Letter to Admiral Karl Schultz, Commandant of the US Coast Guard - Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Urge United States Coast Guard to Bring Additional Deep Water Vessels to Tongue Point in Astoria

Letter

Dear Admiral Schultz,

We write to express our appreciation that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has decided to homeport two of its new Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) at Tongue Point in Astoria, Oregon, as well as to ask that two additional FRCs also be homeported at Astoria.

For the last 164 years, the City of Astoria has served as the headquarters of USCG Sector Columbia River. The community has a long, proud legacy as being one of only twenty-eight Coast Guard Cities nationwide and is dedicated to supporting over 2,000 Coast Guard team members including active, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary members, and their families.

The Coast Guard has a critically important mission that benefits the Pacific Northwest in many ways: by safeguarding our fishing fleets and recreational vessels, ensuring safe passage for the maritime shipping industry, and protecting our borders and national security. The community of Astoria is well equipped to support the Coast Guard and its vessels in their mission here in Oregon. Co-locating four FRCs at Tongue Point will advance the Coast Guard's mission, increase efficiency and economy of scale, and provide close proximity to a number of worldclass maritime services and shipyards.

A strong Coast Guard presence is critical in this community given its regional significance as the gateway to the Columbia River and the notoriously treacherous waters of the "graveyard of the Pacific." We applaud the Coast Guard's decision to station two FRCs at Tongue Point and hope that you will consider homeporting two additional FRCs alongside them. Astoria benefits greatly from the US Coast Guard's presence in the community and looks forward to hosting additional staff and resources.

Sincerely,

Source