Ranking Members Larsen, Carbajal Statements from Hearing on Coast Guard Budget Requests
Washington, D.C. — The following are opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, from Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) during today’s hearing titled, “Review of Fiscal Year 2025 Maritime Transportation Budget Requests, Pt 2: The Coast Guard.”
Video of Ranking Member Carbajal’s opening statement can be found here.
More information on the hearing can be found here.
Ranking Member Larsen:
Thank you, Chair Webster and Ranking Member Carbajal, for calling today’s hearing.
The U.S. Coast Guard plays a vital role in safeguarding U.S. seas, the efficient movement of goods in our marine transportation system and national defense.
The women and men of the Coast Guard conduct search and rescue operations at sea, prevent the shipment of drugs across our maritime borders and ensure safety and security in the Arctic and across the world.
The Coast Guard is a lifesaving agency, a regulatory agency, a law enforcement agency and a military agency. Each aspect is critical to our national and economic security.
The Coast Guard is facing increasing mission demand, a workforce shortage of nearly 10 percent, an aging fleet of assets, delays in major acquisition projects and growing fallout from “Operation Fouled Anchor”—the report outlining the Service’s previous failure to report sexual assault and harassment cases at the Coast Guard academy.
The Coast Guard is at a pivotal moment. I have faith in Admiral Fagan’s ability to guide the service through this difficult time, but it will not be easy, and transparency is key.
Today is an opportunity to discuss our expectations for the Coast Guard and gain a better understanding of the resources that the Service requires.
For Fiscal Year 2025, the Coast Guard has requested $13.8 billion, which represents a 4.8 percent increase over the 2024 enacted budget. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough. I agree with the Commandant that the Coast Guard needs to be a $20 billion service by 2030.
Achieving $20 billion by 2030 would require a budget increase of over $1 billion a year, but past budget requests and enacted appropriations have failed to put us on that trajectory.
If we do not appropriately fund the Coast Guard, we should expect near term decreases in service and readiness. This includes fewer search and rescue operations, fewer drug and migrant interdictions and fewer marine casualty responses.
Last week, the House passed the bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024, which had a robust funding level of $15.9 billion for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2025. This is over $2 billion more than the President’s budget and what is required to maintain Coast Guard operational readiness.
I remain concerned with the poor condition of many buildings servicemembers must work and live in on a daily basis. Inadequate housing and childcare are a persistent complaint among servicemembers. If we want to increase retention and diversity, we must do more to support our Coast Guard members.
The Fiscal Year 2025 budget decreases the amounts for shoreside infrastructure by 58 percent, a significant drop. This is unacceptable given the Coast Guard’s $3 billion shoreside infrastructure maintenance backlog.
The Coast Guard has indicated that it will require at least $500 million per year to prevent the infrastructure maintenance backlog from growing—this year’s request of $167 million falls far short of that goal.
The Coast Guard needs to recruit over 4,000 service members to reach its annual recruiting goal. I look forward to an update on progress made to meet the 2024 recruitment goal.
The Service’s current workforce shortage is having major impacts on mission readiness, for example, forcing station closures and cutter decommissions this year. The Coast Guard cannot continue to be asked to do more with less.
As the agency responsible for maintaining a U.S. presence in the Arctic, icebreaking capabilities are vital to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard maintains two heavy icebreakers, although only one is currently operating. Replacing these cutters is long overdue and the need to do so has only increased.
The ongoing acquisition of three new icebreakers—known as Polar Security Cutters—has faced major delays and the Service has yet to release a new budget and delivery estimate on the program.
The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that this program will cost well over $1 billion. I expect to hear from the Commandant today on the Coast Guard’s plan going forward.
Finally, I would like to take a minute to recognize the work the Coast Guard has done to help address sexual assault and sexual harassment in the commercial maritime industry.
Since Congress enacted the Safer Seas Act in 2022, the Coast Guard has taken immediate action to ensure prompt implementation.
While the Coast Guard has acted swiftly to address workplace respect within the maritime industry, there is work to be done within the Coast Guard to rebuild internal trust and transparency. I expect to hear more today on the Commandant’s progress on the directed actions from the Accountability and Transparency Review.
Thank you, and I yield back.
Ranking Member Carbajal:
Thank you, Chair Webster, for calling today’s hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget request for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Admiral Fagan and Master Chief Jones: while the Service is facing trying times, your leadership is instrumental in supporting Coasties. You’ve done an outstanding job leading the Service thus far, and I’m confident that the Coast Guard has a bright future.
We expect a lot from our Coasties. Recently, they have responded to the vessel collision and bridge collapse in Baltimore, delivered supplies to iced-in McMurdo Station in the Antarctic and traversed the Taiwan Strait.
I was pleased that the Fiscal Year 2024 budget request included a slight increase in discretionary funding, but still more resources are needed to support the Service.
I’ve had the opportunity to visit numerous Coast Guard stations around the country.
While the new cutters and aircraft I have seen are great, the people charged with operating those assets are strained.
Coasties, in many cases, are working in subpar buildings. They are living hours away from their workplace due to insufficient housing allowances. They’re not able to take time off because of workforce shortages. They often can’t find quality childcare.
I’ve heard from servicemembers across the country about mental health concerns. Search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction and extended deployments can take a serious physical and mental toll. Coasties, and their families deserve the highest level of medical care regardless of their geographic location.
If we don’t take care of the Coasties, we cannot expect the same Coast Guard we’ve come to rely on. Search and rescue capacity will decline. More illegal drugs will make it across our borders. More environmental disasters will occur as a result of fewer vessel inspections and decreased response capacity.
Congress must do better. The Commandant has said that the Coast Guard needs to be a $20 billion service by 2030, and I believe that should be the minimum.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Coast Guard’s efforts to address sexual assault and sexual harassment and culture change in the Service.
Turning a ship as old and large as the Coast Guard takes strong leadership, time, and commitment. I’m pleased to witness strong leadership and commitment by Admiral Fagan and believe that the Service is on the right course. This Committee will continue to conduct vigorous oversight to ensure that the ship stays on course.
As we discuss the Coast Guard’s budget and ongoing resource needs, I hope our witnesses will be candid. Congress and the American people need to know what will happen if the Coast Guard is not a $20 billion service by 2030.
Thank you, Chairman, and I yield back.
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