President Donald J. Trump signs S.140 The Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in the Oval Office of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump Tuesday, Dec. 4 signed the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act, which was named in honor of the retiring congressman. LoBiondo, of Ventnor, who did not run for re-election this year, has been a member of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommitte for 22 of his 24 years in Congress. He served as chairman, vice-chairman or ranking member for 14 years.
“So few issues have been bipartisan across the board during my time in Congress but supporting the Coast Guard was always one of them,” LoBiondo said when the authorization bill passed the Senate with a vote of 94-6. “It is one of the truest honors of my life to have represented the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May and Air Station Atlantic City for 24 years in Congress.”
The bill authorizes $7.9 billion for operating expenses and $2.6 billion for construction, renovation and facilities improvement, including Coast Guard cutters and an unmanned aircraft system. It authorizes active duty pay for 43,009 Coast Guard personnel in 2018 and 44,500 in 2019.
“Naming this legislation for our retiring colleague, Frank LoBiondo, is an acknowledgement of his championship of the Coast Guard throughout his congressional career, including during his leadership of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee in five previous congresses,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (PA-9).
