Chairman Graves Highlights $21B Boost for Coast Guard in "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) testified this week in support of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," spotlighting a major investment in the U.S. Coast Guard as a cornerstone of the legislation.

"For more than 20 years, the Coast Guard has received less than half of the capital investment necessary to successfully carry out its critical missions," Graves said during his prepared remarks. "To support the Coast Guard, we provide more than $21 billion to recapitalize Coast Guard assets."

The funding package includes acquisition of new cutters, aircraft, and icebreakers, along with construction of shore-side facilities to support the expanded fleet. More than half of the total funding in the Coast Guard segment is directed toward maritime assets, aligning with the Trump administration’s recent executive order to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.

Graves emphasized that the Coast Guard’s recapitalization is not only about operational readiness, but also about economic opportunity: "We are aligning with the President’s executive order to strengthen America’s shipbuilding capabilities."

In addition to the maritime focus, the bill includes $12.5 billion for modernization of air traffic control infrastructure and measures to address the chronic shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund.

Still, Graves reserved his strongest endorsement for the Coast Guard investment, calling it a long-overdue course correction for one of the nation’s most vital multi-mission services