Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the House Transportation and Republican Committee Republican Leader, today called cuts to the Coast Guard budget proposed by the Obama Administration a recipe for disaster, and cautioned that these actions would undermine U.S. port and maritime security.
        The FY 2011 budget proposal reviewed today by the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee slashes more than 1,100 positions, reduces Coast Guard, maritime and security assets, and decommissions five recently refurbished helicopters.
        “It’s outrageous that the Administration would propose cutting the Coast Guard budget to this degree when it is our first line of national defense and maritime security,” said U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader.
        “These cuts will be felt throughout the whole nation,” Mica added.  “Florida, with its 1,200 miles of coastline, will be particularly hard hit.  This could close down our efforts to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling.  The cuts in helicopters will dramatically impact Florida, which will lose two helicopters dedicated to drug and illegal immigrant interdiction in the Caribbean.  These aircraft also provide the Coast Guard with the capability to take back vessels that fall into the hands of terrorists.”
        More specifically, the Obama budget proposes to eliminate more than 1,100 jobs at a time when record numbers of Americans are out of work, abolish five specially trained anti-terrorist teams responsible for providing security at our largest ports (including a team which regularly provides security for high profile military and commercial vessels in the ports of Jacksonville and Mayport), reduce the number of vessels capable of carrying out Coast Guard missions, close air stations in the Great Lakes, and permanently ground five newly re-engined and enhanced helicopters.
        Mica commended the Coast Guard witnesses at today’s hearing, including Admiral Thad Allen, for their years of able leadership and service to the country, but lamented the fact that they were forced to defend the President’s indefensible budget proposal.