"The Future of the Coast Guard: Review of Coast Guard Programs and Structure"
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
2025-06-05
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Source: Congress.gov
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The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation will come to order. I ask unanimous consent that the Chairman be authorized to declare recess at any time during today's hearing. Without objection, so ordered. I also ask unanimous consent that members not on the Subcommittee be permitted to sit with the Subcommittee at today's hearing and ask questions. Without objection, so ordered. As a reminder, if members wish to insert a document into the record, please also email it to documentsti at mail.house.gov. I now recognize myself for an opening statement for five minutes. As the Coast Guard prepares to undertake significant changes, today the subcommittee meets to review the services program and structure. I'd like to welcome our witness, Admiral Kevin Lundy, Acting Commandant of the Coast Guard. Sir, it's good to see you again. I congratulate you on your nomination to serve as Commandant of the Coast Guard, and I look forward to working with you closely over the coming years. We certainly enjoyed having you in Mississippi's 4th District last week. It was an honor to host you, and I want to thank you for choosing the Gulf Coast as your first official stop. The Coast Guard is preparing to undergo a significant period of change and modernization. At the Coast Guard Academy graduation last month, Secretary Noem announced Force Design 2028, the Trump administration's vision for the future of the Coast Guard. As you know, this initiative includes five main points. Establish a service secretary so that the Coast Guard has the same representation as other military services, as reflected in my bill, H.R. 2546, the Secretary of the Coast Guard Act of 2025. Recognize the service to streamline process better, integrate capabilities, and eliminate redundancies. Invest in the men and women serving the Coast Guard.
Invest in technology to improve efficiency and capability. Improve and streamline the acquisition process. Admiral, I was encouraged by your support for this vision. I look forward to hearing more about this plan, how the Coast Guard will implement it, what resources you will need, and what changes and authorities service will require. As the Coast Guard carries out these efforts, it is the Subcommittee's expectation that you will work with us and keep us updated on the initiatives that move forward. To meet the Trump Administration's vision, the Coast Guard's modernization will require substantial resources to prepare the service to meet the needs of future decades. Unfortunately, in recent years, the Coast Guard has taken the motto, do more with less. After years of underinvestment, the service is now operating with outdated or inadequate cutters, aircraft, IT systems, and shoreline infrastructure facilities that limit its effectiveness. A recent GAO study confirms that many of us already know and suspect that we have reached a breaking point. Coast Guard operational hours have fallen by nearly 20% since 2017, and mission effectiveness is suffering. Last month, the House approved a budget reconciliation proposal that makes the largest investment in the Coast Guard's 234-year history. H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, includes $21.2 billion to purchase cutters, aircraft, and shoreside assets. Our investments would reduce the rate at which the service is downsizing, but the investment must be matched with sustained long-term funding if the Coast Guard is to fully make up recent losses. Let me be clear. H.R. 1 allows the Coast Guard to carry out its current program of record. It does not fund the growth envisioned by the administration, nor does it account for any new missions.
If the administration expects to fulfill its vision for the Coast Guard, It must submit a budget that actually supports these goals. While I am pleased that the President's proposed fiscal 2026 budget request provides a modest increase in overall funding, the request is insufficient to sustain the Coast Guard's current operations, let alone carry out the President's vision to grow and strengthen the Coast Guard over the long term. Admiral, as you know, the Coast Guard currently owes this committee more than 50 legally mandated reports, some of which are years overdue. These reports are not optional. This committee relies on these reports to conduct oversight that the American people expect of us. Do I have your commitment that going forward you will work to get these reports in a timely manner?
A
Admiral Kevin Lunday
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