▶ 0:16:22>> good morning three earlier this month the men and women of the united states coast guard carried out a number of incredible rescue missions, saving nine people from a commercial fishing vessel that landed ground on st. George island. Closer to home a larger scale heroic number of rescues followed the typhoon in western alaska.
▶ 0:16:55Smaller communities were hit by this massive typhoon. Our coast guard working with the national guard rescued 51 alaskans in the middle of the night during a typhoon. These missions are a powerful reminder that the coast guard's work is not abstract, it is immediate and dangerous and often the difference between life and death for americans.
▶ 0:17:19Today's hearing, and I'm very honored to have our newly confirmed commandant of the united states coast guard, admiral kevin lunday about making sure historic investments congress made in the united states coast guard translate into real operational capability where it matters most, when it matters most. Just remind folks and I will try to remind everybody in alaska about this.
▶ 0:17:51Last year during the budget reconciliation bill now referred to as the working families tax cuts act, the congress of the united states, working with the trump administration, made the biggest investment in the coast guard in american history. $25 billion.
▶ 0:18:13I would like to say the coast guard has a great culture, similar to the marine corps saying we can do more with less. It is ok, we know we have 50-year-old helicopters and we can do more with less. It is time in my view for the coast guard to do more with more and that is what we are able to do in this budget reconciliation bill. The numbers which the coast guard needs are historic.
▶ 0:18:4716 new icebreakers. We have two, what is broken, and the russians have 54. It is time to close the icebreaker cap. Almost 4.5 billion to repair and replace aging infrastructure. 22 new coast guard cutters, including opc and frc. 40 new helicopters. Six new jet aircraft.
▶ 0:19:22This is the biggest investment in coast guard history. I think everybody, including members who did not vote for the bill but it was time to do that for the coast guard. I think had it been just that bill you would've voted for that. It is a great bipartisan achievement and we are very excited.
▶ 0:19:43The coast guard is being asked to do more across every theater with our trump missions in the eastern pacific, complex law enforcement sanctions against dark fleet tankers. Sustained operations in the indo pacific and middle east.
▶ 0:20:20Nowhere is the need for this investment clearer and more prominent than in the arctic. Just months ago I was with admiral lunday for the first time ever we commissioned and started a home port for an american icebreaker where the ice is in alaska. The U.S.
▶ 0:20:41Coast guard designated to be homeport in juneau, alaska represents a general investment in the coast guard and marks a long overdue shift in how the united states approaches the arctic. Not as a distant afterthought but as a core strategic domain. I would like to show a slide.
▶ 0:21:11As the only arctic state we focus on what is going on in the arctic and there is a lot going on in the arctic. Our adversaries, particularly russia and china are all over the place in america's arctic. In our eez, flip that slide over.
▶ 0:21:33This gives you the number of incursions from russian strategic bombers and chinese navy assets and very alarmingly 's joint russian chinese operations in america's arctic. Strategic bomber task force and navy task forces in our eez. Green is joint russian and chinese.
▶ 0:22:04The chinese are off the coast of alaska all summer. There was an important wall street journal article about this a couple weeks ago. I would like to submit it for the record without objection called china's push to master the arctic ocean opens an alarming shortcut to the U.S.. They were not doing research, they were spying on us. Everybody knows that.
▶ 0:22:29The arctic is another key place for the coast guard with its new significant investment dollars will be making much more important investments to protect the northern domain of america I would like to commend admiral luddy -- admiral lunday for his
▶ 0:23:00Work on this issue as well. What we want to do in this hearing is not just focus on the arctic. I will do that significantly I am sure my colleagues want to have a better sense of the coast guard's posture lay down global deployments and workforce decisions and how the coast guard sees its ability to rapidly deploy the investments that congress and the trump
▶ 0:23:33Administration made this past summer. The most significant investments in coast guard history. It is about time. We are fortunate to have with us admiral kevin lunday, commandant of the coast guard confirmed at the end of last year and a pivotal moment for the service. We appreciate your leadership and willingness to discuss candidly how the coast guard is managing operational risk.
▶ 0:24:00Global deployments, acquisition execution as these historic investments begin to come online. I would now like to offer statements from my ranking member senator blunt rochester in this important hearing.
▶ 0:24:22Sen. Blunt Rochester: Thank you so much Mr. chairman, to you admiral lunday, welcome back. Your team as well. Thank you for being here for today's hearing. I want to first congratulate you in person and say thank you so much for your responsiveness as this year has gone by. Whenever I have texted you or called you responded so promptly and I want to thank you and your team for your responsiveness.
▶ 0:24:53Sen. Blunt Rochester: I also want to say how proud we are of the coast guard in this country. I got the opportunity to meet with some of them in delaware and spend quality time. On behalf of all of us, established in 1790i think it was, you have stood the test of time and we are pleased to see we can talk about the future.
▶ 0:25:20Sen. Blunt Rochester: Your leadership is especially important as we enter into a new era of modernizing the coast guard. Coast guard recently received the historic $25 billion investment. While you are poised to revolutionize your ability to counter emerging global threats and protect mariners and fishermen and marine environments. This is a moment that is going to present clear opportunities for you to show your leadership.
▶ 0:25:55Sen. Blunt Rochester: We will talk about that blueprint for design 2028 and the investments that were made. We will also talk about how we will guarantee success. The question is whether the coast guard can convert all of that funding into something that is sustainable long term improvements that will correctly anticipate the growing maritime threats from global actors, as our chairman has shared, and from competitors as well, and
▶ 0:26:25Sen. Blunt Rochester: Keep us safe at the same time. It is also important to know the reason this hearing is so vital is congress and the american people need to know how do we go from the blueprint to the plan to the execution? In your testimony I received last night you were already taking a lot of steps in that regard.
▶ 0:26:53Sen. Blunt Rochester: What you do every day is connected to our safety, our economy, and our national security. Reading through your testimony last night I am eager to focus on your plans to recruit and train and retain a workforce as you leverage this increase in assets as well as the rapid increase in assets. This is not just about investing in vessels.
▶ 0:27:24Sen. Blunt Rochester: It is about investing in the people and I was pleased to say in your testimony that is where you started, with workforce. It also means ensuring coast guard families have access to affordable housing, good health care, and quality childcare because it is our responsibility to take care of the coast guard at home so you can serve our country with confidence at sea.
▶ 0:27:50Sen. Blunt Rochester: A large part of investing is investing in training and that is why I want to recognize the critical role of the coast guard's training institutions. Whether it is rhode island or the coast guard boot camp in illinois where the training center in cape may which is just across the bay from delaware. These institutions remain foundational to coast guard personnel development.
▶ 0:28:16Sen. Blunt Rochester: Admiral, thank you so much for the responsiveness, for your service and the service of all of the coast ease -- all of the coasties and their family and I look forward to discussing how your leadership will guide the coast guard through this critical period. Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 0:28:39Chair. Sullivan: I want to introduce you again. Recently confirmed as the 28th commandant of the U.S. coast guard after serving as the 34th vice commandant and also commended the coast guard atlantic area and lead at the district level in the indo pacific. Thank you for being here. You are now recognized for five minutes for your opening statement.
▶ 0:29:02Adm. Lunday: Ranking member blunt rochester, distinguished members of the subcommittee I thank you for the opportunity to testify and represent our coast guard men and women. I ask that my written testimony be entered into the record. Thank you for you and the subcommittee's strong support of the coast guard and our people. For over 230 five years america has depended on the coast guard to ensure our national security and economic prosperity.
▶ 0:29:31Adm. Lunday: In the face of unprecedented challenges including threats to our sovereignty and way of life a nation needs a strong and more ready coast guard now more than ever before. With the leadership and support from president trump secretary noem and this congress the coast guard is better position that it was one year ago to achieve operational control of the border, facilitate the flow of commerce, and lapid -- and rapidly respond to crisis.
▶ 0:29:58Adm. Lunday: Through force design 2028 and the historic investment through budget reconciliation we are renewing the coast guard to become a more agile and responsive fighting force. Your continued strong support including for sustained higher annual topline growth in our appropriation is vital to our continued success. 2025 was a historic year for the coast guard and delivering mission results with record-setting outcomes. We interdicted over 510,000 pounds of cocaine at sea headed for the united states.
▶ 0:30:29Adm. Lunday: That is over 190 3 million potentially lethal doses that would've otherwise reached american communities. We saved an additional 5000 lives through search and rescue operations, including over 200 90 following devastating storms in texas and the pacific northwest. All of this while implementing force design 2028 is the most sweeping transformation in more than a century. Our operations continue.
▶ 0:30:58Adm. Lunday: In the past two months in the caribbean and north atlantic coast guard teams conducted high-profile boardings of dark vessel tankers, enforcing U.S. and international law as well as others to stop illegal activities including sanctions violations and funding of narco terrorism.
▶ 0:31:17Adm. Lunday: In the polar regions the notions only heavy icebreaker commissioned 50 years ago this week is conducting icebreaking operations vital to the resupply of america's station in antarctica. Polar star is one of only three operational icebreakers. We are rapidly expanding our icebreaking freight -- our icebreaking fleet to secure our northern border.
▶ 0:31:42Adm. Lunday: Under the president's leadership and direction we are working to expand our icebreaker capacity with the construction of 11 arctic security cutters. We recently awarded two contracts to rapidly build arctic security cutters, two to a shipyard in finland, four to a shipyard in the united states and we are working on awarding an additional contract for five more and will onshore more shipbuilding into U.S. shipyards and strengthen america's industrial base. Assets do not make the coast guard. Our people do.
▶ 0:32:14Adm. Lunday: We must grow our workforce and support the readiness of our men and women and their families. We must increase annual operating funds to provide our people and the families with the housing, childcare, medical care , training, and support services they need to serve successfully. Last year the budget reconciliation funded recapitalization of aging assets and new technology needed for the coast guard to rebuild readiness.
▶ 0:32:43Adm. Lunday: We have already obligated $7.8 billion and will obligate over $20 billion, 75% of the full amount to deliver new cutters, boats, aircraft, and technology. This is a down payment. We need significant sustained higher topline growth, especially in our operating funds, starting with the 2026 appropriation. Any lapse in appropriation disrupts our ability to conduct operations and deliver value to the american people.
▶ 0:33:12Adm. Lunday: Any shutdown means many of our people will go without pay, even while they have to continue working, which is an unwarranted financial hardship. I urge the congress and the strongest terms to pass a budget now that funds the coast guard and pays our people. I also asked for the senate support to put the full coast guard senior leadership team in place by confirming the president's nominees for vice commandant, our vice admiral positions, and our other presidential nominees. The new leadership team is critical to our success now.
▶ 0:33:43Adm. Lunday: Thank you and I look forward to your questions.
▶ 0:33:45Chair Sullivan: Thank you. I will defer my first round of questionings to the distinguished chairman of the armed services committee and I will tell you that chairman wicker cares deeply about the coast guard and we had an important victory in december where we attached the coast guard authorization act that we worked on part in this committee to the national defense authorization act which is
▶ 0:34:17Chair Sullivan: Something I've been advocating for for years and it makes sense to bring all of our military services together in the reauthorization acts in one bill and one vote and that is what we achieved at the end of last year and we did it in large part because of the chairman of the armed services committee. I will defer my first round of questioning to chairman wicker.
▶ 0:34:39Sen. Wicker: I appreciate that. Much of the credit for the inclusion of that provision in the armed services authorization bill goes to you as the senator from alaska is subcommittee chairman here. There is a lot I need to mention and I only have a moment. Let me mention junior rotc. You and I spoke about this.
▶ 0:35:11Sen. Wicker: Thank you for whatever role you may have played in directing that two new units be established in april of this year, one in oregon and one in alaska. Junior rotc is a great sedition shipbuilder -- a great citizen shipbuilder and helps our readiness and I wish we could have twice as many because it has been proven.
▶ 0:35:43Sen. Wicker: Second, senator schatz and I have legislation that would require an annual plan, a budget display for coast guard operations in the pacific. If you would speak to the relationship the coast guard and dod have and tell us what you need extra of this topline you mentioned to increase our op
▶ 0:36:15Sen. Wicker: Tempo in the indo pacific?
▶ 0:36:16Adm. Lunday: Thank you for your question. United states is not only a pacific nation, we are also a pacific island nation because of hawaii and our territories there . The coast guard has been present in the pacific for a long time and we work closely with the department of war and our presence has increased in the pacific. Since I served as the command of the oceana district we have added nine additional cutters.
▶ 0:36:44Adm. Lunday: Congress has funded the addition of two more fast response cutters to go to guam. We shifted a cutter permanently to the pacific to increase our operations there and the 26 appropriation pending now would add another 116 million operating funds to improve training, engagement teams throughout the pacific island nations and to strengthen U.S. national security and defense in the indo pacific.
▶ 0:37:10Adm. Lunday: It is a vital area of operations and we continue to expand our commitment and our footprint into the pacific. That is not just somewhere over there. The indo pacific is also the U.S. homeland because of hawaii and our three territories.
▶ 0:37:24Sen. Wicker: I take it from your testimony at the answer to the question is we have made a good start and we have a lot more to do.
▶ 0:37:31Adm. Lunday: Yes we do. We have made a good start but we have much more to do.
▶ 0:37:37Sen. Wicker: Are you also suggesting that our plus ups should be part of the regular associations rather than going through the reconciliation process? You have a position on that?
▶ 0:37:52Adm. Lunday: Certainly the reconciliation process infuses an investment that is needed but it must be supported by sustained investment in the capitalization money and also our operating funds because these assets are badly needed. It is the crews that operate them that make the coast guard able to do what it does.
▶ 0:38:12Sen. Wicker: And daniel topline does matter, doesn't it?
▶ 0:38:17Adm. Lunday: It does. -- and the annual topline does matter, doesn't it?
▶ 0:38:24Adm. Lunday: It does.
▶ 0:38:27Sen. Wicker: Tell us about where we are with helicopters. We put money in with jayhawks. We are phasing out the dolphins. The mh 60 jayhawks. Are we moving to a combination of that simply called the jayhawk and not the mh 60? Where are we on that?
▶ 0:38:49Adm. Lunday: The mh 60, we call our variant the jayhawk and we are moving towards and have been on the road to move to a 60 rotary wing fleet. We are continuing to look at other options and reconciliation investment has given that. The older 65 short range helicopter is approaching obsolescence.
▶ 0:39:12Sen. Wicker: The dolphin.
▶ 0:39:14Adm. Lunday: Much harder to maintain and the manufacturer does not supply parts. The original was to phase them out by 2037 but we think the sunset will come much faster given the obsolescence.
▶ 0:39:29Sen. Wicker: Keep us posted. I think if you'll indulge me, we have $2 billion in last year's reconciliation for the jayhawks. Keep telling us what you need. What are your plans for coast guard station? I know it is not in alaska but there are coast guard facilities elsewhere in the country.
▶ 0:39:59Chair Sullivan: I did not know that. That is good to know.
▶ 0:40:04Sen. Wicker: Will we be returning to full response operations according to her plans at coast guard station?
▶ 0:40:10Adm. Lunday: Yes we will. I made a decision in december to restore that to a full response station. We had downgraded it in 2023. I was part of that because of our severe personal storages. Now we are in a position where we need to resort to full response operations and we will do that in 2026.
▶ 0:40:35Sen. Wicker: Was that a mistake or something you have to do?
▶ 0:40:39Adm. Lunday: Something we had to do but we are now in a position to restorative full operations.
▶ 0:40:45Sen. Wicker: How important -- this is my last question -- how important are autonomous systems going to be?
▶ 0:40:52Adm. Lunday: They are critical and we have made investments in those systems fueled by the budget reconciliation investment. In that $7.8 billion we have already obligated we have purchased a number of short range and medium-range autonomous systems, both air and surface and even subsurface. They are providing us the capability we do not have before to perform our missions.
▶ 0:41:16Adm. Lunday: There is also funding for long-range uas we have not yet obligated but we are on track to carry ca.
▶ 0:41:27Chair Sullivan: Senator blunt rochester?
▶ 0:41:30Sen. Wicker: I might have shared -- Sen. blunt rochester: I might have shared with you that in a former life I was head of state personnel for the state of delaware. The focus on jobs and the focus of making sure the workforce is well-equipped, well-trained, that you can recruit has always been top of mind for me because you cannot do your mission if you do not have the people and you cannot do the mission well if the people -- if you have a
▶ 0:42:01Sen. Wicker: Good culture and people feel they are in a good place. I know with force to design 2028 it called for the expansion of the coast guard by 15,000 active duty personnel, which is over one third increase of the number of active service members. My correct on that?
▶ 0:42:20Adm. Lunday: That is correct.
▶ 0:42:22Sen. Blunt Rochester: I know it was a gao report last year that indicated you are about 2600 personnel short. Do you recall that report?
▶ 0:42:34Adm. Lunday: I do.
▶ 0:42:37Sen. Blunt Rochester: Was it accurate?
▶ 0:42:39Adm. Lunday: It was close but we are moving in a positive direction so the numbers are changing in a positive way since that report.
▶ 0:42:47Sen. Blunt Rochester: Which is a huge direction because I's on your testimony you hired 6000 folks. Did I read that correctly?
▶ 0:42:55Adm. Lunday: Last year we finished with 5200 and are on track to reach 6000 this year.
▶ 0:43:01Sen. Blunt Rochester: Would you say you are at full strength for what you're trying to do now?
▶ 0:43:06Adm. Lunday: We are almost back to restoring that deficit, the 10% shortage in the enlisted workforce. By early fall we will of been out of that and well-positioned to keep growing the force towards that 15,000 number.
▶ 0:43:20Sen. Blunt Rochester: Can you talk a little bit about what you did to be so successful in that recruitment? Are there specific things you did differently, where there are things you said we will not do that anymore. Can you talk about how you have been able to make this kind of progress in a year?
▶ 0:43:38Adm. Lunday: Thank you for the question because it highlights the importance of our recruiting effort and I think we are going to need the level of effort we have put into recruiting going forward. We will never go back to the situation where we can just expect people to want to join the coast guard.
▶ 0:43:56Adm. Lunday: We have to tell our story better and so we invested in the people and talent and expertise and technology to recruit, to reach all parts of the united states, attract the best young men and women who have the propensity to serve and want to serve and then recruit them.
▶ 0:44:15Adm. Lunday: That has involved opening more recruiting offices including in places we do not have them have not had them like the midwest and then using technology to be able to reach young people where they live, where they consume information rather than the traditional methods they used to recruit me a long time ago.
▶ 0:44:33Sen. Blunt Rochester: When I saw the number 15,000, that is significant. I was thinking, do you think you will be able to sustain that pace. Do you think will be able to sustain that pace and what you think it will take to do that?
▶ 0:44:54Adm. Lunday: It is really important because it is not only on the prudent side. We need to have the training capacity in our system, first at training center cape may, but also in our follow-on training for our force. One of the key parts is expanding that training capacity and the ability to develop our people, that becomes critical. It is driven by an increase in operating funding.
▶ 0:45:23Adm. Lunday: The 11 arctic security cutters we are busy -- we are building at the president's direction, that will require 1300 new coast guard people that do not exist today to operate those.
▶ 0:45:33Sen. Blunt Rochester: And so therefore the investment in training is so important because that does not exist today. Can you also talk about -- I know there are plans to build over a dozen new vessels with this funding you received. How long does it take to build a ship like a polar ice cutter?
▶ 0:45:55Adm. Lunday: What we have done is taken a new approach that is enabling us to move at speed and scale in a way we have not before. The budget reconciliation gave relief from chapter 11 in title 14. Originally thought of as a way to reduce risk it slowed us down by bogging us down with a lot of work before we could move ahead with our position.
▶ 0:46:22Adm. Lunday: We also got rid of these hundreds of pages of boutique requirements and leaned more on the commercial industry with more basic requirements so they can move faster with the funding in hand. We are going to be delivering these assets much faster than in the past.
▶ 0:46:37Sen. Blunt Rochester: I guess one question and I know I am now over my time. I don't know if we will have a second round. I will yield here and come back for a second round.
▶ 0:46:48Chair Sullivan: Admiral, I just want you to reemphasize what is at stake in the next couple days. If there is a government shutdown, another one which we do not need. I know some of my colors on the other set of the aisle do not want to fund ice. Ice will be funded no matter what. They were funded in the budget reconciliation bill.
▶ 0:47:16Chair Sullivan: Shutting down the government is not going to starve them of funds but it will starve our coast guard of funds. The men and women of the coast guard and fema. Can you emphasize that? In the previous government shutdowns the coast guard has always borne the brunt of some of the shutdowns. It is not right. I would like you to emphasize that a little bit.
▶ 0:47:46Chair Sullivan: It would be completely unnecessary. We don't need to do this.
▶ 0:47:49Adm. Lunday: This is critically important. Our people, they worry about whether they will get paid or when they will get paid. It brings financial hardship and brings worry and concern for them and their family members. When they are trying to be focused on being ready and serving their country, both our military and civilian personnel, that is a key factor to her ability to get the mission done safely.
▶ 0:48:18Adm. Lunday: They are not sure they want to keep serving if they are not sure they would get paid on time. Beyond that it interrupts our ability to do the growth we need to do to transform the service. Keeping an appropriation in place is critically important.
▶ 0:48:33Chair Sullivan: I hope all of my colleagues here that and understand that. It would not be constructive in any way, but particularly the coast guard being hurt and the members and the families. It's not go there. I want to talk about the arctic. You and I talked about an op-ed written by alice rogoff in the washington post a couple days ago on the importance of the arctic.
▶ 0:49:02Chair Sullivan: This was similar to one I wrote in the wall street journal about a year ago called greenland is nice but alaska is better. I would like to submit that for the record. Everyone is talking about greenland, which is strategic. Alaska has way more than we already own alaska. It is a great state. Let's talk about the arctic and the icebreaker numbers are great.
▶ 0:49:30Chair Sullivan: We have this icebreaker cap with russia, with china, they are not even an argent nation and they have more icebreakers than we do. -- they are not even in arctic nation and they have more icebreakers than we do. It is something I've been focusing my entire career. We are starting on a good front with home ported and commissioned recently in juneau.
▶ 0:49:56Chair Sullivan: A great event you and I had the opportunity to attend, the commissioning. The budget reconciliation bill has $300 million for the shoreside infrastructure to homeport the ship in juneau. How do you think that is going and are we on schedule? In the previous coast guard reauthorization act we were able to get the land transferred from noaa to the coast guard to help that.
▶ 0:50:24Chair Sullivan: Do you think that is going well and how can we keep the pedal to the mental and all of these issues? Part of the hearing is if we want to accelerate the great opportunities that exist in the coast guard across the country and across the world and certainly in my state?
▶ 0:50:38Adm. Lunday: Thank you for the $300 million to support the waterfront facilities to permanently homeport there. We are moving quickly to execute that funding and have that infrastructure there ready by 2029. What we still need to do is get the funding for the housing. The housing in juneau is not adequate so we need funding to have adequate housing that would support the crew and the families.
▶ 0:51:08Sen. Blunt Rochester: -- chair
▶ 0:51:10Sullivan: If you put that through your requests I am confident the committee and the congress will be strongly supportive of that. You and I have spoken a lot about the next phase of all of these coast guard cutters, the heavies, the mediums, and smaller ones. I am sure senator baldwin will ask about the ones for the great lakes.
▶ 0:51:34Sullivan: I know we are looking at, especially for the mediums, home porting around 2028. I have said publicly and I cannot imagine it would not have significant work coast guard cutters where the ice is, where the action is in alaska. I know you are not there yet.
▶ 0:51:58Sullivan: I know your team is looking at the home porting decision-making but can you give me a sense of the direction you have given your team? I would anticipate a couple more icebreakers being home ported in the arctic where the ice is and that means alaska.
▶ 0:52:13Adm. Lunday: We have talked about this before and the speed at which we are moving to build the arctic security cutters mean we will have to assign the people very soon and make decisions in consultation with the department and in communication with congress on what those decisions will be. That will happen in 2026.
▶ 0:52:34Adm. Lunday: Part of the planning guidance I have given to my team as they present options to me and I discussed them with the secretary is to start with an option that includes home porting arctic security cutters in the state of alaska.
▶ 0:52:45Chair Sullivan: I appreciate that very much and when we are talking 2026i will keep pressing you guys. I think first-quarter and second-quarter at the latest we want to get moving on that but I appreciate your leadership on that. With that, senator baldwin? Deppe baldwin thank you, Ms. --
▶ 0:53:05Sen. Baldwin: Over the past couple of years the coast guard has received significant increased funding, nearly 25 billion dollars from the reconciliation bill last year. This committee has received shockingly little information about how and when and where the coast guard plans on spending those funds.
▶ 0:53:31Sen. Baldwin: It is my expectation that the coast guard will promptly provide information to this committee on all of the programs allocated funding in last year's reconciliation bill. I want to particularly focus on the light and medium icebreaking cutters which received about $800 million in that $25 billion package. These new cutters are meant to replace the aging and smaller icebreaking tugs.
▶ 0:54:06Sen. Baldwin: Can you provide additional information on the coast guard's plan to acquire new light and medium icebreakers, including how that $800 million will be split between those programs?
▶ 0:54:17Adm. Lunday: Thank you. Our domestic icebreaking capability in our ports and waterways is critically important. The funding and reconciliation to replace those medium and light icebreaking capabilities is critically important.
▶ 0:54:35Adm. Lunday: We did a solicitation and asked for information from industry because we are taking a commercial approach so we can move at speed and scale to deliver these much faster than we otherwise would and we have gotten that input back on the light in the medium variance we are analyzing that information right now as we develop an acquisition plan to move forward with acquiring the light and medium icebreaker capabilities. We cannot not have a specific breakdown of which of the numbers of each variant yet but we are working toward that.
▶ 0:55:07Adm. Lunday: As to the plan you asked about, I directed my staff this morning and I will be prepared to brief an update members of the committee and also of the staff on the current status of our overall reconciliation execution and so we look forward to providing that briefing to you and to you and the staff as well.
▶ 0:55:26Sen. Baldwin: I was very disappointed when the president announced that many of the coast guard's new icebreakers would be primarily constructed overseas. United states has a long and proud tradition of constructing effective icebreakers, including in my state of wisconsin. I believe that money would be better spent at home.
▶ 0:55:51Sen. Baldwin: Admiral lunday, does the coast guard intend to build light and medium icebreakers domestically?
▶ 0:55:59Adm. Lunday: Senator, yes. Our plan is to build those in domestic U.S. shipyards with american workers.
▶ 0:56:06Sen. Baldwin: That is music to my ears. As you might be aware, last fall the navy cut the contract for the constellation class frigates being constructed in wisconsin.
▶ 0:56:23Sen. Baldwin: Following the cuts to that contract, the navy suggested the possibility of helping the coast guard out with speeding up the procurement of a second great lakes heavy icebreaker which I also hope will be built in wisconsin.
▶ 0:56:44Sen. Baldwin: Have you had any discussions with the navy regarding that possibility, of the possible options to speed up procurement of the icebreaker for the great lakes?
▶ 0:56:56Adm. Lunday: First acquiring a second great lakes icebreaker at least as capable as the mackinac means one of my top priorities for the coast guard. We talk with the navy regularly on their acquisitions and hours because we are always coordinating about how we use and leverage the U.S. defense of industrial base. I have not spoken directly on the great lakes icebreaker specifically.
▶ 0:57:27Adm. Lunday: But yards in the great lakes region are a critical part of the U.S. industrial base and we look to award contracts to U.S. shipbuilders. We hope those shipyards that build great american ships, including those in the great lakes will be competing for coast guard work.
▶ 0:57:44Sen. Baldwin: You testified before this committee last fall and agreed it was important to construct a second heavy icebreaker for the great lakes. Unfortunately, my republican colleagues did not include any funding for the icebreaker in the reconciliation package we have just discussed, a very hearty $25 billion including very significant focus on icebreakers.
▶ 0:58:14Sen. Baldwin: Do you commit to seek funding to construct the second heavy icebreaker in future budget requests?
▶ 0:58:22Adm. Lunday: Yes we do. I thank the committee for the support in the 2024 budget for $20 million and our 2026 unfunded priorities list there is a request for an additional $35 million for the analyzed phase.
▶ 0:58:39Adm. Lunday: The relief we got in chapter 11 title 14 requirements and reconciliation, if we have the congress support to extend that relief to other major acquisitions like the great lakes icebreaker it would enable us to move much faster to procure and build that icebreaker.
▶ 0:58:54Sen. Baldwin: Thank you for that information.
▶ 0:58:57Chair Sullivan: Senator sheehy?
▶ 0:59:01Sen. Sheehy: Good morning admiral, how are you? I don't know if we already covered icebreakers, have we already talked about icebreakers?
▶ 0:59:12Chair Sullivan: We started and we are continuing and we are not done yet.
▶ 0:59:17Sen. Sheehy: If we've already be that one to death I do not need to hit it more. Back when I was in service we had a pilot program with the coast guard that utilized a training pipeline where we had coast guard officers go through seal training with the intent of enhancing your ability to do interdiction operations. That program was subsequently shut down and in light of recent events we are seeing the spirit of that program is very much still in demand.
▶ 0:59:49Sen. Sheehy: What is the current outlook of the coast guard as far as enhancing that? Search and seizure underway, capture vessels is probably the most high-risk mission our armed forces do. We have lost many seals over the years. Fbi agents who went through seal training with me were killed doing training. I am curious what the coast guard's current plan is to invest in that capability and enhance it. I was present when a decision was made to invest in that decision was made to divest.
▶ 1:00:24Adm. Lunday: The coast guard has been investing and spending time building out our advanced capability in our maritime security response teams including generating a second team capability on the west coast. The high-profile tanker boardings who have seen us perform that the coast guard has led has been led by those maritime security response teams. Some of our highest and most proficient operators.
▶ 1:00:50Adm. Lunday: They work with naval special warfare and other members of the community and I've spoken with the commander and joint special operations committee. And how we can continue to deepen that operation. I am familiar with the original program were coast guard operations went through special warfare training. Some of those officers continue to serve with distinction in the navy and we remain close to them and consider them part of our family.
▶ 1:01:19Adm. Lunday: We have not renewed that program but I will take a look at that program and whether or not that is something we should look at and I will talk at admiral bradley about it as well.
▶ 1:01:27Sen. Sheehy: I bring it up only because the very history of special ops in the american military, although it is all invoke with the global war on terror, but the history is one of investment in a quick divestment when it is not convenient to keep the state leaders around. They have long hair and they get in trouble a lot.
▶ 1:01:52Sen. Sheehy: The service quickly disbands them after the conflict is over and are forced to re-create that capability later when it is needed. Almost every branch has made that mistake. Luckily after the call mission in iran, the military recognized slits institutionalize our special operations -- the military recognized let's institutionalize our special operations capability.
▶ 1:02:20Sen. Sheehy: When we tried to flex that after it is already required disaster strikes. The mission your forces are specifically tasked to do was such a high-risk mission both from a comic perspective but also an operational safety perspective. Even if you are training it is a high-risk mission because especially north atlantic or elsewhere you have assets involved, it is a super dangerous environment.
▶ 1:02:45Sen. Sheehy: The only branch of our military, I understand the coast guard straddles, the only branch of the military that is not institutionalized special ops as a command capability. You've always had the interdiction teams and that. It is the coast guard. I would recommend in the light of the recent months of tempo in the atmosphere to say maybe the coast guard could lead into this again and institutionalize what is a capability which you just outlined.
▶ 1:03:16Sen. Sheehy: We have the capability so let's make sure it is institutionalized in part of our doctrine so when he retired and someone else comes in they do not say we don't need this anymore, let's shut it down. We have done that so many times in the military. I don't mean to beat a dead horse but thank you for taking a look at that.
▶ 1:03:31Adm. Lunday: Part of forest design is to establish a special mission command with a dedicated flag officer focused on all of our specialized forces. Thank you, senator.
▶ 1:03:43Chair Sullivan: Thank you, senator sheehy. We have a good naval facility in kodiak or we also have the largest coast guard station in the country. Great joint ops there. Admiral, I want to go back to that discussion on icebreakers. I think the world of the coast guard.
▶ 1:04:11Chair Sullivan: One of the criticisms I have had over the years is it can somehow be slow on the decision-making front, a little bureaucratic. I am hopeful that kind of timeline on the coast guard decision-making on home porting icebreakers can be made first-quarter or second-quarter at the very least. How many icebreakers would you potentially see in terms of what we have in the budget reconciliation?
▶ 1:04:42Chair Sullivan: How many would you see being home ported in alaska?
▶ 1:04:45Adm. Lunday: As I have told the team in december when I asked them to develop options, they developed options, one of the first ones I want them to present among a range of options for consideration decision is in consultation with secretary noem is for home porting of about 24 icebreakers in alaska. We are still pending a decision that is clear guidance I have given to the team.
▶ 1:05:15Chair Sullivan: I was back home over the recess and had a great briefing on your leadership team in alaska. Culpepper and a bunch of others went to seward with me as well so I appreciate it. Your team's time and effort they took with me last week.
▶ 1:05:40Chair Sullivan: It is a long history but when I first got here at the coast guard have this plan for a forced lay down, they were looking all over the country and they would take the cutters in alaska to do so despite all of the arctic challenges which I thought was a big mistake so I worked very closely with the commandant during his confirmation process and got them to change -- they wanted to go seven cutters to six, we went
▶ 1:06:13Chair Sullivan: Seven to eight so I got an update on that in terms of the forced lay down of what is happening in seward with the frc that is coming to the coast guard infrastructure dollars for housing in the shoreside infrastructure of $50 million. In sitka with another frc coming there with an additional 66 million for the shoreside infrastructure.
▶ 1:06:42Chair Sullivan: And then the need for housing money, I think that was $6 million there. The kodiak of mh 60 from five to nine and two additional opc that are projected there. I have a two part question. How do you think those investments are going? The money is already appropriated. It is part of the plan.
▶ 1:07:13Chair Sullivan: There are strong community interests there. They love the coast guard. Second, we have had this surge, is chicken and the egg of shipbuilding capacity in seward, even may be in wrangell. A lot of companies are starting to do the shipbuilding and heavy maintenance work. Jag is an example.
▶ 1:07:40Chair Sullivan: As you are looking at home porting but also cost savings, does it help to have someone very close that can do the heavy maintenance overhauls, not just for the coast guard vessels but some of the shipbuilding companies in alaska are doing it for navy vessels. It seems like a good symbiotic relationship.
▶ 1:08:03Chair Sullivan: You don't have to send your vessels whether it is icebreakers or frc's down to alameda or other places. You keep the family's home ported where their ships are doing the overhaul. It is exciting because it is driving the private sector as well but it is a cost efficiency for the coast guard as you look at these additional assets.
▶ 1:08:27Chair Sullivan: Can you speak to the timelines on sitka but also this idea of a stronger relationship -- a real budding ship industry has taken off in alaska and it is quite exciting.
▶ 1:08:41Adm. Lunday: I think on our plans for building out the infrastructure including housing in seward and sitka and other locations, much of that is funding and we are moving forward on executing it. The areas where we need additional funding and some of those locations, continued housing buildout in kodiak continues to be important.
▶ 1:09:04Chair Sullivan: The recent housing in kodiak you guys have built was exquisite. Whoever did that in line with the coast guard, that is exactly what our men and women of the coast guard deserve. The housing facility there is really impressive. I appreciate that very much.
▶ 1:09:22Adm. Lunday: Thank you, chairman. We were there in august and able to cut the ribbon on the latest development. American maritime dominoes and a strong industrial base is not just about shipbuilding, it is about the repair you mentioned. The more capacity in our repair and the closer it is to work cutters are home ported the more competition and better cost we will get for repairing our ships.
▶ 1:09:49Adm. Lunday: I am supportive of anything that increases the availability of repair capacity and the capacity that is closer to where our cutters are home ported.
▶ 1:09:57Chair Sullivan: Doesn't that also good for the cruise because they are not leaving their duty station as that ship is being repaired more locally?
▶ 1:10:08Adm. Lunday: It is.
▶ 1:10:11Chair Sullivan: I see the chairman of the committee is coming. Are you ready to go, Mr. chairman, or should we turn it over to senator blunt rochester?
▶ 1:10:22Sen. Blunt Rochester: Thank you. I'm not sure if this is round two or three but it feels like a moving fleet. I want to continue my questions. I also want to start off by acknowledging what the chairman said, that we hope there is not a shut down.
▶ 1:10:43Sen. Blunt Rochester: I think there been positive signs even in the past 24 hours with the engagement of the white house as well as bipartisan group of senators which is important for the country to see. Let's start there.
▶ 1:11:01Sen. Blunt Rochester: I would be remiss if I let the opportunity go by without acknowledging sector delaware bay as well as our folks at our station in the india river in delaware. Just doing exemplary work in represented very well. Represented the organization as well as the country.
▶ 1:11:29Sen. Blunt Rochester: To follow up on my questions I know we were talking about the amount of folks you have to hire, the ability you are able to recruit so many. Did I understand there is still a deficit at this point? Would you like to see in terms of a complete force?
▶ 1:11:53Adm. Lunday: The clear direction for its design is not only to -- not only to come out of the deficit but to grow our military workforce by 15,000 and we will need that workforce to operate the assets, the growth in assets congress has funded, the american people have funded the coast guard to do more operations and deliver more value to the american people.
▶ 1:12:17Sen. Sheehy: I know week -- Sen.
▶ 1:12:19Blunt Rochester: I know we talked about the build up and how long that takes. When the tankers were seized off the coast of venezuela did you have to move folks from -- whether it was search-and-rescue or other core functions or was it what you expected?
▶ 1:12:41Adm. Lunday: Not from search and rescue mission. The teams performed this type of mission in other areas where they are on ready status to be able to perform. This is within their normal mission profile, just more visible than it has been in the past.
▶ 1:13:00Adm. Lunday: We used marine inspectors and our cyber protection teams and we used cutters that would otherwise be doing our maritime drug reinforcement mission, we reallocated them to this mission temporarily while we do tanker operations.
▶ 1:13:14Sen. Blunt Rochester: I will also follow up with you as I have worked on supply chain's a lot, both here in the senate but also in the house and also on cyber. I would love to follow up with you afterwards on the threats we see in that space. I have two minutes if you want to talk about cyber threats as well.
▶ 1:13:38Adm. Lunday: Thank you because cyber demand is an operational demand for the coast guard and it is of critical importance, not only day-to-day work but in protecting the supply chains united states and our economy depend on in cyberspace. The coast guard has cyber command that we used to operate to protect not only our own networks but maritime critical infrastructure, our ports and waterways and the facilities in cyberspace.
▶ 1:14:07Adm. Lunday: We have also benefited as a regulatory agency from increased authority that we put out a new regulation that governs U.S. port facilities and vessels and offshore facilities, ensuring they meet required cyber security standards.
▶ 1:14:24Sen. Blunt Rochester: I think again these kinds of hearings are vital in terms of our role of oversight as well as making sure that the resources are going where they need to go.
▶ 1:14:40Sen. Blunt Rochester: Congratulations on being able to quickly recruit so many individuals I think in the testimony said it was the largest since 1991 and I think considering what you're facing, we will need all of those resources.
▶ 1:14:58Adm. Lunday: Thank you ranking member.
▶ 1:15:00Sen. Blunt Rochester: I will yield back. >> our chairman of the committee I'm honored senator cruz is here. He and I really tagteam the effort in the budget reconciliation on making this historic largest investment of the coast guard history so I want to thank the chairman for his great leadership on this, this is something that he and I as the full chairman and chairman of the subcommittee have a lot of crop -- a lot of pride in.
▶ 1:15:30Sen. Blunt Rochester: I think it's on the more underreported elements of the budget reconciliation bill, but so important to our country and historic investments in the coast guard. With that, Mr. chairman the floor is yours.
▶ 1:15:45Chair Cruz: Thank you Mr. chairman I fully agree with those sentiments. Patrol forces southwest asia six fast response times in bahrain are doing difficult work in the persian gulf. Escorting commercial traffic, a countering piracy and interdicting slugging networks that use small vessels to move drugs, weapons and other contraband.
▶ 1:16:11Chair Cruz: As you know, seizures of these vessels are extremely dangerous and in 2020 4, 2 navy seals tragically drowned during the nighttime seizure in this area weapons to yemen. My colleagues who think should be boarding every venezuelan drug runner that's a risk you take.
▶ 1:16:36Chair Cruz: Congress developed to a policy to dis-incentivize maritime drug trafficking including seizing or otherwise disposing of trafficking vessels. Right now these sea pirates are turned on their way with no consequence. What specific changes do you intend to make in the next year to turn these introductions into real deterrence resulting in fewer repeat offenders and fewer going back to see to move drugs and guns.
▶ 1:17:02Adm. Lunday: Thank you for your question and attention on this issue. I'm proud of our crews the do this dangerous and important work under the command of U.S. central command. I will -- I have directed -- communicated when I commanded the land to gary with central command commander and the commander of fifth fleet out there and I've asked them to do the same.
▶ 1:17:27Adm. Lunday: I will reengage in the department of war the central command commander admiral cooper and talk about the way forward on this so we can make sure we are being more effective on these boarding operations.
▶ 1:17:41Chair Cruz: I want to return to the top of the chairman manchin a minute ago which is after years of neglect, the coast guard is finally receiving resources it needs to stop illegal immigration and intercept drug traffickers and keep americans safe at sea.
▶ 1:17:56Chair Cruz: In the working families tax cut act we passed last summer it included the largest recapitalization of coast guard in american history, $24 billion it also cut through layers of red tape and gave the coast guard flexibility to buy new ships and aircraft quickly. Let's talk about outcomes. What are three concrete capabilities you will deliver this year with this funding?
▶ 1:18:22Adm. Lunday: Thank you Mr. chairman. We are moving at speed and obligating the funds and delivering the outcomes here of a paramount importance. So the first outcome we are going to deliver is and we've already obligated this funding and that's the autonomous systems. So we've already invested in, obligated and are delivering autonomous systems that were using for air, short and medium range.
▶ 1:18:50Adm. Lunday: Were also searching for surface and the contract we are using for border control and we are using that for underwater vehicle operations as well. Were using that of the polar star and antarctica. That's one example of a suite of capabilities that would bring to bear in terms of delivering outcomes.
▶ 1:19:09Adm. Lunday: The other outcomes is we just awarded in early january around the sixth of january a contract for the rebuild of the station and which is along the border there in southern texas with mexico. It guards the gulf of america and it is the eastern end of operation river wall.
▶ 1:19:30Adm. Lunday: And that 200 billion dollar award and investment will deliver a much more capable and enduring station that incorporates the customs and border protection capability for example for the state of texas is a secure communications facility and it gives us the preeminent facility we need to be able to control security defense.
▶ 1:19:51Chair Cruz: Very good and I will say the investment in south padre island I am certainly grateful for as our texans across the board. Let's focus where you ended that in october 2025 the coast guard surged additional response boats and tactical teams to the rio grande under operation river wall to help establish operational control along roughly 260 miles of border river in south texas.
▶ 1:20:22Chair Cruz: What are your clear measurable outcomes for this operation as you search forces to the river and how do you prevent this mission from draining cutter's aircraft and boarding teams from offshore counter drug and other critical plans in texas.
▶ 1:20:38Adm. Lunday: As the senior operational commander I directed that operation in october. And we had a presence there before a long-standing presence but it was fairly small both teams and crews working with border patrol. We needed to infuse a much greater capability and now we are looking at what is that enduring long-range force posture to do operation river wall in a way that balances our commitment to forces there with operational demands.
▶ 1:21:08Adm. Lunday: It's principally a boat force for law enforcement supported by ua acid other capabilities but we've learned a lot of lessons since october as we've done that. Our primary metrics are the number of introductions of border crossings working with border patrol and also attempted crossings across the river.
▶ 1:21:26Chair Cruz: Very good. I will say finally I appreciate your remarks earlier today about making sure the coast guard leadership is in place and this committee will be meeting this tuesday to advance those coast guard promotions.
▶ 1:21:45Adm. Lunday: Thank you Mr. chairman. >> senator duckworth.
▶ 1:21:52Sen. Duckworth: Thank you Mr. chairman, admiral welcome. I don't know if you know this but I am a proud coast he family member. My brother served under rush. He spoke with and that he spoke indonesian. I've been troubled admiral but under the trump administration and the dod continues to aggressively encroach on the coast guard's core missions. This often happens when experienced experts are replaced with interlopers.
▶ 1:22:21Sen. Duckworth: Secretary hegseth has arrogantly tossed aside tactics the coast guard has deployed for years to bring them to justice and facilitate vital intelligence collection. Instead he's been playing judge jerry executioner ordering three strikes without regard to the laws of armed conflict or any evidence these vessels post immediate imminent threat to the united states.
▶ 1:22:43Sen. Duckworth: Can you explain why the coast guard's trained boarding teams shoot at the engines instead of the operator when pursuing a suspected vessel?
▶ 1:22:51Adm. Lunday: When we conduct our maritime law enforcement operations at sea under our dhs and coast guard authority, we are interdicting those vessels is a law enforcement operation to seek to not only stop the drugs but potentially prosecute those that are aboard and so part of stopping those vessels is our specialized capability to disable them from a helicopter, or helicopter interdiction
▶ 1:23:21Adm. Lunday: Squadron that works on a highly specialized teams to do those operations.
▶ 1:23:26Sen. Duckworth: Would you agree the intelligence gathering component of it is also an important part of what you do
▶ 1:23:33When Adm. Lunday: You stop these vessels. When we conduct our law enforcement operations it is.
▶ 1:23:38Sen. Duckworth: I agree the use of lethal force on vessels suspected trafficking drugs, and action that does not constitute armed conflict is illegal under the united states and international law. The trump administration is heavily implied fentanyl overdose deaths justify the authorized use of military force against all vessels in venezuela. The U.S. coast guard has significant experience combating drug trafficking organizations. Does the U.S.
▶ 1:24:04Sen. Duckworth: Coast guard have any reason to suspect venezuela is a major manufacturing hub for fentanyl?
▶ 1:24:11Adm. Lunday: Our principal introductions that involve venezuela, venezuelan gangs that we receive that principally in the caribbean principally we see the movement of cocaine. Our criminal investigations that have been conducted in courts with along with the department of justice shows strong ties between some of these groups that move the cocaine and other groups that are producing fentanyl.
▶ 1:24:38Adm. Lunday: We see the interdiction of cocaine that's a cash crop for many of these cartels that funds their ability to produce fentanyl.
▶ 1:24:44Sen. Duckworth: But you're not seizing massive amounts of fentanyl in these introductions with vehicles leaving venezuela?
▶ 1:24:51Adm. Lunday: My experience enter the fentanyl we see given the size and how it's moved by other means not in bulk amounts.
▶ 1:25:01Sen. Duckworth: I think that's a clear point than most of the cocaine that passes through venezuela to the united states arrives by air and sea routes are mostly headed to europe is that correct?
▶ 1:25:15Adm. Lunday: I'm sorry senator your question was about cocaine.
▶ 1:25:19Sen. Duckworth: My understanding is cocaine is a major illegal narcotic, cocaine is the major are conic transited through venezuela and most of it that's coming through venezuela arrives in venezuela by air, is that correct?
▶ 1:25:36Adm. Lunday: I'd have to look at how it gets into venezuela. Below we see through the caribbean towards puerto rico and other parts of the U.S. we see them moved by c.
▶ 1:25:48Sen. Duckworth: Last year roughly how many pounds of fentanyl did the U.S. coast guard interdict that's arriving from venezuela to the U.S. by c.
▶ 1:25:58Adm. Lunday: I'm not aware of introductions of any fentanyl by c that cocaine was the principal commodity or drug. >> thank you.
▶ 1:26:10Adm. Lunday: I'm not aware of any from venezuela that we have seized as the coast guard and the last five years.
▶ 1:26:16Sen. Duckworth: Are a majority of individuals the coast guard apprehends what it interdict a vessel running drugs into the united states senior cartel leaders or important members or do you find cartels hire individuals who know how to operate in a vessel and are desperate to operate those vessels.
▶ 1:26:36Adm. Lunday: Our experience of people who operate the drug vessels in a maritime law enforcement role are connected with the cartels they are part of the broader network.
▶ 1:26:46Sen. Duckworth: But they're not the leaders -- members of the cartel. -- leaders of the cartel. The intelligence committee and drug enforcement communities in this country have known the prc is the true source of fentanyl precursor chemicals which are bought by customers in mexico and smuggled into the united states. Beyond the legality of these boat strikes I fear our country is more distracted from the true threat vectors whether it's mental arriving from mexico or in the indo pacific region.
▶ 1:27:17Sen. Duckworth: Indo pacific theater post a unique challenge of effectively countering noting robust and stable partners and allies requires a stable presence and protectable investments especially in the indo pacific. The last thing the coast guard should be forced to do is reroute resources and assets away to support president trump's reckless campaign to run venezuela and enrich big oil operations.
▶ 1:27:41Sen. Duckworth: How has the pivot to operations impact of the coast guard's ability to reassure partner nations that the coast guard is committed to countering the prc's role especially in the south china sea.
▶ 1:27:52Adm. Lunday: We continue to maintain a trajectory of growth of coast guard posture in the indo pacific with the addition of more cutters and personnel including in the pending 26 budget we place additional personnel and capability so the coast guard is not diminishing our footprint and presence in the indo pacific because for us that's part of the U.S. homeland to.
▶ 1:28:18Sen. Duckworth: I hope that continues to be true but it's imperative the coast guard in a matter that jeopardizes its ability to produce such obligations that U.S., dot report that deficiency needed. So will you report back to congress should your ability to maintain in the indo pacific start to degrade? >> yes senator. >> thank you senator duckworth.
▶ 1:28:46Sen. Duckworth: We will go into a couple more questions. Senator cantwell is on her way. Also the opportunity to engage. I'm been abroad in the aperture here a little bit admiral beyond alaska. I want to get a sense of how force design 2028 is progressing. If you've just definitely competent you and secretary noem in the coast guard leadership for laying out a vision, it's a really good document. I've read it.
▶ 1:29:12Sen. Duckworth: It has a lot of big ambitious goals and I think you're on the right path but can you give just a quick update in how you are seeing the work of designs 2028 and what's the next phase of this design you're focused on. >> thank you Mr. chairman.
▶ 1:29:35Sen. Duckworth: We have been moving at speed to implement the secretary's direct destruction to force design 2028. The secretary just released on the 15th of january the interim update progress update which is now posted on our website including the available outstanding summary in some detail on where were going.
▶ 1:29:55Sen. Duckworth: >> I'm assuming the budget reconciliation will help supercharge and have you guys be able to achieve the goals of the ambitious goals you put out. >> supercharges the executive Mr. chairman. It's what's fueling this successful 2028.
▶ 1:30:16Sen. Duckworth: So we've been able to do the four primary campaigns which is streamlining our decision-making streamlining our organization to move consensus-based decision-making headquarters to faster delegated lower the organization closer to the front lines.
▶ 1:30:36Sen. Duckworth: To be able to streamline and create an acquisition and contract superhighway and then bring technology to bear to make the coast guard our leader in the federal government on adopting the technology. That supports our tables troll secure and defend the border and respond to crisis. Those outcome tables are mission delivery is part of force design. That's what makes this. Unique.
▶ 1:31:04Sen. Duckworth: We found for the investment the american people make in the coast guard we provide a six times return so for about a 12 billion dollar 2025 investment in the coast guard does in over $70 billion return on investment in property protected, border protected and that's all part of the forces effort. What we require to be successful is that continued topline growth and preparations.
▶ 1:31:33Sen. Duckworth: Where $20 billion organization and still funded about the 13 or $14 billion level. That would be an important full -- important part of our success. >> how about on the recruiting side my ranking member hirono mentioned that but there's a big goal on the force and how do you see that going.
▶ 1:31:52Adm. Lunday: It's going very well. Building on that success to keep moving forward and grow the workforce to meet the intent of 15,000 by 2028 which is the secretaries goal and direction on 2028. We've also hit that from the retention side. We see in our military workforce who need to do more work to an -- improve our civilian retention because they're credible part of our workforce as well.
▶ 1:32:22Adm. Lunday: That's part of building a strong workforce keeping the best talent because our people are our greatest treasure.
▶ 1:32:29Chair Moran: Let me switch gears to another topic. And that's the enforcement as it relates to our uu fishing. Illegal unreported unregulated fishing. I was proud to work with all my colleagues, a in particular.
▶ 1:32:55Chair Moran: We had fish act legislation which passed this committee and then pass the whole senate we attached the ndaa the end of the year. It got stripped out in the conference which was a bit of it is disappointment. How was the coast guard using its assets authorities technology to combat fishing, there was a big in the new york times article. Just a couple weeks ago about these chinese gray fleets.
▶ 1:33:26Chair Moran: And hundreds and hundreds that fish in the high seas they ravage the ocean. Countries in africa and latin america cannot stop them. They were really aggressive, everything from a national security threat to humanitarian crisis. It's the worst of the worst, let alone straining sustainable oceans and fisheries.
▶ 1:33:51Chair Moran: My fish act is an aggressive response that would include the coast guard and the U.S. navy to go after these big gray fleets that are conducting fishing. You're already doing a lot of that this will give you more authorities. Can you talk about some of the work the coast guard is doing and what a threat this is. Not just a sustainable fisheries but it's a national security threat.
▶ 1:34:18Chair Moran: The africom commander two years ago when I was at the security conference talked about fishing as one of the top threats to africom and countries in africa because of the chinese taking over the fishing capabilities of small african countries. In a way that china does with most small countries like bullies.
▶ 1:34:47Chair Moran: How are you doing on that, what more authority can you get from us to combat fishing. Especially against the chinese.
▶ 1:34:56Adm. Lunday: Countering this is a top priority mission for the coast guard. It is about national security. It's about controlling and securing our border through our exclusive economic zone to protect our sovereign fisheries. But even in the international space. Reinforcing international work the prevent I you you fishing.
▶ 1:35:20Adm. Lunday: Those impact our ability and partner nations ability to protect our own livelihood and this key protein source. It is about national security. It's important for us in terms of authority capability in two ways going forward. We need more ability to have airtime -- maritime domain dominance so we can see what these fishing fleets are up to, what they are doing. We can share that information with partners so we can be better at enforcement.
▶ 1:35:50Adm. Lunday: We also need the at sea cutter and air capability and other technology to be able to be effective at controlling deterring and enforcing not only U.S. law but the international frameworks that prevent this. >> we will continue to work on that and hopefully get past that signed into law. Widespread bipartisan support on this committee in the senate and over the goal line.
▶ 1:36:24Adm. Lunday: Senator cantwell.
▶ 1:36:24Sen. Cantwell: I agree and happy to work with you and agree with what admiral lunday just said that we need to have this domain expertise. Worrying about the arctic writ large is without the capacity and without the resources that people think we are missing as fish move further north people think those are their fish and I definitely think we have to have the capacity to address this.
▶ 1:36:52Sen. Cantwell: Certainly want to work with senator sullivan on this important issue as we share a fishing fleet that is challenged every day. Admiral, again good to see you wanted to ask you about slip 36 at seattle. You guys have updated the facility plan and the workforce there, reconciliation bill I think had some resources.
▶ 1:37:20Sen. Cantwell: Is seattle part of your prioritization plan for the infrastructure plan for the future.
▶ 1:37:25Adm. Lunday: It is. The critical part of the work there is to rebuild and build out the capability for our polar security counters. As well as healy which continues to be on board.
▶ 1:37:40Sen. Cantwell: That is part of an ongoing commitment, of the resources are there, committed.
▶ 1:37:48Adm. Lunday: We had resources for annual appropriations before for some of that work and reconciliation as additional resources to advance and complete that.
▶ 1:37:58Sen. Cantwell: I think 323 million is that right.
▶ 1:38:02Adm. Lunday: I believe that's correct.
▶ 1:38:06Sen. Cantwell: When would we expect to see the polar secure cutter when we do expect to see ships arriving. >> the first one being built in mississippi is currently on track for completion and delivery to the coast guard in 2030. So I can get that back to you with a specific projected data on well arrive at its home port but it will be delivered to the coast guard right now on track in 2030.
▶ 1:38:36Sen. Cantwell: We've talked about disappointment and repair to damages for surf boats being built. I think it's in our state. What -- we want you to come and visit and sorry, I missing a page here. Somehow.
▶ 1:39:05Sen. Cantwell: It's obviously an part of our plan and so it is, we are trying to dedicate the maritime sector with incredible exports that come out of the columbia river. You agreed to work with us in a long-term plan to help fix the problems there so particularly accommodating the surf boats.
▶ 1:39:36Sen. Cantwell: So, will you come visit and help us continue this plan for kate d.
▶ 1:39:40Adm. Lunday: We will. Not only the improvements at cape disappointment but the long-term dredging challenge there. And actually if the government is funded by current plan is to travel out northwest in mid february.
▶ 1:39:59Sen. Cantwell: Good, happy to join you on that. Might be better to come later in the year but that's ok.
▶ 1:40:08Adm. Lunday: I look forward to returning.
▶ 1:40:13Sen. Cantwell: This issue of fishermen in the coast guard and the c-130s earlier this month when a vessel ran aground it was a c-130 that was first on the scene. We understand it is including at times one from kodiak that are fishermen rely on that have been routinely transporting migrants to detention centers. Is that correct?
▶ 1:40:41Sen. Cantwell: Have coast guard aircraft or personnel been used to transport detained individuals on behalf of cpb or ice?
▶ 1:40:46Adm. Lunday: The coast guard has unique capability the department that allows us to move people and equipment mostly that's our c 27 medium-range aircraft although we have c-130s in some cases to do that support to ice or cbp at their request.
▶ 1:41:05Sen. Cantwell: How is that helping us meet our other mission of dealing with fishermen who desperately need it in these waters question mark -- waters?
▶ 1:41:15Adm. Lunday: Those types of support operations are not to interfere with our primary national security research and rescue missions. We do that kind of balancing against mission priorities frequently. That is part of the nature of what we do and operational commanders do. That is not impeded our ability to conduct our other primary statutes.
▶ 1:41:37Sen. Cantwell: I see my time is expired but I will ask some follow-up questions to that and also on the jones act but thank you Mr. chairman.
▶ 1:41:46Chair Moran: Admiral you've done a great job here, a very full hour and a half hearing a lot of good questions. I will end with one final question and I'm sure senator cantwell will be interested in it as well. Alaska's waters are some of the harshest in the world yet only 19% of our coastline is currently covered by the coast guard's rescue 21 system.
▶ 1:42:15Chair Moran: The marine exchange of alaska is proving critical and closing these coverage gaps, extending vhf, dsc and ais capabilities to areas rescue 21 cannot reach and is already saved lives during incidences of vessels in distress, the landslide we had.
▶ 1:42:38Chair Moran: So the question is the budget reconciliation bill with the historic investment in the coast guard has a 170 million dollars dedicated to maritime domain awareness.
▶ 1:42:54Chair Moran: How is the coast guard planning to utilize that, continue to leverage partnerships like the marine exchange to rapidly expand coverage for communications and the coast guard's rescue system to ensure real-time safety communications across alaska and high risk maritime environments.
▶ 1:43:22Adm. Lunday: The coastal sentinel which is a framework that is part of force designed 2028. The concept is to reuse sensors not only coast guard and other federal government centers but those from partners including the private sector to bring that together to have a full picture and not just maritime demand awareness but give us dominance for all of the areas including alaska.
▶ 1:43:51Adm. Lunday: Partnerships with groups or entities, organizations are vital to our ability to gather and use their sensor data and be able to share appropriate data back with them and have a common data architecture, that partnership for those partnerships are a vital part of our ability to be successful with achieving a maritime domain dominance.
▶ 1:44:12Chair Moran: I want to thank you, your team, all the members of the coast guard and their families. Please send them our regards as the chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee on the great job they are doing for our country and hopefully we will get through this budget funding event in the next 24 hours and fund the coast guard. I can think of anything more damaging to have a shutdown that would hurt our coast guard members and their families.
▶ 1:44:42Chair Moran: I also want to have ranking member cantwell's request for her statement to be included for the record. If that would happen without objection. Admiral, thank you for your important testimony today you did an outstanding job, you answered all these questions with such detail without any notes. That is great work, great staff work by the way behind you.
▶ 1:45:14Chair Moran: Senators will have until the close of business on thursday, february 5 to submit questions for the record for this hearing. We respectfully ask you admiral to try and respond to those q fars by thursday, february 19 and with that, this concludes today's hearing, thank you again, the committee stands adjourned.