U.S. Coast Guard’s deepwater program gets Congress hearing

U.S. Coast Guard’s deepwater program gets Congress hearing    U.S. Coast Guard’s deepwater program gets Congress hearing
   Senior U.S. Coast Guard and administration officials will tell a specialized committee hearing of the House of Representatives Wednesday about the need to replace and modernize the Coast Guard’s aging deepwater ships and aircraft.
   The Coast Guard has more than 90 ships and 200 aircraft used in its offshore missions, including drug and migrant interdiction, homeland security and fisheries law enforcement.
   The hearing by the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation will be chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J.
   Those speaking at the hearing will include Adm. Thomas A. Collins, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, accompanied by Rear Admiral Patrick M. Stillman, program executive officer, Coast Guard integrated deepwater system, as well as Margaret Wrightson, Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the Government Accountability Office
   The Coast Guard began planning a recapitalization program to replace existing deepwater-capable assets in 1996. The Coast Guard’s deepwater build-out plan was based on a 20-year projected funding stream of $500 million (in 1998 dollars) per year beginning in fiscal year 2003. However, the deepwater program has suffered from budget restrictions.
   Congress authorized a funding level of $1.1 billion for the deepwater program in fiscal year 2005; however only $724 million was appropriated for the current fiscal year. Yet, the Coast Guard has experienced increasing maritime homeland security operational requirements, as well as maintenance and repair costs associated with rapidly deteriorating legacy assets, the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee said in a statement announcing the hearing.
   “The program is facing serious challenges remaining both on schedule and on budget,” it added.