25.07.08Trump Bill Secures USCG Funds

U.S. President Donald Trump’s vast tax and spending bill has secured funds the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has been searching for since the early 2010s.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act appropriates close to $9 billion for the expansion of the USCG’s Arctic icebreaker fleet. It also sets aside $300 million for infrastructure upgrades related to the homeporting of the newly acquired Storis icebreaker in Juneau, Alaska.  Rounding out the Arctic package, the U.S. Navy will also receive $115 million for the exploration and development of existing Polar infrastructure.

The bill provides $4.3 billion for polar security cutters (PSCs), the largest and most capable icebreakers the Coast Guard will be operating going forward. The first vessel of the type began construction earlier this year. The additional allocation closes the funding gap to allow for completion of at least three PSCs.  

An additional $3.5 billion is reserved for medium-sized polar icebreakers, referred to as Arctic security cutters. The USCG recently published a request for information outlining the vessel’s size, capability and endurance, among other details. The funding allocation should suffice for at least three vessels of the type, in part dependent on if the vessels are constructed in the U.S. or in cooperation with foreign shipyards at potentially a lower price point.  

The funding allocation brings the USCG significantly closer to its long-stated goal of needing to operate eight to nine icebreakers. The timeframe for the construction and commissioning of the vessels, however, remains an open question.