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Howard Coble Coast Guard And Maritime Transportation Act of 2014

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 3, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation Defense

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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5769, the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014.

As a former ranking member of the Coast Guard Subcommittee, I am very pleased that this bill provides the necessary resources to keep the men and women of the Coast Guard on the job. I am also pleased this bill makes needed advancements in our Nation's engagement in the Arctic.

Our country faces a steep opportunity curve when it comes to the Arctic. We haven't made the needed investments in that region to protect our environment, our economic interests, and our national security. But as our country gets ready to take over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2015, this bill signals that our country is ready to engage further in Arctic issues. It requires the Coast Guard to come up with a plan for moving our icebreaker fleet forward; it encourages the development of forward operating bases for the Coast Guard in the region; and it improves the ability of the Coast Guard to monitor, patrol, and protect our Nation's Arctic waters.

I am hopeful that this bill will finally push the Coast Guard to reactivate the mothballed Polar Sea icebreaker so that it can act as a bridge towards a new icebreaker fleet. In the longer term, funding a new icebreaker fleet will require a whole of government approach. The Coast Guard simply does not have the acquisition budget to build a new icebreaker fleet on its own.

The Department of Defense, Coast Guard, and National Science Foundation need to work together to develop a funding strategy for assets they will all use. This bill endorses such a strategy.

Finally, I am very pleased that this bill includes $10 million for the Small Shipyard Grant Program, a successful effort that provides infrastructure spending to shipyards in the Pacific Northwest and around the country that creates jobs and supports local economies.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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