Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA), and Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Ranking Member Bob Gibbs (R-OH) introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize funds for, reinforce, and support the United States Coast Guard.
The bill is a two-year authorization of the Coast Guard’s policies and programs. The bill authorizes a level of support that enhances Coast Guard operations and helps the Service replace and modernize its cutters, and shoreside and cyber infrastructure.
“The Coast Guard works tirelessly to keep our coastal communities safe, protect our ports and waterways, support our marine environment, fight drug trafficking, and respond quickly to dangerous emergencies and disasters,” said Chair DeFazio. “This bipartisan bill ensures the Coast Guard has the resources necessary to accomplish these critical missions. I am pleased to see the committee once again demonstrate true bipartisan cooperation and I encourage my House and Senate colleagues to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to the President’s desk.”
“Given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, we need to ensure our armed forces, including the Coast Guard, are prepared and have the assets they need to carry out their missions. The Coast Guard has national defense responsibilities, as well as port security and commercial vessel safety and security oversight missions which are of particular importance during this time of heightened international tension. The Coast Guard also helps keep maritime commerce moving, even when other parts of the supply chain are bogged down. Overall, this bipartisan bill will provide the resources to help them more effectively carry out their vital missions of ensuring maritime safety and commerce, stopping the flow of illegal drugs and migrants into the country, enforcing U.S. laws at sea, and protecting our Nation’s borders,” said Ranking Member Sam Graves.
“Every single day, members of our Coast Guard all over the U.S. go to work to guard our country, enforce our laws, protect our environment, and keep Americans safe. To have their backs in their missions, I’m committed to ensuring that the Coast Guard has the resources and structures it needs to respond to emergencies from sea to shining sea. This legislation gives our Coast Guard that unwavering support,” said Rep. Carbajal. “As Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee and Representative for multiple Coast Guard installations in the Central Coast of California, I am proud to join Chair DeFazio and our partners across the aisle to continue the bipartisan tradition of support for our Coast Guard in their broad and critical missions. I am also proud to see this legislation includes reforms that I have worked towards that will improve support for victims of maritime accidents.”
“Given the unique nature of the Coast Guard’s missions and multiple crises the United States is confronting, it is essential Congress provides them with the funding, equipment, and training needed to complete those missions. The Coast Guard is critical to our national security as they are part of the ‘front lines’ in border security and drug interdiction. Their efforts in port security and maritime safety play a large role in ensuring safe American commerce and maritime activity. The bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act will help the Coast Guard maintain the readiness necessary in these troubling times of international turmoil,” said Ranking Member Gibbs.
