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, “Force Design or Force in Decline: Reviewing Readiness.”
Video of Ranking Member Carbajal’s statement can be found here.
More information on the hearing can be found here.
Ranking Member Larsen:
Thank you, Chair Ezell, for calling this hearing and giving us a chance to hear from the newly appointed Vice Commandant about the future of the Coast Guard.
Before we get started, I want to express my condolences to the Coast Guard and the family of Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Tyler Jaggers. Rescue swimmers regularly risk their lives to save others—many times in the worst conditions. AST2 Jaggers served bravely and dedicated his life to saving others. He was a true hero.
For 235 years, the Coast Guard has stood the watch—starting as the Revenue Cutter Service, later merging with the Lifesaving Service. Since then, the Coast Guard has not wavered in its commitment to the protection of life at sea and the marine transportation system.
As the Administration looks to revamp the Coast Guard, search and rescue operations must remain the Service’s top priority. In recent years, the Coast Guard downgraded stations, decommissioned assets and cut personnel due to workforce shortages. Now, to accommodate the Administration’s priorities, the Coast Guard has moved assets and personnel from already-strained locations to border operations.
As the Service continues to replenish its workforce through innovative recruiting measures started under Admiral Fagan, it must replace the servicemembers and assets that were relocated during force realignment. The Coast Guard’s public trust relies on consistent search and rescue coverage.
I’m glad the Coast Guard recently received historic levels of funding. Unfortunately, this momentum was not continued in the FY26 budget request. In her Force Design 2028 document, now-departing Secretary Noem said, “After being weakened by decades of underinvestment, neglect, and strategic drift, the U.S. Coast Guard is facing a readiness crisis.” I agree. Without consistent growth in annual appropriations, the long-term trajectory of the Service will not change.
Reconciliation included $3.2 billion for shoreside infrastructure. Unfortunately, that level of funding still falls short of the amount required to keep the infrastructure project list from growing. In other words, the backlog continues to grow.
We often talk about shoreside infrastructure, which includes piers, hangars and workstations. But, most importantly, it includes housing, healthcare and childcare facilities. I look forward to working with the majority to enact meaningful, long-term increases to the Coast Guard’s budget and hope in next hearing we will be discussing a robust budget request from the Administration.
Last year, the Department of Homeland Security released a plan, known as Force Design 2028, to restructure the Coast Guard. While a comprehensive overhaul is overdue, the plan is far from complete.
The Coast Guard needs to increase the number of servicemembers from 40,000 to 60,000. This request comes amid drastic cuts to the flag corps and the release of a budget that does little to account for the operations and support funding required for such an increase.
I support growing the Coast Guard, but that growth must include appropriate housing, childcare, medical care and safe working conditions. Shiny assets are nice, but they are meaningless without the women and men required to operate them.
Any growth in the Coast Guard must start with restoring operations at critical stations that were shuttered or downgraded in 2024. As Admiral Lunday likes to say, “search and rescue is a sacred trust we have with the American people.” To properly serve the American people, Coasties and the assets they operate must be in those communities.
As we meet here today, the Coast Guard is operating without funding. While active duty servicemembers received a paycheck on Friday, civilians and contractors did not. I support funding the Coast Guard and cosponsored a bill that would ensure servicemembers are not punished due to broader concerns with the Department of Homeland Security.
Members of the Coast Guard deserve better.
Thank you, and I yield back.
Ranking Member Carbajal:
Good morning, and thank you, Chair Ezell, for calling today’s hearing.
The Coast Guard has reached an inflection point. Last year it received $25 billion and this Administration is currently overhauling various aspects of the Service with Force Design 2028. I am eager to discuss the status of these efforts.
The Force Design 2028 overview provides a road map for readiness and personnel changes but offers few specifics on how the Coast Guard plans to reach and sustain its goals. To be successful in its efforts, the Service should develop comprehensive plans before making rash decisions.
For instance, instead of blindly following the lead of the Secretary of Defense, Secretary Noem should have considered the merits and consequences of firing 25% of the Coast Guard’s flag officer corps.
Ongoing readiness efforts are also disrupted when personnel and resources are diverted due to a hyper-fixation on southern border missions. This pattern of disruption needs to be mitigated, and I fear that the Coast Guard is not appropriately considering the service-wide impacts.
Readiness efforts are also hamstrung when Coast Guard funding is commandeered for other purposes, like the purchase of two G700 jets for former-Secretary Noem.
Former Assistant to the Secretary for the Coast Guard, Sean Plankey told Congress that President Trump personally approved the purchase of the luxury planes and that the Department was planning to reimburse the Service.
I’m anxious to hear whether that reimbursement has taken place. In any event, I am hopeful that new civilian leadership will help chart a better course at the Coast Guard.
I care deeply about Coasties and am ensuring that they have the equipment, facilities and resources they deserve. The expenditure of reconciliation funding and the implementation of Force Design 2028 must prioritize servicemembers.
While reconciliation funding ensures the near-term recapitalization of assets, a larger operations budget is also imperative to ensure personnel needs are sufficiently met. Assets don’t operate without Coasties.
Shoreside infrastructure is strained by the existing needs of 45,000 personnel and a $7 billion infrastructure backlog recently reported by the GAO. Given the Administration’s goal of increasing the size of the Service to 60,000, I am anxious to understand what size Operations and Support budget will be required to support that growth.
I am optimistic about the Coast Guard’s readiness trajectory. I stand ready to work with new leadership at the Department to ensure that we uphold the Coast Guard's motto of Semper Paratus.
Finally, I would like to conclude my remarks by honoring the life and character of Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Tyler Jaggers, who tragically passed away from injuries sustained while rescuing a distressed mariner at sea.
My thoughts and deepest condolences are with him and his family. His selflessness is a reminder of the heroism that he and other service members tirelessly embody every day, and of the steadfast support that they and their loved ones deserve.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I yield back.
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