Reviewing U.S. Coast Guard Funding

Published Mar 8, 2006 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

Capitol Hill legislators attacked the Bush Administration for cutting critical Coast Guard funding.

Part of the U.S. Coast Guard cuts include $31 million for rescue missions, and this is after the USCG rescued 33,000 hurricane victims.

President Bush requested $8.2 billion for the 2007 U.S. Coast Guard budget, which is an increase of approximately $127 million. But, most of the increase is for fuel and personnel, and $50 million is for designing a new headquarters for the agency.

Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo, (R-NJ) and Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, believes that the USCG is getting less money to perform its traditional functions and port security duties next year. Approximately 66 percent of the USCG budget is to be spent on Homeland Security,

The administration's budget for fiscal 2007 will also spent many millions on USCG vessels nearing or past their service life. Legislators want to expedite the Deepwater Program, which will build new ships.