Cummings: Coast Guard Makes Progress on Turning Ship Around

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, commented on the decision of the Coast Guard to terminate the current acquisition program for the Fast Response Cutter - B (FRC-B) through the Integrated Coast Guard System (ICGS) team. The Coast Guard has explained that this decision is based on its ongoing commitment to improving program management and to ensuring that the acquisition of the FRC-B will yield a patrol boat that is capable of performing all assigned missions and delivered on schedule.

Chairman Cummings said, "We on the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation are demanding strict accountability from the Coast Guard. We will have Admiral Allen return to our Subcommittee in 120 days' time from our first Deepwater hearing (on January 30) to report on the progress he has made in improving the Deepwater procurement. The Coast Guard will also be providing a 60-day update report on the corrections being implemented. "I believe that the Coast Guard's decision to handle the procurement of the FRC-B itself - rather than assign that responsibility to the ICGS team - is a responsible step intended to meet the goals that the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee has given to the Coast Guard. These goals include ensuring that the government's interests are put first in all acquisitions, ensuring that effective products are produced that meet all contract specifications, and ensuring that mechanisms are in place to effectively control costs and yield value for taxpayers' money.