| Summary: | The United States Coast Guard cannot properly accomplish more than 80% of its missions due to its waning polar icebreaking capabilities. Its only operational heavy icebreaker, the forty-three-year old Polar Star, continues to break down on its annual Operation Deep Freeze mission. The Coast Guard’s icebreaking fleet only contains one other vessel, a medium icebreaker with limited Polar Region support capabilities. Despite its best efforts since 2012, the Coast Guard has yet to secure enough funding for new ship construction from Congress. This proposal analyzes how funding for the construction of three new heavy Polar Security Cutters (icebreakers) enables the Coast Guard’s mission, secures American interests in the Polar Regions, and supports scientific research. Ultimately, its positive recommendation to introduce an appropriations bill to secure this funding best addresses this problem.
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