[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 18, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S3906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL THAD W. ALLEN

 Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today I wish to talk about the 
U.S. Coast Guard and to recognize the 39 years of exemplary service, 
dedication and leadership that ADM Thad W. Allen has given to the U.S. 
Coast Guard and the Nation.
  Since 1790, the U.S. Coast Guard has been America's Maritime 
Guardian; the sentinel of the sea, determined to protect the safety and 
security of the maritime industry. As a multimission military service, 
the U.S. Coast Guard is unlike any other military branch in the world. 
The Coast Guard is the fifth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, the 
largest component of the Department of Homeland Security, a member of 
the National Intelligence Community, and the lead U.S. representative 
at the International Maritime Organization. The Coast Guard is the 
Nation's oldest, continuous seagoing service and has fought in every 
major armed conflict the Nation has faced. The service embodies their 
motto--Semper Paratus--Always Ready. Here to protect and serve; ready 
to rescue, the Coast Guard routinely is at its best when weather 
conditions are at their worst. Coast Guard servicemen and women 
throughout the Nation routinely exhibit selfless sacrifice and enduring 
service, traits that are exuded by their Commandant, ADM Thad Allen.
  Throughout his long and distinguished career, those who have been 
able to observe and admire Admiral Allen's devotion to the Coast Guard, 
have been nothing short of inspired by his honesty, integrity, 
determination, and calming influence even in the face of an impending 
disaster. We all remember the leadership that Admiral Allen 
demonstrated as he led the Coast Guard in efforts to secure ports along 
the Atlantic seaboard after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 
Several years later, Admiral Allen was again in the national spotlight 
while serving as the principal Federal official for the response and 
recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through 
his leadership and the heroic efforts of the men and women of the Coast 
Guard, over 33,500 gulf coast residents were rescued from their 
rooftops and flood homes, which included the rescuing of 24,135 people 
that were saved from eminent peril and the evacuation of 9,409 medical 
patients to safety. Most recently, Admiral Allen was selected by the 
Obama administration to be the national incident coordinator, a role 
that makes him responsible to oversee the Federal response to the 
Deepwater Horizon oilspill in the Gulf of Mexico.
  I have been fortunate enough to work with Admiral Allen on so many 
issues, including one we are both passionate about, the Arctic. Through 
his leadership and direction, the Coast Guard is evaluating their role 
in the Arctic and providing the strongest voice for the strategic and 
geopolitical importance of the region. Through his astute mind and 
unrelenting commitment to the betterment of this Nation, Admiral Allen 
has been an unwavering champion for an expanded U.S. role and presence 
in the Arctic. While many will argue that as ice recedes in the Arctic, 
so do the dangers and a Coast Guard presence in the region is not 
needed. Unfortunately the opposite is true. As the Arctic ice recedes, 
more commercial shipping, cruise ships and energy companies are 
increasing their presence, and as a larger contiguous zone and 
exclusive economic zone are revealed as the ice recedes, the more the 
jurisdiction of the Coast Guard expands. Admiral Allen, while not 
engaging in the debate surrounding climate change, clearly understands 
that more ice-free ocean in the Arctic region means more area that the 
Coast Guard is responsible for in the Arctic. By championing the 
National Security Presidential Directive on the Arctic, Admiral Allen 
was able to host a trip of Bush administration officials to the Arctic 
so that they were able to see and understand first-hand the conditions 
and operational challenges that exist in this vast and remote region.
  It has been a great honor to have served alongside Admiral Allen and 
the Coast Guard during his time as Commandant. I have no doubt that he 
will continue to serve this Nation as a private citizen after his 
retirement from the service. He has left the Coast Guard on more sound 
and stable footing than he found it and has been the reassuring face of 
so many historic events. I, along with the Coast Guard and the Nation, 
will surely miss him. In the fine tradition of the sea-going services, 
I wish him ``Fair Winds and Following Seas.''

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