Jay Rockefeller: “I rise today to celebrate the final passage of a reconciled Coast Guard authorization bill for fiscal years 2013 and…”

“I rise today to celebrate the final passage of a reconciled Coast Guard authorization bill for fiscal years 2013 and 2014. This achievement is the culmination of several months of careful negotiation between the Senate and the House, and is a tribute to what can happen when we rise above trivial partisanship, roll up our sleeves, and reach across the aisle on behalf of the American people. The United States Coast Guard is truly unique among the services and agencies of the Federal Government. As a branch of our Armed Forces, it defends the Nation in time of war, but it also functions as a Federal agency with law enforcement and regulatory authority in a number of areas critical to our national security, economic security, and environment. Today, the Coast Guard is charged with 11 statutory missions that include saving lives at sea; protecting our ports, waterways, and maritime infrastructure from terrorists; responding to natural disasters; interdicting drugs and migrants at sea; and protecting our marine environment. Each and every day, we ask the 42,000 men and women of the Coast Guard to put their lives on the line to carry out these important missions. Over the past few years, we have seen the Coast Guard take the lead in responding to numerous crises like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the earthquake in Haiti, and the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In all of these cases, the Coast Guard has met and exceeded our expectations.…”