Press Release

 

H.R. 2830 authorizes $8.4 billion for Fiscal Year 2008, increases the size of the Coast Guard by 1,500 military personnel, and extends new benefits to Coast Guard personnel. Under the legislation, the Service’s authorized end strength will grow to a total of 47,000. The bill also allows reimbursement of medical-related travel for members assigned to remote locations, grants access to the Armed Forces Retirement Home system to Coast Guard veterans, and allows Coast Guard personnel who work in support of a declaration of a major disaster or emergency issued by the President to retain up to a total of 90 days of accrued leave, up from the current 60 days.

 

“From 1975, the Coast Guard personnel authorization was at 39,000. We added 27 new functions over the years, under various Presidents, without substantially increasing personnel. We do that in this bill, so that the Coast Guard can adequately serve the needs of its many missions, including safety—search and rescue, navigation, maritime safety—and the security functions of the Coast Guard in this era of homeland security,” said Rep. James L. Oberstar, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and sponsor of the bill. “We are going to assure that the Coast Guard has adequate personnel to carry out all of its responsibilities.”

 

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, said that the bill addresses a concern that the Coast Guard’s marine safety functions have been hampered by a shortage of trained personnel.

 

"When we are dealing with a life or death situation, with an emergency, disaster, or with any of the other critical functions of the Coast Guard's marine safety program, it is essential that the individuals dispatched to respond meet the highest standards of training," Cummings said. "Without taking away any of the resources or flexibility that the Coast Guard needs to perform any other mission, this important legislation guarantees that those tasked with ensuring our marine safety are qualified to do so."

 

H.R. 2830 also implements the Administration’s proposal to reorganize the Coast Guard. It eliminates the two Area Commands that are established by law and the Coast Guard Chief of Staff position, and replaces these positions with four Vice Admirals: the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support; the Deputy Commandant for National Operations and Policy; the Commander, Force Readiness Command; and the Commander, Operations Command. Under the bill, the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard will be promoted to the rank of full Admiral.

 

The bill strengthens vessel safety, port security, and protects the environment. The bill improves training, construction and enforcement standards for commercial fishing vessels. It requires that U.S. vessels carrying more than 600 cubic meters of oil have double hulls around their fuel tanks to prevent the disastrous consequences of accidents such as the one that occurred last November when the COSCO BUSAN released its cargo of heavy fuel oil into San Francisco Bay.  It also requires ships to begin installing ballast water treatment systems in 2009 to control the introduction of invasive species into U.S. ports and waterways.

 

Finally, the bill reforms the Coast Guard’s troubled Deepwater assets procurement program, and prevents maritime pollution.

 

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