Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
What changed between versions
Multi-year Coast Guard funding increased substantially: FY2027 raised from $12.5B to $13.5B, FY2028 from $13B to $14.5B, and FY2029 from $13.5B to $15.5B.
A separate funding line (likely a specific program) saw dramatic increases: FY2026 raised from approximately $16.2M to $67.7M, FY2027 from $16.5M to $70M, FY2028 from $17M to $75M, and FY2029 from $17.5M to $80M.
Retired pay changed from an open-ended 'amounts determined to be necessary' language to specific authorized amounts: $1.147B (FY2025), $1.058B (FY2026), $1.215B (FY2027), $1.38B (FY2028), and $1.65B (FY2029).
The floating drydock provision for the US Coast Guard Yard (former Section 234) was removed from the acquisition subtitle.
New Section 118 requires the Commandant to submit an annual plan for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific region, including objectives, capability assessments, projected 10-year demand from State and Defense, resource needs, and a detailed budget display, with briefings to six congressional committees.
Entire Subtitle F (American Offshore Workers Fairness) was removed, eliminating provisions on manning and crewing requirements for outer continental shelf vessels, foreign vessel notifications, anchor handling activities, near shore cable laying barges, and related effective dates (former Sections 361-366).
New Section 317 adds large recreational vessel regulations to the shipping and navigation title.
New Section 327 adds an anchorages provision to the ports subtitle.
New Sections 282 and 283 add reporting requirements on alternative sites for Station St. Thomas and on East Rockaway inlet navigation.
Several authority provisions were removed: enhanced use property pilot program, uniform funding system for morale/well-being/recreation programs and Coast Guard Exchange, and a general 'Coast Guard property' section.
New Section 533 adds a requirement to report sexual offenses, added to Title V on personnel matters.
New Section 350 requires a briefing on deployment of Special Purpose Craft - Heavy Weather second generation (SPC-HWX II) vessels in the Pacific Northwest.
The military strength reporting provision was changed: removed the automatic cap that would have frozen end strengths at 2022/2023 levels if funding did not keep pace; instead now requires a report explaining why costs were not included in the budget submission, and the Commandant may not delegate the briefing.
The housing provision for Coast Guard personnel (former Section 248) was removed from the personnel subtitle.
The helicopter procurement funding restriction now includes an exception: funds may be obligated if the Commandant provides a weekly, in-person briefing on the status of the required report, which the Commandant may not delegate.
Section 116 oversight references changed from 'fiscal year 2025 budget reconciliation legislation' to the specific enacted law number 'Public Law 119-21', and the cutter classification provision was expanded to cover aircraft as well as cutters.
References to 'Coast Guard District 17' in the cutter homeporting report section were changed to 'Coast Guard Arctic District'.
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