WASHINGTON — The commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Adm. Robert J. Papp, Jr., testified Thursday before the Senate Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee on the Fiscal Year 2012 Coast Guard budget.
The subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska., received testimony detailing Coast Guard’s current operations and the critical need to replace the Coast Guard’s aging fleet.
“Our most pressing challenge is recapitalizing our major cutter fleet – that is high endurance and medium endurance cutters,” said Papp. “Ships that were designed to last a quarter century are now approaching a half century of service life – 50 years of waves, wind and salt spray – 50 years of performing concentrated, punishing, at-sea operations. It has taken its toll. We are losing hundreds of patrol days each year due to break-downs.”
To download written testimony click here.
To download the oral statement click here.
