To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress on vessel fires and responses, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7659) to authorize and amend authorities, programs, and statutes administered by the Coast Guard, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7659.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7659, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024. This bipartisan measure authorizes funding for the Coast Guard, one of six armed services, for the next 2 fiscal years.

The men and women of the Coast Guard deserve the support of this Congress in their efforts to meet the challenges of their ever-growing mission. Those missions are wide-ranging and include ensuring the safety of maritime trade, including our vital supply chain; enforcing United States laws at sea; protecting our Nation's borders; helping counter undue Chinese influence in the Pacific; helping to develop the United States' redefined role in the rapidly changing Arctic; and countering human trafficking and the influx of illicit drugs into this country.

This bill provides the Coast Guard with the authorities and resources it needs to carry out its mission.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Ranking Member Larsen and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chair Webster and Ranking Member Carbajal for working to reach a bipartisan agreement on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Van Drew).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hunt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Webster), who is also the chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

As Ranking Member Larsen knows well, this important piece of bipartisan legislation would not be possible without the hard work of our staff. I want to thank the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation team led by

Mrs. Gonzalez-Colon. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7659, the

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024. In Puerto Rico, we are the proud home to Sector San Juan and Air Station Borinquen. We know firsthand the important role our men and women in the Coast Guard play each day to save lives, protect our maritime borders, and facilitate commerce. That is why I was proud to cosponsor this important piece of legislation, which will provide needed authorities and resources to support our Coasties and strengthen the Service's critical missions.

I am especially pleased the bill includes two provisions I authored-- Sections 205 and 206--to help improve the Coast Guard's drug and migrant interdiction activities. Section 205 would direct the Coast Guard to submit a report to Congress providing an overview of the maritime domain awareness in Sector San Juan, which is responsible for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and oversees an area of responsibility spanning 1.3 million square nautical miles in the Eastern Caribbean.

Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in smuggling events in the region. In Fiscal Year 2021, the Coast Guard interdicted 758 migrants in the Mona Passage and waters near Puerto Rico. These numbers increased substantially in Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023, when the Coast Guard interdicted 2,395 and 2,228 migrants, respectively, in the Sector San Juan area of responsibility. Through April 30, 2024, the Coast Guard had already interdicted 1,199 migrants in waters near Puerto Rico, with five months still remaining to conclude Fiscal Year 2024.

Similarly, according to data shared by the Coast Guard with my office, from Fiscal Years 2019 to 2022, the known maritime cocaine flow to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands--either coming directly from South America or via the Dominican Republic--increased by over 115 percent, from 51 metric tons to 110 metric tons. During the past five years, Coast Guard narcotics seizures in the Sector San Juan area of responsibility increased by over 74 percent, from 6.6 metric tons in Fiscal Year 2019 to 11.5 metric tons in Fiscal Year 2023.

There has also been a rise in violence associated with these events. In November 2022, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection marine interdiction agent was shot and killed, and his two partners gravely injured, when drug smugglers opened fire during an interdiction off the coast of Cabo Rojo, in southwestern Puerto Rico. Two months later, another gunfight during a vessel interdiction off the coast of Fajardo in northeastern Puerto Rico resulted in the death of two drug smugglers.

The Coast Guard plays a leading role combatting these and other threats we face from transnational criminal organizations and smugglers operating in the Caribbean. It is therefore essential we ensure they have the necessary resources to effectively tackle the rise in illicit maritime activity around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Section 205 would help achieve this by directing the Coast Guard to report on maritime domain awareness gaps in the region and identify technologies, assets, and capabilities that would help address such gaps.

The second provision I authored, Section 206, seeks to improve transparency by requiring the Coast Guard to publish on its website the number of drug and migrant interdictions carried out by the Service each month. In the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, Congress included a provision requiring the publication of monthly migrant interdiction statistics. Section 206 would build on this and expand the requirement to also include data on drug seizures. It would also require additional information such as the number of migrants interdicted, the amount and type of drugs that are seized, and the geographic location of such interdictions.

I want to conclude by thanking and commending House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen, as well as Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster and Ranking Member Salud Carbajal, for their leadership on H.R. 7659. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill and ensure we provide the men and women of the Coast Guard the support they deserve. subcommittee staff director John Rayfield. I also thank Reed Linsk, Cameron Humphrey, Nicole Bredariol, Ian Orr and all of the Transportation and Infrastructure full committee staff who have worked on getting us here today, including staff director Jack Ruddy. I also want to thank the Transportation and Infrastructure minority full committee staff led by Kathy Dedrick and subcommittee staff led by Matt Dwyer.

This legislation provides the support that the men and women of the United States Coast Guard need to do their jobs.

It improves maritime safety, will help our Nation confront drug and human traffickers off our coast, and counter undue Chinese influence in the Pacific.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, in August of this year, we are going to hit the 234th birthday of the United States Coast Guard. We have seen profound changes in the Coast Guard's mission.

They perform the jobs of probably a dozen Federal agencies over water. They do a remarkable job. From drug and alien interdiction to maritime security and maritime safety, they do absolutely everything. I will say it again: What a dozen agencies do on land, the Coast Guard is responsible for over water. It is absolutely remarkable. The brave men and women that we refer to as the coasties have served our country with incredible honor and distinction.

Mr. Speaker, we refer to them as the Swiss Army knife of the Federal Government. They do so much. They conduct search and rescue missions, support safe navigation in our waterways, and help to defend our maritime border from nefarious actors.

Now more than ever, the Coast Guard's missions don't go unnoticed, and it is important that we provide the Coast Guard with the resources that they need to conduct their operations.

China is maneuvering to overtake the United States' maritime supremacy. Today, China has the capacity to manufacture 232 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States. Let me say that again: Today, China has 232 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States, and these ships aren't being used for honorable activities, Mr. Speaker. We have seen that China is now fishing approximately 42 percent of its fishing in what is known as distant waters. That means in someone else's exclusive economic zone. Said another way, they are illegally fishing in other countries' waters. They are overfishing. China is the worst IUU--illegal, unreported, and unregulated--fishing nation in the world.

This isn't limited to just China or Chinese waters. We recently had a major bust of IUU activities in the Gulf of Mexico on one of my favorite entrees, the red snapper.

The Coast Guard is vital to protecting our waters and national security, particularly, here in the United States, in the area that you and I share, Mr. Speaker, the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard plays a critical role in protecting our maritime boundary from drugs and migrants.

While we rightfully focus our attention on the southern land border with Mexico, we cannot ignore the maritime border. Countless migrants enter unnoticed via boat, and often they are accompanied--or should I say they are accompanying dangerous drugs, such as fentanyl.

Louisiana's overdose death rate is nearly double the national average, largely thanks to massive influxes of fentanyl coming undetected through the southern border, including the maritime border.

Over the past year, a sheriff's office in my district removed nearly six times the fentanyl that they recovered in just 2022. Wouldn't it be amazing if the Coast Guard could help to stop the drug interdictions, stop these illegal drugs and migrants from coming across our maritime border?

Our coasties can't be successful in defending our national security without the proper resources.

As China seeks to insert itself in the Pacific, this bill authorizes two fast response cutters that will be used to support missions with partners in the Indo-Pacific. Furthermore, as the world and Russia move into the Arctic, this bill authorizes the second polar security cutter, or heavy icebreaker, for the Coast Guard.

It is imperative that we fund the Coast Guard at the levels authorized in this bill. It will protect our people, environment, and fisheries and continue to push back on nations such as China and Russia.

I am proud to have contributed to and supported this bill in committee,

and I look forward to voting in favor of this bill on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all the Members who have been involved, especially Ranking Member Webster, and I am thankful for the leadership of our fearless chairman, Sam Graves, as well as the ranking members who have worked on this bill for months and months.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to quickly respond to my friend from Texas and the comments about the offshore energy industry.

I represent south Louisiana. We have six States that produce offshore energy: Alaska, California, Texas Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. You can add up the offshore Federal production in those five States combined, and you would have to multiply it times four to meet the amount of offshore energy production in Federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Yet, our entire delegation, House, Senate, Republican, Democrat, are fully supportive of the crewing and manning provision in this bill because it does improve the safety and the security of operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Of course, Mr. Speaker, it would not cause the shutdown of oil and gas or energy operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Let me say it again. On the contrary, it would actually improve safety and security. There are waivers and exceptions for foreign vessels that ensure these vessels operate in a way that is safe and secure for our country.

I urge adoption of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak in support of H.R. 7659, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024.

This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes funding for the U.S. Coast Guard for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 and updates Coast Guard programs and policies.

This bill is a result of bipartisan negotiations between Chair Graves, Chair Webster, myself, and Ranking Member Carbajal and includes numerous contributions from members on and off the committee.

This bill is the latest example of bipartisanship thriving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Coast Guard operational readiness is at risk due to years of underfunding. A lack of investment led to a $3 billion shoreside infrastructure backlog, a lack of ice-breaking capacity in the Arctic and Great Lakes, and reduced capacity across several essential missions such as marine safety and mariner credentialing.

This bill begins to address the shortfall by authorizing $14.78 billion for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2025 and $15.52 billion for fiscal year 2026.

These increases over current funding levels will give the Coast Guard the resources needed to execute its missions and ensure a basic standard of living for servicemembers.

In addition, this bill authorizes the Procurement, Construction, and Improvements account at $3.48 billion for fiscal year 2025 and $3.65 billion for fiscal year 2026--well above the President's budget request.

This level of funding should enable the Coast Guard to maintain its ongoing recapitalization programs, including the Polar Security Cutter and the Offshore Patrol Cutters.

Importantly, this bill also includes $180 million for waterfront improvements to Coast Guard Base Seattle which will ensure homeporting capacity for Polar Security Cutters.

Last Congress, we enacted substantial improvements to safety for mariners and passengers aboard vessels. This legislation builds upon that work by addressing additional safety risks on vessels and increasing the penalties for bad actors.

In 2022, the Aleutian Isle, a fishing vessel, began taking on water after running aground in Puget Sound off the coast of San Juan Island in my district. What should have been a salvaging-firefighting operation turned into an oil spill response operation.

The salvager listed on the vessel response plan did not have the capacity to adequately respond and that led to the vessel sinking and discharging oil.

This bill improves oil spill prevention by bolstering vessel response plans and ensuring timely, robust salvage firefighting responses when vessel incidents do occur.

This bill also includes vital provisions to begin addressing the mariner shortage.

The current mariner credentialing program, which the Coast Guard oversees, is outdated and relies on paper applications. Processing delays impact both existing and new mariners looking to enter the industry.

I appreciate Chair Graves working with me to include an authorization of $11 million for a new electronic credentialing system. This, coupled with other provisions, will begin to address the mariner shortage.

Finally, this bill includes the Coast Guard Protection and Accountability Act of 2024. This legislation was developed because the Coast Guard deliberately hid Operation Fouled Anchor and decades of sexual assault and harassment at the Coast Guard Academy.

The commandant is working hard to repair the lost confidence that resulted from Operation Fouled Anchor, and this legislation provides the tools to do so while increasing congressional oversight.

I thank Chair Graves, Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chair Webster, and Ranking Member Carbajal for their cooperation in crafting this important legislation.

I look forward to our continued collaboration as the legislation moves forward. I urge all Members to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024. I am proud to have played a part in its development and passage out of committee. I appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Chairman Sam Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chair Webster. This legislation is an example of how working together in a bipartisan way can result in good legislation.

As one of the six branches of the armed services, the U.S. Coast Guard protects our national security and is an essential asset to DoD missions overseas. Often facilitating diplomatic relations resulting from unique authorities, the Coast Guard fosters partnerships with other countries not easily achieved by other branches. This bill will renew and enhance support for critical missions of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Every day, coasties work to safeguard our economic interests and ensure the fluidity of the marine transportation system. They maintain our Nation's waterways for the sake of commerce and human and environmental safety. Time after time, these brave coasties have demonstrated their resourcefulness, but they need our support.

The increased funding in today's bill signals our confidence in the Coast Guard and begins down the road to providing the resources coasties need to successfully complete their missions.

The Coast Guard is facing a precarious future with an aging fleet, crumbling infrastructure, and a recruiting shortfall.

In order to grow the service, we must ensure servicemembers are safe from harm, trust their leadership, and receive the benefits they have earned. That is why H.R. 7659 includes the Coast Guard Protection and Accountability Act of 2024, which will hold the Coast Guard accountable and ensure transparency in the wake of Operation Fouled Anchor and efforts by the service to hide decades' worth of sexual assault and sexual harassment.

This legislation begins to address the worsening mariner shortage by authorizing the modernization of the mariner credentialing system and modernizing mariner eligibility. This bill will provide long-term, sustainable jobs for American mariners.

I am proud to have worked with my colleagues on this important legislation, and I look forward to seeing it passed into law.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's concern about our shared commitment to rapidly develop clean energy. I also believe that the American maritime industry should play a meaningful role in the development and maintenance of offshore energy. If everyone comes together to negotiate a compromise, I believe everyone's concerns can be addressed.

Ranking Member Larsen and I are committed to finding that compromise, but it is important that all stakeholders, including offshore wind developers, come to the table to accomplish that.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).

Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and subcommittee Chair Webster.

I would also like to thank our bipartisan staff on the Republican side John Rayfield, Reed Linsk, Cameron Humphrey, Nicole Bredariol, and Ian Orr; and on the Democratic side Matt Dwyer, Cheryl Dickson, and Johanna Montiel of my staff.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for this bipartisan legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to flag an issue on the Coast Guard reauthorization. One particular provision in the bill can negatively impact offshore wind. Installing monopiles for offshore wind requires a specialized fleet and planning. The U.S. fleet does not currently include certain offshore wind-specific vessels, which are the linchpins in construction.

With the current bill language mandating exclusive use of domestic crews on a few foreign vessels, it could lead the few vessels that can install offshore wind to exit the U.S. market altogether. Right now, adding these crewing requirements for certain international vessels would freeze offshore wind construction.

Offshore wind is essential to achieving our decarbonization goals, but it is a brand-new industry in the United States. It needs time to build a supply chain from the ground up.

I have been proud of Dominion Energy's recent announcement that the first Jones Act-compliant vessel, Charybdis, is on track to be completed by late 2024.

The offshore wind industry in America is investing in more than 40 American vessels, all of which will be required to have all-American crews, but until we have these vessels, we will be reliant on foreign vessels.

The stipulations in this bill would impede the involvement of the current fleet necessary to kick-start these projects and give the U.S. any viable alternatives.

The absence of these specialized vessels would mean that numerous American ships and mariners would lose employment opportunities, and there would be no offshore wind farms to build or maintain. We can address this and find a fix that avoids job losses for union workers or causes significant delays.

While we all champion American jobs in offshore wind, it is important to recognize that this industry is still in its early stages domestically.

Mr. Speaker, I urge you to address this issue moving forward as this legislation moves toward conference. It is imperative that we do not stumble as we embark on this promising new industry that holds the potential to enhance our energy security and create thousands of American jobs.