[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3625]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE NEW UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION 
    AND UNITED STATES COAST GUARD BUILDING IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 23, 2016

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the new United 
States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and United States Coast 
Guard (USCG) building that is being dedicated on March 30, 2016 in 
Florida's Fourth Congressional District. Thanks to several years of 
dedication and focus on the common goal of maritime safety and border 
protection, both offices can now operate in one building. This 
achievement means a safer and more secure First Coast, through an 
efficient and effective USCG/CBP operation.
  The road to this achievement has been a long one. USCG and CBP 
personnel are tasked with keeping our waterways safe and our borders 
secure. However, since the creation of the Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS) in 2003, these agencies were never provided adequate 
office space and were forced to consolidate.
  Later in 2007, CBP/USCG Senior Guidance recommended the construction 
of a new joint CBP/USCG facility in Jacksonville. The idea of a one-
stop shop for maritime security would streamline and improve joint 
field operations while also reducing facility costs.
  Acquiring this building was no easy task because local CBP and USCG 
had to clear the hurdle of a heavy bureaucratic process. As Chairman of 
the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General 
Government, I kept a close eye on the process on Capitol Hill. Thanks 
to the continued leadership of the local CBP/USCG offices, the goal of 
this facility was never abandoned.
  Now, with personnel, assets, and more importantly, strategic 
capabilities all headquartered in one building, the facility will serve 
as the cornerstone of maritime security for years to come. The center 
is immensely important to a community like Jacksonville, and I am 
honored to have played a role in acquiring it.

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