Advocating for Stronger Coast Guard Presence

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On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing entitled, “The Future of the Coast Guard: Review of Coast Guard Programs and Structure.”  The hearing featured U.S. Coast Guard Acting Commandant Kevin E. Lunday as our guest witness. I asked Admiral Lunday about the Coast Guard’s presence and operations in the CNMI.   We often hear about the strategic importance of our islands, but our community deserves to see those federal investments and capabilities in action, especially when it comes to disaster response, lifesaving missions, drug interdictions, and enforcement against illegal fishing. I was pleased to hear Admiral Lunday share that the CNMI is under consideration as a potential alternative home port for the next generation of Coast Guard fast response cutters. This would be a game-changing step forward in both security and federal presence for our islands.