Washington, D.C. -Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and Rep. Lou Correa, the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, held a joint hearing to examine the results of an investigation into how the Coast Guard is handling complaints of harassment and bullying. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released a joint staff report culminating the findings of the 18-month-long investigation.
TAKEAWAYS
* The Committees’ joint investigation found that Coast Guard leadership failed to address harassment, bullying, and retaliation and hold senior officials accountable.
* Lieutenant Commander Kimberly C. Young-McLear, Ph.D testified about the repeated failure of Coast Guard leadership to conduct prompt, thorough, or impartial investigations of her allegations of harassment and bullying as well as the retaliation she endured for raising such allegations.
* The Committee discussed how Coast Guard leadership must implement reforms to address harassment and bullying allegations.
* Vice Admiral Michael F. McAllister referred to the current processes as “minimally acceptable," and stated that all the recommendations outlined in the joint staff report, “sound reasonable" and that he agreed with them “in concept."
* Jackson Eaton of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General announced that the Inspector General’s office is reviewing how the Coast Guard handled race-based harassment allegations from 2013 to 2018.
* Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, refused the Committees’ invitation to testify.
* Chairwoman Maloney and Chairman Thompson sent a letter to the Commandant expressing concern that his refusal to testify continues a pattern of obstruction to the investigation and reinforces concerns that Coast Guard leadership does not fully appreciate the gravity of what has occurred.
WITNESSES
Admiral Karl L. Schultz (declined to attend)
Commandant
United States Coast Guard
Vice Admiral Michael F. McAllister (minority witness)
Deputy Commandant for Mission Support
United States Coast Guard
Lt. Cmdr. Kimberly Young-McLear, Ph.D.
Permanent Commissioned Teaching Staff
United States Coast Guard Academy
Mr. Jackson Eaton
Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Special Reviews and Evaluations
Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
VIDEOS
