[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 29, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E749-E750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                           of virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 2008

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2830) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 
     2008, and for other purposes:

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2830, ``The 
Coast Guard Authorization Act'' and would like to commend Chairman 
Oberstar and Ranking Member Mica for their work on the bill and their 
efforts in bringing it to the House floor today. The development of 
this bill has been a long process and a collaborative effort. We are 
pleased that it is before the House for passage. I would also like to 
commend Chairman Thompson, my colleagues on the Homeland Security 
Committee and staff for their work on the Port Security section of this 
legislation. I would like to thank Chairman Cummings and Ranking Member 
LaTourette for theirs on Deepwater and their support of the Port 
Security provisions in H.R. 2830.
  The United States Coast Guard has a broad and important role in 
homeland security, law enforcement, search and rescue, marine 
environmental pollution response, and the maintenance of river, 
Intracoastal and offshore aids to navigation. Yet it has been grossly 
underfunded and therefore understaffed and under-resourced. This bill 
provides much needed resources and capacity building to effectuate 
these changes without compromising security. In addition to increasing 
funding by $8.4 billion and the bill provides a much needed increase 
from 1,500 coast guard personnel to 47,000.
  There are many important provisions in the bill but I am particularly 
pleased with the provisions to improve Port Security, particularly for 
the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. Section 419 of the bill 
authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to station additional 
Coast Guard assets in the U.S. Virgin Islands for port security and 
other purposes. Currently, the Virgin Islands are without a coast guard 
cutter and have to depend on Puerto Rico for use of their vessel. This 
provision is a step forward in establishing a permanent Coast Guard 
unit in the Virgin Islands.
  Another very important issue to the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean 
is cruise security. It

[[Page E750]]

is estimated that 10.6 million Americans took a cruise from a U.S. port 
in 2007. These ports include locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands, 
Puerto Rico and points throughout the Caribbean. H.R. 2830 includes 
incident notification requirements that would enhance cruise ship 
security. This provision would make our ports more secure and thus more 
attractive to cruise ship travelers.
  Enhancing Port Security has been a priority for the Homeland Security 
Committee and The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007 will give the 
Coast Guard much needed reform as well as strengthen our homeland 
security, protection of the marine environment and maritime safety. It 
reflects our commitment to improving port security.
  We all remember with gratitude the stellar work of the U.S. Coast 
Guard during Hurricane Katrina. Were it not for them many more lives 
would have been lost. This bill is a down payment on the gratitude we 
owe them for this and their work in the waters of our Nation. I 
encourage my colleagues to support the bill and urge its final passage.

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