FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 22, 2010

Isakson, Chambliss: Take Funds from Terrorist Trial in Civilian Court to Prevent Coast Guard Cuts in Georgia, Nation 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., have signed a letter to Senate appropriators asking them to prevent a cut in the Coast Guard's fiscal year 2011 budget by redirecting proposed funding that is now designated for terrorist trials in civilian courts.

Proposed cuts for the Coast Guard in the president’s budget include eliminating the Maritime Safety and Security Teams in St. Marys, Ga. Isakson and Chambliss believe the Coast Guard unit should remain at St. Marys.  

Isakson and Chambliss also are opposed to trying enemy combatants in the United States criminal justice system and have co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would cut off funding for the trials of the 9/11 conspirators in civilian court. 

“We oppose the Administration's proposal to cut funds from the Coast Guard budget while pouring scarce dollars into civilian court expenses for Guantanamo Bay terrorists, especially when there is a safer, more cost-effective alternative. The earmark for terrorist trials should be redirected to the Coast Guard and to other priority programs,” the letter states.

The full text of the letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, and Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran, R-Miss., is below:

Dear Chairman Inouye and Ranking Member Cochran:

The President's Fiscal Year (FY) 201 1 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget proposes a $75 million reduction in the Coast Guard's budget compared to the appropriation it received this fiscal year. To implement this drastic cut, the Coast Guard would have to decrease its uniformed personnel by more than 1,100. With the homeland security challenges that our nation faces, we cannot afford to have the Coast Guard's strength reduced in this manner.

After the September 11, 200 1, terrorist attacks, the Coast Guard took on an expanded homeland security mission. While remaining responsible for its traditional missions, including life-saving search and rescue operations and protection of the navigability of our nation's waterways, the Coast Guard now is also responsible for protecting our ports from a wide variety of threats, including the potential smuggling of weapons of mass destruction. Far from cutting personnel strength, an August 2009 U.S. Naval Institute article documented senior Coast Guard leadership's vision to add 8,000 to 10,000 personnel to the service's end strength to meet expanding mission demands.

The extraordinary performance of Coast Guard men and women in response to the earthquake in Haiti stands as the most recent reminder of the tremendous value of this vital service. As Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen noted in his final State of the Coast Guard Address, Coast Guard personnel are the "federal first responders for the nation." Cuts to the Coast Guard's budget, such as those proposed by the President, would undermine the swiftness, capacity, and flexibility of the service.

Also in the Department of Homeland Security budget, the Administration proposes $200 million to cover security expenses associated with the trials of Guantanamo Bay terrorists, such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 911 1 co-conspirators, in civilian courts in major urban areas within the United States. This amount is proposed as part of the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program. Given the concerns raised by Congress, state and local officials, and the American people regarding these trials, we ask that this money be reallocated within the DHS budget to prevent reductions in the Coast Guard's budget.

We oppose the Administration's proposal to cut funds from the Coast Guard budget while pouring scarce dollars into civilian court expenses for Guantanamo Bay terrorists, especially when there is a safer, more cost-effective alternative. The earmark for terrorist trials should be redirected to the Coast Guard and to other priority programs. This additional investment will make an immediate and positive impact on homeland security and will help ensure that the Coast Guard continues to live up to its motto, "Always Ready."

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