[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
BUILDING THE COAST GUARD AMERICA NEEDS:
ACHIEVING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCOUNT-
ABILITY WITHIN THE SERVICE
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
JUNE 23, 2021
__________
Serial No. 117-20
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
45-466 PDF WASHINGTON : 2021
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COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, Chairman
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas John Katko, New York
James R. Langevin, Rhode Island Michael T. McCaul, Texas
Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey Clay Higgins, Louisiana
J. Luis Correa, California Michael Guest, Mississippi
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Dan Bishop, North Carolina
Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
Al Green, Texas Ralph Norman, South Carolina
Yvette D. Clarke, New York Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Eric Swalwell, California Diana Harshbarger, Tennessee
Dina Titus, Nevada Andrew S. Clyde, Georgia
Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida
Kathleen M. Rice, New York Jake LaTurner, Kansas
Val Butler Demings, Florida Peter Meijer, Michigan
Nanette Diaz Barragan, California Kat Cammack, Florida
Josh Gottheimer, New Jersey August Pfluger, Texas
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia Andrew R. Garbarino, New York
Tom Malinowski, New Jersey
Ritchie Torres, New York
Hope Goins, Staff Director
Daniel Kroese, Minority Staff Director
Natalie Nixon, Clerk
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Statements
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 1
Prepared Statement............................................. 9
The Honorable John Katko, a Representative in Congress From the
State of New York, and Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland
Security:
Oral Statement................................................. 10
Prepared Statement............................................. 12
The Honorable Carolyn B. Maloney, a Representative in Congress
From the State of New York, and Chairwoman, Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform:
Oral Statement................................................. 12
Prepared Statement............................................. 13
Witness
Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant, United States Coast Guard:
Oral Statement................................................. 14
Prepared Statement............................................. 16
For the Record
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson, a Representative in Congress
From the State of Mississippi, and Chairman, Committee on
Homeland Security:
Statement of Commander (Select) Kimberly C. Young-McLear, Ph.D. 4
Letter From the American Federation of Government Employees,
AFL-CIO (AFGE)............................................... 7
Letter From the New London NAACP............................... 8
The Honorable John Katko, a Representative in Congress From the
State of New York:
Chart.......................................................... 21
The Honorable Clay Higgins, a Representative in Congress From the
State of Louisiana:
Letter......................................................... 26
Appendix I
Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Admiral Karl L.
Schultz........................................................ 59
Questions From Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman for Admiral Karl L.
Schultz........................................................ 61
Questions From Hon. Dan Bishop for Admiral Karl L. Schultz....... 61
Question From Hon. Clay Higgins for Admiral Karl L. Schultz...... 61
Appendix II
Letter From K. Denise Rucker Krepp to Chairman Bennie G. Thompson 63
BUILDING THE COAST GUARD AMERICA NEEDS: ACHIEVING DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE SERVICE
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Wednesday, June 23, 2021
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:32 a.m., via
Webex, Hon. Bennie G. Thompson (Chairman of the committee)
presiding.
Present: Representatives Thompson, Jackson Lee, Payne,
Correa, Slotkin, Cleaver, Green, Clarke, Swalwell, Watson
Coleman, Demings, Barragan, Gottheimer, Katko, Higgins, Guest,
Bishop, Van Drew, Norman, Miller-Meeks, Clyde, Gimenez, Meijer,
Cammack, and Pfluger.
Also present: Representative Carolyn B. Maloney.
Chairman Thompson. The Committee on Homeland Security will
come to order.
The committee is meeting today to receive testimony from
Admiral Karl L. Schultz, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, on
``Building the Coast Guard America Needs: Achieving Diversity,
Equity, and Accountability Within the Service.''
Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare the
committee in recess at any point.
Without objection, the gentlewoman from New York, Mrs.
Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chair of the Committee on Oversight and
Reform, will be permitted to participate in today's hearing.
The gentlewoman from New Jersey, Mrs. Watson Coleman, shall
assume the duties of the Chair in the event I run into any
technical difficulties.
I now recognize myself for an opening statement.
Admiral Schultz, good morning. I am pleased you are
appearing before the committee to discuss the Coast Guard's
efforts to develop a culture of equity, inclusion, justice, and
accountability.
Today's hearing is part of the committee's long-running
efforts to help the Coast Guard develop a diverse, inclusive
environment free from harassment, bullying, assault, and
retaliation. It is precisely because this committee supports
the Coast Guard, its mission, and its people that we are
committed to ensuring the service addresses the challenges it
faces.
I have long had concerns about the lack of diversity in the
Coast Guard, especially among its officer ranks and among its
leadership. The demographics of the Coast Guard fail to reflect
the diversity of the American public. For example, only 5.6
percent of active-duty members self-identify as Black or
African American, compared to about 14 percent of the U.S.
population.
Fostering diversity is critical to building a culture that
welcomes and celebrates varied perspectives and experiences and
ensures the Coast Guard reflects the public it serves.
Last weekend, we lost a trailblazer, as Commander Merle
Smith, Jr., the first Black graduate of the Coast Guard
Academy, passed away. We must honor his service by working to
ensure more minority cadets enter and graduate from the
Academy, which serves as a conduit to the service's leadership
ranks.
I am also thinking today of my late friend and colleague
Elijah Cummings, who was fiercely dedicated to demanding
accountability, protecting whistleblowers, and supporting the
Coast Guard. I was pleased that language I authored to increase
diversity and cultural competence at the Academy was included
in last year's Coast Guard Authorization Act, which, fittingly,
was named for Chairman Cummings.
As we will discuss today, the Coast Guard has much further
to go to ensure diversity and inclusion across the service.
In 2019, this committee and the Oversight and Reform
Committee investigated the Coast Guard's handling of
allegations of harassment and bullying made by Lieutenant
Commander Kimberly Young-McLear, a member of the Coast Guard
Academy's faculty who is Black and identifies as lesbian.
The investigation made clear that the Lieutenant
Commander's allegations were never investigated properly and,
as the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the
Inspector General substantiated, she was retaliated against for
raising these allegations.
The committees issued a joint Majority staff report that
highlighted significant problems with the Coast Guard policies
and practices that contributed to the failure to fully and
fairly investigate the allegations.
The report also included 7 recommendations to improve
investigative processes at the Academy and throughout the Coast
Guard. I am glad the Coast Guard agreed with the committee on
the need for major changes and concurred with all the
recommendations, and I look forward to hearing from the
Commandant about the status of their implementation.
Unfortunately, Lieutenant Commander Young-McLear's
experience is just one example of such issues within the Coast
Guard. Since the Office of Inspector General first reported on
her case in 2018, it has identified 3 additional instances of
whistleblower retaliation within the service.
In each case, a member of the Coast Guard reported
misconduct, only to be retaliated against in the form of poor
performance marks, removal from leadership positions, or other
negative consequences. I find these reports extremely
troubling. Violations of the Military Whistleblower Protection
Act contribute to a culture of fear that discourages reporting
of misconduct.
The Office of Inspector General also issued a report in
June 2020 documenting major cultural problems at the Coast
Guard Academy. The report found problems with how the Academy
investigated allegations of race-based harassment in 11 cases
between 2013 and 2018. In 6 cases, the Academy did not
thoroughly investigate the allegations or discipline cadets. In
some instances, cadets committed similar misconduct again.
Just last week, the committee received the Coast Guard
report documenting disturbing trends in a number of sexual
assault and harassment allegations. According to the Coast
Guard, reports of sexual assault have more than doubled in the
last 10 years, with 245 reports of sexual assault in fiscal
year 2020 alone.
This report follows a 2018 survey that found almost half of
female cadets at the Academy said they were sexually harassed,
and about 1 in 8 women said they had received unwanted sexual
contact.
Taken together, these reports should be setting off every
alarm bell, warning light, and alert system at the Coast Guard
headquarters and on every base, cutter, and air station. As the
senior leader of the Coast Guard, Admiral Schultz is ultimately
responsible for responding to this five-alarm fire, and I look
forward to hearing his plan for putting it out.
Unsurprisingly, this committee continues to hear from
whistleblowers regarding disturbing allegations of sexual
assault, harassment, bullying, retaliation, and mishandling of
internal investigations.
I have pressed the Coast Guard about some of these cases.
In one case, a service member was recently granted a
retroactive promotion after her performance suffered due to her
supervisor's abusive and inappropriate behavior. It should not
take Congressional intervention for the Coast Guard to do the
right thing.
While I understand there is a strong desire from the Coast
Guard to be forward-looking, the service cannot reach its full
potential if it does not learn from the past. I appreciate the
Commandant has led efforts to address some of these issues,
but, unfortunately, it is clear that those efforts are either
falling short of what is needed or not making an impact quickly
enough.
The Coast Guard, with the help of this committee and
stakeholders, must confront harassment, bullying, and
retaliation head-on. The Coast Guard must do more than pay lip
service to diversity, inclusion, and equity in press releases
and in Congressional testimony; it must deliver results for the
service members of the Coast Guard.
Before I close, and without objection, I include the
following statements in the record: A statement from Lieutenant
Commander Kimberly Young-McLear, which outlines her experiences
as a whistleblower and calls for service-wide cultural reforms;
a statement from the American Federation of Government
Employees, which describes concerns with several personnel
issues and provides recommendations; and a statement from the
New London chapter of the NAACP, which highlights complaints of
racism that have been raised to their attention and requests a
meeting with Admiral Schultz.
[The information follows:]
Statement of Commander (Select) Kimberly C. Young-McLear, Ph.D.
June 21, 2021
Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Katko, and distinguished Members
of the committee, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to
provide this written statement in support of the Coast Guard achieving
diversity, equity, and accountability within the service. In 2019, I
publicly testified at the joint hearing before the subcommittees of the
Oversight & Reform and Homeland Security. As I testified then, I am
advocating for a better Coast Guard--one that America needs. We need
real, systemic change to address a culture that severely lags behind
our public-facing brand. I continue to have a unique lens as a senior
active-duty Coast Guard officer; survivor; whistleblower; homeland
security professional; scholar; educator; and diversity, equity, and
inclusion practitioner. While we are continuing to make investments in
the recapitalization of assets, shore infrastructure, and information
technology, we must also make critical investments in our workforce.
Meeting the complex National security environment of tomorrow demands
our full attention to our greatest asset--our people. I write this
statement with the full acknowledgement of all those who proudly served
before me and those are still serving, many of whom have never received
justice.
background
1,768 days ago, the Coast Guard violated the Military Whistleblower
Protection Act. 930 days ago, the Department of Homeland Security's
Office of Inspector General (OIG) not only substantiated my claims of
retaliation, but also revealed the cruelty and pervasiveness of how
allegations are systematically swept under the rug. I endured more than
5 years of bullying, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation,
including suicide ideation in 2016. Additionally, retaliation never
truly ends when the organizational culture is not centered on justice.
All individuals (ranks O5 and above) from the 2018 DHS OIG
Whistleblower Retaliation report and the 2019 Righting The Ship report
were ultimately were protected and all have since been rewarded with
promotions or competitive job assignments. These two public reports,
however, were only the tip of the iceberg, not the totality of the
intentional harm that was caused against me. Documents from my past
complaints total over a thousand pages, include affidavits from
Admirals and others which were later directly refuted by evidence
uncovered by the DHS Inspector General. These documents, while not
publicly shared, have been at the immediate disposal of the Coast Guard
for several years. To this date, not a single member of the Coast Guard
has ever been held accountable for these egregious violations.
Disturbingly, there are still several major elements to my case
that remain unaddressed, despite numerous opportunities by the current
Commandant to take action. On February 22, 2019, then-Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen, directed Admiral Schultz to take
specific action following the findings of the DHS OIG retaliation
report. In Secretary Nielsen's directed action memo, she underscored
that her ``direction does not preclude you from taking other actions
within your authority as you determine necessary.'' Yet, the Commandant
denied my requests for a formal written apology, a meeting with the to
discuss ways in which the culture must improve, and accountability. I
continue to advocate for a Coast Guard the Nation needs, because
similar egregious cases like what I endured continue to occur across
our service. The top leadership and others in the Coast Guard have
``moved on,''but I know that survivors like myself will not move on
from these matters until there is real justice, accountability, and
dignity for everybody.
the cost to the nation
Building the Coast Guard the Nation needs is essential and urgent.
The absence of diversity, equity, and accountability erodes our
preparedness and agility to address National security threats and
mission readiness. It also has a direct impact on our public trust and
the dignity of those who voluntarily serve our Nation. Since testifying
in December 2019, there has been an even higher rate of individuals
contacting me in various stages of hopelessness, seeking guidance in a
range of sensitive cases from sexual assault, toxic commands, hostile
work environments, bullying, harassment, discrimination, and
retaliation. Their cases are not isolated, but rather indicative of
larger service-wide trends of sexual assault, bullying, anti-harassment
& hate incident, and EEO complaints.
The Coast Guard certainly has many strengths. As Commandant Admiral
Schultz recently testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Homeland Security in April 2021, he stated our culture is one that
``entrusts and empowers its personnel at every level to lead with a
bias for action--taking on-scene initiative and bringing solutions to
complex problems.'' He continues to share that ``while extremely
valuable in executing the service's missions, these traits may also
serve to veil the true impacts of the Coast Guard's readiness
challenges. As Coast Guard men and women take it upon themselves to
accomplish the mission at all costs, the thousands of added hours
required to overcome asset, technology, and infrastructure readiness
issues drive workforce fatigue, and come at the expense of training and
critical skills retention.''
To offer different perspective, however, we also have an iceberg--a
``plain sight and below the surface'' culture. We have some leaders
that have a bias for action, or rather--inaction. This typically
manifests in various forms of abuse of power leading to sweeping
allegations of toxic and unlawful working environments further under
the rug. Often times it is the complainant or victim that is seen as
the ``complex problem'' needing solving, not the work environment or
behaviors of perpetrators. Solutions may look like retaliation,
silencing, gaslighting, victim blaming, isolating, or mishandling
complaints. While the Coast Guard is seen in a highly visible way
executing our missions, this can veil the true impact that toxic and
unlawful environments have on mission readiness. As Coast Guard
personnel tend to accomplish the mission at all costs, including
survivors like myself who endured more than 5 years of workplace abuse,
the thousands of added hours required to overcome toxic and unlawful
climates drives workforce fatigue and comes at the expense of the
retention of a diverse, equitable, and accountable workforce.
To build a Coast Guard that America needs, leaders in the Coast
Guard must change behaviors to expect different and equitable outcomes.
Leaders must approach addressing our internal organizational culture
with the same vigor, vocality, moral courage, integrity, dignity,
transparency, and sense of urgency as ensuring for example, we receive
a paycheck or executing our mission during a pandemic. We must
normalize these behaviors in every pay grade and rank. We must
institutionalize these behaviors across the implementation of every
Coast Guard policy and program. A culture which lacks accountability
when there are injustices, undeniably impacts our diversity and equity.
2015 culture of respect report significance
A 2015 baseline study into our service culture was conducted by
workforce analysts at the Coast Guard's Force Readiness Command. In
this study, the Coast Guard defined a ``Culture of Respect'' as an
optimal state free from sexual assault, harassment, hazing, bullying,
intimidation, discrimination, and retaliation. This team's final
analysis about our own culture was never released to our workforce,
despite no discernable personal identifying information of survivors
who painstakingly shared their perspectives as part of the interview
methodology. Analysts identified 41 distinctive gaps, along with
recommendations of how to close them, between the current state of the
Coast Guard culture and the optimal state. The 6 most common themes
were 1. Accountability, 2. Leadership, 3. Data/Information, 4. Policy,
5. Communications/Messaging, and 6. Training. Even in 2015, we had very
clear knowledge that lack of accountability was the most common gap,
yet the Coast Guard (as of 2019) had only implemented a mere handful of
the total report recommendations. One 2015 recommendation made clear to
repeat the study every 3.5 to 4 years to align with the Commandant's
transition. Given the 2015 Culture of Respect report was only a
baseline, the intent of repeating the study was to assess the
effectiveness of any past recommendations, and decide if new measures
would be needed to get the Coast Guard's culture to an optimal state.
As a survivor, I continue to be extremely disheartened and
disturbed to know that had the Coast Guard actually taken the 2015
Culture of Respect report results seriously and implemented the vast
majority of recommendations, then perhaps the years of bullying,
harassment, intimidation, and retaliation I endured could have been
prevented altogether. According to the Coast Guard's own report, they
identified gaps such that ``policy or UCMJ violations vary between
officer, enlisted, and civilian. In many cases where the accused is a
high performer, interviewees said that they perceive that leaders focus
on the positive performance rather than the violation, and, in essence,
brush the problems `under the rug' . . . perpetrators of Culture of
Respect issues escape accountability and instead resign, retire, or
transfer.'' It is also then conceivable that some of the recent current
workforce demographic representation trends, such as, from the 2019
Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service (DACOWITS) and also
the negative work environment factors revealed in the 2019 RAND Study
on Improving Gender Diversity in the U.S. Coast Guard: Identifying
Barriers to Female Retention, could have been properly addressed and
mitigated earlier.
We must, therefore, immediately address the root causes of our
culture that is both in plain sight and below the surface. There is
simply no valid reason for Admiral Schultz not ordering another study
at the start of his tenure as Commandant, had one not been already
initiated. There is no real justification for refusing to release the
full report to the entire workforce, after years of requests, since he
has been Commandant. There is no reasonable rationale for not directing
resources, such as, the Vice Commandant, Master Chief Petty Officer of
the Coast Guard, Deputy Commandant of Mission Support (DMCS), Civil
Rights Directorate (CG-00H), Human Resources Directorate (CG-1),
Performance Readiness Task Force (PRTF), to implement all remaining
report recommendations. There has been clear avoidance and missed
opportunities to leverage survivors; subject-matter experts; specific
members of the Coast Guard's Affinity Group Council; and deckplate
leadership, diversity advisory committees (LDACs) throughout the Coast
Guard. The status quo must end. These decisions have all occurred under
this Commandant. We now have an opportunity to conduct another study to
better ensure the success of the incoming 27th Commandant of the Coast
Guard. We must be honorable and allow the voices and stories of brave
survivors' to be heard for the betterment of the Coast Guard. We must
break this pattern of withholding information that will benefit the
entire service, including survivors. For your committee's reference, I
am enclosing a copy of the 2015 Culture of Respect Executive Summary.
cultural markers for progress
A culture where the bravery of our rescue swimmers is viewed
in the same light as those who have the courage to report
alleged misconduct in the workplace. Both can save lives.
A culture when perpetrators, and those who protect them, are
not promoted and advanced through the ranks, while those who
reporting wrongdoing are punished, retaliated against, or
pushed out. Both increases diversity, equity, and
accountability.
A culture that understands and eliminates tokenism. Symbolic
change is not a substitute for real, systemic change.
A culture where individuals have the psychological safety,
moral courage, and cultural competence to share the truth about
own workforce culture, even if this type of introspection as a
service is uncomfortable. Discomfort is growth.
A culture where transparency in data on suicides,
harassment, sexual assault, bullying, hazing, discrimination,
AHHI, EEO, etc is provided to the workforce and disaggregated
by race, gender, sexual orientation, and other demographics (as
applicable). We cannot fix what we fail to measure.
A culture that fully understands intersectionality and
equity. The leaders of the only group of anti-racist,
multicultural LGBTQIAP+ members of the workforce have been
denied the opportunity to meet with the Commandant to discuss
the urgent issues facing our communities, such as sexual
assault, transphobia, and bullying.
A culture that actually protects all types of complainants
and whistleblowers by holding perpetrators immediately
accountable and diligently working to restore dignity and
trust. We simply cannot be a model law enforcement and
humanitarian service otherwise.
A culture that centers on human dignity and worth. We must
issue a formal written apologies to survivors and other
remedies (should they desire), and immediately hold
perpetrators and those who condone perpetrators accountable.
A culture where we strive higher than minimal compliance and
``good news stories,'' but has the maturity, integrity, and
honor to acknowledge when we fail and learn from those failures
because it is ethical and a critical investment in building a
Coast Guard the Nation needs.
closing
We must always strive to be a just service. A just service will
attract and retain a diverse, equitable, and accountable workforce
within the Coast Guard. Last, I'm reminded of the activism of survivors
like Dr. Olivia Hooker, who was the first African-American women to
enlist in the Coast Guard. Before the 2007 Congressional hearing on the
Tulsa-Greenwood Race Riot Claims Accountability Act, in reference to
surviving the Tulsa Massacre, she stated ``as a child, I had believed
every word of the Constitution, but after the riots happened, I
realized that the Constitution did not include me.'' Similarly, we have
an obligation to ensure that our core values, service policies, and
laws include everyone in the Coast Guard, not simply on paper, but in
daily practice. The past and on-going injustices that have occurred
within the Coast Guard are a stain on our legacy, but it is also our
actions that follow that determine our character. Achieving a just
service will better ensure workforce resiliency and meeting the demands
of an increasingly complex National security environment of tomorrow.
Thank you to my wife, family, friends, and colleagues for your
never-ending support. Thank you, Members of Congress, for your
continued support of the individuals of the Coast Guard, and for the
opportunity to provide my written statement.
______
Letter From the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
(AFGE)
June 23, 2021.
Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Katko, and Members of the
Committee: The American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
(AFGE), which represents 700,000 Federal and District of Columbia
employees in 70 agencies, including more than 3,000 civilian employees
of the Coast Guard, thanks the committee for holding this important
hearing today, ``Building the Coast Guard America Needs: Achieving
Diversity, Equity, and Accountability within the Service.'' The title
of this hearing represents a crucial goal for the Coast Guard that is
fundamental to AFGE's mission: Without diversity, equity, and
accountability, America does not receive the very best from this
Service.
AFGE's members at the Coast Guard provide critical support to the
Service, including in human resources, engineering and logistics,
information technology and cyber security. The civilian personnel
provide support so that Service is better prepared to be responsive to
America's needs in all of its operations. That is why some of the
policies and culture of the Coast Guard must be examined and addressed
to ensure all of its people are treated fairly and have equal
opportunities in their work. We present three specific concerns and
recommendations to address them.
First is fairness and transparency in hiring and promotion. When
officers retire from active service, it is not uncommon that they go
home on a Friday from that service and show up on a Monday as a high-
level civilian employee. They enter positions that were never posted
and where civilian personnel were never offered the opportunity to
compete for promotions. Typically, these are positions at the GS-12
level and higher and they go to white males. There are rarer occasions
where lower-graded positions go to immediate service retirees. These
positions are more likely to go to men of color. Very rarely, the jobs
may be awarded to women.
Hiring almost exclusively from active-duty retirees precludes
taking advantage of the expertise from within the current civilian
workforce where we represent individuals in positions up to a GS-14
grade. AFGE recommends that the Coast Guard thoroughly review its
civilian hiring and promotion practices and report to the committee on
its findings. This report should examine the practice of hiring active
duty into civilian positions, and the race and gender of these new
hires, the General Schedule grade of the positions into which these
individuals are hired, other opportunities for promotion the civilian
workforce is either afforded or excluded from and the result of that
hiring practice. The Coast Guard should be transparent about who is
moving from uniformed personnel to civilian positions, the skills
required for those positions and how they compare with the skills of
those in the existing civilian workforce.
Second among AFGE's concerns with regard to diversity, equity, and
accountability is the overly internal and opaque practice the Coast
Guard undergoes when civilian personnel report on their experiences of
discrimination. The Coast Guard engages in an ``Anti-Hate and
Harassment Investigation'' (AHHI) process. This investigation under
AHHI is conducted internally and the commanding officer makes the
decision as to whether there are grounds to pursue the complaint. It is
reportedly quite rare that this process results in a finding of
sufficient grounds for any pursuit of the complaint or recommendation
for policy changes or punishment. The findings are not publicly
available.
This process is at best confusing for the employee because they are
told an investigation will take place, but they are not advised that
this internal investigation has no bearing on an Equal Employment
Opportunity (EEO) violation. This results in the employee refraining
from filing an EEO complaint within the deadline to do so because they
may not understand that AHHI is a separate process and does not provide
Federal EEO relief. By the time the internal AHHI complaint is
concluded, the employee has missed his or her window to file a more
comprehensive EEO complaint. AFGE recommends that the Coast Guard ban
the practice of informing the employee of this internal process at its
outset, provide them with information they need to file an EEO
complaint and review what may be made public about its internal AHHI
process. The Coast Guard should further report to this committee on the
effectiveness of the AHHI process, whether it is right to leave the
finding up to the CO, or whether a more independent body and process
would yield fairer results. We recommend this includes race and gender
data with regard to results of the AHHI filings and recommendations.
Finally, our Coast Guard union leadership finds it very difficult
to assist in cases where an employee is seeking reasonable
accommodation for disability. This can range from a request for a
``vari-desk'' which others have use of in the Coast Guard workplace, to
continued full telework because a doctor has advised an employee that
they are in a high-risk category for serious negative effects of
contracting COVID-19 and should not be in the workplace as the agency
develops its reconstitution plan. This has been true even for employees
whose work can be performed completely in a remote environment. We note
that outside of the exceptional instance of emergency telework during
the COVID-19 pandemic, our union contract provides for up to 4 days per
week of telework. AFGE strongly recommends that the Coast Guard honor
its contract and review its standards for providing telework, so at a
minimum it adheres to the union contract and that it give particular
consideration to expanding telework, especially for those who are
medically fragile. AFGE further recommends that the agency review the
requests for reasonable accommodation, the reasons why they were
accepted or denied, and provide to the committee a justification for
any reasonable accommodations that have been denied in the past 5
years.
AFGE and its Coast Guard civilian employees appreciate the
opportunity to provide the House Homeland Security Committee our
recommendations for measures that will improve the workplace with
regard to diversity, equity, and accountability. We fully believe that
all employees of the Coast Guard should know they are valued and have
equal opportunities for advancement and fairness in the work place. We
look forward to working with you to advance these practical and
transformational recommendations.
______
Letter From the New London NAACP
June 18, 2021.
To the Honorable Chairman Bennie G. Thompson; To the Ranking Member
John Katko and other distinguished Members of the Committee on Homeland
Security; we the members of the Greater New London Connecticut Branch
of the NAACP are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this
very important hearing on ``Building the Coast Guard America Needs:
Achieving Diversity, Equality, and Accountability within the Service''.
Through the years, the New London NAACP has been the repository for
civil rights complaints from our men and women who serve. Those who
complained represent a broad spectrum of service members, including
active duty, those who previously served in addition to those who
provide a contracted service for the Academy. The grievances are all
the same; racial discrimination, racial profiling, micro-aggressions,
bias, disparate treatment, disparate discipline and poor recruitment
initiatives and retention outcomes. Racism hurts and attacks the body
and spirit of an able-bodied service person. Human dignity is an
inviolable and inalienable right, one in which our brave service men
and women fight to secure. We, the Members of the NAACP, aspire to
experience a more perfect Academy.
As such, the New London NAACP has been actively engaged with the
USCGA for many years and applaud the local efforts to build a more
diverse and inclusive institution. But impactful leadership is clearly
recognized in both thoughts and deeds and it flows freely and
unobstructed from the top down. We, the Members of the New London NAACP
are not, at this point prepared to say that Admiral Schultz
demonstrates the capacity to reimagine and reinforce a more equitable
Academy. The NAACP has appealed to his office with requests to meet,
those requests have gone unanswered. The silence from the Admiral's
office speaks volumes.
The cooperation and timeliness in response on the local level is to
be commended. The NAACP was recently made aware of a racial profiling
incident involving a contracted provider and a Master Chief. The
allegations also alleged disparate assignments based on race. While the
details of the investigation have yet to be divulged; the NAACP was
assured by RADM William Kelly that measures are in place to ensure that
contracted providers exemplify and embrace the Academy's core values.
Finally, we the Members of the New London NAACP would like to thank
the Honorable Bennie G. Thompson and the Members of the Committee on
Homeland Security for their interest and dedication to this important
issue and we look forward to partnering in ``Building the Coast Guard
America Needs''.
Respectfully,
Jean M. Jordan,
President,
Tamara K. Lanier,
Vice President,
The Greater New London CT NAACP Membership.
Chairman Thompson. Admiral Schultz, I hope you will commit
to reading these statements and responding to the concerns they
raise.
The committee looks forward to hearing from you today on
how you plan to achieve diversity, equity, and accountability
in the Coast Guard.
[The statement of Chairman Thompson follows:]
Statement of Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
June 23, 2021
Admiral Schultz, I am pleased you are appearing before the
committee to discuss the Coast Guard's efforts to develop a culture of
equity, inclusion, justice, and accountability. Today's hearing is part
of this committee's long-running efforts to help the Coast Guard
develop a diverse, inclusive environment free from harassment,
bullying, assault, and retaliation. It is precisely because this
committee supports the Coast Guard, its mission, and its people that we
are committed to ensuring the service addresses the challenges it
faces.
I have long had concerns about the lack of diversity in the Coast
Guard, especially among its officer ranks and among its leadership. The
demographics of the Coast Guard fail to reflect the diversity of the
American public. For example, only 5.6 percent of active-duty members
self-identify as Black or African American, compared to about 14
percent of the U.S. population.
Fostering diversity is critical to building a culture that welcomes
and celebrates varied perspectives and experiences and ensures the
Coast Guard reflects the public it serves. Last weekend, we lost a
trailblazer as Commander Merle Smith Jr., the first Black graduate of
the Coast Guard Academy, passed away. We must honor his service by
working to ensure more minority cadets enter and graduate from the
Academy, which serves as a conduit to the service's leadership ranks.
I am also thinking today of my late friend and colleague, Elijah
Cummings, who was fiercely dedicated to demanding accountability,
protecting whistleblowers, and supporting the Coast Guard. I was
pleased that language I authored to increase diversity and cultural
competence at the Academy was included in last year's Coast Guard
Authorization Act--which, fittingly, was named for Chairman Cummings.
As we will discuss today, the Coast Guard has much further to go to
ensure diversity and inclusion across the service.
In 2019, this committee and the Oversight and Reform Committee
investigated the Coast Guard's handling of allegations of harassment
and bullying made by Lieutenant Commander Kimberly Young-McLear, a
member of the Coast Guard Academy's faculty who is Black and identifies
as lesbian. The investigation made clear that the Lieutenant
Commander's allegations were never investigated properly, and as the
Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General
substantiated, she was retaliated against for raising the allegations.
The committees issued a joint Majority staff report that
highlighted significant problems with Coast Guard policies and
practices that contributed to the failure to fully and fairly
investigate the allegations. The report also included 7 recommendations
to improve investigative processes at the Academy and throughout the
Coast Guard. I am glad the Coast Guard agreed with the committees on
the need for major changes and concurred with all the recommendations,
and I look forward to hearing from the Commandant about the status of
their implementation. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Commander Young-
McLear's experience is just one example of such issues within the Coast
Guard.
Since the Office of the Inspector first reported on her case in
2018, it has identified 3 additional instances of whistleblower
retaliation within the service. In each case, a member of the Coast
Guard reported misconduct only to be retaliated against in the form of
poor performance marks, removal from leadership positions, or other
negative consequences. I find these reports extremely troubling. These
violations of the Military Whistleblower Protection Act contribute to a
culture of fear that discourages reporting of misconduct.
The Office of the Inspector General also issued a report in June
2020 documenting major cultural problems at the Coast Guard Academy.
The report found problems with how the Academy investigated allegations
of race-based harassment in 11 cases between 2013 and 2018. In 6 cases,
the Academy did not thoroughly investigate the allegations or
discipline cadets. In some instances, cadets committed similar
misconduct again. Just last week, the committee received a Coast Guard
report documenting disturbing trends in the numbers of sexual assault
and harassment allegations.
According to the Coast Guard, reports of sexual assault have more
than doubled in the last 10 years, with 245 reports of sexual assault
in fiscal year 2020 alone. This report follows a 2018 survey that found
almost half of female cadets at the Academy said they were sexually
harassed, and about 1 in 8 women said they had received unwanted sexual
contact. Taken together, these reports should be setting off every
alarm bell, warning light, and alert system at Coast Guard Headquarters
and on every base, cutter, and air station.
As the senior leader of the Coast Guard, Admiral Schultz is
ultimately responsible for responding to this five-alarm fire, and I
look forward to hearing his plans for putting it out. Unsurprisingly,
this committee continues to hear from whistleblowers regarding
disturbing allegations of sexual assault, harassment, bullying,
retaliation, and mishandling of internal investigations. I have pressed
the Coast Guard about some of these cases.
In one case, a service member was recently granted a retroactive
promotion after her performance suffered due to her supervisor's
abusive and inappropriate behavior. It should not take Congressional
intervention for the Coast Guard to do the right thing. While I
understand there is a strong desire from the Coast Guard to be forward-
looking, the service cannot reach its full potential if it does not
learn from the past.
I appreciate that the Commandant has led efforts to address some of
these issues, but unfortunately it is clear those efforts are either
falling short of what is needed or not making an impact quickly enough.
The Coast Guard, with the help of this committee and stakeholders, must
confront harassment, bullying, and retaliation head-on. The Coast Guard
must do more than pay lip service to diversity, inclusion, and equality
in press releases and Congressional testimony; it must deliver results
for the service members of the Coast Guard.
Chairman Thompson. With that, I recognize the Ranking
Member, the gentleman from New York, Mr. Katko, for an opening
statement.
Mr. Katko. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for having
this most important discussion today. It is part of our solemn
duty and oversight to deal with issues like these.
Unfortunately, I don't think it is unique to the Coast Guard,
and it is issues that we need to discuss and vet throughout the
military, and this is the way to do it. So thank you.
I want to welcome everybody here on both sides of the aisle
and my good friend from New York, Mrs. Maloney, who is a pinch-
hitter today, it looks like. So welcome aboard.
I also want to thank our Nation's 26th Commandant, Admiral
Karl Schultz, for appearing before this committee today to
discuss progress he has made moving forward with diversity and
inclusion efforts at the Coast Guard. It is far from a complete
process, but we do have to recognize the things that he is
doing to move this ball forward.
As Admiral Schultz noted in his written testimony, ``To
remain the world's best Coast Guard, we must be the world's
most diverse and inclusive Coast Guard. Anything less means
that we will fail to garner the talent, innovation, creativity,
and performance necessary to meet the challenges of an
increasingly complex maritime operating environment.''
I agree with his sentiment, and I look forward to
discussing these and other issues at today's hearing so that we
can all achieve that goal.
I want to thank the Commandant for his hard work in
recruiting and retaining a diverse Coast Guard service. Since
becoming the Commandant in June 2018, Admiral Schultz and his
leadership team have focused on increasing the recruitment and
retention of women and underrepresented minorities. He has
taken a number of proactive steps that have helped make the
Coast Guard a strong and contemporary branch of the Armed
Forces. I applaud him for his efforts and am interested to hear
more about the initiatives he has advanced.
That said, I am sure he and all upstanding service members
in the Coast Guard would agree that any allegations of bias,
harassment, or other misconduct should be taken seriously and
thoroughly and competently investigated.
The allegations mentioned by Chairman Thompson are serious
in nature for sure, and I appreciate the opportunity that this
hearing will provide the Commandant to articulate why our men
and women in uniform are a part of a service committed to
rooting out bad apples and ending misconduct.
I also believe that, on the whole, the Coast Guard has a
positive story to tell in regard to its culture. I look forward
to hearing more about that today.
The Coast Guard has an increasingly complex, difficult
mission and is facing a number of critical homeland security
challenges beyond those related to the scope of this hearing
today. Indeed, this service faces strategic headwinds related
to a changing Arctic; addressing illegal, unreported, and
unregulated fishing in the Pacific; countering Russian and
Chinese aggression; as well as evolving threats of drug and
human smuggling stemming from the on-going border crisis.
In reality, the Coast Guard is on the front lines of a
rapidly-evolving geopolitical landscape and is being forced to
accomplish its complex multimission with increasingly strained
resources. That is why I am deeply troubled by the anemic
funding levels proposed by this administration, which would
slash Coast Guard funding apart from limited salary
enhancements.
While funding challenges for the service are not new, the
Coast Guard is a branch of America's Armed Forces and is truly
on the front lines of our Nation's National security--and those
front lines are expanding, particularly with respect to the
Arctic--while they are also being tasked with law enforcement
missions critical to the homeland. Unfortunately, the
administration's budget fails to support our men and women in
uniform in this and many other ways.
Additionally, I hope to hear about the unique set of
challenges facing the Coast Guard in protecting our Northern
Border, where districts such as my own in central New York face
their own set of threats with limited Federal resources
available to help mitigate them.
Despite these budgetary constraints, I look forward to
discussing how the Coast Guard is positioned to defend our
homeland and National security interests with a diverse work
force.
I want to thank the Chairman, as always, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
[The statement of Ranking Member Katko follows:]
Statement of Ranking Member John Katko
Thank you, Chairman Thompson, and thank you for having this most
important discussion today. It is part of our solemn duty and oversight
to deal with issues like these. I want to thank our Nation's 26th
Commandant, Admiral Karl Schultz, for appearing before this committee
today to discuss progress he has made moving forward with diversity and
inclusion efforts at the Coast Guard. It's far from a complete process
but we need to recognize the things he is doing to move this ball
forward. As Admiral Shultz noted in his written testimony, ``to remain
the world's best Coast Guard, we must be the world's most diverse and
inclusive Coast Guard. Anything less means that we will fail to garner
the talent, innovation, creativity, and performance necessary to meet
the challenges of an increasingly complex maritime operating
environment.'' I agree with his sentiment and look forward to
discussing these and other issues at today's hearing.
I want to thank the Commandant for his hard work in recruiting and
retaining a diverse Coast Guard service. Since becoming the Commandant
in June 2018, Admiral Schultz and his leadership team have focused on
increasing the recruitment and retention of women and under-represented
minorities. He has taken a number of proactive steps that have helped
make the Coast Guard a strong and contemporary branch of the Armed
Forces. I applaud him for his efforts and am interested to hear more
about the initiatives he has advanced.
That said, I am sure he and all upstanding service members in the
Coast Guard would agree that any allegations of bias, harassment, or
other misconduct should be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.
The allegations mentioned by Chairman Thompson are serious in nature,
and I appreciate the opportunity that this hearing will provide the
Commandant to articulate why our men and women in uniform are a part of
a service committed to rooting out bad apples and ending misconduct. I
also believe that, on the whole, the Coast Guard has a positive story
to tell in regard to its culture, and I look forward to hearing more
about that today.
The Coast Guard has an increasingly complex, difficult mission and
is facing a number of critical homeland security challenges beyond
those related to the scope of this hearing today. Indeed, the service
faces strategic headwinds related to a changing Arctic, addressing
illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the Pacific, countering
Russian and Chinese aggression, as well as evolving threats of drug and
human smuggling stemming from the on-going border crisis.
In reality, the Coast Guard is on the front lines of a rapidly-
evolving geopolitical landscape and is being forced to accomplish its
complex multi-mission remit with increasingly strained resources. That
is why I was deeply troubled by the anemic funding levels proposed by
the Biden administration, which would slash Coast Guard funding apart
from limited salary enhancements. While funding challenges for the
service are not new, the Coast Guard is a branch of America's Armed
Forces and is truly on the front lines of our Nation's National
security, and those front lines are expanding especially with respect
to the Arctic, while also being tasked with law enforcement missions
critical to the homeland. Unfortunately, the Biden budget fails to
support our men and women in uniform in this and many other ways.
Additionally, I hope to hear about the unique set of challenges
facing the Coast Guard in protecting our Northern Border, where
districts such as my own in Central New York face their own set of
threats with limited Federal resources available to help mitigate them.
Despite these budgetary constraints, I look forward to discussing
how the Coast Guard is positioned to defend our homeland and National
security interests with a diverse workforce.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you.
I now recognize the Chair of the Oversight and Reform
Committee, the gentlewoman from New York, Mrs. Carolyn Maloney,
for an opening statement.
Mrs. Maloney. Thank you, Chairman Thompson. Thank you for
inviting me to participate in today's important hearing and for
your committee's unwavering commitment to ensuring that the
U.S. Coast Guard operates in an effective, efficient,
accountable manner.
Nearly 3 years ago, then-Ranking Member Thompson and then-
Ranking Member Elijah Cummings of the Oversight Committee,
which I now Chair, embarked on an 18-month joint investigation
into allegations of harassment and bullying within the Coast
Guard, including the mishandling of harassment complaints and
retaliation.
Our investigation revealed deeply troubling evidence of
failure by Coast Guard leadership to conduct prompt and
thorough investigation into allegations of harassment and
bullying, failure to hold officials accountable for deficient
investigations, and failure to take corrective action to
address retaliation against individuals who report harassment
and bullying.
After reviewing thousands of papers--of documents and
conducting interviews with Coast Guard personnel, our 2
committees issued a joint staff report with our investigative
findings. The report made 7 recommendations, and I am pleased
that the Coast Guard agreed to accept all 7.
However, recent events show that much work remains to be
done. In June 2020, the Department of Homeland Security IG
issued a report on race-based harassment allegations at the
Coast Guard Academy and found that more than two-thirds of the
allegations it reviewed over a 6-year period were not properly
handled by the Academy. In December 2020, the DHS IG released
another report that substantiated whistleblower retaliation
against a Coast Guard member, in clear violation of the
Military Whistleblower Protection Act. Just last week, the
Coast Guard issued its sexual assault report for fiscal year
2020 to Congress, reporting an increase in sexual assault
allegations over the past year.
These recent developments make clear the urgent and on-
going need for action to correct the disturbing pattern of
harassment, retaliation, racism, and discrimination within the
Coast Guard.
I am so pleased that Admiral Schultz has agreed to testify
on these matters. Our late Chairman Cummings worked tirelessly
and passionately for years to improve the Coast Guard and never
shied away from holding the Coast Guard to the high standards
that we should expect from all branches of our military.
I am honored to be able to continue the incredible work of
Chairman Cummings, along with Chairman Thompson. We must
protect those who dedicate their lives to protecting us. It is
our duty, Admiral Schultz, and it is our duty in Congress.
Thank you.
I yield back.
[The statement of Hon. Maloney follows:]
Statement of Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney
Chairman Thompson, thank you for inviting me to participate in
today's important hearing, and for your committee's unwavering
commitment to ensuring that the U.S. Coast Guard operates in an
effective, efficient, and accountable manner.
Nearly 3 years ago, then-Ranking Member Thompson and then-Ranking
Member Elijah Cummings of the Oversight Committee--which I now chair--
embarked on an 18-month joint investigation into allegations of
harassment and bullying within the Coast Guard, including the
mishandling of harassment complaints and retaliation. Our investigation
revealed deeply troubling evidence of failure by Coast Guard leadership
to conduct prompt and thorough investigations into allegations of
harassment and bullying, failure to hold officials accountable for
deficient investigations, and failure to take corrective action to
address retaliation against individuals who report harassment and
bullying.
After reviewing thousands of pages of documents and conducting
interviews with Coast Guard personnel, our 2 committees issued a joint
staff report with our investigative findings. The report made 7
recommendations, and I'm pleased that the Coast Guard agreed to accept
all 7.
However, recent events show that much work remains to be done.
In June 2020, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General
issued a report on race-based harassment allegations at the Coast Guard
Academy, and found that more than two-thirds of the allegations it
reviewed over a 6-year period were not properly handled by the Academy.
In December 2020, the DHS IG released another report that
substantiated whistleblower retaliation allegations against a Coast
Guard Member in clear violation of the Military Whistleblower
Protection Act.
And just last week, the Coast Guard issued its sexual assault
report for fiscal year 2020 to Congress, reporting an increase in
sexual assault allegations over fiscal year 2019.
These recent developments make clear the urgent and on-going need
for action to correct the disturbing pattern of harassment,
retaliation, racism, and discrimination within the Coast Guard.
I am pleased that Admiral Schultz has now agreed to testify on
these important matters.
Our late Chairman Cummings worked tirelessly and passionately for
years to improve the Coast Guard and never shied away from holding the
Coast Guard to the high standards that we should expect from all
branches of our military.
I am honored to be able to continue the incredible work of Chairman
Cummings along with Chairman Thompson.
We must protect those who dedicate their lives to protecting us. It
is your duty, Admiral Schultz, and it is our duty in Congress. Thank
you, I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. Other Members of the committee are
reminded that, under the committee rules, opening statements
may be submitted for the record.
Members are also reminded that the committee will operate
according to the guidelines laid out by the Chairman and
Ranking Member in our February 3 colloquy regarding remote
procedures.
Again, I welcome our witness, Admiral Schultz.
Without objection, the Admiral's full statement will be
inserted in the record.
I now ask Admiral Schultz to summarize his statement for 5
minutes.
STATEMENT OF ADMIRAL KARL L. SCHULTZ, COMMANDANT, UNITED STATES
COAST GUARD
Admiral Schultz. Good morning, Chairman Thompson,
Chairwoman Maloney, Ranking Member Katko, Ranking Member Comer,
and Members of the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to
testify before you today, and I appreciate, Chairman, you
entering my written statement for the record.
Chairman, I also appreciate you recognizing the loss of
Commander Merle Smith, who was a trailblazer and extraordinary
coastguardsman, heroic in combat, and truly stayed linked to
the Coast Guard Academy and leaves a long legacy there. We
extend our sympathies to his wife, Lynda, and family.
Let me begin by thanking you, the committee leadership, for
your support of the United States Coast Guard in our endeavor
to create a fully inclusive Coast Guard where everyone can
contribute the full power of their diverse backgrounds,
experience, and thoughts.
I agree with our Commander-in-Chief when he said that equal
opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy and diversity
is one of our country's greatest strengths. The Coast Guard's
greatest strength is our people. I believe it is critical to
foster a culture of inclusion where we focus on achieving fair
and equitable outcomes for all who serve.
The Coast Guard must be a learning organization. It is
``commanders' business,'' as I term it, to ensure every Coast
Guard member can contribute the full power of their
backgrounds, experiences, and thoughts. We have not always
gotten that right. Today, I want to assure the committee that I
am listening, that your Coast Guard is listening, and we have
and continue to take decisive action.
When I became Commandant in June 2018, I made readiness my
top priority for the service. Coast Guard readiness has and
always will begin with our people. We are dedicated to
inclusive workplaces that mirror the great diversity of the
American people we are honored to serve. We have made
significant progress, which I hope to highlight for you, but
this is on-going work, and we must drive continuous improvement
across the service.
The release of our Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, the
DIAP, last summer was a big step forward. The Diversity and
Inclusion Action Plan identifies tangible actions to improve
diversity and inclusion, hold leadership accountable, and equip
commanders with a standard set of resources.
To facilitate these efforts, we have prioritized the
training and deployment of diversity change agents, who conduct
diversity and inclusion training, coaching, and support to the
total work force. By summer's end, we will have 125 change
agents trained and able to lead training across the service at
hundreds of units each year.
We continue to assess programs for their outcomes. We
implemented improvements to our College Student Pre-
Commissioning Initiative, or CSPI, as it is better known, to
increase the opportunities for individuals with diverse
backgrounds to enter our officer ranks. We created a new
officer recruiting branch, adding recruiters to key geographic
locations to enhance the CSPI program as well as our other
officer accession programs.
Only by improving awareness of the career opportunities the
Coast Guard offers will we be able to identify and increase the
diversity of our candidate pools. This is fundamental to our
strategy of building a Coast Guard that is increasingly
reflective of the American public we have the privilege to
serve.
As a result of what we learned from the RAND Women's
Retention Study, we have implemented work force initiatives,
including updates to parental leave policies which authorize up
to 120 days of leave. We have created a Reserve Component
support or backfill program to help units maintain readiness
when active-duty members step out on parental leave. We have
updated uniform and grooming standards, adjusted assignment
policies, and modernized the body composition program. We are
seeing exciting early indicators that the 5-12 percent
retention gap across the course of a 20-year career identified
by the RAND study is narrowing significantly.
This summer, we anticipate receiving the results of another
RAND study, commissioned to identify barriers in the
recruitment and retention of our underrepresented active-duty
Coast Guard work force. Early findings indicate access to
mentors is important. Hence, we recently launched a new mobile-
enhanced mentoring app to better connect mentors with mentees
within and across the service.
Our work eliminating incidents of harassment, bullying, and
retaliation continues in earnest. We have implemented all 16
recommendations from the December 2018 DHS Inspector General
Report of Investigation, the December 2019 ``Righting the
Ship'' Majority staff Congressional report, and the June 2020
DHS Inspector General audit.
Our updated anti-harassment and hate incident policies have
greatly improved the manner in which we address allegations. We
refined investigative procedures and processing time lines to
expedite adjudication of complaints. We mandated additional
training and enhanced selection criteria for investigators, and
now investigators are appointed from outside the immediate
chain of command. These changes add fairness and transparency
to the investigative process.
In 2019, I issued a strategic vision for the Coast Guard
Academy, I believe the first of its kind, and updated and
subsequently added new positions to address spans of control
and better link our academy to the broader service.
We have added additional oversight and prioritized creating
a fully inclusive learning and training environment, making
sure that the Academy and the Leadership Development Center co-
located there are not only producing leaders for a diverse and
inclusive Coast Guard but that they represent the diverse and
inclusive work force we are trying to build.
So, in closing, this work continues and commands my
attention and that of our entire senior leadership team. As the
Coast Guard continues our efforts, I look forward to working
with our Congressional overseers to pursue the necessary
resources to effect change and to ensure we are focused on the
proper and top priorities.
Just as the 2018 OIG report and the 2019 ``Righting the
Ship'' report were catalysts for our intensive review of
systems and processes, your support will be vital to our
ability to recruit, train, and retain a diverse work force, the
centerpiece of Coast Guard readiness.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I welcome your
questions.
[The prepared statement of Admiral Schultz follows:]
Prepared Statement of Admiral Karl L. Schultz
June 23, 2021
introduction
Good morning Chairman Thompson, Chairwoman Maloney, Ranking Member
Katko, Ranking Member Comer, and distinguished Members of the
committee. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss Coast Guard efforts
to develop a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and
accountability. Since assuming my role as Commandant in 2018, I have
made it a top strategic priority to establish the Coast Guard not only
as a premier maritime Service, but as an employer of choice that
reflects the public we serve. I agree with our Commander-in-Chief when
he said that equal opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy and
diversity is one of our country's greatest strengths. Furthermore, I
believe it is critical to foster a culture of inclusion where we focus
on achieving fair and equitable outcomes for all that serve and
accountability for wrongdoing that is swift and transparent. In
coordination with this committee and the Congress, we have made
significant strides to recruit, retain, and advance a diverse
workforce, create lasting and powerful change, and enhance the culture
and climate of the Service. I look forward to discussing our shared
successes, and my vision of how we will continue this necessary work to
evolve as a Service.
In order to be a premier maritime Service and an employer of
choice, we must be the world's most inclusive and diverse Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard where every member can contribute the full power of their
diverse backgrounds, experiences, and thoughts. Anything less, and we
will fail to garner the talent, innovation, creativity, and performance
necessary to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and
technologically sophisticated maritime operating environment.
Advancing and sustaining the Diversity and Inclusion acumen of a
55,000-person organization requires strategic direction and sustained
focus and engagement from all levels. The Coast Guard's Diversity and
Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) identifies tangible actions to improve
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), measure outcomes, hold leadership
accountable, and most importantly, equip unit commanders with a
standard set of resources to promote a diverse and inclusive working
environment.
Our plan guides the development of individual and organizational
understanding and skills through dialog. The guiding principles found
in the DIAP aid leaders and members in understanding responsibilities,
tools, and capabilities of the Coast Guard to culminate in
strengthened, inclusive leadership, diversity, and improved
accountability. The DIAP formalizes the Coast Guard's continued
dedication to the assessment and development of policies and
procedures. It also develops workforce training to help drive
organizational change and lead to more inclusive behaviors. To
facilitate these efforts, we prioritized the training and deployment of
Diversity Change Agents. These Change Agents provide diversity and
inclusion training, coaching, and support to the total workforce;
provide command cadre coaching and counsel; and support the fostering
of an organizational culture that values respect, diversity, equity,
and inclusion. By the end of this summer, the Coast Guard will have 125
Change Agents fully trained and able to lead unit-level training.
While the DIAP represents bold steps to promote diversity and
inclusion, we continue to assess our programs for equitable outcomes.
Recent improvements to our College Student Pre-Commissioning (CSPI)
program were implemented to create more diversity within the officer
ranks. CSPI targets minority-serving institutions (MSIs), including
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving
Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Asian American and
Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions. MSIs set up a
pathway for a larger pool of candidates to be exposed to the Coast
Guard and the CSPI program. They provide visibility of Coast Guard
missions to students who are eligible for the CSPI program, open doors
for recruiters to develop relationships with students and staff at
colleges and universities and provide financial support through the
Student Loan Repayment Program. The Coast Guard recently created a new
officer recruiting branch which will stand up this summer. These
active-duty officer recruiters were added to offices in key locations
around the country including Washington, DC, Hampton Roads, Atlanta,
Miami, and New Orleans to specifically enhance the CSPI program.
The Women's Retention Study and Holistic Analysis, delivered in
March 2019 and undertaken in partnership with RAND's Homeland Security
Operational Analysis Center, included 191 focus groups with 1,010
active-duty women and 128 active-duty men. The study results identified
several factors impacting retention of women and the entire workforce.
Based on recommendations from the study we quickly implemented several
workforce initiatives to improve equitable outcomes for women. We
updated our parental leave policy allowing for up to 114 days of leave
(up to 30 days of prenatal leave, 42 days of medical convalescent
leave, and 42 days of primary caregiver leave) to be granted to the
primary caregiver, and created a program where Coast Guard Reservists
can be called to backfill active-duty members when they go on prenatal,
maternity convalescent, and primary caregiver leave. This program
sustains unit readiness while best supporting our members with parental
responsibilities. We improved uniform and grooming standards, capturing
changes recommended from women serving in front-line operations.
We adjusted assignment policies, to facilitate the co-location of
dual military families, and modernized the body composition program
resulting in a new compliance method.
While these changes represent positive steps forward, front-line
leadership must focus on building organizational climates where
everyone can contribute the full power of their diverse backgrounds,
experiences, and thoughts. Organizational climates must be free from
conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual's work
performance. We must eliminate incidents of harassment, bullying, and
retaliation that create intimidating, offensive, or hostile work
environments within the Coast Guard. These behaviors erode mission
readiness, are in direct violation of our core values of Honor,
Respect, and Devotion to Duty and are simply not tolerated in the Coast
Guard.
The Coast Guard is committed to responding to and investigating all
allegations of harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, and
retaliation, while holding offenders accountable. Our updated Anti-
Harassment and Hate Incident (AHHI) policies ensure Commanders address
and respond to every allegation, and we continue to take decisive
action to improve Service-wide accountability. We implemented all 16
recommendations from the December 2018 DHS Inspector General Report of
Investigation, the December 2019 ``Righting the Ship'' majority staff
report, and the June 2020 DHS Inspector General Audit. This includes
development of robust guidance for our field commanders, investigators,
and legal advisors. Updated guidance demands refinement of
investigative procedures and enforcement of process time lines and
enhancing complaint adjudication. To maintain the highest levels of
professionalism, we mandated additional training and enhanced selection
criteria of investigators. To ensure fairness and transparency of
process, we instituted policy that requires investigators be selected
from outside the chain of command. All final actions are reviewed and
approved by the next level in the chain of command to ensure
accountability.
Two years ago in June 2019, we published The Coast Guard's
Strategic Vision for the Coast Guard Academy. This document established
clear direction to the Superintendent to foster an inclusive
environment that enables students and faculty to reach their greatest
potential. As part of the strategic plan, within our Mission Support
enterprise, we created a DCMS-Deputy for Personnel Readiness (DPR)
position. DCMS-DPR is a two-star admiral responsible for oversight of
the Service's Human Resource directorate, our Force Readiness Command,
and the Coast Guard Academy. In addition to the creation of DCMS-DPR, a
Coast Guard Academy Program Manager position was created within the
Mission Support organization at Coast Guard Headquarters. The purpose
of these additional positions is to improve general oversight at the
Coast Guard Academy and to carry out the published strategic vision.
The Academy prioritized the caring, ethical, and inclusive
treatment of its people--as well as diversification of the faculty,
staff, and cadet corps--central elements of the Academy Strategic Plan.
These efforts were recognized by external entities including the
National College Athletic Association (NCAA), which recognized the
Academy as an Honorable Mention recipient of the NCAA Minority
Opportunities Athletics Association Diversity and Inclusion award. The
Academy is one of 3 honorable mention awardees and the only Division
III institution recognized. Additionally, the American Society for
Engineering Education (ASEE) recognized the Academy with the Bronze
Award for Diversity and Inclusion--the highest level of recognition
provided by ASEE that was presented to only 21 Colleges and
Universities across the Nation.
These accolades speak to the Coast Guard Academy's efforts to
create an inclusive learning and training environment that prepares
cadets to become Service Ready Ensigns and Leaders of Character. Their
important work continues as they strive for excellence while on-
boarding each new class.
In 2020, we launched another study with the RAND Corporation to
identify barriers in recruitment and retention, and underrepresentation
of women and members of racial and ethnic minority groups in the
active-duty Coast Guard. The Underrepresented Minorities study will be
delivered later this summer. At our request, RAND provided preliminary
survey findings, and we have already begun initial efforts to implement
policy changes as a result of RAND's interim findings. Placement of new
officer recruiters in Washington, DC, Hampton Roads, Atlanta, Miami,
and New Orleans was inspired by these preliminary findings. Also, the
study indicated access to mentors is important. In response, the Office
of Leadership launched a new ``mobile-enabled'' mentoring program to
better connect mentors with mentees through traditional ``one-on-one''
mentoring. The ``app-based'' mentoring program allows flexibility to
foster inclusion and connection within and across our many Coast Guard
communities. We look forward to sharing the results of this RAND
Underrepresented Minorities study with the committee, and implementing
initiatives to ensure members from underrepresented minority groups can
thrive in the United States Coast Guard.
In collaboration with the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland
Security recently entered into a contract with the National Academy of
Public Administration to conduct a study on the cultural competence of
the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, as required by Section 8272 of the Elijah
E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020. We look forward to
the insight and recommendations from this study in order to advance the
diversity, equity, and inclusion acumen at our Service Academy.
closing
The Coast Guard is hard at work to create lasting change and is
committed to working closely with Congressional Members to enhance the
inclusiveness of the Service. The ability to recruit, train, and retain
a diverse workforce is critical to Coast Guard readiness, and I seek
your support and commitment to attract a talented and diverse
workforce, ready to protect and defend America's maritime domain. Being
the world's most inclusive Coast Guard is what I call or term
``Commander's Business'' and a strategic priority for our Service
capturing the full attention of our leadership team.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify today, and I look
forward to your questions.
Chairman Thompson. I thank the witness for his testimony.
I remind each Member that he or she will have 5 minutes to
question the witness.
I now recognize myself for questions.
Admiral Schultz, I discussed in my opening statement recent
instances of substantiated retaliation, instances of race-based
harassment, and reports of sexual assault and harassment. Each
involved a victim who is or was a member of the Coast Guard
with a life and career that have been permanently affected by
their experience.
I recognize that these issues have existed within the Coast
Guard for a long time and many of these cases occurred before
you took the helm as Commandant. That said, you are ultimately
in charge of the Coast Guard, and when you speak, you speak for
the service.
One common frustration we have heard from whistleblowers is
that the Coast Guard fails to adequately acknowledge that they
have been wronged. They may have their performance ratings
restored or the Coast Guard may improve policies as a result of
their case, but they never receive anything they can point to
to confirm that, yes, they were harmed by something that never
should have been allowed to happen.
It would be incredibly meaningful for those who have been
victimized while serving in the Coast Guard to receive an
apology from you on behalf of the service. So I ask you, will
you here, now, apologize on behalf of the Coast Guard to anyone
who has suffered retaliation, assault, harassment, or bullying
or otherwise been victimized while serving in the Coast Guard?
Admiral Schultz. Chairman, thank you for the question.
So, any time anyone has had a negative experience or being
wronged in the Coast Guard, I obviously, as the service chief,
am concerned. We continually try to focus on corrective
actions. When we have wronged somebody, clearly, I would offer
my apology to that individual.
What we try to do is--each individual case is complex. We
investigate them. With the committee's assistance and keen
oversight, we have considerably increased the fidelity and,
really, the professionalism of our investigatory actions. As a
senior service member, the service chief in this case, we want
to bring accountability to all matters. We want to make sure we
have, you know, investigative materials in front of us that
allow us to reach the right decisions.
But, to your point, sir, any member that feels wronged,
that was wronged, yes, obviously, sir, I take that incredibly
seriously and am focused and I hope the testimony and our
conversation this morning will point to the efforts we are
doing to try to right those past, you know, mistakes and put us
on a trajectory to be as forward-leaning and as inclusive as
absolutely possible.
Chairman Thompson. Well, thank you. I am sure those victims
who have been documented to have been wronged accept your
apology. That is what you do when you are at the top.
Yesterday, the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin,
announced that he is recommending to the President a change in
the military justice system to remove the prosecution of sexual
assaults, domestic violence, and other special victims crimes
from the military chain of command and, instead, have
independent authorities decide whether to prosecute.
Do you agree with Secretary Austin's recommendation?
Admiral Schultz. Mr. Chairman, clearly, the Coast Guard, as
an armed force, have been and will continue to be in that
discussion space. I have been tracking with keen interest the
independent review commission and their findings. I saw
Secretary Austin's remarks yesterday. Clearly, as a collective
set of armed services, armed forces, we have not gotten this
right, and there is room for improvement.
I do believe the other service chiefs have stated recent,
you know, like opinions that commanders absolutely have to be
part of the solution. You know, referring things to an outside
body, there is potential benefit there. I think keeping the
commander in the decision-making process, though, is absolutely
essential, because this is commanders' business: (A), we want
to prevent sexual assaults, but when they occur, we want them
referred to the appropriate body, whether that is a court
martial proceeding or otherwise.
What I do have a concern about is, when we refer those
outside, if that was the trajection--or the direction,
trajectory it goes, if they chose not to do that, then does it
come back in? Exactly how would a commander process it at that
point?
But I am absolutely tracking the SecDef. We will follow
suit with the other armed services. I am open to change, sir,
for the very reason that we have not gotten this completely
right, as reflected in the statistics you cited in your opening
statement.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you very much. I look forward to
working with you.
I also look forward to working with you on the Coast Guard
Academy Improvement Act, which I referred to as the Elijah E.
Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2020. There are some
things I think we can work on on that.
I now recognize the Ranking Member of the full committee,
the gentleman from New York, Mr. Katko, for questions.
Mr. Katko. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you again, Admiral, for being here.
I am very confident, and I encourage my colleagues on both
sides of the aisle to probe specific issues of misconduct that
have not been handled properly by the Coast Guard, but I do
want to take a moment to kind-of reinforce a few things that
the Admiral said that he has been doing since he has been at
the helm.
They are reflected in a document that I have before me. It
is called ``The 26th Commandant's Actions to Create an
Inclusive Coast Guard.'' These actions include, in summary,
creating a climate free of harassment, leadership on key
issues, improving policies that disproportionately impact
female members, partnering with RAND to find ways to
continually improve the service, and a strong stance on
extremism and divisive issues.
These are the things the Admiral has implemented since he
came into service. There have been other things reflected that
have been implemented since before. It is not perfect. We have
a long way to go. But I do want to note that there are things
being done.
Mr. Chairman, I ask that I can incorporate this document
into the record.
Chairman Thompson. Without objection, so ordered.
[The information follows:]
Mr. Katko. Thank you, sir.
Since I am confident that other people are going to deal
with some of the other issues, I wanted to take this moment to
talk about something I think is critically important, and that
is the Arctic.
Recently, Russia assumed the rotating presidency of the
Arctic Council. As we know, there are more waters being created
with the ice melt going on. It grants them additional influence
on efforts to address strategic challenges in the Arctic.
What role will the polar security cutters of the Coast
Guard play in countering strategic challenges in the Arctic,
Admiral?
Admiral Schultz. Ranking Member Katko, thank you for your
question.
Sir, I believe the Coast Guard's role in the Arctic is
irrefutable. We are a lead Federal agency. We bring the surface
capabilities to the high-latitude regions, both the Arctic and
Antarctic, on a persistent recurring basis.
What we don't have is much presence. I have coined the
phrase that ``presence equals influence.'' Right now, we are
operating a 45-year-old icebreaker called the Polar Star, our
sole heavy icebreaker in the U.S. inventory, and a medium
breaker, the Healy, that was built in 2000, not quite as
capable but allows us to do science and research work.
Sir, what we need to do is build out this fleet of polar
security cutters. You referenced those. With the support of
Congress, the second cutter was funded through the 2001
Consolidated Appropriations Act. That is a program of record, 3
ships. There is really a broader conversation to be had,
probably, about more polar security cutters or maybe some
medium icebreakers, what we might term an Arctic security
cutter future ship.
But we absolutely need to be up in the Arctic and down in
the Antarctic on a more persistent basis than we are today,
because great-power competition is alive and well there. China
has operated off the western Arctic, the Alaska Arctic, for
probably 6 of the last 9, 12 years. Russia is building out an
increasingly large fleet of icebreakers and intends to use the
Northern Sea Route essentially as a toll route. There will be
freedom-of-navigation issues in the future, and we will have
the organic domestic capability to press into that and project
our sovereign interests, sir.
Mr. Katko. Thank you, sir.
Just to follow up on that, what efforts are you making with
the Coast Guard to forward-deploy assets and resources in
coordination with our allies and partners in the Arctic to
ensure our interests are protected?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Ranking Member, each summer for many
years, now we have done Arctic Shield from about June 1 until
into the fall. That is up in the western Arctic, again,
northern Alaska. We will continue to do that. We forward-deploy
some MH-65 Jayhawk helicopters, marine inspectors. We
communicate and establish relationships with the local
communities, the indigenous populations. Obviously, we have to
move and work at the pace of the locals and their interests.
We are taking the Healy, the medium breaker, and we are
doing a pretty historic transit. We are going to do some
science work in the Western Pacific, about 30 days. Then we
will do a Northwest Passage transit, so up over the north coast
of Canada. We will partner with our Canadian allies there. We
will have researchers, we will have some British polar sailors
on board, and other groups. We will pop out in the Atlantic,
probably make a port call over in Greenland, and we will
demonstrate that the Coast Guard is in fact an Atlantic-based
Arctic Coast Guard as well, bring the ship down through the
Panama Canal, back to Seattle.
We have had medium-endurance cutters, in the recent months,
over in Greenland exercising with the Dutch, with the French.
They are very eager. We have put a new Coast Guard attache in
Copenhagen to thicken the lines.
When you think about the 8 Arctic nations, Ranking Member,
you know, 3--Canada, United States, and Russia--are Pacific-
based; the other 5 are solely Atlantic-based. So we are trying
to make sure we are touching the entire Arctic Forum/Arctic
Council membership.
Mr. Katko. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, how much time do I--I don't believe I have
many time left, so I will yield back.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from Texas for 5
minutes, Ms. Jackson Lee.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Good morning. Thank you so very much, Mr.
Chairman. This is a vitally important hearing, and I am
delighted to be part of it this morning.
Admiral, welcome again. Congratulations to you. Thank you
for the work that the Coast Guard has done.
But let me indicate that I am enormously disturbed,
enormously disturbed, by the report and the, seemingly,
atmosphere in the Coast Guard. I want to thank Chairman
Thompson for very well-documented issues dealing with
harassment, bullying, sexual harassment in particular, and the
numbers of those Coast Guard officers who are women who are
experiencing sexual harassment. When you begin with sexual
harassment, you are on the edge of rape and other sexual
assault.
This morning, the Vanessa Guillen legislation was again
reintroduced. I am an original co-sponsor of that legislation,
have been. I think you are aware of that. There is the idea
that there be a separate command, a separate process of
investigation, under the Department of Defense, for these
particular charges, to create an atmosphere where we have a
fully competent military team, if you will. That should go for
the Coast Guard.
So my first question is, would you fall under that regimen
or would you be willing to commit to an independent
investigatory structure under the Coast Guard to take these
cases?
Women are intimidated. Vanessa Guillen is my neighbor, a
neighboring district. Her death was unspeakable. Young women
who wanted to be in the service all of their life.
So let me just ask that question. I will just put these
other two before you, and you can briefly answer the other
ones.
I would be interested in your funding and level of
preparedness for drug interdiction and what work you are doing
there; and your preparing and funding for hurricane season. You
have done great jobs for us in the Southern Region and the Gulf
Region with rescues. I would be interested in whether you are
capable and have the staffing for that, which is what we are
expecting in the near future.
So, if you could answer those questions, I would appreciate
it.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Admiral.
Admiral Schultz. Good morning, Congresswoman Jackson Lee.
It is good to see you, ma'am, as well. I know we have worked
very closely in the past on the streets of Houston and other
things.
You know, ma'am, on the Fort Hood situation, the Sergeant
Guillen investigation, we commissioned a task force in-house to
look at that. We actually have 49 action items that we derived
from studying that investigation to bring those findings into
the Coast Guard, to make sure we are addressing them. They are
near-term and short-term, and right now we have a group that is
arraying those on how we are going to get after those. That is
inside the lifeline, learning from outside the lifeline
activity.
So I am not 100 percent sure I am clear on your question.
If your question was outside investigative body related to the
question about the SecDef and where they are going with Sexual
Assault Prevention Response potentially----
Ms. Jackson Lee. Yes. Would you set that up?
Admiral Schultz. Yes. I indicated, ma'am, I am open to
change there. I think I reaffirmed already my opinion that I do
believe the commander needs to stay in that. So I think I would
suggest that outside stuff be targeted specifically, if it is
going to go down that path, just to sexual-assault-type
matters, because commanders' roles are so important in both
prevention and response and handling of these from an
accountability standpoint.
To your other questions, ma'am, on our preparedness, we are
in hurricane season. We have seen Claudette, the third, you
know, named storm, pass through the South, through your part of
the country and really through New Orleans area and off over
the Atlantic.
We are tooled up and ready to go. It has been a uniquely
challenging world, as we all know, for all Americans, for all
global members of society, but your Coast Guard has been as
busy as ever. I think we are as postured as ever to be
responsive.
Last year was the busiest Atlantic Basin hurricane season
on record, with more than 30 named storms. I think the
predictions this year [inaudible] predictions.
Then, last, drug interdiction, ma'am, we remain committed.
We commit 4 ships, multiple helicopters down there. We exceed
that; we commit about 175 percent of our stated commitment to
the Department of Defense. That continues to command my
attention. On average, we remove about 440,000 pounds of
illicit narcotics destined to American streets, ma'am, every
year.
Ms. Jackson Lee. You have the funding? I also hope that you
are very alert as it relates to your cyber space, making sure
you have the expertise and also the firewalls to protect your
cyber space?
Admiral Schultz. Congresswoman, we are building out our
cyber work force. We recently just--fully operational
capability for the first Cyber Protection Team. There is
funding--thank you to the committee and the administration--for
a second Cyber Protection Team, a cyber mission team.
That is an increasingly complicated, challenging landscape.
Knowing how critically important the maritime transportation
system is to the Nation's economy, we have got to own that. I
have told Secretary Mayorkas that, you know, we own the
maritime piece of all the cyber infrastructure, and we are
working diligently, ma'am, to build out our capabilities. That
is a work in progress, and it commands my top attention as
well.
Ms. Jackson Lee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you very much.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana for 5
minutes, Mr. Higgins.
Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Admiral Schultz, for being here today and to the
Chairman and Ranking Member for calling this hearing today.
As an Army veteran myself, I understand the importance of
diversity of background and skills in the military and how it
benefits our Nation's National defense mission. Diversity is
indeed one of our Nation's greatest strengths. Yet we must
never forget that we are one in the eyes of God, created in his
image.
There are more pressing issues this committee must address,
like the humanitarian crisis at the border, the criminal crisis
at the border, the Constitutional crisis that the border
situation is creating, cartel and drug-smuggling crimes, human
trafficking, foreign cybersecurity attacks, emergency
preparedness, much more.
While many may feel a bit tired, need to take a break from
these serious discussions to focus on issues more of a
political nature, I think we must take a deep look at the
priorities and efforts of this committee. The safety of our
Nation is at stake if immediate threats that we face take a
back seat to non-life-threatening topics. This committee is not
focused on homeland security; it is focused on identity
politics that serve as an evasion of responsibility.
One concern many of my constituents in the State of
Louisiana have that has not been addressed by this committee or
any other committee in the House of Representatives is the
Seacor incident that occurred on April 13 of this year.
During this event, the Coast Guard carried out search-and-
rescue operations after a severe weather event caused a 129-
foot commercial lift boat, owned by the Seacor Marine, to
capsize 8 miles off the coast of Louisiana. This incident
resulted in 6 confirmed deaths, with 7 crew members still
unaccounted for, lost at sea.
We must address legitimate questions regarding the Coast
Guard's vessel response plans and concerns of recovery
capabilities, as well as the frequency and timeliness of
updates for the crew members' families in the event of an
incident.
I am not interested in blame. I am interested in what we
can do as a Nation to promote marine safety and emergency
response by Federal assets like the Coast Guard.
I penned a letter, signed by the entire Louisiana
delegation, sent the letter to this committee, requesting a
hearing on the Coast Guard's disaster response plans, and we
have not heard a word from leadership.
Mr. Chairman, I would ask unanimous consent to present it
to the record, a copy of that letter.
Chairman Thompson. Without objection, so ordered.
[The information follows:]
Letter Submitted by Hon. Clay Higgins
May 13, 2021.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
Capitol H232, Washington, DC 20004.
Leader Chuck Schumer,
Capitol S221, Washington, DC 20004.
Leader Mitch McConnell,
Capitol S230, Washington, DC 20004.
Leader Kevin McCarthy,
Capitol H204, Washington, DC 20004.
Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and Leader
McCarthy: We urge the committees of jurisdiction in the House of
Representatives and U.S. Senate hold oversight hearings to examine the
response and recovery efforts related to the recent SEACOR Power
tragedy in the Federal waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
During a severe weather event on April 13, 2021, a 129-foot
commercial liftboat owned by SEACOR Marine (SEACOR) capsized eight
miles off the coast of Port Fourchon, LA. The United States Coast Guard
responded to the event and carried out search and rescue operations
from April 13 through April 19, 2021. Tragically, the incident resulted
in 6 deaths with 7 crewmembers still unaccounted for.
This tragedy has exposed gaps in existing vessel response plans and
has raised concerns regarding the recovery efforts, the frequency and
timeliness of updates for the crewmembers' families, as well as the
time it has taken to remove the vessel from the water. As of the
writing of this letter, the vessel still remains capsized in the
water--31 days after the incident. This is inexcusable and has resulted
in further tragedy for the families who are still awaiting final news
of their missing loved ones.
It is imperative that Congress exercise its oversight authority and
take steps to review actions taken to ensure policy gaps are fixed and
any lessons learned from the tragedy result in more efficient
procedures and a higher degree of marine safety in the future.
We ask respectfully that the committees of jurisdiction conduct
necessary oversight hearings on this tragedy and opportunities to
improve marine safety procedures overall. Congress has an obligation to
take a deeper look into emergency response measures to assist and
prevent such tragedies in the future. Thank you for your consideration
of this request.
Respectfully,
Bill Cassidy, M.D.
United States Senator.
John Kennedy,
United States Senator.
Clay Higgins,
United States Congressman.
Steve Scalise,
United States Congressman.
Garret Graves,
United States Congressman.
Mike Johnson,
United States Congressman.
Julia Letlow,
United States Congresswoman.
Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Seacor capsizing was a devastating event. Lives were
lost. This is the type of issue that the Homeland Security
Committee should address.
Admiral Schultz, God bless you, sir. I know you are here
today to discuss a specific topic, so I will not put you on the
spot regarding Seacor, and I will only leave you with one
request.
Can you commit today to lead a briefing for me, for
interested Members of this committee, and for the Louisiana
delegation regarding lessons learned from the Seacor Power
tragedy and how the Coast Guard and Congress could work
together to ensure the likelihood of such a tragedy is reduced
in the future? Can you make that commitment to me today, good
sir?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman Higgins, good morning, sir. I
echo your sentiments about the tragic confirmed loss of 6 and
still 7 missing. Seacor Power was a very difficult, complex
case. You have my commitment, sir, for a briefing, absolutely.
You know, we are working with the National Transportation
Safety Board, NTSB, regarding investigatory occurrences for
that situation. We need to understand what transpired. We are
working in a unified command environment right now, as they try
to recover and right that vessel. Then that will factor into
our understanding of exactly what transpired and how we learn
from that.
You know, first and foremost, as the Nation's lead Federal
agency for maritime safety, security, and environmental
stewardship, we absolutely have to understand that and we have
to preclude that from happening again.
Sir, with respect to the families, we worked very closely
with NTSB in terms of, you know, kind-of, timing of their
arrival and not losing sight of the fact that there were
families involved with missing loved ones. They still have
unaccounted-for missing loved ones.
Sir, I know--and I will take the hit on this--that, in the
social media thing, our public affairs folks put out some
tweets that maybe seemed impersonal. We have looked at that and
talked to our folks about that. When there are people involved,
you know, some of these social media platforms that limit
tweets to so many characters don't capture the emotions of all
the folks that are suffering loss and hopeful that they may
find, in that case, probably not a surviving body but just a
body to have, you know, an appropriate funeral.
So, sir, I appreciate the emotion involved in this. You
have my commitment to learn from this through the investigatory
process. We would be absolutely committed to coming and
briefing your staff, or if that is at a hearing, whatever route
that is deemed appropriate by the committee, sir, we want to
inform into that and try to preclude such tragic occurrences
from the future.
Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Admiral, for that commitment.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman's time has----
Mr. Higgins. Let me clarify that I have received many
briefings from the Coast Guard headquarters in New Orleans----
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. Higgins. I thank you for your service.
Chairman Thompson. The Chair now recognizes the gentleman
from New Jersey----
Mr. Higgins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Thompson [continuing]. Mr. Payne.
Mr. Payne. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this timely
hearing on a very, very important topic, and to the Ranking
Member as well.
Admiral Schultz, it is clear that much remains to be done
to increase diversity in the Coast Guard ranks. Recruitment is
a large part of that. In fact, there is a Coast Guard
recruitment office in my district in Newark, New Jersey.
So I am interested to know what the Coast Guard is doing to
recruit youths from the inner city. How is the Coast Guard
supporting these youth once in the service so that you can
actually retain them and encourage them to move up through the
ranks and not just get them in the door?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman Payne, good to see you, sir.
Thank you for the question.
I think the latter part of your question just warrants a
little bit of attention. You are absolutely right. We don't
want to just recruit folks to the Coast Guard; we want to bring
them in and retain them in the Coast Guard. You know, for every
coastguardsman we retain, you know, beyond their 4-year initial
commitment, track up maybe potentially up to 20 years and
beyond, that is a huge win. It takes us multiple recruits to
get that.
We have the highest retention of any of the Armed Forces,
and that still is a challenge. I am working to find 4,000
Americans that want to enlist in the Coast Guard on an annual
basis. We have been challenged to meet that goal year-in, year-
out. With COVID this past year, we will probably get to 3,200,
3,300. I will probably spike the football, in a sports analogy,
to say that would be very good in the difficulties posed by
this last year's set of circumstances confronting the Nation.
But when you look into the recruiting environment, about 28
percent of Americans are eligible to serve in the Armed Forces.
About 10 percent of that 28 percent have a propensity to serve.
We are competing with the Department of Defense, DOD, services
that are recruiting 1,000-plus young men and women on a weekly
basis. I am looking for 4,000 on an annual basis.
They are able to throw larger recruiting bonuses. I believe
the Army offers a young man or woman $30,000 to commit to show
up at their training facility in the first 30 days. Where I am
forced to use bonuses for recruiting is somewhere between
$2,000 and $7,000, and that is usually in the leanest, bleakest
part of the year.
Sir, on our recruiting offices, back in sequestration
years, we took about a 50-percent reduction to our recruiting
offices. So we are trying to go back to some targeted
locations. We worked with Chairman Thompson for one in
Mississippi and got that close to right. The Chairman informed
me that we didn't get it exactly in the right place, but I am
aware of that, and we are, you know, cognizant to make sure we
get that 100 percent right next time. We are enabling our
recruitings with ability.
So I think it is a work in progress, sir, but you are
absolutely correct.
Mr. Payne. OK. Thank you.
Admiral Schultz, what can you tell the committee about the
Coast Guard's Second Chance Program? How many times in the last
5 years has the Coast Guard utilized the program? Can you
provide this committee with the demographic breakdown of those
who have been approved for participation and the circumstances
of their participation?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congressman Payne, we do have a
Second Chance Program. That is, you know--the purpose is to
retain good, solid, first-term performers that have the
potential, you know, maybe had a youthful indiscretion but can
move forward on that.
There are some, you know, issues that are not youthful
indiscretions--drug use, alcohol use involving a motor vehicle,
other things. There are some bright-line things that do not
allow us to do that.
I do not have the data in front of me about how many times
we have used the Second Chance Program nor the demographics
within those cases. I will be sure to respond for the record to
that here, if I could, after the fact or to you personally,
whichever your preference, sir.
Mr. Payne. That would be good.
Admiral Schultz. I am also looking at the Second Chance
Program, sir. You know, it is pretty rigorous with certain
things, with alcohol use and other things like that. I have
asked my team, in recent months here, to explore that and say,
do we have this right, given some of the challenges in the
Nation and the difficulty-to-recruit environment?
But, sir, we do have it. We do use it. We will give you the
data you asked for here at a follow-on opportunity.
Mr. Payne. OK.
I see my time is slowly dwindling. So, with that, Mr.
Chairman, I will yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you.
The gentleman yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi for 5
minutes, Mr. Guest.
Mr. Guest. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Admiral, I want to first tell you how much I appreciate the
work of your airmen and seamen, the things that they are doing.
I particularly want to talk a few moments about your drug
interdiction and some of the successes that you have had over
the last few months.
A Maritime Executive article referred to the cutter Mohawk
returning to Key West after having seized 4,000 pounds of
cocaine having a street value of nearly $70 million. That same
article talks about the Campbell returning home on February 8
to report to her port in Maine, where she had interdicted
11,600 pounds of cocaine worth $215 million. The Harriet Lane
had returned also, offloading $200-plus million in seized
cocaine. A week early, the Gabrielle Giffords returned to port
with $200 million of cocaine captured in the Eastern Pacific.
Some articles that I found in the Coast Guard News: On
March 10, an article said that the cutter Bertholf returned
home, offloading approximately 7,500 pounds of seized cocaine
and marijuana, an estimated street value of $126 million. On
March 23, it says the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Munro
offloaded approximately 8,200 seized pounds of cocaine and
11,450 pounds of marijuana having a value of $330 million. The
last article, from May 19 of this year, says that the Coast
Guard cutter Active offloaded approximately 11,500 pounds of
seized cocaine in San Diego having a street value of $220
million.
So just those seizures alone, those half-dozen or so major
seizures, if my math is correct, is over $1.3 billion in
narcotics that have been seized and interdicted by the Coast
Guard. First, I want to thank you for that.
I also want you to very briefly, if you will, speak on the
important role your agency plays in interdiction and stopping
drugs prior to them being delivered to our country.
Admiral Schultz. Congressman Guest, thank you for the
question, sir, and thank you for highlighting the important
work of our extraordinary Coast Guard men and women.
Yes, we interdict about 440,000 pounds--that is about 207,
208 metric tons--on an annual basis, take about 600-plus
smugglers off the water. We bring them into the criminal
justice system. We feed the interdiction cycle. We develop
leads, you know, if there are plea deals cut at the U.S.
attorney's offices and in the U.S. criminal justice system, and
that feeds the process, sir.
We work with a wide host of international and domestic
partners. We work closely with the DEA on developing the
intelligence. We work closely with the National intelligence
community. We are a named member of the National intelligence
community.
We do the predominance of our detection and monitoring work
at the Department of Defense command Joint Interagency Task
Force--South in Key West that is commanded by a Coast Guard
two-flag officer under the SOUTHCOM Commander, four-star
Admiral Craig Faller, a DOD combatant command.
Sir, you know, I believe we are some of the most capable,
talented folks in the world on this mission. It is difficult.
The ocean is vast. If you look at the Eastern Pacific, about 85
percent of the drugs used to come through the Eastern Pacific.
We are seeing that split 85/15, from Pacific to Carib, changing
a bit. It is about a 65/35 split here.
We have had more activity. You mentioned the Gabrielle
Giffords. That is a Navy ship. We can take Coast Guard
authorities with a small team of 8 to 12 coastguardsmen on a
Navy combatant and we can extend our law enforcement
authorities.
So we are putting what we can in terms of cutters, we are
putting what we can in terms of Airborne Use of Force
capability--that is the ability to shoot out engines on fast
boats. We are augmenting, you know, our teams at sea, because
maintaining detainees at sea while you are continuing to do
interdiction missions is challenging work.
It was an extraordinarily difficult year last year, sir,
with COVID, sending a ship downrange, with somewhere from 100
to 175 sailors, depending on the ship class, operating with N95
masks and standing their watch doing this mission, sir.
But I am tremendously proud. We are appreciative of the
support. I believe it is absolutely critically important work,
because it feeds the instability in the Central American
quarter that feeds some of the challenges we are experiencing
at the land borders here in the United States as well.
Mr. Guest. Well, as a former prosecutor, I want to commend
you and your sailors and airmen for the incredible job that you
are doing. I think that it is vitally important to our National
security, protecting the homeland, and making sure that we are
interdicting those drugs before they actually reach American
soil.
So thank you for your hard work and the men and women that
serve under you.
Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you. The gentleman yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri, Mr.
Cleaver, for 5 minutes.
Mr. Cleaver. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I appreciate all the hard work that is going on as well,
and I don't want to minimize that, Admiral. I think, you know,
you have a very difficult job, and I don't want to make it any
more difficult. However, you know, I used to see recruitment
being done years and years ago, you know, all over, including
in the urban core, there were recruitment offices. You know,
there used to be a lot of ads on TV that would be directed
toward trying to get, you know, an inclusive Coast Guard.
I am wondering now, you know, are there any limitations
that would prevent you from doing things like that or do you
believe that what you are doing is working and sufficient?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Mr. Cleaver, good to see you, sir. I
think the last time I saw was at Mr. Cummings' lying in state,
sir.
The question is a great question, sir. You know, there is a
fiscal, you know, monetary aspect of how much recruiting and
advertising we do. Advertising is quite expensive, and in a $13
billion Coast Guard budget, you know, comparing to a $760
billion, $740 billion DOD, we do not compete in terms of
resources and ability to advertise.
We advertise strategically where we can. Some of our best
advertising is when we get our Coasties out into the schools to
meet folks through our partnership and education programs. We
are very excited with the support of Mr. Clyburn and the Hill
writ large. We have a new junior ROTC program. We had two
junior ROTC programs last year, one out in Camden County, North
Carolina, and one down in Miami, the MAST Academy, but we are
going to Pinellas County in Florida, we are going to North
Charleston. I think that program has the potential for very
modest cost input to really get our brand out there.
I mentioned about a 50 percent cut in recruiting offices
back in the 2013 sequestration years. That was tough. What we
are trying to do--and it is less about the physical office
today than it is about the recruiter and the ability to go meet
a young recruit in his or her home, maybe in their school, have
the mobility.
So we have had a tech revolution. We are close to giving
the recruiters the ability to sit down on the couch with an
iPad and seal the deal and do the paperwork. Now we have to
bring them back to the office. The other offices of the
services are a little bit more agile to do their investments
earlier on that, but we are getting there, sir.
So recruiting is a top priority for me. Our goals are to
recruit 25 percent women, 35 percent underrepresented
minorities. We have done actually better on the
underrepresented minorities, met or exceeded the goals. We fell
short about 20 percent of women when we are striving for 25
percent. But, sir, when you are only recruiting 4,000 a year,
moving the needle in an organization of 42,000 does not happen
fast. There is obviously annual, you know, attrition and
retention, sir. But we are working hard to compete.
We do have 4 new officer recruiters targeting minority
officer recruiting. We are sending them to Atlanta, Miami, New
Orleans, and Norfolk, Virginia, sir. We are hopeful that may be
the start of additional effort in that area as well, sir.
Mr. Cleaver. Well, thank you, Admiral.
You know, you answered the question exactly the way I would
have wanted. I do know that it is a difficult job.
This is not necessarily connected, but I am also interested
in the town halls that you once did, or maybe you are
continuing to do. I don't have any information that would
suggest that you are still doing the town halls. If you are
not, could you resume or give us an update on what the status
is?
Admiral Schultz. Yes. Congressman, I am not 100 percent
sure I know which town halls, but we have done some town halls
with myself and the master chief petty officer early on in our
tenure. We haven't done as much lately. We have had some town
halls here responsive to, you know, the social unrest, the
perceptions of the realities of social justice in America, with
our director of civil rights, equal opportunity office. Dr.
Dickerson has done that and with some others. We have had
senior leaders participate here, if that is what you are
referring to, and the work is on-going.
We had them at a little more persistent pace here months
back, but, sir, we work very diligently to stay connected with
our work force and, you know, there is a technological piece of
how broadly we can connect through a work force of, you know,
42,000 active, 9,000 civilians, and about 6,000 reservists,
sir, but we do try to keep the lines of dialog open. It is only
when we understand what is on our people's minds that we can be
responsive to that and strive to better ourselves.
Mr. Cleaver. Well, I appreciate the direction you are
going, sir, and I appreciate you being here today.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey for 5
minutes, Mr. Van Drew.
Mr. Van Drew. Thank you, Chairman Thompson.
Admiral Schultz, thank you for all the good work that you
do and where you have taken the Coast Guard. I am very
appreciative of your work, and I look forward to hearing from
you about how the service is working to maintain a competitive
edge within our military.
I would like to express my strong support. As you know, we
have spoken many times for the training center, Cape May
Recapitalization Project, which was included in the President's
fiscal year 2022 budget. This $55 million barracks renovation
projects the first of four phases which would completely
overhaul the outdated 60-year-old facility, which does not
provide the services with the necessary infrastructure to
fulfill its mission, especially its new mission.
Training Center Cape May is the sole accession point for
the Coast Guard's enlisted work force, which consists of
roughly 4,200 annual recruits. When the original facilities
were built in the 1960's, only men were allowed to enlist in
the service. The new barracks would provide equitable berthing
and showers and rest room facilities for male and female
recruits, which is a necessary change to help fulfill the Coast
Guard's mission of increasing diversity and increasing equity.
The project would also expand the capacity of the training
center to accommodate 5,000 annual recruits, a much-needed
increase to support a more resilient Coast Guard.
Admiral Schultz, in your written testimony, you stated that
the Coast Guard had made significant strides to recruit,
retrain--sorry--recruit, retain, and advance a diverse work
force, creating lasting and powerful change, and enhance the
culture and climate of the service.
How does the Training Center Cape May Recapitalization
Project help the Coast Guard fulfill those goals?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congressman Van Drew, good morning
to you, sir.
You know, clearly, that is our flagship training command
for enlisted members of our work force, and there is tremendous
history there, but as you said, there is aging infrastructure.
When you are in a competitive environment, back to my reference
to, you know, 28 percent of Americans eligible to serve and
some 10 percent show the propensity to serve, you know, when
they explore the services, and these kids are bright, they are
smart, they look on-line, it is not hard to take a look at
Great Lakes Training Center compared to the Coast Guard
Training Center versus the Air Force Recruit Training down in
Texas and you see old facilities.
So I think the ability for us to update our training
facilities, the ability to create more equitable physical
facilities for our women recruits is absolutely an essential
part of this recruit and retain conversation we are having,
sir. I am very excited that we pushed hard through the
Department and the administration to get phase 1, $55 million
in there for the first barracks. The unfunded priority list
that I submitted through the Department of OMB to Capitol Hill
has phase 2, which is the second barracks up there.
So I am committed, sir, to developing a capital investment
plan for the training center, just like we have for our
academy, to get after those things where our flagship training
institutions are not sort-of forgotten, because they are
absolutely part of this conversation about the world's best
Coast Guard needs to be the most inclusive Coast Guard. That is
having places that attract America's best and brightest that
want to be on our team and stay on our team.
Mr. Van Drew. Thank you, Admiral.
I can appreciate how the service is looking to draw in more
recruits, and I support that. I would like to see the current
high standards of the service remain in place, and you and I
spoke about that when we spoke privately.
What assurances can you give us all that the Coast Guard
will not compromise quality recruits with the implementation of
its diversity and inclusion plan that will get the best of
everything?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman Van Drew, we are a standards-
based organization, military service. We are not adjusting any
of our standards. We are just working hard to go out and find
those men and women from diverse backgrounds, cultural
demographics that want to be on our team and, obviously, part
of our standards. But we are trying to be an innovative
organization. We are trying to realize, you know, things--you
know, a young Black woman that goes to recruit training that
spends a lot of time in the pool there and has different hair
than her White counterpart, has concerns to that. We don't want
that to be a disincentive, so one of those things where we make
sure they have the right types of shampoos, the right types of
things where we can recognize there are differences, there are
cultural differences, there are gender differences. We are
trying to be sensitive.
It has nothing to do with standards, sir. We remain
standards-based, and what we are trying to do is be informed,
though. You know, different folks, we have found some of the
Greek fraternities for similar Black members and then brands,
and we had very limiting policies about who could enter the
service with a brand, a skin brand.
We changed some of those policies because that was
precluding very capable, motivated men and women who wanted to
serve their Nation from entering our service, and we have
revisited many of those things. I think that has all been
helpful as we try to be a Coast Guard more reflective of the
Nation we are privileged to serve.
Mr. Van Drew. Well, Admiral, I agree with you. I thank you
for the good work and your level of excellence continually and,
really, what you have set up for the future. I think the Coast
Guard has great--even greater potential under your leadership.
So thank you.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. Van Drew. I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you very much.
Admiral, let me be clear, in all the discussions that you
and I have had, I am sure you have had with any Members of this
committee, about diversity and equity, has there ever been a
discussion about lowering the standards of admission to the
Coast Guard?
Admiral Schultz. Chairman, absolutely not. We have never
had that discussion, sir. We, I think, share a commitment that
we want to go and find those men and women with a propensity to
serve and bring them in the service and put them on a
trajectory to be successful, male, female, Black, White,
Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander. I want a Coast
Guard where every member feels like their shipmates are behind
them and pushing them to the next rung on the ladder. There is
tremendous opportunity for success, sir, and we will remain
standards-based. That has never been part of the conversation,
Chairman.
Chairman Thompson. Absolutely. Thank you very much.
The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from New York, Ms.
Clarke, for 5 minutes.
Ms. Clarke. I thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for
holding this hearing today. I thank you, Admiral, for your
forthcoming with your answers to our questions today.
I want to start by asking whether preventing harassment,
bullying, assault, and retaliation is not just a matter of
developing appropriate policies but developing a culture that
emphasizes accountability and justice. What have you done as
Commandant to ensure perpetrators receive appropriate
discipline? Have you as a Commandant prevented perpetrators and
those who condone their behavior from being protected and
advanced for promotions or career promotions or career-
enhancing assignments? What do you believe is your role in
doing so?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congressman Clarke, good to see you,
ma'am. Good morning.
Yes, absolutely, as the service chief with the
responsibility to man, train, and equip the United States Coast
Guard's work force, it is absolutely my responsibility. The
buck stops with me. What we have tried to do in terms of the
Anti-Harassment and Anti-Hate Incident Policy things is policy
is part of that. We looked into that and we recognized where we
were and where we needed to change, and we have had some cases
that have demonstrated that with some rigorous oversight from
the DHS IG and from the committee.
As mentioned earlier, we created 39 initiatives to tackle
16 recommendations, 7 recommendations committee. We have
actioned all those. Accountability is woven through all that.
You know, the standards-based organization, as I referenced
earlier in some of the other questions in terms of lowering
bars, the standards-based organization has to do and is
premised on accountability. We have the Uniform Code of
Military Justice from a disciplinary standpoint. We have
administrative tools at our discretion to use, and we
absolutely, ma'am, will try to create a perception, a reality
that there is accountability when folks do things wrong. Have
we always gotten that right? As I said in my opening statement,
no.
Ms. Clarke. Well, let me ask, do you believe that there is
a culture, especially for those who have risen through the
ranks and have the power to hold others accountable, of
avoiding saying anything negative about the Coast Guard at the
risk of facing professional consequence?
Admiral Schultz. Do I believe there is a pervasive culture,
ma'am? No. Do I believe some will hold that perception?
Probably so. Is their perception their reality? It may be so.
My goal is to create a culture that doesn't tolerate that, a
culture where folks are not being treated fairly,
appropriately, and that is brought forward. It is a culture of
intrusive leadership where leaders don't sort-of wait for
problems to go to them, but they are out and about amongst
their people, spending time with their folks, having the
conversations that would reveal those problems, and then we can
act on that, ma'am. It is absolutely an intrusive environment
that I am driving toward.
Ms. Clarke. Wonderful.
So how would you say you have done as Commandant to promote
a culture of accountability in which reporting misconduct is
not just tolerated but is encouraged?
Admiral Schultz. Well, ma'am, I would hope that the service
and the service members would say I have done a reasonably good
job of that. But would I tell you have I got it right? I would
tell you I am trying to address many cases from previous, and I
don't pass that on my predecessor. On 1 June 2018, I took the
reigns of this service and with that whatever came with that.
What we have tried to do is go back and understand those cases,
propel them forward as learning opportunities, and address
matters. I think it would probably be incumbent on, you know,
my 57,000 shipmates to better answer that question than me,
ma'am.
Ms. Clarke. Well, do you believe that there exists within
the Coast Guard a sort of good old boys' network in which White
men look out for, promote, and protect each other? If not, do
you believe such a network ever existed? When did it end? What
have you done as Commandant to ensure that it does not exist?
Admiral Schultz. Well, ma'am, when will it end? I don't
know. Do I believe it exists in society? Does it exist, is
there probably subsets of it in any of the Armed Forces? Yes,
ma'am. You know, it is the same conversation with extremism in
the ranks. Am I aware of any extremists in our ranks? We had an
extremist in our ranks a couple years ago, and he is doing 13.5
years in a Federal penitentiary because we identified him. We
acted on that. We worked with the U.S. attorney's office. We
disenrolled him from our ranks immediately on prosecution.
So I am absolutely committed to accountability. If there
are good old boy networks, as you mentioned, ma'am, then I want
to bust them up. This is what our 125 cultural change agents
that are getting outside training are going to do, tied to our
Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan that we rolled out.
We started on this trajectory, Congresswoman, on 1 June
2018. My guiding principals talked about a more diverse Coast
Guard, a more inclusive Coast Guard being imperative, a
commander's priority from Day 1. That was on the street when I
showed up in the office, and the Diversity and Inclusion Action
Plan was in the works in subsequent months. We are waiting for
a RAND study that will help us understand barriers to retention
for underrepresented minorities. That will come in July.
I created a Personnel Readiness Task Force year one that
actioned the holistic RAND study for women, and we kept them in
place. That was a 1-year program that now is in its third year,
because I want to put that same level of diligence on the
underrepresented study because in the past, studies have been
shelf wear. I want studies to be causes and catalysts for
action, ma'am.
Ms. Clarke. Well, thank you, Admiral, for your answers.
Let me yield back to the Chairman. I appreciate it. Thank
you.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you very much. The gentlelady
yields back.
The Chair recognizes Mr. Norman for 5 minutes.
Mr. Norman. Thank you, Chairman.
Admiral Schultz, I want to thank you for appearing today. I
think this is the first time that a Commandant has appeared
before the Committee of Homeland Security.
I just want to thank you for your stance. I appreciate you
coming to the office. You have been very direct. You have been
very adamant that the standards have not been compromised, that
you want the best people, and you want people who want to be in
the Coast Guard. I just appreciate your dedication to the job,
and it shows when we--during our conversation at least.
I know the recruitment goal in 2019 was not what you wanted
it to. I think you had a goal of 3,600 and you had recruits
less than 600 that you missed. So, hopefully, we can help you
do that. I think the Coast Guard is the best kept secret.
We have got some serious threats; namely, immigration. We
have got close to 1.2 million to 1.6 million that will be in
our country illegally. We have got drugs coming in this
country, and I don't think there is anybody that is equipped to
handle it like the Coast Guard.
As you look at the threats, you know, we have got illegal
fishing. We have got the Russians conducting sophisticated
joint exercises. They enjoy access to 40 icebreakers compared
to the 1.5 icebreakers of our fleet. In the South China Sea,
the Chinese Coast Guard is implementing a new maritime law
designed to escalate tensions in the region. You know, the list
goes on and on.
Can you elaborate on the recent Iranian harassment in the
Strait of Hormuz and how it affects the Coast Guard's mission?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman Norman, good to see you this
morning, sir.
Let me just start by acknowledging we have never been
busier. I would say the demand for Coast Guard services
domestically and across the globe has never been higher. To
your--through our conversation about standards-based and
Chairman Thompson's point, sir, I ask young men and women from
all walks of life to do dangerous things. That is jump on a
narcotics-laden drug submarine, jump out of a helicopter to
pull somebody from the water, jump out of a burning ship. Many
of your membership here from the committee are from Coastal
States, and I think they understand just how, you know,
treacherous the work we can do. You know, we don't go out on
many good days. We go out on tough days and do tough things. So
we have to remain standards-based, and we will remain
standards-based.
In terms of the Iranian situation, sir, you know, we have
250-plus men and women stationed in Bahrain. They are under the
tactical command of the Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is a support
and naval command to the U.S. Central Command Commander,
General Frank McKenzie. We operate 6 patrol boats there. We
just forward-deployed our first 2 replacements of the 6, 2 fast
response cutters, to replace 2 of the 30-year-old Island-class
patrol boats. Our men and women stand the watch, sir.
There has been recent multiple news events of having
interactions with the Iranians. They have upped that game. That
has become increasingly an aggressive adversary, and our folks
show great discretion. They are very much completely integrated
with the naval team there.
We have a team of what we call maritime engagement trainers
that train allied and coalition partners on naval procedures in
the region, law enforcement procedures that is very effective.
Then I have an advanced interdiction team, a team of 12 people
that come out of our--what we call our maritime securities
[inaudible]. Those are our highest-end assaulters. We have a
team in Chesapeake, Virginia, a team in San Diego. That team
forward-deployed is on a rotational basis with the Marines,
Expeditionary Marines, the U.S. Navy Seals, and the Coast Guard
AIT. Sir, they were just tied into, I think it was the USS
Normandy, in one of the largest weapons cache seizures. It
encapsulated the entire flight deck of that DDG with just, you
know, shoulder launch weapons, Chinese-built Kalashnikov-type
rifles.
So we are engaged in the area, and it is an increasingly
difficult Iranian counterpart operating these fast interceptor
attack craft, and our men and women are highly trained,
professional, and truly integrated with their Navy colleagues
in the region, sir.
Mr. Norman. Well, let me ask you this. As it relates to the
cartels and the huge problem this country faces with the
illegal immigrants coming across the lines along with drugs,
what can we do in Congress to help you patrol the area and to
try to correct the situation that is totally out of control
now?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman, I would answer that in 2
parts. I believe--and I have tried to link this in various
Congressional testimonies and other, you know, public speaking
events, that I believe the counter-narcotics work we do both in
the Eastern Pacific and in the Caribbean Basin is directly tied
to the instability, the corruption that occurs in the Central
American corridor, that occurs in Mexico.
So I think continued support to the Coast Guard counter-
narcotics efforts is important to affect, you know, why are
people leaving to try a border region. Why are they leaving
Central America, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador? It is
because of corruption. They can't find a better life for their
kids, and they make that difficult, dangerous choice.
I believe for the other part of that answer, sir, is, you
know, I have got 185 coastguardsmen today supporting our DHS
colleagues at the border, 38 medical professionals, 150 general
purpose Coasties that are standing the watch so that Border
Patrol agents can be on the front lines.
Sir, I think the best way to keep the Coast Guard
responsive in that space is about a 3 to 5 percent annual
budget growth. We weren't part of the 2018 12 percent bump-up
that the Armed Forces got for readiness, but we are getting
after that in the 2021 appropriations, sir, and it is just some
positive trajectory on the operations and support side the
Coast Guard budget allows us to continue to build the Coast
Guard the Nation needs, sir.
Mr. Norman. Thank you for being a voice of reason. Thank
you for your straightforwardness, and really appreciate your
dedication to a great arm of the military, and hopefully we can
strengthen you in the future with funding and other sources.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman's time has expired.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California, Mr.
Swalwell for 5 minutes.
Mr. Swalwell. Thank you, Chairman. I want to thank Admiral
Schultz.
I have been to the Alameda Coast Guard facility just
outside my district, and I have seen the terrific work that the
men and women who serve the Coast Guard do. I want to thank you
for that. You are right, there is no easy day. You are not
called for celebratory events. You are called because of a
crisis, and I have seen that.
Admiral Schultz, I want to talk about the Culture of
Respect report that in 2015 found serious cultural issues
within the service. However, the report and its findings were
never released service-wide. It recommended that its underlying
analysis be repeated every 3.5 to 4 years, which would mean the
next report would be 2018 to 2019, but that report has not been
issued.
Is that report going to be coming? If not, could you just
give us a reason why?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congressman Swalwell, good morning,
sir. Thank you for taking an interest in your California
coastguardsmen. They do a great job. I will be out there the
end of next week here to finish the second part of the Pac Area
change of command. We just--Linda Fagan left there, became our
first female four-star in the history of the Coast Guard last
Friday, and we will be back there to in-State Vice Admiral
McAllister.
But, sir, the Culture of Respect report was an internal
report document created by my predecessor, the 25th Commandant
of the Coast Guard, Admiral Zukunft, and that report was, you
know, was an internal product that he made a decision on what
they did or didn't do with that. I don't believe that was ever
intended as an external report. I think folks who grabbed that
and said we are burying that report, I don't see it that way. I
would say we have dove into these same type of issues. That
recommendation about continuing that report was a
recommendation.
You know, would it be wise for us to look at something
similar? You know, when I came in, we had a team look back at
the findings of the Culture report. I think we pulled findings
and information from that forward into our decision making,
into our crafting of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan
that we rolled out summer of 2020, sir.
I think, you know, the findings, some of that is reflected
in the women's holistic study conducted by RAND that we
received the results in 2019. I believe some of the findings
will be reflected in the RAND URM study that will be
forthcoming in July.
But, sir, I would say, I am not going to get into the
predecisional decisions of my predecessor, but that was not a
report, I believe, that was intended for outside. Some will try
to spin it that way or say we were burying that. I don't see it
that way at all, sir.
Mr. Swalwell. Will you undergo a new report or a new study
to generate a new report?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman, we are always looking at
studies. What I would like to see is what the sufficiency and
the quality of the RAND report is, because I think that is a
multimillion dollar investment for that report. We are going to
take the Personnel Readiness Task Force actioning on those 8 to
12 bodies that I brought on board to action the holistic
women's report and take the same approach.
We have already actioned, I mentioned, the mentoring
application that we are using. I have already talked about
officer recruiters in 4 key locations. But, I mean, if we don't
find that to be sufficient in something like a Culture of
Respect like report would be useful, sir, absolutely. I am
hesitant to make a commitment, because we made a significant
investment to get a report that is imminent here in the next 30
days or so that I hope will put us on the trajectory to
continue to make positive change in our service, Congressman.
Mr. Swalwell. Admiral, my Congressional district in the
East Bay is one of the most diverse in the country. This past
weekend, we celebrated and sent off over a dozen individuals to
the military academies, all of the academies except the Coast
Guard. It was a diverse class that reflected the district.
What can we do as Members of Congress to help the Coast
Guard recruit the best and brightest, particularly those that
come from disadvantaged backgrounds or minority communities? I
understand the diversity report that you just presented, but
how can Congress assist you in making sure the Coast Guard
looks like, you know, the country it seeks to protect?
Admiral Schultz. Yes, Congressman. Thank you for the
question. The fact that you know you had, you know, how many
service scouting members destined to their respective
academies, it is good that you know that. What I like to--and
you know you didn't have any Coast Guard. I like to make sure
Members of Congress that have a Congressional process to screen
and award Congressional nominations put into that conversation,
hey, there is another academy. It does not have a Congressional
appointment, but it is the Coast Guard Academy. I think when
you look at our academy, it is almost 40 percent women. We are
really excelling on that front better than any of the other
service academies. There is a great news story there.
I am looking at the demographics of the in-bound class that
will report here in the next week or so here. We have 285
students that have accepted appointments to the Coast Guard
Academy, plus 8 international students. 114 are female, that is
40 percent; 104 are underrepresented minorities, that is 36
percent. That is the largest number of underrepresented
minority students in the history of the Academy to ever accept
it.
So there is some good news stories. There are 43 Asian
American--Asian American/Pacific Islanders in that subset, 28
African Americans. Now, the Chairman's point, 28 of 285 is 10
percent. That is not reflective of society. It is better where
we are in the 6 percent, and we have to continue to improve
there. These conversations about the Academy not being
inclusive are not helping.
So I have absolutely tried to turn that story around and
make sure everybody sees the Academy as the most inclusive
institution of all the service academies. Hispanic, 25 Hispanic
Americans. As the demographics of America change, 25 of 285 is
not a winning success story, sir. We need to be up nearly 18
percent of society that is represented by Hispanics, marching
toward 50 percent in the coming decade. So that is an area that
is drawing my attention.
So, Congressman, what you can do, I believe, is make sure
folks are aware of the Coast Guard Academy. What we can do is
make sure--your fellow Californian, Chairwoman Roybal-Allard
from Appropriations Committee, has said, sir, Commandant, you
have got to give me some materials. You have got to give me
some action stuff. You have got great materials. Help me put
those in my office so I can encourage these kids who may not
get the Naval Academy appointment, tell them about you and show
them something that gets them excited, sir.
So I own that. We will work with you to figure out how we
can help you be an ambassador for our academy that is a merit-
based, non-nominative [inaudible]. The non-nominative piece is
tricky. We have 1,100 students, so we bring in that 285, try to
figure out how you prorate that across 535 Members between the
House and the Senate, and you probably need an actuarial to
work that. But Chairman Thompson has continued to challenge us
to think through that and talk through that, and we will
continue that discussion with his legislation that is currently
enacted and herein we are responding to.
Mr. Swalwell. Thank you, Admiral.
I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you very much.
Admiral, one of the things, as you know, is we have been
good at getting people into the Academy, but we have had
challenges retaining them. So I would hope that you have a
plan, which you have alluded to, to work on making sure that we
give those people coming into the Academy every effort to
complete it. You have referenced that when Congressman Payne
talked about it, and I would encourage you to continue to do
that.
Admiral Schultz. Chairman, if I could 1 second, you know,
we--absolutely, sir, you are absolutely correct. You know, when
I came through the Coast Guard Academy in 1983, it was less
than 50 percent graduation rate. You know, we are about 87
percent. So we are keenly focused on those young men and women
that we send through an American taxpayer-funded education to
be successful there. There is some things that, obviously, are
trap door issues and they can't get through, but we want folks
to get through to the extent they can adhere to our core
values, and we want to make sure that is equitable and, you
know, that the numbers of folks that are trained are reflective
of--you know, they are comparable. They are not, you know,
biased toward one group or another group. We are absolutely
studying that, sir.
We are using the Academy scholarship program, which is a
preparatory year, 25 percent of that incoming class of 285, 20
percent into our Coast Guard Academy scholars to make sure
folks have the right academic level of preparation to be
successful. The Academy has done some really good jobs, writing
coaches, outside resources. We made that investment, let's make
sure we get them out the door.
Then, really, let's make sure they are successful out in
the fleet. I went back this year in my leadership. Rather than
talking at the cadets, I moderated a panel with a diverse group
of Coast Guard junior officers out in the fleet to make sure
the young cadets that are getting ready to graduate and the
cadets in the junior years see a Coast Guard that is welcoming
to them, regardless of their background, their culture, their
heritage. I want everyone to realize the Coast Guard is out
there, we need you, and we are committed to you, male, female,
whatever demographic, sir.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you very much.
The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from Iowa for 5
minutes, Mrs. Miller-Meeks.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you also, Admiral Schultz, for your service and your
answers to this point. I am a 24-year Army veteran, but also a
commissioner for my Wapello County Veterans, and our director
is a Coastie. So you are well-represented in our locality.
You have heard about the crisis and the cartels at the
border, but I am going to turn our attention to a little bit
different part of the globe. It is imperative that the United
States counter the People's Republic of China's or the Chinese
Communist Party's growing influence and ambitions as evidenced
in its poor Silk Road efforts.
What is the Coast Guard doing to augment the development
and deployment of maritime domain awareness technologies, as
well as surface presence capabilities in the Arctic?
Admiral Schultz. Thank you for the question. I am glad we
have a coastguardsman that is tied into the veterans
organization up there. That is fantastic, and thanks for
acknowledging that individual.
Ma'am, we are absolutely part of the conversation on how do
you temper war in a great power of competition, National
Security Strategy we find ourselves, National Defense Strategy,
we bring a lot to that. You know, the Coast Guard did a tri-
service maritime strategy advance at sea with the CNO, Admiral
Gilday; Commandant of the Marine Corps, Dave Berger; myself, we
put that out last fall. That talks about the increasingly
important role of where the Coast Guard fits into the
deployment of integrated all-domain naval power across the
globe.
We have been a Pacific-based Coast Guard for more than 150
years. I believe what we--when you talk about the One Belt, One
Road; the Polar Road; Silk Road, all those different Chinese
initiatives, what we bring is a people-to-people relationship
difference. You know, out in Oceania, the Pacific Island
nation's Federated States of Micronesia, the CNMI, that region
of the world, you know, these nations derive 50 percent plus of
their gross domestic product from the ocean. They have very
little enforcement capabilities. They are subject to illegal
fishing, IUU fishing, by powerful distant water nation-states,
the most worse aggressors being the Chinese.
What we can do is we can come in and we can capacity-build.
We can help them understand the threats of their ecosystems. We
can help them develop their law enforcement capabilities. We
can partner. The Australians have a patrol boat program. We can
work with the Australians on training, on maintenance. We have
deployed National Security Cutters. National Security Cutter
Kimball came back from operations out near Fiji recently. We
have 3 Fast Response Cutters. These are new patrol boats that I
will be commissioning in Guam here in the coming weeks. They
have 10,000-mile expeditionary range so we can get out and do
things with those boats that we couldn't do with their
predecessors, the Island-class patrol boats. We are renaming
our sector in Guam as really forces forward-deployed in Guam,
because they are increasingly part of this conversation about
how do you temper and increase the aggressive antagonistic
coercion of China.
I believe what we bring, ma'am, as United States Coast
Guard, a recognized world class Coast Guard, is we bring a
credible voice. When we say Coast Guards, you know, what I see
the Chinese government using is using their Coast Guard as the
actioning arm in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
Their PLA and Navy sort-of stays at a distance. It is the
Chinese Coast Guard, the people's maritime militia, that is
used to run down Vietnamese, Indonesian fishermen in disputed
spaces.
We can come in and say, hey, the world's best Coast Guards
don't operate that way. We follow modern maritime governance.
We follow the international rules-based order. I believe that
is what we bring them. We don't bring a ton of capacity, but
strategically utilized, you know, some deployments, the
authorities building a like-minded coalition of partner
nations, NGO's, academia on this IUU fishing threat, I think
the Coast Guard is an absolute critical enabler to that whole-
of-Government fight in this great power model we find
ourselves, ma'am.
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, I yield the balance of my time to Representative
Guest.
Chairman Thompson. The gentlelady yields time to Mr. Guest.
Mr. Guest. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Admiral, I want to talk very briefly about the Arctic. The
United States has been an Arctic nation since we purchased
Alaska in 1867, but the Federal Government has not invested in
new icebreakers since the Healy was commissioned in 1999. The
Coast Guard icebreaker fleet has a total of 2 ships, the Polar
Star and the Healy. Meanwhile, Russia has the largest
icebreaking fleet in the world, numbering over 40 ships, with 3
more under construction and a dozen planned in the next decade.
Could you please speak on the importance of investing in
new icebreakers and what we are seeing to implement the plan
that was put in place by the previous administration that
outlined the construction of 6 new icebreakers?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman Guest, thank you for the
question. You are absolutely correct. We are woefully
underinvested in high-latitude capability capacity in terms of
icebreakers. The good news story is I believe this is a
bipartisan, bicameral issue on Capitol Hill. It commanded the
attention of the former administration. It commands the
attention of the 46th President's administration. We are having
very constructive conversations.
I would say there was a clear hand-off of the baton about
the importance of having increasing U.S. presence in the high-
latitude regions. Now, we have got to build these ships, and we
haven't built an icebreaker here, a heavy icebreaker, in more
than 45 years. It is unique steelwork. We have awarded a
contract to VT Halter in the spring of 2019. Steel should start
being cut in the coming months. That is a program of record 3
ships. Earlier, I alluded to 2 being funded.
There is really a conversation that needs to happen, and I
have had these conversations with the former National Security
Council and continue to have these conservations with the
current National Security Council. But, really, it is probably
4 to 6 heavy icebreakers is what we really need, and we need
some medium breakers.
The good news is we have conditioned the space. My
predecessors, the 25th, 24th, 23d Commandant, talked for over a
decade about the importance of more icebreaking capacity. Now,
we, I think, convinced, you know, those folks that are decision
makers in the political realm of the importance and how we go
about building the ships. So if we can maintain momentum,
continue discussions about what a really capable United States
Arctic nation looks like in terms of capacity, I think we will
get to a better place.
The Navy, the Air Force, the other services are obviously
keened in on the Arctic. The Arctic, you know, presents a very
high-risk vulnerable approach. The NORTHCOM Commander, General
VanHerck, talks about the Arctic all the time in terms of the
risk we see, Russian long-range bombers operating off Alaska in
increasingly high numbers and increasing volume.
So there is a lot of geostrategic importance in the Arctic,
sir, and I think we are getting after it. You know, if we can
ramp up the pace, that is absolutely--I would welcome that
discussion. But right now, we are on a much better trajectory
than we have been.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. Guest. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from
New Jersey for 5 minutes, Mrs. Watson Coleman.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you
to the Ranking Member for bringing us together for this really
important meeting.
Admiral, it is good to see you again. I really appreciated
the conversation that we had in my office. I want you to know
that I have great respect for your mission, for your
leadership, and you know where I stand as it relates to making
sure that you have the fleet that you need. I am 100 percent in
support of it.
But I would like to focus--refocus our attention on the
purpose of today's hearing, which has to do with achieving
diversity, equity, and accountability within the service.
I know that you are aware that in December 2018, the Office
of Inspector General report substantiated the allegations of
retaliation against Kimberly Young-McLear, lieutenant
commander, in violation of the Military Whistleblowers
Protection Act. Additionally, the Majority staff report issued
by this committee and the Committee on Oversight and Reform
made clear that the lieutenant commander's allegations of
harassment and bullying were never fully investigated.
I also understand that the captain who allegedly harassed
and bullied her has since retired from the Coast Guard.
However, there are others still within the Coast Guard who
allowed her allegations to go uninvestigated and who failed to
protect her from retaliation.
It is imperative that the Coast Guard holds these leaders
accountable for retaliation and ensure survivors are made
whole. It is important for us to have these plans and these
intentions and this training, but the consequences of behavior
is vitally important as we try to improve our system and the
culture within our system.
So I want to ask you, what specifically has the Coast Guard
done to hold individuals accountable for the failures that
occurred in this case? What has been done to hold individuals
accountable in other cases of substantiated retaliation?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, ma'am,
it is good to see you, and I enjoyed the opportunity to come
chat with you in your office, and thanks for your frankness.
You know, ma'am, this case that you reference to in the
2018 DHS IG whistleblower case, obviously a landmark case, and,
you know, that came to my attention about 5 months into my
assignment here. I made a statement--it came to my attention
that the whistleblower report had dropped when I was at a press
event at the National Press Club, and I said we absolutely have
to thank whistleblowers and I own the situation, and we are
going to have to get after-action on that.
Ma'am, I have studied that case at length. There were 3
investigations. The first investigation was convened by the
superintendent at the Academy to look into Ms.--you know, then
Lieutenant Commander Young-McLear, now Commander Young-McLear's
assertions or allegations. It was investigated. It recommended
additional investigation.
The then-assistant superintendent called for--and this is
in a timely fashion, a very responsive fashion, called for a
subsequent investigation, a climate investigation. That was not
the optimal or the artful tool for that subsequent
investigation. It had, you know, meaningful findings that
painted a picture of the relationship between the faculty
member, Ms. Young-McLear, and her boss, and there was some
issues there, but it was not the right tool.
Our subsequent changes to our anti-harassment, anti-hazing
incident policy will clarify that you do not use a climate
survey, climate investigation in forthcoming cases. That was
not an appropriate tool. There was--you know, the assistant sup
subsequently departed the Academy in the subsequent months. His
successor came in. Another allegation came in. Another
investigation was triggered. This time it came to the
headquarters level, though, but you talked about the
substantiated findings.
We had a Coast Guard GS-15 former lieutenant colonel of the
Army who did the investigation, and she found--you know, her
findings were there were, you know, blatant acts of
discrimination, bullying, but when reviewed in the whole----
Mrs. Watson Coleman. I am sorry, Admiral. I have a couple
of questions.
I know that you are--there has been substantial improvement
to the investigation process, who investigates and how it is
investigated. I am concerned with when you find substantiated
allegations, what are the consequences to the individuals that
either perpetrated the harassment or the discrimination or
allowed it and didn't do anything about it? What are the
actions that were taken?
Admiral Schultz. Yes, ma'am. I think in this case it is
kind-of critically important to that, so just to finish. So Ms.
Davis' investigation painted the picture. You are familiar what
she said, considered the environment to be intimidating,
correct. She also went on to say she did not recommend
disciplinary action.
I reviewed each and every one of those investigations,
ma'am, and in that time line that transpired, it started back
in, you know, 2014, 2015, through 2018, the officer, the
captain at the Academy, the department head, had since been
reassigned inside the Academy, subsequently reassigned to the
R&D Center, put a retirement letter in. There was not
sufficient grounds for me to take disciplinary action or
administrative action. So what I focused on was corrective
action.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. So, sir, we do acknowledge the fact
that she was the victim of harassment and bullying. Is that
right?
Admiral Schultz. Yes.
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Right. The Chairman asked you this
question, but you artfully dodged the yes or no. Has there been
a public apology specifically to her on this issue? In
addition, sir, would you be willing to issue a written apology
for the record on this? That is simply a yes or no.
Admiral Schultz. Congresswoman, I am not sure it is as
simple as a yes or no question. I would say I sent the four-
star Vice Commandant to the Coast Guard Academy early in 2019,
and he did issue a verbal apology to the commander in front of
her faculty members and peers.
I was up there subsequent weeks at a leadership address, I
talked about my most recent, and I addressed the cadet corps.
The first question I got was from Commander Young-McLear, then
Lieutenant Commander Young-McLear. I stated that the Coast
Guard had not done right by her and that was unfortunate and we
are actioning that and moving forward, ma'am.
You know, will I issue a written apology? That is a tricky
business in the service. The Chairman asked me if I would
apologize up-front to men and women that were wronged,
absolutely so. We are in a scheme of good order and discipline
military uniform justice----
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Thank you.
Admiral Schultz. We have a 57,000 work force, ma'am. You
know, this is a tricky space, but I have apologized----
Mrs. Watson Coleman. Yes, it is a tricky space, sir. I am
sorry, it is a tricky space, but we cannot have people who are
trying to serve our country in this capacity or any to be
harassed or discriminated against because they are a woman or a
minority or a gay or whatever.
So where we find that, not only do we sort-of articulate
our--that it is unacceptable to have this culture, there have
got to be consequences, because if there are no consequences,
there is no changed behavior, and simple reassignment is not
really a consequence.
I want to know what----
Chairman Thompson. The gentlelady's time has expired.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Pfluger,
for 5 minutes.
Mr. Pfluger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Admiral, thank you for your service to this country, for
keeping our borders safe, our country safe, for what you have
done throughout your career, for what the entire Coast Guard
does for leading us through some difficult times.
As a military veteran, as a service academy graduate myself
from the Air Force Academy, I also know what it means to attend
one of those institutions and to train our folks to be
resilient, ready, and lethal when needed.
We have heard quite a bit about the threats we are facing
in our country--China, Russia, Iran, the dangerous drug
cartels. It appears from my perspective, Admiral, that we
really--and with 20-plus years of service, that we are really
facing unprecedented threat levels everywhere around the world.
I am very interested to hear, from your perspective, what
is the greatest threat facing our homeland? I have some follow-
on questions to this. So, what is the greatest threat facing
the homeland right now?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congressman, thanks for the
question. Thanks for your service.
You know, sir, it is--that is a difficult question, you
know. The National Defense Strategy, there is an interim
strategy, and Secretary Austin is working with the senior
military team. I sit not as a bylaw member of the Joint Staff,
but at the courtesy of the Chairman and the SecDef at the
table, and I think we are trying to get our arms around what
the new National security apparatus, the President's team,
about what that strategy looks like.
I think the pacing threat will likely remain China. I think
Russia, you know, and what we have seen in recent cyber
activities is clearly troubling, the President having recently
met with President Putin, and it speaks to the urgency there.
You know, I think about it through the Coast Guard lens.
You know, $5.6 trillion, 30 million jobs are tied to the
domestic marine transportation system, where, you know, 90
percent, 95-plus percent of our goods enter our Nation through
our ports and waterways, 360 ports, 25,000 miles of waterways.
So from a Coast Guard standpoint, it is all of the above.
You know, we need to project Coast Guard capacity and
capabilities to support the combatant commanders in the Arabian
Gulf that we talked earlier about, in the East China/South
China Sea.
We just had a National Security Cutter come back from a 6-
week deployment. They were up in the Black Sea as Russia was
mounting troops here, as we all follow in the news. We were
able to send a cutter in there. We worked in the--great success
story. We worked with the Georgians, Ukrainians. We transferred
excess defense article, former Coast Guard, got boats to them.
They came out and worked with us. It was a show of NATO allied
force and partnership collaboration.
So I would be pressed to say I think it is an amalgamation
of threats. It is the great power of competition. The Middle
East, where we are trying to draw down forces and the President
has declared we are drawing down forces, that is in his
wheelhouse, and we understand that. The Pentagon is acting on
that. I think we have to pay attention to all these things.
So it is a multidimensional threat landscape, and my goal
is to prepare Coast Guard forces to be put into the fight
against all those threats.
Mr. Pfluger. Admiral, thank you for keeping your eye on the
ball and wading through an environment that we can get
sidetracked with issues that take our eye off the ball.
Over the past couple of months, we have seen increased
Russian aggression, including cyber attacks that you just
mentioned on our critical infrastructure, tens of thousands of
Russian troops that are posted up on the Ukrainian border,
which is the largest build-up we have seen even before the
illegal annexation of the Crimea.
The administration stated they were going to respond to
this build-up by sending 2 U.S. Navy destroyers to the Black
Sea, but after Putin objected, we turned those ships around to
appease the Russians. You know, this stand-down signals a
weakness and a lack of resolve, American resolve, from my
perspective, on this.
What do you believe that it signals to our adversaries?
Admiral Schultz. Well, Congressman, I would tell you, I
don't know--you know, there is a requirement when you enter the
Bosphorus Straits to make notifications as a courtesy you are
going there. There was open press reporting that talked about,
you know, the Navy is sending ships. The Navy wasn't sending
ships. I know our National Security Cutter Hamilton was in the
Black Sea in the wake of that. So we did have a U.S. combatant
there that happened to have a Coast Guard racing stripe on
board, and they did some very important work as they
counterclockwise navigated the Black Sea, partnering with many
key ally partners there.
So I am going to withhold any political judgment on that,
sir. But I would tell you, I believe the Sixth Fleet Commander,
the NAVEUR Commander put a U.S. surface capability there. Sir,
I don't think there is an intimation, but I believe the work of
this hearing that talks about, you know, an inclusive Coast
Guard and my ability to action those combatant commander
requirements and homeland requirements are absolutely the same
conversation.
People are our business. I need to find the best and
brightest of America from all walks of life and backgrounds
that are able and want to serve, and I am going to put them in
the fight, sir. So these are mutually reinforcing
conversations, and I am committed to both.
Mr. Pfluger. Admiral, thanks for that.
Let me just end by saying that the amount of drugs that are
entering this country are just incredibly alarming, and I
appreciate the work that you and the Coast Guard does, and
would urge you to continue to do that. It is affecting my
district. The amount of fentanyl that has entered the State of
Texas in the last 4 months is enough to kill millions of
people, and we have to continue to fight against that. I
appreciate what the Coast Guard does every single day in that
fight as part of homeland security. I appreciate you keeping
your eye on the ball in the midst of a chaotic environment.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Admiral Schultz. Congressman, we pay great attention to
numbers with the COVID deaths, and that is a tragic, terrible
tragedy, and we are on a healthier course. Ninety thousand, you
know, overdoses in drug-related deaths last year, that is
another number we need to pay attention to, and the Coast Guard
is just one of many agencies. There is a prevention piece and
there is an interdiction supply piece, and we are absolutely
committed to that fight, sir.
Mr. Pfluger. Thank you, Admiral.
Mr. Thompson. The gentleman's time has expired.
The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from California for 5
minutes, Ms. Barragan.
Ms. Barragan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this
hearing. Thank you, Admiral Schultz, for joining us today.
This year, I was appointed to the Coast Guard Board of
Visitors. This board is tasked with making recommendations on
the workings of the Coast Guard Academy regarding, among other
things, recruitment and retention, including diversity,
inclusion, and issues regarding women specifically. So today's
discussion is of great interest to me, particularly after the
committee's 2019 examination of serious cultural issues at the
Academy and the clear indications that more work remains to be
done there and across the entire service.
Specific to the Academy, in a 2018 survey, almost half of
the female cadets reported having been sexually harassed, and
reports of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual conduct have
increased among male as well as female cadets at the Academy
since 2016.
Admiral Schultz, the Coast Guard's recently issued report,
``Sexual Assault in the U.S. Coast Guard for Fiscal Year
2020'', shows us that the overwhelming majority of survivors of
sexual assaults in fiscal year 2020 were women.
What percentage of these survivors are women of color?
Admiral Schultz. Congresswoman, I would have to get back
with you on that. I do not have that specific data in front of
me, but I will ensure that we reach back to your staff, to the
committee with that as soon as possible, ma'am.
Ms. Barragan. I appreciate that.
Do you happen to know if you are seeing any trends in the
data?
Admiral Schultz. Congresswoman, I think when we look at the
sexual assault data, and we respond through a lens called
Sexual Assault Prevention, Response, and Recovery, we updated
our policy to focus on the recovery of victims as well. You
know, (A), any one sexual assault, sexual harassment case is
too many. You know, the trend, there is an uptick this year
from last year. If you go back 5, 6 years, it is on a slow
glide slope, you know. Some would attribute, you know, more
comfort in reporting. I think that is a tricky thing to do.
You know, I believe we have created a more open environment
to report. We have some ability now where you can, you know,
confide in a friend as you try to navigate whether to report,
restricted, unrestricted reports. We are working hard to
eradicate sexual assaults, sexual harassment from our ranks, as
are the other services. We are working about, you know, the
military justice and anxiously waiting to see where Secretary
Austin steers us.
But it is on-going work, ma'am. You know, with the 45
percent statistic at the Academy, I have met with the Academy
faculty, and I have said, if that is, in fact, a true statement
reflective of the cadet corps, then I wouldn't be able to go
home on a Friday afternoon unless I did something that day to
drive that number from 45 percent to 44 percent to 0 percent. I
have put my voice against that to say, is that an adherent
statistic? I hope that is not reflective.
I would invite any Member of the committee--I salute your
willingness to be on the Board of Visitors and encourage--we
reactivated that. As an external body, it is not easy with our
academy in New London to get that connection, ma'am, but I am
committed to that. That is why we have reinstated it. I welcome
the Chairman or any of the Members to come up there and see the
Academy. It is an energizing place. But we have areas to
improve, ma'am, and we are working on that.
Ms. Barragan. Thank you, Admiral.
Would you agree that sexual harassment jeopardizes
readiness and mission accomplishment?
Admiral Schultz. One thousand percent, yes.
Ms. Barragan. That it also weakens trust within the ranks
and erodes unit cohesion?
Admiral Schultz. Same answer, ma'am.
Ms. Barragan. Well, thank you for acknowledging that,
because one of my colleagues who earlier stated this hearing
wasn't a priority, I think our National security is a priority,
and this goes directly to the National security of this
country.
Admiral Schultz, we know that the women, and women of color
in particular, are underrepresented in the Coast Guard ranks.
How can they feel comfortable staying in or even joining the
Coast Guard if they don't feel confident that their complaints
will be taken seriously and that justice will be served?
Admiral Schultz. Well, ma'am, what we need to do,
Congresswoman, is we need to make sure, (A), they are treated
with respect and dignity, and when they have concerns or
issues, that we are responsive to those. I am hoping that these
125 change agents, which are about 85 percent to completion, as
we start deploying them here in the coming weeks and they are
having the difficult conversations here raising the diverse and
inclusive acumen of our leaders, of our coastguardsmen, I think
that is going to be a positive step for that.
Then to the questions from Mrs. Watson Coleman and others
about accountability, we absolutely have to be an organization
that is focused on accountability, and we will be that. Have we
always got that right? We have not, but we are trying, and we
will--you have my commitment. I know it is not--my commitment
and it stops below me. This is the commitment of the Coast
Guard senior leadership team, and we are working with our chief
petty officers who are critically enabling body. They are our
senior listed recognized leaders. The chiefs mess are on board.
The master petty officers on board, and we are trying to create
that environment, ma'am, that allows us to be successful, that
allows us to attenuate the security needs of the Nation, as you
eloquently articulated.
Ms. Barragan. Well, thank you, Admiral.
I think it is important that we focus on how leaders of the
Academy are trained to handle reports of sexual assault and
harassment and certainly, you know, when a cadet reports
harassment by a member of the faculty. So I look forward to
working with you and improvements in this area that is so vital
to National security and to our homeland.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. The gentlelady yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan for 5
minutes, Mr. Meijer.
Mr. Meijer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Admiral, for joining us here today. I represent
west Michigan. While I am not fortunate enough to touch part of
our wonderful Great Lakes, obviously, we are proud of our
coastguardsmen and--women, all of those who are helping to
patrol our waters, not just internationally but also along our
Great Lakes and our Northern Border with our good ally Canada.
I wanted to both thank you for your earlier commitment to
maintaining a strong and representative force and making sure
that we are doing everything we can to stamp out anything
within those ranks that may undermine the trust and faith that
so many of the young men and women who join up in our uniformed
forces have in their senior leadership and their right to be
treated with dignity and with respect, in ways that build and
maintain their unit cohesion so they can focus on the mission
above all else.
But I just wanted to drill down a little bit into Coast
Guard priorities around our Great Lakes. As I mentioned, they
play a vital operational role for both safety and security in
our maritime environment.
I am curious, just, in your view, in your current role, you
know, what operational challenges is the Coast Guard currently
facing within its Great Lakes region? Are there any persistent
challenges to mission readiness that you are seeing?
Admiral Schultz. Yes, Congressman, thanks for the question.
I am a guardian of the Great Lakes. From 1996 to 1999, I
commanded a ship out of western Michigan in Charlevoix. The
Great Lakes is a great place to be a coastguardsman--the
world's largest supply of freshwater, critically and
strategically important to the Nation economically.
So, sir, some of the challenges we have in the Great Lakes
are challenges we have in other parts of the Nation. We have
aging infrastructure--you know, piers, boathouses. Not too long
ago, when I visited St. Ignace in my 3-year tenure to date as
the Commandant, you know, they were doing boat repair work in
the salt facility that the highway used for salt repairs on the
roads. That is unacceptable. We need to do better by our folks.
So we are getting after those infrastructure challenges across
the Coast Guard, and, again, up in the Great Lakes, there are
the same things there.
So, in the Great Lakes, we have an air station in Detroit,
an air station in Traverse City. We recently changed the
aircraft in Traverse City from 65 Dauphin smaller, short-range
helicopters to longer, medium-range, what we call Jayhawks.
Very capable. We stand a summer watch down in Chicago and over
in Muskegon.
So we are having a heck of a lot of challenges with our
fleet of 98 MH-65 Dauphin helicopters just in terms of their
readiness, parts availability. We have flown them beyond any
other organization in the world in those helicopters. I need to
drive 98 down to a smaller number and drive up the fleet of
Jayhawks to a bigger number. It is about 48 today, and I need
to increase that.
You know, standing those summer watches in those places is
increasingly challenging. With the 60 in Traverse City, that 60
really has to reach to ameliorate some of the concerns of why
we had those [inaudible] in the first place.
So I would welcome an opportunity with the Members of the
Michigan delegation about some things that have changed: Our
increasingly more capable platforms on the surface, our
increasingly better reach and on-time sustainment in the air
with the Jayhawks.
But stealth and helicopters are really proving problematic
for us in terms of parts, reliability. We are committed to that
for another decade or so. But, you know, where do I absolutely
need to have them and where could we take very minimal risk and
still attenuate the concerns of your Great Lakes citizens, sir,
I would welcome that conversation.
Mr. Meijer. Thank you, Admiral.
While, obviously, many in Michigan are used to seeing the
orange Dauphins flying over our shores and our beaches, as
someone who has served in the Army, I very much appreciate the
Black Hawk platform and everything that that can do in order to
have an expanded range.
I am little dismayed to hear--St. Ignace has some of the
best smoked whitefish in the world, but it is frustrating that
their boat repair capabilities are having to be outsourced to
the road maintenance folks.
I guess just real quick, and you touched upon this briefly,
but just if you could put a finer point on it, you know,
please, what other areas besides that conversation and the
rerouting of some of our aerial assets, what can Congress do to
ensure the Coast Guard has the resources it needs to carry out
this mission not only on our Northern Border but also to kind-
of patrol the inland seas?
Admiral Schultz. Yes, Congressman, I think--I will refer to
an earlier answer. I think, for us, it is, you know, an
organization that lost 10 percent of our purchasing power on
our operations and support budget over the last year, sort of,
8, 9 years post-sequestration, it is getting healthy there.
You know, the Congress has invested in its Coast Guard in
the last couple budget cycles. It is maintaining that momentum
so we can continue our recapitalization programs and, really,
that 3-5 percent annual growth. That would allow me as a
service chief and my successor to put forth the Coast Guard
that can attenuate the needs of the Nation, both at home and
across the globe.
Mr. Meijer. Thank you, Admiral.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from Florida, Mrs.
Cammack, for 5 minutes.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Admiral Schultz, for appearing before the
committee today, and thank you for your service.
I appreciate your commitment to inclusion and diversity, as
you have expressed in your opening statement and in your
responses to my colleagues' questions today. As someone who has
personally worked military sexual trauma cases, I appreciate
your comments today and look forward to seeing your continual
engagement on this issue and how we can foster additional
accountability and prevention in the Coast Guard ranks.
Now, it is clear that you are committed to addressing these
issues head-on and resolving them in as timely a manner as
possible, but I do want to shift over to another urgent issue
regarding the U.S. Coast Guard's ability to counter Chinese
aggression in the Pacific. So this is a two-part question, so
bear with me.
So, with the recent agreement that the Coast Guard signed
with Taiwan to improve communications, build cooperation, and
share information on Coast Guard-related efforts, can you speak
to that agreement and its importance, but also share if the
Coast Guard has any plans to conduct any other FONOPs, freedom
of navigation operations, in the Taiwan Strait in the near
future?
Admiral Schultz. So, Congresswoman, thank you for the
questions. Let me start with the second question first.
Mrs. Cammack. Sure.
Admiral Schultz. So the Coast Guard has participated in
some FONOPs in the region. One of our National security
cutters--back in 2019, 2 National security cutters, the
Bertholf and Stratton, deployed back-to-back, 5-month
deployments each, so they covered about a 10-month period of
the year. That was when the Arleigh Burke cruisers McCain and
Fitzgerald were undergoing repair work, so we brought some
capacity to the conversation. It allowed the Fifth Fleet
Commander some flexibility of where they assigned their most
ballistic-missile-capable ships. We picked up some other
duties. We did sanctions work.
Any, you know, FONOPs in the region, it is when we send a
ship to work with the Seventh Fleet, in that part of the world,
those are decisions by the fleet commander, by the combatant
commander. So, if we put a ship in the fight, it is a ready, it
is a trained ship. It has been used in the past, as I mentioned
for Taiwan Strait transit-type FONOPs, could be in the future.
But those are decisions that reside at the COCOM and the fleet
level, but I will send capable assets, upon request, to them.
To your first question, Congresswoman, here, just on the
China threat, you know, it is absolutely a Coast Guard piece of
that. I mentioned about being a recognized Coast Guard, I
think, that has the credibility that we operate in a rules-
based, modern maritime governance model. We can bring
credibility through our voice. We can bring credibility through
our forward-deployed presence, which, in a fairly small Coast
Guard--we think about the Marines as the next-smaller service,
north of 180,000 people. We are a 42,000-person Coast Guard.
But I have demonstrated a willingness to take risk, to put as
much Coast Guard into that fight as we can.
Those Fast Response Cutters going to Guam, those National
security cutters deploying to support the Seventh Fleet
Commander, we will continue to do that, working closely. I put
a new Coast Guard captain on the Indo-Pacific staff, in their
J5 directorate there, to work on how we optimally take finite
Coast Guard capacity and put it against the top threats.
I have been in discussions with former NSC staff, current
NSC staff about, you know, in that part of the world, everybody
wants more Coast Guard, so how do we go to the right places
with the right Coast Guard. It doesn't have to always be a
shift; it can be an adaptive package. It could be training. We
do a lot of mobile training.
We are putting a new attache in Singapore. I put an attache
in Australia this past summer that services New Zealand,
Australia, and Papua New Guinea. I look at the Oceania region
as a critically important part of the conversation about the
Indo-Pacific, and that is work that is really righteous and
right for the Coast Guard to step up to.
But, again, there is a capacity piece, so I have to be
careful to not get too far ahead of my skis in how much I sign
up to do. But I am willing to put as much as I can into the
fight, ma'am.
Mrs. Cammack. Well, thank you, Admiral. I appreciate that.
Now I am going to bring it home a little bit. So I have a
question regarding some concerns that I have heard from
constituents in Florida.
We are 3 years into the inspection of towing vessels and
about to enter the final year of the new inspection regime's
phase-in period. However, I am hearing from several of my
constituents that the Coast Guard is now rescinding
certificates of inspection and issuing new requirements on
things like certified lifeboatmen and changing policy on
manning vessels with automated engine rooms.
Can you provide more information as to why the Coast Guard
is creating new hurdles several years into a phase-in process,
rather than focusing on proactive enforcement to get us to 100
percent inspection over the next few years?
Admiral Schultz. Congresswoman, I need to take that back,
because I am not familiar with those issues.
Mrs. Cammack. OK.
Admiral Schultz. We are working with--you know, we brought
in a large population, north of 6,500 or so uninspected towing
vessels. I think there is a tremendous uptick in terms of--or
upside of that, in terms of safety, safety on the water, safety
for our mariners that we have a responsibility to do.
We are working with, you know, third-party oversight. There
is a split, where some of that work remains Coast Guard work,
some of that goes to a third party. We have really stepped up
our game for third-party oversight to make sure the enforcement
scheme are compliant, they are standards-based.
The issues you talk about, I am not sure. You know, my
voice is always talking about the Coast Guard being a common-
sense regulator. If we are making changes mid-stride, let me
understand what that is, ma'am. Let me make a commitment to you
to research that. We will work with your staff. We will bring
back answers to you, if that is acceptable.
I have not heard those issues. We heard some issues about,
you know, vessels nosing out, and we worked to find a common-
sense solution with the AWO, which represents a large number of
the uninspected towing vessels. I meet with them regularly.
So I want to understand the issue, ma'am, and then I want
to be able to speak to it from an informed fashion, if that is
acceptable to you.
Mrs. Cammack. That works great. Thank you so much, Admiral.
Our teams will follow up.
I appreciate your time. Again, thank you for your service.
With that, I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Thompson. The gentlelady yields back.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia for 5
minutes, Mr. Clyde.
Mr. Clyde. Admiral, thank you for being here and for your
service to this Nation.
I hope the focus of the Coast Guard remains on equal
opportunities and not equal outcomes. I believe it is up to
individual members to determine their outcomes, and the Coast
Guard should be all about merit-based evaluations with their
personnel.
I have complete confidence in the Coast Guard. As a retired
Navy commander who has spent many years ``hazed gray and
underway,'' I fully understand that the Coast Guard plays a
very integral role in the defense of our Nation.
The strategic environment is rapidly evolving across the
globe. As our Nation transitions our focus from threats of
unequal warfare, I know that the Coast Guard's unique
capabilities will serve as a critical component in countering
both China and Russia.
In addition, the Coast Guard's activities complement the
efforts of Customs and Border Patrol in stopping the illicit
flow of narcotics.
So, regarding China, Admiral, it is no secret that China is
using their maritime industry, Coast Guard, and Navy to expand
their influence in the Pacific. In addition to expanding this,
they have used these entities to harass vessels that are
engaged in oil exploration and other commercial activity.
Can you briefly explain how the Coast Guard is working with
our allies to help deter this harassment by China?
Admiral Schultz. Yes, sir, Congressman. Thank you for the
question.
Just on the first point, you know, to ensure those equal
outcomes, I need to ensure the equal opportunities, and we need
to address that. I think that is on-going work, and I am
committed to that. We appreciate the oversight committees'
focus and priority there.
In terms of the China, what are we doing, you know, what we
bring to the region is, we have transferred former Coast Guard
cutters, what we call in the Excess Defense Program, a DOD-led
program, to the Vietnamese, we have transferred them to the Sri
Lankans, we have transferred them to other regional Indo-
Pacific partner nations. The Philippines have 3 vessels. The
Philippines are building a coast guard--their Navy is less than
20,000. They are building a coast guard out of 35,000 strong.
What the regional partners recognize is, you know, the
coast guard, a coast guard, is an organization that allows you
to enforce domestic laws and also allows you to bring some
National security into the conversation. They see the agility
of our U.S. Coast Guard as really a useful sentinel for them in
their regional role.
So what we are doing is, we are helping them build out
their coast guards. We have an advisor in the Philippines. We
have an O4 advisor with the Vietnamese. We do mobile training
teams. We bring many of those regional partners here to our
resident courses, and we do exchanges at sea.
When those National security cutters were over there in
2019, I visited the National security cutter Stratton in port
in the Philippines to show the Commandant's commitment to that.
I met with the Philippine leaders.
My Pacific Area commander, now Vice Commandant, she
traveled through the region. Some restrictions, obviously, in
the recent 15, 16 months. But we will do subject-matter
engagements, we will do senior leader engagements.
We will do all that, partnered with the Indo-Pacific team,
because the combatant commander owns the regional
responsibilities, sir, but we are absolutely about putting as
much Coast Guard across subject-matter experts, key leader
engagements, mobile training, forward-deployed platforms, at-
sea exchanges. I think all those things, sir, really bring the
Coast Guard goodness to that conversation.
Mr. Clyde. All right.
Is there anything that we in Congress can do to help you
with that mission that we haven't done already?
Admiral Schultz. So, Congressman, I talked about the
budget. So, at the risk of kicking that can another time, I
would just say, recognizing, you know, that the Coast Guard,
which is small, which is outside of the Department of----
Mr. Clyde. Right.
Admiral Schultz [continuing]. Defense, is an armed force,
you know, we had some challenges back in late 2018, 2019, where
Coast Guard men and women went unpaid for 35 days. That was
tough. I didn't think, as a service chief, I would be
explaining to folks why they didn't earn a paycheck. We have
not quite fixed that.
We fixed, with the support of the Congress, our parity for
our retirees. That will go into effect in the coming years, and
I am excited about that. Some retirees live paycheck to
paycheck, and the fear of not getting a check is pretty
palpable.
Just a continued recognition, you know, Lord willing, it
doesn't happen again, if we ever have a shutdown, that the
Armed Forces men and women of the Coast Guard don't somehow end
up unpaid again. I would like to make sure there is a parallel
consideration with our DOD brethren and sisters in the Armed
Forces that reside in Department of Defense.
Mr. Clyde. Oh, absolutely. I concur with you 100 percent on
that. You will have my full support to make sure that the Coast
Guard is on parity with the Department of Defense when it comes
to that, that there should be no reason that the Coast Guard
should suffer in any way like that. So thank you for bringing
that important subject up.
Admiral Schultz. Thank you, Congressman.
Mr. Clyde. I have another question for you, regarding
transnational crime. Since this administration has taken
office, has the Coast Guard seen an increase in human and
narcotics trafficking?
Admiral Schultz. Congressman, I think the narcotic
smuggling is persistent, and have we seen an uptick or not?
That is tough to say. You know, we stop somewhere in the 10 to
20 percent of those illicit narcotics smuggled by sea.
It is a vast ocean with a finite number of Coast Guard
cutters involved, Coast Guard law enforcement teams, and a
finite number of Navy ships, as your Navy is increasingly
globally deployed and they have to make tough choices about the
pacing China threat, the difficult Russian problem set,
activities on the Arabian Gulf and the Middle East.
I think that is a persistent threat. I alluded to the
increasing loss of life here domestically from the opioids and
fentanyls and, really, cocaine. Use is up. Cocaine-related
deaths are up. So that is important work, sir. But to say, is
it up, is it down? I don't know.
I think what we have seen a little bit at the border--this
is an apolitical statement--is, you know, years back, the
cartels sort-of steered away from being involved in the human
trafficking at the border because it threatened their narcotics
business. It seems to me that the cartels are back. Are they
the exact same cartels? I don't know. But I think cartel
transnational criminal activity is alive and well. A well-
funded Coast Guard gets after a large portion of that, and that
will remain a priority for us, sir.
Mr. Clyde. Well, thank you. I think you do a great job in
interdiction too.
But one follow-up----
Chairman Thompson. The gentleman's time has expired.
Mr. Clyde. All right. I yield back.
Thank you, Admiral.
Chairman Thompson. Thank you.
I thank the witness for his testimony and the Members for
their questions.
Some Members have indicated that they will have additional
questions for you, Admiral Schultz, and we ask that you respond
expeditiously in writing to those questions.
The Chair reminds Members that the committee record will
remain open for 10 business days.
Without objection, the committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:45 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Questions From Chairman Bennie G. Thompson for Admiral Karl L. Schultz
Question 1a. You indicated at the hearing that you see ``a
potential benefit'' and are ``open to change'' regarding Secretary of
Defense Lloyd Austin's recommendation to President Biden that the
prosecution of certain crimes be removed from the military chain of
command and instead be handled by independent authorities.
Please fully articulate your opinion of Secretary Austin's
recommendation.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 1b. You seemed to indicate in your response to a question
from Representative Sheila Jackson Lee that, should this change go into
effect, you believe commanders should still be involved in cases of
sexual assault. Is that correct?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 1c. Given the prevalence of sexual assault allegations in
the Coast Guard, as demonstrated by the data in the Sexual Assault in
the U.S. Coast Guard (fiscal year 2020) report and allegations from
whistleblowers, do you believe that the current system of involving an
individual's chain of command is leading to full accountability for
perpetrators?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2a. The Coast Guard's recently-issued report, Sexual
Assault in the U.S. Coast Guard (fiscal year 2020), shows that the
number of reports of sexual assault have more than doubled over the
last decade, from roughly 100 in fiscal year 2011 to nearly 250 in
fiscal year 2020.
What are you as Commandant doing to stop the scourge of sexual
assault in the Coast Guard?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2b. Please provide the percentages of sexual assault
reports that came from women of color for each of the past 5 years.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3a. As articulated in your testimony, the Coast Guard aims
to recruit 25 percent women and 35 percent underrepresented minorities.
You mentioned that the Coast Guard has fallen short of its goals on
women's recruitment, but exceeded them when it comes to minority
recruitment.
Are these percentages on a per-year basis?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3b. How did the Coast Guard identify these targeted
percentages, and how frequently are they adjusted?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3c. What does the data show in terms of retention of the
individuals who are recruited in pursuit of these goals? What are the
Coast Guard's retention goals overall and for these populations in
particular?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 4. You stated in response to a question from
Representative Emmanuel Cleaver that, ``it is only when we understand
what is on our people's minds that we can be responsive to that and
strive to better ourselves.'' Furthermore, in your response to a
question from Representative Yvette Clarke, you correctly stated that
``the buck stops with [you].''
Will you then, as Commandant, commit to meeting regularly with
whistleblowers and other survivors who are willing, including Commander
Kimberly Young-McLear, to listen to their stories and hear their
suggestions as to what is needed to create consistent, unfailing
accountability for their cases and across the Coast Guard?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 5. The Coast Guard's Civil Rights Manual requires
investigators of harassment and bullying complaints to have received
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties-approved training on conducting
investigations. However, this committee and the House Committee on
Oversight and Reform found in our 2019 joint investigation that no such
training actually existed. Does this training now exist? Are all
investigators now required to receive it? If so, please provide the
number of individuals who have received this training to date.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 6. Has the Coast Guard pursued the suggestion in the
Righting the Ship Majority staff report that the service consult and
collaborate with outside experts and stakeholders, including the
Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil
Liberties, on implementing the 7 recommendations made in the Righting
the Ship report? If so, please provide a summary of the outcome of
those consultations.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 7. The 2019 Righting the Ship Majority staff report
encouraged the Coast Guard to adopt additional measures to strengthen
the Coast Guard's processes and procedures for investigating and
resolving allegations of harassment and bullying beyond the report's 7
recommendations. What additional measures have been or will be
implemented by the Coast Guard to that end? What is the time line of
implementation for each new measure?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 8. What is the Coast Guard's policy to determine whether
someone accused of wrongdoing should be reassigned or placed on
administrative leave pending the outcome of a full investigation? Does
that policy differ if the subject of the investigation is an officer?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 9. Please provide follow-up information regarding the
Second Chance Program, specifically:
The number of times the Second Chance Program has been
utilized in the past 5 years; and
The demographic breakdown of the individuals who have been
approved for participation in the Second Chance Program in that
5-year time frame, and the circumstances of their
participation.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 10. Please detail the Coast Guard's efforts to identify
and root out White supremacy within its ranks.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 11a. What efforts has the Coast Guard made, in
coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to identify
whether any active-duty, reservist, or retired service members or
civilian employees participated in the insurrection at the Capitol on
January 6, 2021?
Please detail the findings of those efforts to date.
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 11b. If no such efforts have been undertaken, why not?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 12a. Last year, you announced a prohibition on displays or
depictions of the Confederate flag within the Coast Guard.
How does the Coast Guard enforce the prohibition of the display or
depiction of the Confederate flag, including at remote postings?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 12b. How many breaches of this policy have occurred since
the ban was implemented, and what consequences do violators face?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 12c. What is the service doing to ensure any official or
unofficial Coast Guard items and memorabilia displaying the Confederate
flag from before the issuance of the ban are also eradicated?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 13a. The RAND Corporation report Improving Gender
Diversity in the U.S. Coast Guard: Identifying Barriers to Female
Retention outlined many challenges facing women in the Coast Guard.
What steps has the Coast Guard taken to remedy the barriers to the
recruitment, retention, and advancement of women identified in the RAND
Corporation report Improving Gender Diversity in the U.S. Coast Guard:
Identifying Barriers to Female Retention?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 13b. The RAND Corporation report found that women in the
Coast Guard can feel pressured to choose between the demands of working
in the service and their desire to have a family. How does the Coast
Guard ensure women who wish to start families can retain their careers
in the service and not be excluded, explicitly or implicitly, from
opportunities for advancement? How does the Coast Guard account for the
potential for service members to go on parental leave when developing
staffing plans? How is parental leave addressed in performance
evaluations?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 13c. What changes to berthing on newly procured National
Security Cutters, Offshore Patrol Cutters, and other vessels have been
made to more inclusively accommodate mixed-gender crews?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Questions From Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman for Admiral Karl L. Schultz
Question 1a. The 2019 Righting the Ship Majority staff report found
that Black cadets are subjected to substantially higher rates of
discipline and pass courses at a lower rate than their peers at the
Coast Guard Academy. According to the Coast Guard, Black cadets make up
approximately 10 percent of those who are disenrolled from the Academy
for academic or conduct issues, but only about 5 percent of those who
graduate.
What is the Coast Guard doing to address this disparity?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 1b. Will you commit to providing this committee with
yearly demographic data on disciplinary and graduation rates at the
Coast Guard Academy?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2. What specific implicit bias mitigation measures does
the Coast Guard utilize to make sure punitive action is fair and not
disproportionality levied on service members of color across the
service?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 3. In your opinion as Commandant, what are the most urgent
issues facing the LGBTQ community in the Coast Guard?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 4. What specific initiatives has the Coast Guard
undertaken to ensure members of the LGBTQ community feel welcome in the
ranks, including in recruitment; housing; mental and physical health
services; and protection from harassment, bullying, and assault?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 5a. The RAND Corporation has conducted studies for the
Department of Defense that include LGBTQ data, but the last two studies
commissioned by the Coast Guard to examine workforce issues excluded
LGBTQ perspectives and data.
What is Coast Guard leadership's rationale for this exclusion?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 5b. Will the Coast Guard commit to commissioning a study
regarding issues affecting LGBTQ service members and sharing those
findings with this committee?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Questions From Hon. Dan Bishop for Admiral Karl L. Schultz
Question 1. Can you provide detail about affinity groups, body
composition standards changes, and prohibition of use of gendered
language in evaluations?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question 2. Can you provide copies of all D&I training materials in
use or used in past 24 months?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
Question From Hon. Clay Higgins for Admiral Karl L. Schultz
Question. We have heard your need for annual growth of 3 to 5
percent. Would that level of funding allow the Coast Guard to crew and
operate new assets; make meaningful investments in its shore portfolio
and IT systems; and recruit, train, and retain the workforce of the
future?
Answer. Response was not received at the time of publication.
A P P E N D I X I I
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Letter From K. Denise Rucker Krepp to Chairman Bennie G. Thompson
July 5, 2021.
Chairman Bennie Thompson,
House Homeland Security Committee, H2-176 Ford House Office Building,
Washington, DC 20515.
Re: Building the Coast Guard America Needs: Achieveing Diversity,
Equity, and Accountability Within The Service
Dear Chairman Thompson: Thank you for holding the June 23, 2021
hearing regarding harassment, bullying, assault, and retaliation in the
Coast Guard. As a former Coast Guard officer and Maritime
Administration Chief Counsel, I testified twice in 2014 before a
Congressionally-mandated panel and again in 2019 before the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights about assault and retaliation. The following
are my recommendations on how to stop the long-known, but little
addressed problems.
Annual Report.--The Coast Guard is required to submit an annual
report on sexual assault. This report is usually shared with Congress
in the middle of the year, after the service's authorization and
appropriation hearings. Requiring the report to be submitted as part of
the service's proposed budget will give Congress additional
opportunities to ask Coast Guard leaders about the report and it will
encourage them to provide more timely responses.
Prosecutions.--Very few sexual assault cases are prosecuted and
this low number discourages survivors from seeking help. Ask the Coast
Guard what it will be doing this year and in the next 5 years to
increase the prosecutions. Their responses should be in writing,
allowing Congress to better track the service's progress.
Retaliation.--Per numerous Inspector General reports, Coast Guard
personnel have been retaliated against. I recommend that you direct the
Coast Guard to provide an annual report on retaliation and bullying.
Direct them to share the total number of cases and how each case was
resolved. Having served as a Federal agency chief counsel, I can share
that annual reports linked to budget hearings force action.
Compare data.--Every year, Coast Guard veterans file military
sexual trauma claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The
VA tracks these claims by conflict, State, gender, and race. I
recommend that you request information on an annual basis to better
understand the financial costs associated with the crimes.
Find the money.--Civilian claims of retaliation, harassment, and
bullying may file monetary claims against the Coast Guard. I recommend
that you request an annual accounting from the service on these claims.
When requesting the money information, Congress should ask if
individuals who harassed, bullied, or retaliated against a Coast Guard
member are still employed by the service.
Apology.--Please direct Admiral Schultz to write a written apology
to CDR Young-McLear, doing so will encourage other retaliation victims
to share their stories.
Thank you for holding the June hearing. Please let me know if you
have any questions regarding my recommendations.
Sincerely,
K. Denise Rucker Krepp,
Former Coast Guard officer and former Maritime Administration Chief
Counsel.
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