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Your leadership is instrumental in supporting Coasties. You have done an outstanding job leading the Service thus far.

Turning a ship as old and large as the Coast Guard takes strong leadership, time, and commitment.

Congress must do better.

I am pleased to witness strong leadership and commitment by Admiral Fagan and believe that the Service is on the right course.

I thank my colleagues for this bipartisan legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I, again, thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and subcommittee Chair Webster. I would also like to thank our bipartisan staff on the Republican side John Rayfield, Reed Linsk, Cameron Humphrey, Nicole Bredariol, and Ian Orr; and…

I worry about the precedent this has created as the fiscal year 2025 funding request follows this downward spiral or trend.

Stability in international shipping is integral to a strong economy.

I would like to commend you on your ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe environment for all mariners on board ships.

I commend your leadership efforts to make the maritime industry a safe and desirable workplace for all.

The reforms in the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act... strengthened the FMC's authority to investigate unfair ocean shipping carrier fees.

It is important that the FMC is sufficiently funded so that it can properly continue to carry out these reforms.

Implementing that sooner than 2030 would be helpful as well in this regard.

The U.S. merchant marine is shrinking, and availability of American merchant mariners is dwindling.

This program supports the research, development, and deployment of new technology in the maritime industry, particularly low- or zero-carbon technologies.

I am heartened to see an increase in funding for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

We thank Congress for waiving the 3-year wait requirement to flag in and have access to preference cargoes.

It is unacceptable that 40 percent of agencies have failed to provide you with bills of lading.

The collapse of the Key Bridge exposed vulnerabilities and created an economic catastrophe for the country.

How important is that funding to your ports, and how will it help you lower emissions from your facilities?

Thank you, Mr. Chair, Chair Webster and Chair Gimenez, for gathering us here today in this beautiful, beautiful place called Miami for this important bipartisan joint hearing focused on our ports.

Last week, when a containership struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the world saw how easily a major port can come grinding to a stop.

Ports are vital to our economy and national security.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I express my sincere condolences to the families of the construction crew who lost their lives.