Coast Guard administrators are in the middle of a 25-year plan to update old fleets. According to the Associated Press, the branch has already spent over $7 billion in 10 years, but only has two new vessels. The long-term plan was set to produce 250 new ships at an estimated cost of $24.2 billion.
The AP reports that the U.S. Coast Guard has failed to meet their projected plans due to cost and management issues within the branch of the Armed Forces. By this point of the plan, the Coast Guard was supposed to have released eight new ships.
Members of Congress are questioning the Coast Guard’s plan as they are set to reduce spending. Republican Representative Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey told the AP that Congress wants to help the Guard, but will not hand over a “blank check.” LoBiondo is also a part of the subcommittee that oversees the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard officials are scrambling to rectify the plan while bracing themselves for possible budget cuts. Congress is expected to make such cuts from various programs this fall.
According to the AP, Hurricane Katrina is partially to blame for the delay in new fleets. The Category 4 hurricane impacted the Mississippi coast in 2005, where the Coast Guard was starting to build some of its ships.
The Coast Guard’s new fleet-building plan is also referred to as the Deepwater Program.
