[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S5247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3478. Mr. LANKFORD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. ASSESSMENT OF AND REPORT ON COAST GUARD 
                   CAPABILITIES FOR SECURING MARITIME BORDER.

       (a) Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--The Commandant of the Coast Guard 
     (referred to this section as the ``Commandant''), in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the 
     Secretary of Defense, shall conduct an assessment of the 
     current and future capabilities of the Coast Guard for 
     executing the Coast Guard's homeland security, defense, and 
     intelligence missions relating to securing the maritime 
     border of the United States.
       (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
     shall include the following:
       (A) An identification of the resources necessary to carry 
     out the homeland security, defense, and intelligence missions 
     of the Coast Guard relating to securing the maritime border 
     of the United States, including personnel, equipment, 
     technology, supplies, storage, and maintenance needs.
       (B) A review of the capabilities of the Coast Guard with 
     respect to such missions, including--
       (i) in the air, land, sea, and cyber domains; and
       (ii) with respect to the intelligence, surveillance, and 
     reconnaissance abilities of the Coast Guard.
       (C) A description of any capability gap or shortfall that 
     affects, or will affect, the ability of the Coast Guard to 
     secure the maritime border of the United States.
       (D) A discussion of any acquisition challenge that 
     contributes to such a gap or shortfall.
       (E) A review of the interoperability of Coast Guard 
     capabilities with systems, platforms, and programs of the 
     Navy, including an assessment as to whether increased such 
     interoperability would improve the ability of the Coast Guard 
     to secure the maritime border.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings 
     of the assessment conducted under subsection (a) that 
     includes--
       (A) an identification of any capability gap with respect to 
     executing the mission of the Coast Guard to secure the 
     maritime border of the United States; and
       (B) any concern or other matter the Commandant considers 
     appropriate.
       (2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form but, to the extent required to 
     ensure accuracy and completeness, may include a classified 
     annex.
       (c) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
     which the report required by subsection (b) is submitted, and 
     annually thereafter, the Commandant shall provide the 
     appropriate committees of Congress with a briefing on the 
     steps the Commandant is taking to address any capability gap 
     or concern identified in the report.
       (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on 
     Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services; and the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
     of Representatives.
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