Hearing

Witness List:

Opening remarks, as prepared, of Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster (R-FL) from hearing, entitled “Snowed In: United States Disinvestment in the Arctic”:

Today the Subcommittee will receive testimony on the Coast Guard’s icebreaker recapitalization efforts and the ability of the Service to meet its icebreaking and polar region responsibilities. I’d like to welcome our witnesses today – Vice Admiral Peter Gautier, Deputy Commandant for Operations; Vice Admiral Thomas Allan, Deputy Commandant for Mission Support; and Heather MacLeod, Director of Justice and Homeland Security at the Government Accountability Office.

The United States has relied on the Coast Guard’s persistent presence to demonstrate American sovereignty in the Arctic since the United States acquired Alaska in 1867, and in the Antarctic since the Navy gave up Antarctic icebreaking in 1966.

In the Arctic, the Coast Guard projects American sovereignty in a region containing substantial resources that support a robust fishing industry, vast energy and mineral reserves, and new routes to facilitate maritime commerce. Given these immense resources, it should come as no surprise that adversaries, including Russia and China, are working to assert themselves in the region, with Russia fielding a fleet of 55 icebreakers and China deploying four.

At the same time, our nation has two operational icebreakers, one of which is dedicated to the Service’s Antarctic mission in support of the National Science Foundation and is operating well past its intended service life. Not even John Rayfield, the Subcommittee’s staff director, was on the Hill when the POLAR STAR was commissioned in 1977.  

To ensure continued polar icebreaker capability, the Coast Guard embarked on the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program that was intended to deliver three new icebreakers beginning this year. That timeline and the associated cost estimate were unrealistic, and the Coast Guard has yet to approve a final design for the vessel and is unable to provide Congress with a new timeline or a new cost estimate for the first vessel.

I am optimistic about progress being made at the shipyard under its new owner and operator, but it is well past time that the Coast Guard provide us a plan to acquire the needed vessels to carry out its polar missions and execute on it.

Vice Admiral Gautier, nearly a year ago, this subcommittee examined the Service’s Arctic missions, and during that time you assured us that the Coast Guard would provide a plan on how the Service will acquire its new fleet of icebreakers. Nearly a year later we still do not have that plan.  Today, I expect you and Admiral Allan to clearly articulate how you will acquire these vessels and what resources you require to carry out the Coast Guard’s polar missions.

I also note that nearly two months ago, the bipartisan full Committee and Subcommittee leadership wrote to Admiral Fagan requesting an update on the progress towards PSC program milestones which the Coast Guard has stated it will meet by the end of the year.  While the Commandant replied to our letter earlier this week, she failed to provide any meaningful answers to our questions. Accordingly, we expect to visit with the Commandant in person after the Thanksgiving holiday to discuss the Coast Guard’s continued lack of action. 

Outside our polar regions, the Coast Guard provides critical icebreaking capability to keep commerce moving safely on our Great Lakes and at United States Northeast ports.  These missions are critical, and it is important the Service have the necessary assets to carry out these missions.