[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16739]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING OUR COMMITMENTS TO THE COAST GUARD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 19, 2007

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my support to 
the U.S. Coast Guard and our efforts to modernize their fleet. The 
brave men and women of our Coast Guard deserve the resources they need 
in order to carry out their mission. We need to support funding for the 
many programs aimed at strengthening our drug interdiction and refugee 
recovery efforts, much of which can be accomplished by ensuring that 
the necessary funds are dedicated towards the Deepwater acquisition 
program. Nearly a decade ago, the Coast Guard initiated a multi-billion 
dollar effort to modernize its aging assets. However, due to serious 
gaps in funding and a lack of program accountability this effort has 
fallen short of its goals thus far. Many problems have been raised, 
however reforms have been made, and yet much more needs to be done. 
Amidst such controversy, let us not forget the crucial role the Coast 
Guard plays in ensuring both public safety and national security.
  The Coast Guard has a critical role in our struggle to eliminate drug 
trafficking that is frequently used to finance global terrorist 
organizations in their war against freedom and democracy. Earlier this 
year our Coast Guard, working in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement 
Administration, seized in one raid nearly 20 tons of cocaine with an 
estimated value of $300 million. This was a tremendous victory in our 
War on Drugs and our battle against terrorists and their financiers, 
especially considering the deep water cutter used in the seizure was an 
antiquated, 40-year-old cutter. However, victories of this sort will 
become increasingly difficult if we are not able to modernize our fleet 
and aircraft to keep up with the technology used by terrorists and drug 
lords. We must support increased funding to ensure our Coast Guard has 
the resources needed to efficiently and effectively perform their 
mission.
  As noted by the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations 
Committee report: the Coast Guard is currently operating at a 25-
percent deficit of its patrol boat mission hours. This level of 
insufficient mission hours will be further magnified as our Navy will 
be reducing the 179-foot patrol boats currently being used by the Coast 
Guard, from five to three.
  With a reduction of two patrol boats, the gap of mission hours will 
be increased by another 5,000 hours. With a discrepancy this large, we 
are leaving our waters dangerously unpatrolled; thereby creating an 
open playground for narcotraffickers. This is not an acceptable option 
for the rest of the country, but this is especially disturbing to the 
Citizens of South Florida, who rely on the Coast Guard to protect and 
their economic viability and security. I commend the men and women who 
serve in our Coast Guard for their diligence and dedication to continue 
to secure and protect our ports, inland waterways, coasts, and 
international waters. In my congressional district, I am privileged to 
have two Coast Guard Sectors that patrol the waters of South Florida: 
Sector Key West and Sector Miami. I know the good work these 
individuals are involved in and I deeply appreciate the dangerous work 
they do to maintain the safety and security on our waterways. The 
efforts of these brave men and women have saved countless lives and 
greatly enhanced our national security. We cannot let them do their 
jobs without the tools necessary to keep them safe as they work to keep 
our country safe.

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