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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., questioned Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Senator Wicker asked Admiral Lunday about the service’s plans for implementing the historic investment Congress provided the Coast Guard in 2025. The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Senator Wicker began by highlighting the importance of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (Junior ROTC).

“Let me mention Junior ROTC. You and I spoke about this, Admiral Lunday. Thank you for whatever role you may have played in directing that two new units be established in April of this year: one in Oregon and one in Alaska. I think Junior ROTC is a great citizenship builder and helps our readiness. I just wish we could have twice as many.

Secondly, Senator Schatz and I have legislation that would require an annual plan and budget display for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific. Please speak to the relationship that the Coast Guard and DOD have. Tell us what extra you need from this topline, that you mentioned, to increase our operational tempo in the Indo-Pacific,” said Senator Wicker.

“Mr. Chairman, thank you for your question on the Indo-Pacific. First of all, the United States is not only a Pacific nation. We're a Pacific island nation because of Hawaii and our three territories there. So, the Coast Guard's been present in the Pacific for a very long time, and we work very closely with the Department of War there. Our presence has increased in the Pacific since I served out there as the commander of the Oceania District. We've added nine additional cutters. Congress has funded, in the FY24 appropriation, the addition of two more fast-response cutters to go to Guam. We shifted a medium-endurance cutter permanently to the Pacific to increase our operations there. And the FY26 appropriation that is pending now would add another $116 million in operating funds to improve training, engagement teams throughout the Pacific Island nations, and to strengthen U.S. national security and defense in the Indo-Pacific. And so, it's a vital area of operations, and we continue to expand our commitment and our footprint into the Indo-Pacific. Because that's not just somewhere over there. The Indo-Pacific for us is also the U.S. homeland, because of Hawaii and our three territories,” said Admiral Lunday.

“Do I take it from your testimony, and the answer to the question, that we've made a good start, [but] we've got a lot more to do?” asked Senator Wicker.

“Yes, sir, we do. We've made a good start, but we have much more to do to strengthen our presence in the Indo-Pacific,” responded Admiral Lunday.

“Are you also suggesting that our plus-ups really should be part of the regular appropriations process, ideally, rather than going through the reconciliation process? Or do you have a position on that?” asked Senator Wicker.

“Yes, sir, certainly the reconciliation process infuses an investment that's needed. But it really must be supported by sustained investment in the capitalization money and also our operating funds, because these assets are badly needed. But it's the crews that operate them that make the Coast Guard able to do what it does,” said Admiral Lunday.

“And the annual topline does matter, doesn't it?” asked Senator Wicker.

“It does, yes, sir,” responded Admiral Lunday.

“Tell us about where we are on helicopters. We put some money in for the Jayhawks. Apparently, we're phasing out the Dolphins—actually the MH-60 Jayhawks. Are we moving, then, to a combination of that, just simply called the Jayhawk and not the MH-60? Where are we on that?” asked Senator Wicker.

“Yes, sir. Senator, the MH-60. We call our variant the Jayhawk. We…have been on a road to move to a 60 rotary-wing fleet. We are continuing to look at other options, and the reconciliation investment has given that. Because the older 65 short-range helicopter is approaching obsolescence,” replied Admiral Lunday.

“’The Dolphin?” clarified Senator Wicker.

“The Dolphin. Much harder to maintain. The original equipment manufacturer doesn't supply parts. So, we're phasing those out. The original [plan] was to phase them out by 2037, but we think the sunset's going to come much faster given the obsolescence,” replied Admiral Lunday.

“Because of the reality there. Well, keep us posted on that. And again, I think we got $2 billion dollars in last year's reconciliation for the Jayhawks. So, keep telling us what you need. Will we be returning to full-response operations according to your plans at Coast Guard Station Pascagoula?” asked Senator Wicker.

 “Yes sir, we will. I made a decision in December to restore that to a full-mission response station. We had downgraded it in 2023 when I commanded Atlantic Area. I was part of that because of our severe personnel shortages. And now we're in a position where we need to restore it to full response operations, and we're going to do that in 2026. This was something we had to do because we were so short of personnel. But based on recruiting successes over the last several years, we're now in a position to restore it to full operations,” replied Admiral Lunday.

“How important are autonomous systems going to be going forward?” asked Senator Wicker.

“They're critical, Senator. And we've made investments in those systems, especially fueled by the budget reconciliation investment. In fact, we've already, in that 0.8 billion that we've already obligated, we've purchased a number of short-range and medium-range autonomous systems, both air and surface and even subsurface. They're providing us an ability and a capability we didn't have before to perform our missions. And there's also funding for long-range UAS that we haven't yet obligated, but we're on track to do,” replied Admiral Lunday.

“Thank you sir,” concluded Senator Wicker.