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Congressman Mike Ezell (MS-04), Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, led a critical oversight hearing with Admiral Kevin Lunday, the Acting Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. The hearing focused on reviewing Coast Guard programs and structure and Force Design 2028, highlighting the importance of "historic" investments in the recently passed H.R. 1, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

“Whether it’s securing our ports, interdicting drugs, or conducting search and rescue missions, the Coast Guard is on the front lines every day. We owe it to them to make sure they have the tools, personnel, and support they need to do the job,” Ezell said.

Acting Commandant, Admiral Lunday, testified on the service’s budget priorities, modernization challenges, and workforce needs. The discussion centered on readiness shortfalls, the impact of aging infrastructure, and the need to accelerate vessel acquisition and repair across the Coast Guard fleet.

Ezell highlighted several key wins for the Coast Guard that were secured in the recent bipartisan budget reconciliation package passed by the House, including $21.2 billion to bolster readiness, recapitalize aging assets, and support mission-critical operations across the globe:

• $1 billion for the construction of Fast Response Cutters (FRCs)—vital for operations in drug interdiction, search and rescue, and port security, 

• $4.3 billion for continued development and procurement of Polar Security Cutters, which will expand the Coast Guard’s operations in the Arctic and help safeguard American sovereignty in increasingly contested waters, 

• $4.978 billion for Arctic Security Cutters and domestic icebreakers, 

• $3.154 billion for shoreside infrastructure, and

• $1.3 billion for aviation, cutter, and shoreside facility depot maintenance, of which $500 million is for a floating dry dock; and $180 million for maritime domain awareness, of which $75 million is for autonomous surface assets.

“These investments represent real progress for the men and women of the Coast Guard. I’m proud that we were able to deliver on priorities that matter to the Gulf Coast and the national maritime community. This is about readiness, resilience, and making sure our Coast Guard stays the world’s premier maritime force. The reconciliation investments we were able to secure under President Trump’s leadership are absolutely transformational. I think everybody on this subcommittee would agree that the billions we are seeing in investment for our Coasties is a nonpartisan issue.  We’ve got to get this done,” Ezell concluded.

Ezell pledged continued oversight of the Coast Guard’s implementation of these initiatives and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that maritime security and coastal resilience remain top national priorities.