Ranking Members Larsen, Carbajal Statements from Hearing on Coast Guard and Maritime Workforce Challenges

Press Release

"Thank you, Chairman Webster for calling today's hearing. The U.S. Coast Guard and the civilian U.S. merchant marine are facing a unique challenge associated with the booming economy and historically low unemployment rates--they're having a hard time attracting new individuals to service.

The Coast Guard often prides itself on its ability to do more with less.

They're a fraction of the size and budget of the other services and yet they have a significantly wider mission set. Being "Semper Paratus," with insufficient resources is not sustainable.

The Coast Guard is currently operating with a shortfall of more than 4,500 servicemembers. To address this problem, the Service is rethinking recruiting by hiring more recruiters, expanding the JROTC program, providing referral incentives, and deploying targeted advertising.

The Coast Guard offers unique experiences and opportunities to its servicemembers. During an average day, the Coast Guard will conduct 109 search-and-rescues, launch 164 aircraft missions, seize 475 pounds of illegal drugs, respond to 20 oil or hazardous chemical spills and service 135 aids to navigation. A career in the Coast Guard is one to be proud of.

I'm confident that the Coast Guard can and will do a better job of conveying the many opportunities it offers. But the Coast Guard needs our help ensuring robust support for Coasties as they conduct those missions.

Without affordable housing, Coasties are required to commute hours to work. Without medical access, Coasties go without health care. Without modern facilities and technology, Coasties work in substandard conditions. Without adequate childcare, parents will simply leave the service.

I applaud Admiral Fagan for her refreshing approach exemplified by the slogan "tomorrow will look different, and so will we." If the Coast Guard does not rethink its way of doing business, recruitment and retention will only get harder.

Quality of life is a recruitment and retention issue. While it is incumbent on the Coast Guard to tell us what they need, Congress needs to better support the women and men who serve.

The challenges facing the U.S. merchant marine are similar to that of the Coast Guard. As workers increasingly value flexibility, a maritime career, which often entails living on a ship for several months, is less attractive. But, also like the Coast Guard, it's an industry that offers the opportunity to contribute to society in a valuable way.

U.S. merchant mariners deliver the majority of defense materials overseas, ensure the delivery of U.S. food-aid and protect our domestic economic security. Further, a career at sea allows women and men to see the world.

To attract more mariners to the industry, Congress and the Administration must ensure stable employment opportunities. That means full and consistent funding for the Maritime Security Program and the Tanker Security Program. That means ensuring full compliance with cargo preference laws. That means sending a strong message that the Jones Act will not be eroded or repealed.

In the recently reported Coast Guard Authorization Act, I'm glad that this committee included several provisions aimed at increasing the pool of merchant mariners. One of those provisions would better align licensing requirements with international standards to remove a burden upon the mariner, while maintaining safety. Another would fix an anomaly in the law to allow people from American Samoa to enter the industry.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that these provisions become law. I also look forward to hearing from our witnesses about other ways to attract and retain merchant mariners.

Thank you and I yield back."

Source