Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORT FOR H.R. 367, THE PAY OUR COAST GUARD PARITY ACT OF 2019
______
HON. DON YOUNG
of alaska
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Mr. YOUNG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the unfortunate
position the brave members of our Coast Guard were put in due to the
recent shutdown. Even while they operated without pay, these courageous
men and women continued to serve our country and I would like to
highlight some of their stories.
On January 12th, a Coast Guard aircrew responded to two surfers in
distress off the Oregon Coast who had been pushed by the surf into a
cliffside cove. Once on scene, the crew was able to hoist the surfers
out of the water and get them to safety. On Christmas Eve of last year,
the Coast Guard interdicted a migrant boat off the coast of the
Dominican Republic. Onboard, the crews found 100 kilograms of cocaine
heading for the United States. On January 6th, the Coast Guard Cutter
Vigilant assisted the Haitian government in stopping a small boat
dangerously overloaded with 70 Haitian migrants. The Coast Guard worked
jointly with Haiti to stop the illegal immigration and maintain the
safety of life at sea, something they regularly work with international
partners to accomplish.
These are just a few examples of the great work our Coast Guard does
every day to protect the people in and around our waterways as well as
in our country. Yet unlike the other branches in our armed forces who
selflessly serve this country, our Coast Guard men and women were not
getting compensated for their work during the shutdown. In 2013,
Congress passed the Pay Our Military Act before a shutdown began to
make sure members in the armed forces were able to collect their
paychecks. I emphasize that this was done before the 2013 shutdown
because we just went a little over a month in one and even with
introduced legislation to make sure our Coast Guard got paid, we didn't
act on it.
There were 41,000 Active Duty Coast Guard members, 6,200 reservists,
and 8,500 civilian personnel affected by the shutdown. It is estimated
that 31 percent of Active Duty members do not have the savings needed
to cover one month's worth of expenses. Moreover, some 13 percent do
not have any emergency savings at all. This is not to mention the other
benefits the Service members were missing out on like child care
programs, death benefits, housing allowances, and required travel
costs. Meanwhile, the negative impact on recruiting and retention of
members due to the instability will likely have lasting effects long
after the shutdown.
My state is home to U.S. Coast Guard Base Kodiak, the largest Coast
Guard base in the nation. From there, they coordinate a multitude of
operations in the waters around Alaska, including north in the Arctic.
They patrol our waters to ensure the proper adherence of fishing laws
and regulations, coordinate search and rescue efforts, help establish
and maintain aids to navigation, and conduct other missions to help
save lives and strengthen national security. As the United States' only
surface presence in the Arctic, their mission to ensure safe maritime
activity and safeguard national security has gained importance due to
the growing presence of Russia and China in the region. This mission is
sure to only become even more significant as these foreign powers
continue to expand their influence.
Madam Speaker, I could go on about the many great things our Coast
Guard does for both the state of Alaska and the United States as a
whole, but I believe it is well understood in this chamber and across
the country. With the threat of another shutdown in the near future, I
fear that the members of our Coast Guard will be put in the same
position again. That is why I urge we move to immediately bring up and
pass H.R. 367, the Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2019, to make sure
they are compensated moving forward. Meanwhile, I call on all members
in Congress to come to the table and work with the Administration so
that we can make a long-term agreement that is beneficial for all
federal employees and prevent another shutdown.
____________________