A sweeping new bill to create a Cabinet-level Secretary of the Coast Guard has cleared committee and is ready to head for a vote on the House floor. Congress and the Department of Homeland Security want to elevate the Coast Guard to better match the stature of other military branches, especially as it takes on growing roles in stopping illegal migration and drug trafficking under the Trump administration.
Representative Mike Ezell (R-MS), Representative Sam Graves (R-MO), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) introduced the Coast Guard Authorization Act on July 2nd, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the measure on July 15th. According to Fox News Digital, the bill would increase the funding and standards for the Coast Guard, expanding training, providing reinforcements, and increasing physical standards.
Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard does not have any fitness standards unless personnel are part of boat or law enforcement teams.
The most striking aspect of the bill would be the installation of a Secretary of the Coast Guard. According to Representative Ezell, a top civilian leader of the service would help cut through government bureaucracy as the Secretary would be reporting directly to the White House and Congress, as opposed to the DHS. "This person is going to be instrumental in getting things done," Representative Ezell said.
Coming from my background as a sheriff and the chief of police, I know the importance of coordinating with other agencies to get the job done. When you have one person that's a point of contact who will put all the information out from the president, from the DHS Secretary, it'll be so much simpler.
The Coast Guard has been instrumental in curbing the flow of illegal drugs and illegal immigrants into the United States since President Trump took back the White House. The DHS announced on July 15th that the service had seized 242,244 pounds of cocaine since January, more than a 100 percent increase compared to the same time frame under the Biden administration.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.VA) introduced legislation in the Senate that would also establish a Cabinet-level secretary for the Coast Guard in April. Senator Scott said that "The establishment of a Secretary of the Coast Guard is an important step in ensuring our nation’s maritime security is led with the strength and efficiency it deserves to ensure it can fulfill its mission and adapt to any challenges."
"It’s critical to have a dedicated Secretary for the U.S. Coast Guard working closely with President Trump, our military leaders, and the Department of Homeland Security for a coordinated, successful effort to keep the nation safe," he said.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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