The Senate’s passage on Friday of a measure that would reauthorize and support the Coast Guard was lauded by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).
Wicker, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, authored several of the provisions in the legislation, H.R. 4188, that focus on increasing grant opportunities for the Coast Guard Academy, updating carriage requirements for vessel survival crafts and improving the certification process for fishing vessels.
“This bill aims to support the national security efforts of Coast Guard members to protect America’s coastline, waterways, and ports, as well as perform security operations around the globe,” Wicker said. “It also backs their search-and-rescue missions here at home, which were responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of Mississippians after Hurricane Katrina made landfall 10 years ago. I am pleased that the legislation includes a significant regulatory reform for vessels operating nationwide, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico. Eliminating this red-tape could potentially save taxpayers and small businesses millions of dollars.”
A total of $9.1 billion in funding over the next two years for the Federal Maritime Commission and the Coast Guard is authorized by the legislation, which enables the service branch to modernize its fleets, bring regulations in line with modern practices and make changes to procurement standards.