Press Releases

Rep. Carbajal spoke on the House floor earlier today highlighting the important missions undertaken by the Coast Guard and the improvements included in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved in a bipartisan vote legislation crafted by Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Webster (R-FL) to authorize funding for the United States Coast Guard through 2026 and support for members of the service branch in their critical missions.

“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. “And as the top Democrat on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, I’m proud to continue our committee’s tradition of advancing bipartisan legislation that will have the back of our Coast Guard – providing the resources it needs to complete these missions, support infrastructure and safety upgrades, and improve the quality of life for our Coasties. And in addition to these important investments, this bill also reaffirms our bipartisan commitment to holding the Coast Guard accountable for reforms needed to eliminate sexual assault and sexual harassments from its ranks.”

“The men and women of the Coast Guard deserve the support of this Congress in their efforts to meet the challenges of their ever-growing mission set,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Graves. “Those missions are wide-ranging and include ensuring the safety of maritime trade and a critical part of our supply chain, enforcing U.S. laws at sea, protecting our nation’s borders, helping counter undue Chinese influence in the Pacific, helping to develop the United States’ redefined role in the rapidly changing Arctic, and countering human trafficking and the influx of illicit drugs into the country. This bill provides the Coast Guard with the authorities and resources it needs to carry out these many critical missions.”

“Passing our bipartisan bill in the House today is an important step toward ensuring the United States Coast Guard has the resources it needs to take care of its servicemembers, carry out its mission and safeguard the nation at sea,” Ranking Member Larsen said. “The bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024 improves the lives of servicemembers by authorizing investment in facilities and tackling the Service’s shoreside infrastructure backlog.  Critically, it also fights sexual violence by holding the Coast Guard accountable for its sexual assault and harassment mitigation and prevention efforts.”

“The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024 provides the necessary investments and authorities required to maintain the Coast Guard’s ability to carry out its critical missions,” said Subcommittee Chairman Webster. “As my state, Florida, continues to deter illegal migration off our coastal border, these investments will strengthen the Service’s ability to protect our maritime border.  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. 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 efforts to move this legislation forward.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2024 now advances to the U.S. Senate for its consideration. The legislation was approved by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in March by a vote of 53-3.

The bill advanced today 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.

The legislation also prevents Coast Guard Academy cadets from punishment when reporting an incident of sexual assault, language which was proposed last year by Rep. Carbajal and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) in the Coast Guard Academy Safe-to-Report Parity Act.

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.

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