Jeff Van Drew: “I thank the gentleman from Oregon and chairman of the illustrious Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mr.…”

“I thank the gentleman from Oregon and chairman of the illustrious Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3409, the Coast Guard Authorization Act--bipartisan legislation that authorizes programs and funding of over $11 billion for the United States Coast Guard through fiscal year 2021. I am proud to represent New Jersey's Second Congressional District, home to the United States Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, Air Station Atlantic City, and thousands more of our brave men and brave women who protect our shores and our coastal communities. This comprehensive bill authorizes critical funding to upgrade and modernize our fleets and improve offshore navigation safety. It requires a report on the effects of climate change and the vulnerabilities of our Coast Guard installations, directs the use of drone technology for potential use to support missions and operations, and orders the Commandant of the Coast Guard to brief Congress on the conditions and need for Coast Guard housing. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for bringing this important bill to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3409, the Coast Guard Authorization Act. These are our brave men and women who protect our seas.”