This bill establishes a new Cabinet-level Secretary of the Coast Guard position to provide civilian leadership over the service. Currently, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Homeland Security without its own secretary, but this legislation creates both a Secretary and an Under Secretary of the Coast Guard, both appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Secretary would have direct authority over the existing Commandant of the Coast Guard, who would become a military subordinate rather than the service's top leader. The bill includes safeguards such as prohibiting recently retired military officers from holding the Secretary position and requiring Senate confirmation for these new roles. The legislation essentially elevates the Coast Guard's organizational structure to match that of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, which already have their own civilian secretaries overseeing military leadership.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.