United States Coast Guard

Offshore Patrol Cutter - Building the 21st Century Coast Guard

The Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) is critical to the future of the Coast Guard’s offshore fleet and will replace the service’s aging fleet of medium endurance cutters, some that are in excess of 50 years old. The Coast Guard awarded a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., of Panama City, Florida, Sept. 15, 2016, ...More

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Combating Transnational Criminal Organizations - Western Hemisphere Strategy

Coast Guard Cutter Valiant crew seized approximately $141 million worth of contraband. These counter-drug interdictions were carried out as part of Operation Martillo, an international operation focused on sharing information and bringing together air, land, and maritime assets from the U.S. Department of Defense, the ...More

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Combating Transnational Criminal Organizations - Western Hemisphere Strategy

A Coast Guard public affairs officer, speaks to an audience during a ceremony at U.S. Attorney's Office Middle District of Florida where an interagency team received the Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award for their efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking. (U.S. Co ...More

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Maritime Border Security - Western Hemisphere Strategy

The Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous transits the water near Virginia Beach, Virginia. Vigorous returned home following a 55-day deployment in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the Coast Guard's Western Hemisphere Strategy. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Melissa Leake)

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Maritime Cybersecurity - Cyber Strategy

The Coast Guard's Cyber Strategy emphasizes three strategic priorities: Defending Cyberspace, Enabling Operations, and Protecting Infrastructure. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Etta Smith)

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Increasing Activity in the Polar Regions – Arctic Strategy

Alaska Air National Guard and Royal Canadian Air Force search and rescue personnel load simulated casualties onto an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak during exercise Arctic Chinook, near Kotzebue, Alaska. Arctic Chinook is a joint U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Northern Command sponsored exe ...More

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Increasing Activity in the Polar Regions - Arctic Strategy

Coast Guard Cutter Healy, a 420-foot icebreaker homeported in Seattle, conducts operations in the southern Arctic. The Coast Guard is responsible for ensuring safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity in U.S. Arctic waters. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory J. Menden)

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Increasing Maritime Commerce

As new challenges arise associated with increasing maritime commerce, the Coast Guard will continue to promote a safe, efficient and resilient Marine Transportation System. Coast Guard members from Aids to Navigation Team Puget Sound, in Seattle, and the Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake, homeported in Everett, Wash., ...More

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Human Capital Strategy

The Coast Guard Academy graduates approximately 200 officers every year. These new officers will be key to implementing the Human Capital Strategy’s 10-year course, ensuring a thriving and effective workforce prepared for the complexities of tomorrow.

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“Two years ago, I issued my Commandant’s Direction which introduced three principles characterizing our organizational focus: Service to Nation, Duty to People, and Commitment to Excellence. One year later, I promulgated my Strategic Intent 2015-2019, outlining our highest priorities and the investments required to meet them.”
- Admiral Paul. F. Zukunft, Commandant’s Strategic Intent 2015-2019 Mid-Term Report

Explore below for information on the United States Coast Guard’s Strategic Priorities and Legislative Agenda.

Strategic Priorities

Build the 21st Century Coast Guard
Future mission success relies on continued recapitalization of Coast Guard boats, cutters, aircraft, systems, and infrastructure. Critical recapitalization programs include beginning production of Offshore Patrol Cutters, completing the Fast Response Cutter program, and initiating acquisition of new heavy icebreakers.
Maritime Border Security and TCOs
Combating transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) at sea, where they are most vulnerable, severs the financial lines of criminal networks that destabilize governments, threaten rule of law, and spread violence throughout Central America. This effort includes intelligence-queued joint DHS, Department of Defense, and allied partner operations using forward deployed cutters with armed use-of-force capable rotary-wing aircraft, fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft, and deployable specialized forces to disrupt and interdict illicit drug and human smuggling operations in the transit and approach zones of the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Basin.
Maritime Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a Nation. Government systems encounter a mounting array of emerging cyber threats that could severely compromise the Coast Guard’s ability to perform its essential missions. These growing threats also pose significant risks to our Nation’s Maritime Transportation System and critical infrastructure. With over 90% of the Nation’s goods moving via increasingly networked maritime conveyance, preserving cyber security is essential to overall safety, security, and effectiveness.
Increasing Activity in the Polar Regions
As ice melts, and sea lanes and access to precious natural resources expand, the Nation must maintain adequate access and presence to address increased safety, security, and environmental risks associated with increased exploration, vessel traffic, and human activity. Improved governance through cooperation with other Arctic Nations and becoming party to the Law of the Sea Convention are critical to resolving competing claims by other nations and protecting U.S. sovereign rights in the Polar Regions, particularly the Arctic.
Increasing Maritime Commerce
Address risks associated with increased domestic natural gas transport, deeper U.S. ports, and larger vessels due to the expansion of the Panama and Suez canals through compliance enforcement, regulatory frameworks, and prevention and response operations. The prosperity of our Nation is inextricably linked to a safe and efficient Maritime Transportation System.
Fiscal Management
Stable, consistent funding streams and sound fiscal stewardship are essential to responsibly and economically execute the Coast Guard’s increasingly complex acquisition programs, and maintaining a well-trained and properly equipped military workforce.
Human Capital
The Human Capital Strategy guides leaders to develop people with the right competencies and experience to execute missions, create positive workplaces that foster proficiency and support our people throughout their careers. It sets a 10-year course to ensure that our functions and processes - including requirements, resource allocation, training, and human resource systems - work together to ensure a thriving and effective workforce prepared for the complexities of tomorrow. The Human Capital Strategy underscores the critical nature of unit-level leadership in developing the workforce of tomorrow. It also defines efforts critical to the resiliency and safety of our people. It ensures our processes deliver talented individuals, with the necessary training and performance support tools, ready to execute the mission.

The Coast Guard's core values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty are ingrained in every member of our workforce. As this Strategy is implemented, we will ensure that we have the workforce critical for our Service to Nation, priorities that uphold our Duty to People, and focus that strengthens our Commitment to Excellence.

In the Commandant’s Strategic Intent 2015-2019, we are called to fulfill our Service’s responsibility to ensure the safety, security, and stewardship of our Nation’s waters. To do this, the Coast Guard must: understand our strategic environment, adapt to the strategic challenges in all domains, and achieve and maintain a resilient service that is always ready for the realities of the 21st century.

In conjunction with our Strategic Priorities, the Legislative Agenda for the second session of the 114th Congress, and the 115th Congress are:

Legislative Agenda

Authorization and Appropriations Committees

Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Homeland Security

Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation

Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, & Coast Guard

Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and
Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

House Appropriations

Subcommittee on Homeland Security

House Transportation and Infrastructure

Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation

House Homeland Security

Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
Legislative Priorities
• Recapitalization Funding - Fund asset recapitalization programs with emphasis on the Offshore Patrol Cutter.
• Polar Icebreakers - Garner support for a heavy polar ice breaker fleet.
• Operating Expenses and New Asset Funding - Preserve the operating expenses base and new asset operating funds.
• Military Blended Retirement - Address funding shortfalls projected with the new military Blended Retirement system.
• Ratify Law of the Sea Convention - The Convention sets forth the comprehensive, globallyaccepted legal framework addressing activities on, over, and under the world’s oceans. Ratifying the Convention will strengthen Coast Guard military and law enforcement efforts.
• Ratify Maritime Labour Convention 2006 – The Convention establishes minimum requirements for seafarer working and living conditions. By ratifying, it would allow the Coast Guard to issue certificates to U.S. flag vessels certifying compliance and reducing risk of costly delays when U.S. flag vessels call on foreign ports party to the Convention
Authorizations
In addition to annual appropriations, the Coast Guard is required by law to submit an annual authorization request to Congress (House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation) through the Secretary of Homeland Security within 30 days of the President’s budget submission.

The Coast Guard submitted its Fiscal Year 2017 request in March 2016. Typically, Congress enacts a Coast Guard "authorization" bill every two years. Congress enacted the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 in February, 2016, enhancing authorities across several missions, such as provisions criminalizing at-sea destruction of evidence and bulk cash smuggling, supporting efforts to thwart Transnational Organized Crime and the drug trafficking profits that fuel these networks throughout the Western Hemisphere.
As a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States, the Coast Guard is directly impacted by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), primarily in the areas of pay and benefits. The 2017 NDAA includes proposals that would revise the Uniform Code of Military Justice and affect how the Coast Guard carries out its military justice programs.
Regulations
The Coast Guard has a significant rulemaking docket that includes both Headquarters rules that are national in scope and long term, as well as field regulations that are local in scope and temporary in duration. The Headquarters rulemaking docket accounts for approximately 40% of all of DHS regulations. Notable recent regulations include rules on inspection of towing vessels, safety regulations for commercial fishing vessels, and removal of conditions of entry on vessels arriving from the Republic of Cuba.

The Coast Guard works closely with the DHS Office of the General Counsel and the Office of the Secretary as well as the Office of Management and Budget on the review and clearance of approximately 20 rules per year, many of which are statutorily mandated. Many regulations have considerable impact on sectors of maritime industry. The Office of the Secretary clears all rules deemed “significant” by OMB before signature by the Commandant.

Coast Guard Districts publish between 500 and 800 field regulations per year. These usually temporary regulations include safety and security zones, regattas and marine parades, anchorages, and drawbridge deviations.

Additional Readings


Human Capital Strategy	Cyber Strategy	Western Hemisphere Strategy	Arctic Strategy