Cummings, Oberstar Introduce Act to Reform Deepwater

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, introduced the Integrated Deepwater Program Reform Act to bring significant reform to the Coast Guard's highly troubled $24b, 25-year Deepwater acquisitions program. Chairman Cummings was joined in introducing the Act by Congressman James L. Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Among other reforms, the Act would prohibit the use of a private sector lead systems integrator for the Deepwater program two years after its enactment, require the use of full and open competition for acquisitions made under Deepwater, and require the use of third-party certification for assets acquired under Deepwater, including the classification of new cutters by the American Bureau of Shipping. Significantly, the Act would also require that the head of acquisitions in the Coast Guard be a civilian reporting directly to the Commandant of the Coast Guard