The following is the text of a press release issued by U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.:
(WASHINGTON) — Today, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) announced that U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter will serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation for the 113th Congress.
“I’m really looking forward to working with chairman Shuster and other members of the committee as we address the nation’s infrastructure and transportation needs,” said Hunter, who will also serve on the House Committee on Armed Services and House Committee on Education and the Workforce. “This is especially a great subcommittee for representing and serving the interests of the San Diego region on issues such as the Coast Guard, port security and waterway safety, maritime transportation and regulatory activities. It’s an honor to have been selected for the subcommittee chairmanship and I am enthusiastic about serving alongside such a talented team of leaders committed to promoting economic growth, competitiveness and public safety.”
The Coast Guard has operated in San Diego since 1937 and conducts maritime law enforcement and illegal immigration and drug enforcement from the U.S. border with Mexico to San Mateo Pt. The San Diego station also performs search and rescue, provides harbor security and escorts cruise ships and Navy assets entering and leaving San Diego Bay.
In 2012, San Diego crews conducted 351 search and rescue operations, saving 98 lives and assisting 2,274 others. And working with local law enforcement, the Coast Guard helped prevent approximately 117,000 pounds of illegal drugs from entering the U.S.
