Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) has announced a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, February 3, to review the capabilities and readiness of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deployable Specialized Forces (DSF). The session will focus on the DSF’s recent activities, particularly their operations off Venezuela and across the Western Hemisphere, as well as challenges faced during complex maritime law enforcement missions.
The DSF is trained for rapid deployment into high-risk situations such as narcotics interdictions, seizure of rogue vessels, and efforts to combat human smuggling. Recently, these forces were involved in seizing sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela, highlighting their role in countering evolving threats and protecting U.S. security interests.
Chairman Gimenez stated: “For far too long, narcoterrorists and foreign adversaries have exploited weaknesses along our maritime borders to flood our country with deadly drugs, poison American communities, and undermine the rule of law. That era is over. Under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership, border security on land and at sea are once again a top national priority. Operation Absolute Resolve delivered a decisive blow to a criminal narco-regime with the swift capture of Nicolás Maduro and set in motion the restoration of democracy and the rule of law throughout the Western Hemisphere. The United States Coast Guard plays a unique and indispensable role in defending our homeland in this region. As threats from Communist Cuba and Communist China continue to grow, we must ensure our Coast Guard has the specialized workforce, real-time intelligence sharing, coordinated strength, and cutting-edge capabilities needed to confront these threats head-on and keep America safe.”
The hearing titled “Frontline Defenders: How the Coast Guard’s Deployable Specialized Forces Combat Narcoterrorists and other Maritime Threats on the High Seas” will take place at 10:00 am EST at 310 Cannon House Office Building. Witnesses include Rear Admiral David C. Barata from the United States Coast Guard and Ms. Heather MacLeod from the Government Accountability Office.
The event will be open to both press—who must RSVP—and members of the public; it will also be livestreamed on YouTube.
Since December 10, 2025, coordinated efforts between the Coast Guard, Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of War (DoW) have led to multiple boardings targeting vessels suspected of transporting embargoed Venezuelan oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. The DSF has expanded its operations across the region as part of these enforcement actions.
In November last year, USCG conducted its largest drug seizure by a single cutter during patrol off Port Everglades by confiscating about 49,010 pounds of cocaine. Over Fiscal Year 2025, nearly 510,000 pounds of cocaine were seized by USCG operations in both the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
