Georgia-2009-HR1516-Introduced

By: Representatives Hill of the 180th, Smith of the 129th, Lindsey of the 54th, Keen of the 179th, and Smith of the 168th

Commending the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91108 in St. Marys, Georgia, and urging the President of the United States, the United States Congress, and the United States Coast Guard not to decommission the unit as currently proposed; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91108 consists of 85 members and, along with others, was formed in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, with three teams of demolition experts, marksmen, and canine teams, this quick-response unit is trained for a broad range of port security and harbor defense missions, to protect the United States and allied forces, to detect weapons of mass destruction and explosives, and to perform maritime law enforcement, interdiction, and support; and

WHEREAS, the unit has six vessels capable of being deployed anywhere in the country within 12 hours to protect the citizens of Georgia and the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, the unit was given the Coast Guard Unit Commendation Award for providing security at the 2004 G-8 Summit at Sea Island, the Republican National Convention of 2004, and the 2005 presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, the St. Marys unit provides an estimated impact of almost $9 million to the local economies of St. Marys and the Camden County community; and

WHEREAS, the St. Marys unit was established in an ideal location to protect major ports along the Eastern Seaboard, including Savannah and Brunswick in Georgia, Jacksonville and Miami in Florida, and Charleston in South Carolina; and

WHEREAS, the United States Coast Guard is recommending the decommission of five of the 12 Maritime Safety and Security Teams, including Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91108 located in St. Marys, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, the United States Coast Guard's 2011 budget request is $10.08 billion, already down 3.3 percent from fiscal year 2010, and the cutbacks proposed would decommission some of the Coast Guard's older cutters and eliminate 1,112 active-duty positions.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend each and every member of the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91108 and urge the President of the United States, members of Congress, and the United States Coast Guard to retain the needed services of the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91108 for protection and service to the Eastern Seaboard of the United States of America.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit appropriate copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the United States Coast Guard, each member of Team 91108, and each member of the Georgia congressional delegation.