Bud Shuster: “I thank the gentlemen from California, Mr. Hunter and Mr. Garamendi, for their great work. There were a couple of rough…”

“I thank the gentlemen from California, Mr. Hunter and Mr. Garamendi, for their great work. There were a couple of rough patches, but in the House, we were able to figure it out. In the Senate, I especially thank Senator Rockefeller for working through this. I know Senator Rockefeller is retiring, so it is fitting that, as he leaves, this bill and his work is complete, and so we congratulate and thank him for his work. This bill that Chairman Hunter and Mr. Garamendi put together is truly bipartisan and bicameral. There are a lot of great reforms in it. The men and women of the Coast Guard that help to keep this country safe and enforce our laws, this is a tribute to them for what they do. They risk their lives to save people and to save property, and so my hat goes off to them and to thank them again for the great work that they do protecting the American people on the waterways and on the high seas and the marine natural resources that they also help to protect. They have a huge job. I am very, very proud that the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act is going to pass today. As I said, a lot of bipartisan reforms are in the bill that will help to streamline and ensure that our Coast Guard can do their job more efficiently and with less red tape, giving them the resources that they need. Again, a special thanks to Howard Coble, who the bill is named for. This is his final bill. We wish him well in his future journey.…”