{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022-coast-guard-authorization-act-includes-sullivans-alaska-priorities", "2022 Coast Guard Authorization Act Includes Sullivan\u2019s Alaska Priorities", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=27", "scraper", "Bill Focuses on Arctic Capabilities, Improved Maritime Communications, Support for Coast Guardsmen & Families\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation (CST) Committee, voted today with 82 of his Senate colleagues to pass the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022. The bill was passed as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\nSen. Sullivan championed an increase in appropriation levels that will enable the Coast Guard to carry out vessel capitalization and infrastructure development, particularly in the Arctic and Alaska, and support the Coast Guard\u2019s wide range of missions, including stopping the movement of drugs and illegal migrants, enforcing U.S. laws at sea, combating illegal fishing, and protecting the nation\u2019s borders. The authorization also provides significant support for Coast Guardsmen and their families through pay and benefits improvements, adjustments to basic housing allowances, and increased support for members serving in remote locations, providing service members with greater peace of mind as they fulfill their duties to the country.\n\n\u201cThe United States Coast Guard is vital to the security of our nation, particularly in Alaska. This authorization bill makes great strides in fulfilling our commitment to this branch of the U.S. military with the support, funding and attention the Coast Guard deserves,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cAmerica\u2019s Coast Guardsmen will have the most advanced and robust fleet of vessels and shore-side infrastructure to continue successfully executing their wide array of critical missions in defense of our nation.\u201d\n\nMajor authorizations in the 2022 Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act include:\n\n$300 million for the acquisition of a twelfth National Security Cutter.\n\n$650 million for the continued acquisition of Offshore Patrol Cutters.\n\n$167 million for a third Polar Security Cutter.\n\n$150 million for the procurement of a commercially available icebreaker.\n\n$420 million for six additional Fast Response Cutters.\n\nArctic and Alaska Focus\n\n\u201cAlaska is a critical focus of the U.S. Coast Guard\u2014the state with America\u2019s only Arctic territory and the largest Coast Guard base in the country,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWith this bill, we are no longer just discussing the Arctic theoretically\u2014we are making substantial investments. Those investments include fully funding the acquisition of a commercially available icebreaker as a gap strategy to support the Arctic mission while the Polar Security Cutters are being built, and better positioning Alaska to be the homeport location for the vessel. Also important for our state, this legislation will improve the communication systems our mariners rely on to stay safe and alert on the high seas\u2014a key concern of Alaska fishermen in the wake of the Russian naval exercises off of our coastline in 2020.\u201d\n\nSen. Sullivan authored a number of Alaska-focused provisions in the bill, including language:\n\nDirecting the Coast Guard to submit a report on the ability and a timeline to conduct a transit of the Northern Sea Route and periodic transits of the Northwest Passage. This provision is an excerpt from Sen. Sullivan\u2019s Arctic Focus Act.\n\nAuthorizing the conveyance of 2.4 acres of waterfront property from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the Coast Guard to facilitate icebreaker homeporting. If not claimed by the Coast Guard, the property would instead be conveyed to the City and Borough of Juneau for use in the Juneau Small Cruise Ship Infrastructure Master Plan.\n\nRequiring the Coast Guard to achieve 98 percent operational availability of remote Alaska Rescue 21 communications systems no later than August 30, 2023. This provision will improve how the public, particularly the North Pacific maritime and fishing industry, is made aware of certain outages and activities.\n\nRequiring the Coast Guard to work with the Defense and State Departments, and the fishing community, to improve how U.S. mariners are notified of military exercises and activities within the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This provision comes in response to a dangerous encounter between Russian warships and Alaska fishermen in the U.S. EEZ in August 2020.\n\nCreating a civilian position to oversee and develop Alaska oil spill planning criteria, and requiring the Coast Guard commandant to develop training on the program for all personnel with duties that involve the program.\n\nDirecting the Coast Guard to provide contract assurances to better ensure the ability of the United States to carry out oil spill clean-ups.\n\nEnsuring that oil spill response vessels, vessels of opportunity, and fishing vessels towing boom or fishing nets are not subject to misplaced requirements to receive towing endorsements, thus eliminating discrepancies in enforcement across Districts.\n\nReauthorizing the fishing safety training grant program.\n\nProviding regulatory certainty for commercial fishing vessels from onerous, unenforced regulations.\n\nAllowing the use of Automatic Identification Systems to mark fishing equipment for two years, or until the FCC promulgates a final rule to authorize a device to mark the equipment.\n\nProviding relief from ill-fitting, onerous regulations for certain fishing vessels that also operate as tender vessels while the GAO conducts a study identifying an appropriate application of load line regulations.\n\nRequiring the Coast Guard to maintain at least one Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program in every Coast Guard District. The provision is an outgrowth of previous legislation from Senator Sullivan that required the Coast Guard to report on the feasibility of creating a Coast Guard ROTC program.\n\nTaking actions to assist the completion of the Pribilof Island transition.\n\nImproving the Port Coordination Council for Point Spencer by expanding membership and establishing a chair of the council.\n\nRequiring the secretary of homeland security to deny port access for vessels receiving negative certifications under the High Seas Drift Net Moratorium Protection Act, or vessels that are registered with certain nations with reports under the same act\u2014as included in provisions of Sen. Sullivan\u2019s FISH Act.\n\nProhibiting Russian vessels from operating in U.S. waters.\n\nThe Coast Guard Authorization Act also provides significant support for the health and well-being of Coast Guardsmen and their families. These provisions:\n\nProvide a discount at military child development centers (CDCs) for families with multiple children; require certain standards of every CDC; and establish a child care subsidy program to provide financial assistance to eligible providers.\n\nBetter align the Coast Guard\u2019s behavioral health policy with the DOD\u2019s policies, an effort led by Sens. Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).\n\nEnsure certain members of the Coast Guard are eligible for the military\u2019s basic needs allowance.\n\nRequire the Coast Guard to develop a strategy to improve the quality of life at remote installations that addresses housing, health care, and child care.\n\nRequire a study on housing access, costs, and associated challenges facing members of the Coast Guard.\n\n# # #\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022-coast-guard-authorization-act-includes-sullivans-alaska-priorities"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4307049568742514, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}