Coast Guard pleads for Deepwater funds.Senior Coast Guard officials are lobbying Congress for patience and generosity concerning the Deepwater program, and stress that the ambitious modernization modernization Transformation of a society from a rural and agrarian condition to a secular, urban, and industrial one. It is closely linked with industrialization. As societies modernize, the individual becomes increasingly important, gradually replacing the family, effort is key in executing anti-narcotics missions. "The Coast Guard must obtain and field the latest technologies and develop new techniques to counter this ever changing threat," said Rear Adm. Dennis Sirois, the Coast Guard's assistant commandant for operations. "For example, we are developing an initiative to deny the critical use of offshore refueling vessels to the go-fasts." "Go-fasts" refer to small speedboats that rely on a network of slow, petrol-laden boats to power the craft they use to smuggle smug·gle v. smug·gled, smug·gling, smug·gles v.tr. 1. To import or export without paying lawful customs charges or duties. 2. To bring in or take out illicitly or by stealth. drugs into the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . If the fueling vessels can be successfully targeted, the smugglers' speed and range could shrink significantly. While testifying before a House government reform subcommittee sub·com·mit·tee n. A subordinate committee composed of members appointed from a main committee. subcommittee Noun , Sirois described congressional calls to reduce Deepwater funding as "troubling." The Coast Guard's 2006 budget requests $966 million for the program. The House version of the 2006 DHS DHS Department of Homeland Security (USA) DHS Department of Human Services DHS Department of Health Services DHS Demographic and Health Surveys DHS Dirhams (Morocco national currency) appropriations bill reduces Deepwater funding to $500 million; the Senate version reduces it to $905.6 million. "If held to a $500 million funding level, the Coast Guard cannot complete necessary legacy asset sustainment," he said. "Any reduction in Deepwater funding jeopardizes the Coast Guard's integrated recapitalization Recapitalization Restructuring a company's debt and equity mixture often with the aim of making a company's capital structure more stable. Notes: Companies often want to diversify their debt-to-equity ratio to improve liquidity. strategy." Deepwater's plan is to build or upgrade Coast Guard ships and planes so their information can be integrated into one common operating picture. Those assets will take advantage of advanced unmanned vehicle and sensor technology. The advanced detection platforms and equipment of Deepwater will be necessary for interdicting smugglers in enough numbers to make a difference, Sirois said. Currently, most operations are dependant on Adj. 1. dependant on - determined by conditions or circumstances that follow; "arms sales contingent on the approval of congress" contingent on, contingent upon, dependant upon, dependent on, dependent upon, depending on, contingent limited patrol aircraft and collected intelligence to find smugglers. The abbreviated funding levels being discussed in Congress will result in an operational capacity that "will go away faster than it can be replaced and this resource problem will persist," Sirois said. "We are working our assets and our crews harder than ever, and the wear is beginning to show." |
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