Murkowski Presses Coast Guard on Needed Icebreaker Action
Senator: Our “Do More With Less” Service Needs More Tools
Washington, DC – Senator Lisa Murkowski today urged the United States Coast Guard to move forward with a required analysis, in order to move closer to a decision point on acquiring new icebreakers for the Arctic – as they are nearly three weeks past the deadline for providing that analysis to Congress.
“There are different options being proposed for the acquisition of new icebreakers,” Murkowski wrote. But the Coast Guard needed to get a Business Case Analysis (BCA) to Congress by October 15th, she continued, writing “this deadline has passed without the data that Congress desperately needs to do its job in support of the Coast Guard’s Arctic Mission.
Senator Murkowski concluded her letter (attached) by pointing out that another study suggested that the Coast Guard be equipped with six heavy and four medium icebreakers to fulfill its basic duties – yet it only has one medium icebreaker. She wrote “I respectfully request the Coast Guard promptly submit to Congress the BCA and supporting documentation required by law as soon as possible.”
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