Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation is a specialized panel within the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that focuses on the narrow but critical domain of maritime law enforcement, safety, and commerce. As a subcommittee, it conducts initial hearings and reviews legislation before matters advance to the full committee, which has final authority to report bills to the House floor. The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers the United States Coast Guard and its operations, including search and rescue, drug interdiction, and maritime law enforcement across U.S. waters and the high seas.

The subcommittee handles a distinct slice of transportation policy centered on maritime affairs. Its responsibilities include oversight of vessel and seamen regulation, merchant marine development, port and waterway safety, marine environmental protection related to vessel operations, and ocean shipping regulation. The subcommittee also addresses the Jones Act, which governs domestic maritime commerce, and supervises the Federal Maritime Commission. Notably, its jurisdiction excludes matters directly related to national defense, which fall under the House Armed Services Committee.

The subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS), with Rep. Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA) serving as Ranking Member. The panel has 13 total members. Recent activity includes a January 2026 hearing titled "Drugs, Thugs and Fish: Examining Coast Guard Law Enforcement Efforts," reflecting the subcommittee's focus on the Coast Guard's enforcement missions. The subcommittee also regularly reviews budget requests and authorizations for Coast Guard and maritime transportation programs, ensuring these critical agencies have the resources and legal authority to protect American waters and commerce.