Dan Webster: “Ultimately, we all must work towards solutions that will lower costs and save lives through mitigation and preparation.”

If Congress does not double the Coast Guard's budget in 2026, the Service will either have to abandon the program.

The United States has relied on the Coast Guard's persistent presence to demonstrate American sovereignty in the Arctic since the United States acquired Alaska in 1867.

I look forward to hearing from you on what you are doing to address those challenges.

To date, we have yet to see such a plan, let alone a cost estimate or a timeline of the first vessel in the fleet.