Article/Column

At some point in all of our lives, each of us begins a new chapter by asking the question “why have I been given this experience?”  I wrestled with that question on more than one occasion when I was appointed chairman of the Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Transportation Committee in January 2007.

 

Admittedly, prior to this assignment, I did not know much about the inner workings of the Coast Guard or about maritime transportation.

 

I wondered how I would apply my knowledge, skills, and passion to help others in this field – which was all very new to me.

 

However, as I began working in this different arena, I was soon reminded that my steps have always been ordered.

 

Last fall, I began to see the new challenges that this assignment would place before me when nooses were found among the personal effects of a cadet on a training vessel – and then in the office of an officer conducting diversity training.

 

Following this incident, I traveled with the Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Thad Allen, to address the students at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. 

 

Drawing from my own experiences with bigotry and racism, I had the opportunity to explain how the placement of a noose – like the burning of a cross – is an act of hatred intended to threaten and intimidate.

 

I told them how it is an act of terrorism – an action intended to deprive a fellow human being of his or her own sense of the personal freedom and security that we, as Americans, hold to be every person’s right.

 

I was very impressed by the commitment to our shared humanity demonstrated by the cadets with whom I met – who, like me, were shocked that anyone in the Academy community could harbor such hatred and contempt. 

 

However, less than 10 percent of the Coast Guard Academy class of 2008 (which numbers approximately 220 cadets) is comprised of minorities, including 5 African Americans, 7 Hispanic Americans, and one Native American.

 

I see now that my assignment gives me a new platform from which to work to expand opportunities – and build diversity – in our nation.

 

The House of Representatives recently adopted legislation that I co-sponsored, which would reauthorize our United States Coast Guard and make a number of policy changes in that service.

 

As chairman of the Subcommittee in which that legislation originated, I worked hard to ensure that this legislation will take significant steps to ensure that our nation’s “shield of freedom” resembles the nation it is defending. 

 

For example, the bill would require applicants to the Coast Guard Academy to be nominated by Members of Congress or other authorities.  Presently, such nominations are not required for applicants.

 

Creating a nominations process – which is already the norm for all of our nation’s other service academies, such as the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis – would give Members of Congress the opportunity to submit qualified students for consideration from throughout all of the communities of the United States.

 

We also created a new program to grow minority recruitment to the Academy by expanding outreach to minority students.

 

These efforts will begin the process that the Commandant of the Coast Guard himself has told me is needed to expand minorities at all ranks of the more than 6,000-member officer corps from the current number of 827.

 

Additionally, the bill requires the Coast Guard to establish an internship program for students at minority serving institutions (MSI) – to provide these students with exposure to the kinds of careers that are available in the Coast Guard’s civil service. 

 

Similarly, the bill requires the Commandant to create a component of the College Student Pre-Commissioning Program – through which students receive a scholarship for part of their college expenses in return for a service commitment as an officer in the Coast Guard – at MSIs. 

 

On the economic development side, the bill requires the Coast Guard to set as a goal the issuance of 10 percent of its contracts to businesses owned by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals. 

 

The Coast Guard has already achieved impressive contracting goals.  In fiscal year 2007, the service awarded more than 45 percent of its contracts to small businesses, including awarding 6.5 percent of its contracts to small, disadvantaged businesses and 5 percent to businesses participating in the 8(a) program.  This new goal will help the service continue to expand contracting with minority-owned businesses.

 

After a year of effort to build support for this legislation among my colleagues, the Coast Guard Authorization Act passed the House of Representatives on April 24 by a resounding 395 to 7 vote.  It now awaits action in the United States Senate.

 

In addition to taking these actions at the national level, I have also sought to use my position to continue creating opportunities for students in Baltimore. 

 

I have been working over the past year in close partnership with many outstanding individuals from Baltimore’s maritime community to help the Maritime Industries Academy – a public high school in Baltimore created following the break-up of Walbrook High School – begin to create a maritime curriculum that can prepare our students for the many opportunities that exist in the maritime field, including in the Coast Guard.

 

Through my experiences with the school, I have again seen the eagerness of students for someone to reach out to them and take an interest in what they can become and introduce them to the possibilities that exist in our own backyards.  I’ve also seen the eagerness of our entire maritime community to help prepare students to be ready for opportunity by giving of themselves and their talents.

 

I have been energized by our work thus far and I am eager to continue to use my position to collaborate with others in building bridges that can move us more quickly toward a shared future. 

 

And this reminds me how every new chapter in our lives brings us opportunities to apply our talents to create spaces for others.