Transportation Committee to Consider USCG Reauthorization Bill & Piracy Suppression Act of 2011

The Transportation Committee on Thursday will mark up legislation reauthorizing the U.S. Coast Guard, which includes programmatic reforms to help ensure the service can better utilize resources and more efficiently replace its aging assets.  Additionally, the Committee will consider legislation to bolster the United States’ ability to counter piracy off the Horn of Africa and other high risk waters. 

The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2011 (H.R. 2838), which was introduced on Friday, September 2nd by Coast Guard Subcommittee Chairman Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ) and co-sponsored by Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL), authorizes the service for fiscal years 2012 through 2014, and authorizes a service strength of 47,000 active duty personnel.  The bill authorizes $8.49 billion for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2012, $8.6 billion for fiscal year 2013, and $8.7 billion for fiscal year 2014. 

“From homeland security and drug interdiction to traditional search and rescue, the Coast Guard achieves success in their missions often by doing more with less,” said Chairman LoBiondo.  “This authorization is a fiscally responsible effort to ensure that success continues while bringing greater parity for those men and women who protect our ports and waterways.”

“This legislation provides essential authorities and funds for our first responders in maritime safety and homeland security,” Mica said.

This bill includes critical provisions that will give the Coast Guard and its personnel greater parity with the Department of Defense (DoD).  Parity among the uniformed services has been a top priority of the Committee for some time and this bill makes significant progress towards aligning the Coast Guard’s authorities with those granted to DoD. 

The bill contains a title intended to reform and improve Coast Guard administration.  It prohibits the acquisition of a sixth national security cutter until certain capabilities planned for the first five are in place, further exemplifying its priority of fiscal responsibility. 

The bill also includes several provisions to improve the safety and efficiency of the maritime transportation system, as well as to protect and grow maritime related jobs.

The Piracy Suppression Act of 2011 (H.R. 2839) was also introduced on Friday by Chairmen Mica and LoBiondo.  It strengthens existing authorities against piracy, as well as increases the penalty for piracy to include capital punishment; improves an existing training program to instruct mariners on acceptable use of force against pirates; authorizes armed security on vessels carrying government impelled cargo through high risk waters; encourages other countries to contribute to the existing international effort to suppress piracy; and includes a report on ways to improve U.S. efforts to track ransom payments and the movement of money through Somali piracy networks. 

Thursday’s Full Committee markup is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.  A live webcast of the markup will be available at http://transportation.house.gov.