The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a bill to authorize $12.9 billion in spending for the U.S. Coast Guard next fiscal year, roughly $1.56 billion above the amount President Trump has requested, Federal News Network reported Thursday.
The 2019 Coast Guard Authorization Bill sets a discretionary funding of $8.1 billion and seeks to expand career options for the service branch’s personnel. It would allow temporary promotions for critical roles and enable officers to skip promotion boards to have more time in completing an expanded assignment.
A provision in the bill would require the service branch to craft an organizationwide cloud computing implementation strategy outlining goals and procurement approaches, as well as an initiative to maintain competition during the contract period.
“This legislation ensures our Coasties can continue carrying out their important work to secure our waterways and keep our communities safe,” Committee Chair Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.
