identify and eliminate dangerous products faster to protect kids and give families peace of mind.

Girls’ sports are for girls only. We cosponsored Congressman Andy Barr's Defend Girls Athletics Act to codify President Trump’s executive order and hold schools accountable: Either play fair or lose your funding. The law should protect women, not erase them. 

We reintroduced the Veterans Affairs Distributed Ledger Innovation Act, which would direct the VA to explore the use of distributed ledger technology, such as blockchain, to enhance operational efficiency, increase transparency, reduce fraud, and improve the delivery of benefits to America’s veterans. 

We are co-leading the bipartisan Electronic Consent Accountability Act to ensure federal agencies provide secure, modern tools for Americans to access or share their personal records.

After 18 years of bureaucratic delay, Goose Creek is finally on track for a ZIP Code fix. The House just passed legislation directing USPS to assign updated ZIP Codes to 66 communities, including Goose Creek, which has faced tax errors, voter confusion, and service disruptions due to outdated boundaries.

We worked to ensure our hometown was included. This is a win for accuracy, fairness, and responsive government in the Lowcountry.

We supported a $30.4 million investment formally authorized by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee for the construction of a new Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Beaufort County.

The clinic will improve access to medical services, counseling, and vital VA programs for the nearly 17,000 veterans who call Beaufort County home.

This weekend we joined ECPI University’s commencement to celebrate some seriously hard-earned success.

Most grads juggled jobs, families, even military service, while pushing toward a diploma. Grit like this defines the Lowcountry. It’s the kind of determination driving our economy and shaping our future.

One moment we won’t forget: a mother walked the stage carrying her child’s ashes. Her strength moved every one of us. To every graduate: We see your hustle. We respect your journey. We can’t wait to see what you build next.

We sat down with Fox News to discuss how Russiagate was a $32 million political hit job aimed at derailing Donald Trump’s candidacy before the 2016 election. The mainstream media relentlessly smeared him over false claims, but President Trump pushed back, taking on the lies and standing strong against a deep state determined to take him down.

Breitbart covered our reintroduction of the Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste (PAAW) Act, which would stop the NIH from funding painful experiments on dogs and cats. The watchdog group White Coat Waste Project is backing the bill and has helped expose this abuse. 

We joined Fox News to make it clear: we don’t tolerate sanctuary cities or the dangerous policies coming with them. President Trump is doing what the Left refuses to, enforcing the law, getting criminals off our streets, and putting the safety of the American people first.

ABC News 4 covered our new bill, the RESPECT Act, which strengthens criminal penalties for those who share or threaten to share explicit images, including revenge porn and AI-generated deepfakes, and ensures prison time matches the seriousness of the crime.

WCBD News 2 covered our support for Dorchester County’s $24.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to upgrade U.S. Highway 78. This is a major investment in infrastructure, and a big win for the Lowcountry.

💬 Need help with a federal agency? Contact our district office:
📞 (843) 352-7572 |📍 900 Island Park Drive Suite 260, Daniel Island, SC 29492

This week’s constituent spotlight is James Weaver, President of ECPI University’s Charleston campus and an active member of the National Guard.

James sets the standard for leadership, both in the classroom and in uniform. He brought us in to speak at ECPI’s commencement ceremony, where we met graduates ready to make an impact right here in the Lowcountry.

Leaders like James are shaping the next generation and keeping our community moving forward.

Stay up-to-date:

• Website: mace.house.gov
• Twitter: @RepNancyMace
• Facebook: facebook.com/RepNancyMace
• Instagram: @RepNancyMace

Yours in Service,

Rep. Nancy Mace

Member of Congress