Business meeting to consider the nominations of Stephen Carmel, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration, John DeLeeuw, of Texas, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board, Laura DiBella, of Florida, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner, Ethan Klein, of New Jersey, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Ryan McCormack, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, Trent Morse, of Florida, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Timothy Petty, of Indiana, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and Michelle A. Schultz, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

2025-11-19

Summary

The committee convened to vote on six nominees and then proceeded to a nomination hearing for Admiral Kevin Lunday to become the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard [ 00:31:05-00:31:35 ] . Senator Ted Cruz highlighted the importance of these capable nominees and the critical need to swiftly install leaders to oversee federal agencies, especially given recent partisan delays [ 00:31:45-00:31:56 ] . Ranking Member Maria Cantwell supported several nominees but raised objections to others, citing insufficient answers and lack of disclosure .

Themes

Nominee Approvals

The committee voted on six nominees, all of whom were favorably reported [ 00:34:38 ]

. Stephen Carmel was nominated to administer the Maritime Administration, Laura DiBella to be Federal Maritime Commissioner, Ethan Klein to be Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Trent Morse for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board, Timothy Petty for Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and Michelle Schultz for the Surface Transportation Board [ 00:31:09-00:31:35 ] . Maria Cantwell expressed support for Stephen Carmel, Laura DiBella, Timothy Petty, and Michelle Schultz, noting their commitments to rebuilding U.S. shipbuilding, supporting the Jones Act, and ensuring independent and impartial decisions . However, she did not support Ethan Klein or Trent Morse due to unsatisfactory answers on AI and aviation safety, and unfulfilled requests for financial paperwork .

Admiral Lunday's Nomination and Vision for the Coast Guard

Admiral Kevin Lunday was nominated by President Trump to serve as the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, having already served as acting commandant for 10 months [ 00:52:11 ]

. Senator Ted Cruz praised Lunday's leadership in interdicting drug runners and human traffickers, and managing the Coast Guard's resources [ 00:52:45-00:52:49 ] . Senator Lindsey Graham highlighted Lunday's extensive experience as a judge advocate and cybersecurity expert, emphasizing his character and judgment to lead the Coast Guard . Admiral Lunday expressed gratitude for the nomination and outlined his priorities: securing maritime borders, facilitating commerce, ensuring crisis readiness, and prioritizing the welfare of Coast Guard personnel and their families .

Coast Guard Funding and Modernization Efforts

The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" provided a historic $24.6 billion investment for the Coast Guard, marking the largest appropriation in its history [ 00:51:31 ]

. This funding is allocated for acquiring at least five polar icebreakers, 40 helicopters, nine patrol cutters, and $4 billion for shore facility improvements [ 00:51:41-00:51:47 ] . Admiral Lunday emphasized that this investment is crucial for recapitalizing assets after decades of underinvestment and that flexibility in acquisition is essential to delivering new assets efficiently [ 01:02:17-01:02:34 ] . The Coast Guard is also implementing "Force Design 2028," a transformation effort to become a more agile force and increase military personnel by 15,000 .

Core Missions and Operational Concerns

The discussion covered various Coast Guard missions and related challenges. Maria Cantwell expressed concern about 23 vacant search and rescue (SAR) stations and rumors of further closures, urging commitment to maintain SAR capabilities . Admiral Lunday stated that SAR is a "sacred trust" but acknowledged current assessments of force structure and could not commit to avoiding all closures . In drug interdiction, the Coast Guard has achieved record seizures, but Senator Ted Cruz questioned the policy in the Middle East where drug traffickers are not always punished beyond drug confiscation [ 01:05:16-01:05:49 ]

. Admiral Lunday highlighted the need for sustained U.S. presence in the Arctic to counter adversaries like China and Russia, supported by the new icebreaking fleet . The Coast Guard's role in combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing was also affirmed as a national security imperative, particularly against China [ 01:17:30-01:17:56 ] . Senator Amy Klobuchar stressed the importance of a second heavy Great Lakes icebreaker, to which Lunday committed prioritization .

Personnel Welfare and Accountability

Senators raised important issues regarding Coast Guard personnel. Maria Cantwell criticized the Coast Guard's handling of sexual misconduct cases and the termination of former Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan . Admiral Lunday committed to combating sexual assault and completing all recommendations to improve oversight and victim care [ 01:47:18-01:48:42 ]

. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester highlighted the challenge of affordable housing for service members in high-cost areas, to which Lunday detailed strategies like adjusting housing allowances and expanding leased housing . Senator Roger Wicker noted the success of the Coast Guard's JROTC program and congressional mandates for its expansion , with Lunday confirming progress towards these goals [ 01:15:37-01:15:42 ] .

Tone

The meeting maintained a largely professional and respectful atmosphere, though several senators expressed significant concerns about specific Coast Guard policies and actions . There was strong bipartisan appreciation for the Coast Guard's missions and recent funding, with senators often commending its service members [ 00:51:31-00:51:39 ]

. Admiral Lunday consistently responded with a cooperative demeanor, pledging to work collaboratively with the committee on all issues . Lighthearted moments, such as inviting Lunday to visit various states, punctuated the more serious discussions . However, underlying tensions emerged regarding issues like search and rescue station closures and perceived lack of transparency on certain military operations .