Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 2830), which will allow the Coast Guard to appropriately balance its dual missions of safety and security.

In the past few years we have increasingly depended upon the Coast Guard to secure our shores against drug smuggling, acts of terrorism and other suspicious activity, while simultaneously keeping recreational and commercial boaters safe. Unfortunately, the Coast Guard has been required to do more with less.  This important measure will reverse that trend by providing an additional 1,500 Coast Guard personnel and $8.4 billion in increased funding to ensure that the Coast Guard can carry out these duties successfully.

I am particularly pleased that this bill will increase oversight and efficiency of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, which has encountered numerous problems since its inception nearly six years ago.  Many businesses, particularly those hiring seasonal and temporary employees, have experienced economic hardship under the program, but the bill before us will help fix many of the problems associated with the TWIC program. 
 
Finally, H.R. 2830 will require the Coast Guard to protect and enforce security zones around all existing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities and encourages state and local entities to assist the Coast Guard with this important mission.  This provision will allow LNG facilities to safely operate in densely populated areas – such as those in my home state of Rhode Island.

I commend both Chairman Thompson and Chairman Oberstar for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor.  I urge my colleagues to support this measure.