charlie kirk — The South Carolina House of Representatives passed bill H. 4982 on Thursday to name the proposed Interstate 73 the President Donald J. Trump Highway, advancing the measure to the state Senate after a 76-28 vote. The vote occurred in Columbia, S. C., and pushes a long-stalled interstate project closer to formal recognition tied to the former president. Lawmakers say the naming honors a federal permit action that cleared a multidecade logjam and reflects recent local funding commitments.
What lawmakers voted on and why it moved forward
The House approved H. 4982 by 76-28, sending the bill to the South Carolina Senate. The measure would designate the planned I-73 as the President Donald J. Trump Highway. Rep. Heather Ammons Crawford, R-68, introduced the bill in January and has tied the naming to federal permitting actions during the first Trump administration, noting that the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit that authorized construction after decades of delay.
Legislative backers point to local and county support: Horry County passed a resolution backing the naming, and the cities of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach previously passed resolutions committing local money to the project in 2021. Supporters say the interstate would extend from I-95 to the Grand Strand, creating a more seamless route to the beach and improving regional connectivity.
Charlie Kirk and the naming debate
Gov. Henry McMaster has voiced backing for the idea, saying he thinks the bill is a terrific idea. McMaster supports expanding I-73 but has not included funding for the project in his executive budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026; he has pressed for greater local commitments and had previously urged lawmakers to set aside $300 million for the project in earlier years. The 2024 budget marked the first year the governor left the funding out.
Backers point to recent local funding milestones as a reason the interstate is now more feasible. State releases note voter approval of the RIDE IV program in November 2024 committed $450 million in local matching funds for I-73, a development Crawford has cited in making the case that construction is closer than ever.
Immediate reactions from leaders and what happens next
“During President Trump’s first administration, he secured a U. S. Army Corps of Engineers permit that authorized construction of I-73 after decades of delay, ” State Rep. Heather Ammons Crawford, R-68, said. “The interstate is closer to construction than ever, ” Crawford added in commentary about local matching funds and permitting milestones.
“I think the bill is a terrific idea, ” Governor Henry McMaster, Governor of South Carolina, said regarding the naming measure. Horry County leaders and the two Grand Strand cities have repeatedly signaled support; Horry County removed a federal-funding timeline contingency and passed a supporting resolution in February.
With the House approval, the bill now moves to the South Carolina Senate for consideration. Funding remains unresolved: McMaster did not include I-73 funding in executive budgets for three consecutive years, and earlier plans by the governor called for state set‑asides that have not been enacted.
Next steps and anticipated developments
Expect the Senate to take up H. 4982; its consideration there will determine whether the naming measure advances to enactment. Parallel decisions on project funding and federal permitting will shape whether the highway moves from designation to construction. Observers say local commitments and the RIDE IV matching funds changed the political math, but final momentum will depend on the Senate schedule and any additional funding actions.
As the debate continues in Columbia and on county agendas, the public will watch whether the state Senate acts and how funding conversations evolve; national-name debates and headlines will likely follow as the legislation progresses and the project’s construction prospects sharpen. The name charlie kirk has appeared in related public conversation, but the legislative record now centers on H. 4982 and the path forward for I-73.
