Coast Guard gets $11.9B boost, plus Taiwan training and tsunami plans

What it does

This bill authorizes appropriations for the U.S. Coast Guard for fiscal years 2025–2026, increasing operational funding to approximately $11.3–$11.9 billion annually. It also modernizes Coast Guard acquisition rules, funds new vessels (including Great Lakes icebreakers and Polar Security Cutters), expands training partnerships with Taiwan, establishes tsunami preparedness protocols for coastal facilities, and creates new authorities for property management and cooperative agreements with states, tribes, and other entities to protect cultural and natural resources near Coast Guard installations.

Why we flagged it

The bill's primary function is to authorize and increase appropriations for Coast Guard operations and modernize its acquisition authorities. While it includes several policy riders (tsunami preparedness, Taiwan training, naloxone availability), the core mechanism is budgetary and operational authorization.

• Mandates Coast Guard develop location-specific tsunami evacuation plans for all coastal properties; unrelated to core appropriations or vessel acquisition.
• Requires plan to expand joint training with Taiwan Coast Guard Administration, including cost estimates and strategy for increasing training seats; foreign policy rider.
• Mandates Coast Guard update policy to make naloxone available at all clinics, cutters, and units; requires participation in DoD tracking system; public health rider.
• Requires regulations addressing Canadian Coast Guard cooperation on vessel traffic services; international maritime governance rider.
• Mandates Commandant develop policy to seize vessels transporting controlled substances and reduce maritime drug trafficking incentives globally; law enforcement policy rider.
• Requires procurement of surveillance systems for Coast Guard Sector San Diego, San Juan, and Key West; includes national security study requirement; technology acquisition rider.

What the text implies

• Section 722 (Cooperation with eligible entities) grants the Commandant broad authority to enter into cooperative agreements with states, tribes, and other entities for management of cultural and natural resources on or near Coast Guard installations, with cost-sharing provisions and potential property transfers. This significantly expands Coast Guard land-use and environmental authority beyond tra
• The enhanced-use property pilot program (Section 143) extends the authority to lease or develop Coast Guard property from 5 to 30 years and allows the Commandant to retain proceeds without further appropriation. This creates a revenue stream and property-development authority that may incentivize commercial use of federal installations.
• Section 139 (Tactical maritime surveillance) requires a national security study before deployment of surveillance systems from DoD property, but the bill does not specify what happens if the study is completed but the Secretary declines to procure—creating potential for indefinite delay or political leverage.
• The Great Lakes icebreaker provisions (Section 114) require a strategy and pilot program but do not mandate funding or construction, leaving the timeline and feasibility dependent on future appropriations and political will.
• Section 140 (Taiwan training plan) includes cost estimates for FY 2024–2029 but does not appropriate funds, creating a planning obligation without budget authority—the actual training expansion depends on separate appropriations.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill increases funding for core Coast Guard missions (search and rescue, maritime security, drug interdiction, icebreaking) and mandates tsunami preparedness planning for coastal facilities, directly protecting public safety. Expanded training partnerships with Taiwan and drug-trafficking interdiction policies serve national security and public health. The bill does not impose new restrictions on citizens' rights or remedies.

Who stands to gain

• Defense contractors (vessel construction and acquisition)
• Maritime surveillance technology vendors
• Coast Guard personnel (increased pay, benefits, and training opportunities)
• States and local governments (cooperative agreements for property management and environmental resto

Named in the bill

U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Taiwan Coast Guard Administration, Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, Drug Enforcement Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations

Where it stands

3 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 1 Republicans.

• Feb 11, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Feb 11, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation”
• Mar 5, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent”
• Mar 5, 2025 — Passed the Senate · Congress.gov: “Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1521-1568; text: CR S1522-1568)”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

38 lobbying clients named this bill on 52 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $8,134,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 4 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 99% of bills with at least one filing.

Ted Cruz, the sponsor, reported $531,115 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• American Association for Justice — $3,610,000 on 2 filings
• Cruise Lines International Association, Inc. — $988,000 on 2 filings
• Ocean Conservancy — $403,000 on 2 filings
• National Marine Manufacturers Association — $340,000 on 1 filing
• American Maritime Partnership — $290,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.