Adequacy of Coast Guard's Resources To Perform Its Missions

A review showed that recent legislation has placed increased demands on the Coast Guard, particularly in the areas of law enforcement, vessel safety, and marine environmental protection. However, there has been no curtailment of established responsibilities nor has the Administration requested an accompanying increase in resources such as vessels and personnel. In addition, the Coast Guard is experiencing problems with (1) operating existing vessels, (2) retaining experienced personnel, and (3) maintaining and replacing some shore facilities. A review of 51 cutters disclosed that 35 are experiencing problems such as obsolete equipment, poor maintenance, and inadequate onboard living conditions. The agency has had difficulty retaining trained personnel and is depending on inexperienced personnel to do the job. Forty-eight percent of the bachelor housing facilities on shore are inadequate, with the agency stating that a lack of funds prohibits it from maintaining and replacing shore facilities. These resource limitations reduce the Coast Guard's ability to adequately carry out some of its missions, and since GAO recognizes that there may be higher priorities for funds, it provided some options for reducing the Coast Guard's financial needs. These include: (1) transferring certain missions, (2) establishing mission performance levels based on funding levels, (3) purchasing cutters with more specific capabilities, (4) using contractors in emergency situations, and (5) charging users for Coast Guard services.