U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) saluted a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard to maintain Seattle as the home port for its new icebreaker fleet.
“Seattle has been the home of the icebreaking fleet since the 1970s and I am proud that Washington state will continue to play this critical role in our nation’s defense strategy,” Rep. Newhouse said on June 18.
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz on Monday announced the location decision for three new polar icebreakers under the Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program.
“The Polar Security Cutter program will ensure the United States remains operational against our adversaries in the North and South Poles who continue to provoke national and global security tensions,” said Rep. Newhouse. “As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I have worked with my colleagues to bolster our nation’s security needs.”
The congressman pointed out that the Coast Guard’s current Polar Star and Healy icebreakers, which serve as America’s first line of defense in both the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, “are in desperate need of updating and revitalization.”
The Seattle location will support the United States’ ability to conduct national missions, respond to critical events, and project American presence in the high latitudes, according to the Coast Guard.