[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COAST GUARD REAUTHORIZATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, this morning, I rise in support of the 
42,000 men and women of the United States Coast Guard, the vital public 
safety, humanitarian, and national defense missions they perform, and 
this House's passage yesterday of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act 
of 2019.
  Coast Guard members are the first responders of America's oceans, 
waterways, and coastlines, conducting varied missions, often at a 
moment's notice, including search and rescue, securing our Nation's 
ports and waterways, and conducting law enforcement operations.
  In my district in New Hampshire, we have been home to the Coast Guard 
since its founding, and the Granite State has relied on its work to 
keep us safe and strong for generations.
  Last month I had the privilege of meeting with the crew of the Coast 
Guard Cutter Tahoma at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. As I met officers 
and crew members and toured their vessel, I was struck by the critical 
nature of their missions and the challenges they encounter in executing 
them.
  Cutters like Tahoma patrol international waters and interdict drugs 
coming to America's shores. Their work saves lives and makes our 
communities safer. The Coast Guard has been doing this work despite 
being chronically underfunded and under-resourced.
  The Coast Guard faces cartels and smugglers with staggering resources 
and advanced technology, and studies show that only 20 to 30 percent of 
the illegal drugs coming to our shores are interdicted.
  According to the leaders of the Coast Guard, the most significant 
factor in its inability to meet drug interdiction targets has been 
insufficient inventory of vessels and aircraft to support operations.
  At a time when our Nation is facing a profound crisis of addiction, 
we can and must do more to ensure that the Coast Guard is fully funded 
and has the resources it needs to keep our country safe.
  That is why yesterday's action to pass the Coast Guard 
Reauthorization Act of 2019 in a bipartisan way was so critical. This 
act supports the Coast Guard for the next 2 years with more than $11 
billion in discretionary funding each fiscal year, allowing them to 
address a backlog created by previous cuts.
  An important bill I introduced was also included, the Fair and Equal 
Treatment of Women in the Coast Guard Act. This seeks to increase the 
recruitment and retention of women in the U.S. Coast Guard and improve 
gender diversity in this branch of the Armed Forces.
  This comes in response to a study commissioned by the Coast Guard 
that identified barriers to attracting, recruiting, and retaining 
women, and recommended ways to improve gender diversity in the service. 
It is one important step to assure that the Coast Guard can continue to 
attract our Nation's best and brightest.
  When we talk about keeping this Nation safe, let's remember the 
incredible work performed by our Coast Guard close to home and around 
the globe.
  Let's show the Coast Guard Members that Congress has their backs, and 
let's continue to work collaboratively to ensure the Coast Guard has 
the proper support and policies in place to carry out its missions.

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