Press Releases

This week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced legislation that prevents Coast Guard Academy cadets from punishment when reporting an incident of sexual assault, language which was proposed last year by Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-2).

The provision passed 53-3 as part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024.

The bill advanced by the committee also includes language proposed by Ranking Member Carbajal and Subcommittee Chair Daniel Webster (R-FL) to strengthen sexual assault and harassment protections for members of the Coast Guard and ensures greater accountability and transparency in the Coast Guard following the Committee’s investigation of the Service’s Operation Fouled Anchor.

“Every single day, the Coast Guard goes to work on the broad range of missions that keep our nation and its citizens safe. They mind the safety of our seas and the security of our waters, protect our seafarers and our beachgoers, and reinforce our national defense,” said Ranking Member Carbajal. “As a veteran and the top Democrat on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, I’m proud to build on our previous actions taken to protect our servicemembers doing these critical missions by advancing bipartisan legislation aimed at holding the Coast Guard accountable for reforms needed to eliminate sexual assault and sexual harassments from its ranks.”

“I’ve worked over the last decade to institute safeguards to prevent and address sexual assault across the Coast Guard—a serious issue that was brought to light because of the courageous cadets and faculty who brought this to my office’s attention in 2018. Committee passage of the safe to report policy marks a significant step forward by Congress and the Coast Guard to provide greater protections for military personnel reporting sexual assault and codifies protections that students have at all other military academies. I commend Commandant Fagan for adopting this policy even before Congress acted and her ongoing commitment to supporting and protecting all Coast Guard personnel,” said Rep. Joe Courtney. “I applaud Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leadership, Chairmen Graves (R-MO) and Webster (R-FL), and Ranking Members Larsen (D-WA) and Carbajal (D-CA), for their leadership in working with me to advance this important provision through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.” 

“As the demands on the Coast Guard continue to grow, we must increase our commitment to the servicemembers who carry out its critical missions,” Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) said. “The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024 includes important provisions that will better protect servicemembers and fight sexual violence by holding the Coast Guard accountable for its sexual assault and harassment mitigation and prevention efforts. I commend the advocacy of Representatives Carbajal and Courtney to advance these important protections for Coasties.”

“The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024 provides the necessary investments and authorities required to maintain the Coast Guard’s critical missions.  These investments are especially important to ensure border security given the increase in interdiction and repatriations of those illegally attempting to land on Florida shores.  The measure will also help turn the tide on the Service’s recruiting challenges and provides for additional surface and air assets, as well as resources to begin replacing the Service’s crumbling shoreside infrastructure,” said Subcommittee Chairman Webster.  “Following the troubling revelations of Operation Fouled Anchor, this legislation incorporates the Coast Guard Protection and Accountability Act of 2024 that Ranking Member Carbajal and I introduced, along with Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen, which strengthens protections for members of the Coast Guard from sexual assault and harassment and increases transparency within the Service.  I appreciate Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Carbajal for their work in passing this important bipartisan legislation out of Committee.”

The Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act required the Department of Defense to implement Safe-to-Report policy for collateral misconduct involving a midshipman or cadet who is the victim of an alleged sexual assault at Department of Defense Military Academies, which does not include the Coast Guard Academies.

In August of 2023, Reps. Carbajal and Courtney introduced legislation to ensure that the Coast Guard Academy implements identical policy to prevent cadets from punishment for minor offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice when reporting an incident of sexual assault. Minor offenses include underage drinking and violating curfew, for example.

In February of 2024, Rep. Carbajal and other members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the Coast Guard Protection and Accountability Act, which included the Safe-to-Report policy.  

The Committee passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024, which included the Coast Guard Protection and Accountability Act, on Wednesday.

Similar Safe-to-Report legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Blumenthal (D-CT) and Murphy (D-CT).