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Pappas-Backed Coast Guard Reauthorization Passes the House

July 26, 2019

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Chris Pappas, who serves as the Vice-Chair of the Coast Guard Subcommittee, took to the House floor to advocate for the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019. The Coast Guard Authorization Act fully funds the Coast Guard for the next two years with more than $11 billion in discretionary funding for each fiscal year, which will address a backlog created by previous budget cuts. This authorization also includes language Congressman Pappas introduced to improve recruitment and retention of women to ensure the U.S. Coast Guard can continue to attract our nation's best and brightest.

You can watch his speech HERE or read the full remarks as written for delivery from Congressman Pappas's House floor speech below:

Mr. Speaker,

This afternoon I rise in support of the 42,000 men and women in the United States Coast Guard and the vital public safety, humanitarian, and national defense mission they perform.

Coast Guard members are the first responders of America's oceans, waterways, and coastlines, conducting varied missions, often at a moment's notice, including search and rescue, securing our ports and waterways, and conducting law enforcement operations.

In my district in New Hampshire, we have been a home to the Coast Guard since its founding, and the Granite State has relied on its work to keep us safe for generations.

Last month I had the privilege of meeting with the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where I learned about the many missions that the cutter and crew support.

As I met officers and crew members and toured the vessel, I was struck by the critical nature of their missions and the challenges they face in executing them.

Cutters like the Takoma patrol international waters and interdict drugs coming to America's shores.

Their work saves likes and keeps our communities safe.

The Coast Guard has been doing this work despite being chronically underfunded and under resourced.

The Coast Guard faces cartels and smugglers with staggering resources and advanced technology, and studies show that the Coast Guard interdiction efforts only capture between 20 and 30% of the illegal drugs coming to our shores.  

According to the leaders of the Coast Guard, the most significant factor it its inability to meet drug interdiction targets has been the insufficient inventory of vessels and aircraft available to support operations.

At a time when our nation is facing a profound crisis of addiction, we can and must do more to ensure that the Coast Guard is fully funded and has the resources it needs to keep our country safe.

As the Vice-Chair of the Coast Guard Subcommittee, I'm proud of the bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019.

This funds the Coast Guard for the next two years with more than $11 billion in discretionary funding for each fiscal year, allowing them to address a backlog created by previous budget cuts.

I am also proud of an amendment I introduced- the Fair and Equal Treatment of Women in the Coast Guard Act - which seeks to increase recruitment and retention of women in the U.S. Coast Guard and improve gender diversity in this branch of the armed forces.

This comes in response to a study, commissioned by the Coast Guard, that identified barriers to attracting, recruiting, and retaining women and recommended ways to improve gender diversity in the service

It is one important step to ensure that the U.S. Coast Guard can continue to attract our nation's best and brightest who wish to serve.

So when we talk about keeping this nation safe, let's remember the incredible work performed by our Coast Guard close to home and around the globe.

Let's show the Coast Guard members that Congress has their backs and let's continue to work collaboratively to ensure the Coast Guard has the proper support and policies in place to carry out its mission.