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Opening remarks, as prepared, of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Mike Ezell (R-MS) from today’s hearing, entitled “Review of the Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request”:

Chairman Graves

I’d like to welcome our witnesses to the Committee today, and congratulate you Admiral Lunday on your confirmation as Commandant. The Committee stands ready to partner with you to ensure the Service has the resources needed to carry out your missions and protect our nation. I look forward to hearing more about the Administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Coast Guard from you both.

Admiral Lunday, before turning to the topic of this hearing, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the 50,000 men and women serving in both military and civilian roles who are continuing to carry out their critical Coast Guard missions today, despite uncertainty over their next paycheck. We owe it to our Coasties, who continue to stand watch, to secure a deal to fund DHS, which the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is committed to doing.

Over the last year, I have been extremely proud of the historic investment this committee has made to rebuild our nation’s Coast Guard. After years of inadequate funding, the $25 billion provided in the reconciliation funding package will enable the Service to rebuild its fleet of surface, air, and shoreside assets. Case in point, your new C-130s that will be operating at Barbers Point, Hawaii require larger hangers to ensure those assets can be maintained. I’ve seen firsthand the inadequate storage space for these planes, and I appreciate your continued efforts to upgrade the facilities for these assets.

I want to emphasize that with the historic investments this committee has provided comes a responsibility to ensure the money is spent wisely. I would ask that the Coast Guard remain committed to the production of acquisition briefings and long-term planning documents that this committee requires in order to conduct oversight. 

Admiral Lunday and Master Chief Waldron, thank you again for being here.

Chairman Ezell

This budget request arrives at a momentous inflection point for the Coast Guard. The Service has never been better positioned to grow, and it has rarely been busier, more effective, or more in demand. Even amid uncertainty regarding pay, Coast Guard capabilities, commitment, and professionalism have never been more evident. 

The President’s request of nearly $16 billion for the Coast Guard in fiscal year 2027 reflects strong support for the Service. The $2 billion increase in operations funding would help deliver meaningful results in protecting our maritime domain, enforcing U.S. laws, and safeguarding our resources.

However, it still falls short of what is needed to fully operate and sustain the assets which will be acquired through the historic $25 billion investment the Congress provided in the One Big Beautiful Bill. The reconciliation investment was intended to reverse decades of underinvestment. At the requested levels, the Coast Guard risks acquiring assets without homeports, infrastructure, and support systems required to operate them effectively. 

The Coast Guard enjoys strong bipartisan goodwill in Congress. Compliance with mandated oversight, however, is not among them. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that appropriated funds are used properly and effectively. When the Coast Guard fails to meet statutory oversight requirements, it undermines its credibility with those most committed to supporting it.

Congress has mandated basic acquisition planning tools, including regular quarterly briefings and Five-Year Capital Investment Plans, to ensure visibility into long-term needs. Yet the Coast Guard has consistently failed to meet these statutory requirements.

This raises a fundamental concern: if the Coast Guard cannot meet its oversight obligations, can it effectively manage multiple large, complex, and costly acquisition programs? 

The Service now stands at a decisive moment. This is, in many respects, an either-or proposition. Either the Coast Guard successfully manages the acquisition and integration of new assets while growing the organization, or the historic investment provided by Congress will fail to produce the modern, capable Service the investment envisioned.

The central question is whether the Coast Guard can successfully manage the acquisition, integration, and expansion of these assets, along with the infrastructure and personnel required to sustain them. Growth is not simply a matter of adding ships, aircraft, facilities, and personnel. It requires a clear and disciplined understanding of how to sustain a larger and more complex organization. Elements of this budget request raise concerns about whether that balance has been achieved.

The addition of assets and personnel must occur in tandem with the planning and funding of the foundational support they require. 

Admiral, you hold one of the most consequential roles in government today. On the one hand, you have the opportunity to be the Commandant who leads the Coast Guard through an historic transformation. With the right vision, planning, and transparency, you can help shape a Service that is modern, strategically aligned, and properly resourced for the missions ahead. That would be a lasting legacy.

On the other hand, you risk being held accountable if the Service fails to capitalize on this moment and continues to struggle with execution and credibility. This is a defining institutional crossroads.

I am confident that you have the leadership qualities necessary to succeed. But success will require partnership with Congress. Every Member of this subcommittee stands ready to support the Coast Guard’s evolution. That support, however, depends on the Service meeting its legal obligation to provide timely, complete, and transparent information.

Goodwill and patience are not unlimited. I urge you to accept the partnership this committee offers and commit to providing the information necessary to ensure that the Coast Guard becomes the Service it can and should be. 

Click here for more information from today’s hearing, including video and witness testimony.