WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott applauded the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s passage of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2019 to continue United States Coast Guard (USCG) operations and programs through Fiscal Year 2021 and provide additional resources for USCG members.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Our Coast Guard keeps families in Florida safe by patrolling the beaches, shore waters, and maritime territory of our state and by conducting search and rescue operations. It is our duty to make sure they have every resource they need to be successful and protect American families. I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues on the Committee to pass the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, which includes my proposals to make sure members of the Coast Guard get paid during any future government shutdowns and expand the Coast Guard’s use of unmanned aircraft systems and maritime patrol aircrafts to help identify and interdict illicit drugs.”

The Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2019 included Senator Scott’s proposals to:

• Make sure members of the U.S. Coast Guard are paid during any future government shutdowns;
• Expand the Coast Guard’s use of unmanned aircraft systems, like drones, and maritime patrol aircraft to help identify and interdict illicit drugs;
• Prevent the Coast Guard from procuring drones made in foreign countries; and
• Require the Coast Guard to coordinate with the Secretary of Defense and other relevant agencies to identify and report on resource gaps that contribute to low interdiction rates of illicit drugs

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