Floyd Spence

Floyd Spence was an American politician and naval officer who served as a United States Representative from South Carolina for over three decades. A member of the Republican Party, he represented the state's 2nd congressional district from 1971 until his death in 2001, becoming a prominent conservative voice on the House Armed Services Committee. Spence was a staunch advocate for a strong national defense and played a key role in shaping military policy during the final years of the Cold War and the post-Cold War era.

Early life and education

Floyd Spence was born on April 9, 1928, in Columbia, South Carolina. He attended local public schools before enrolling at the University of South Carolina in his hometown. At the university, he was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1956. His early life in the American South during the Great Depression and World War II deeply influenced his later political perspectives. Spence was admitted to the South Carolina Bar after graduation, beginning a legal practice that preceded his entry into public service.

Military service

Following his admission to the bar, Spence received a direct commission into the United States Navy's Judge Advocate General's Corps in 1956. He served on active duty for a decade, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Navy Reserve. His service spanned a critical period of the Cold War, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the early years of the Vietnam War. This experience provided him with a foundational understanding of military law and defense policy that would define his later congressional career.

Political career

Spence began his political career in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served from 1956 to 1962 as a Democrat. He switched his affiliation to the Republican Party in 1962, reflecting a broader political realignment in the South. After an unsuccessful run for the United States House of Representatives in 1962, he was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1966. In 1970, he won election to the United States Congress, succeeding Albert Watson in representing South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. He would be re-elected comfortably fifteen consecutive times, often without major-party opposition.

Legislative work and policy positions

Upon entering Congress, Spence secured a coveted seat on the House Armed Services Committee, where he would spend his entire tenure. He became the committee's ranking Republican in 1995 and its chairman following the Republican Revolution of 1994, serving in that role until his death. A steadfast conservative, he was a leading advocate for robust defense spending, strategic missile defense, and a strong United States Navy. He co-authored the landmark Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, which reformed the structure of the United States Department of Defense. Spence also served on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and was a member of the Cox Committee, which investigated technology transfer to China. He consistently opposed abortion rights and gun control measures, maintaining high ratings from organizations like the National Rifle Association.

Personal life and death

Floyd Spence was married to Deborah Shealy and had four children. He was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church in Columbia. After a prolonged illness, Spence died on August 16, 2001, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He was accorded the honor of lying in state in the rotunda of the South Carolina State House. Following a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral, he was interred at Arlington National Cemetery. The main federal building in Columbia was later renamed the Floyd Spence National Guard Center in his memory, and his congressional seat was filled by Joe Wilson in a special election.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina Category:1928 births Category:2001 deaths