Crane, Gaetz Call for End to DEI Programs in Coast Guard Amidst Staffing Shortages

Representatives Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Eli Crane (R-AZ) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as well as U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commandant Linda Fagan surrounding the USCG’s implementation and adherence to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles.

The congressman stated this letter comes in response to the Coast Guard’s decision to temporarily decommission numerous ships due to staffing shortages.

The letter to Secretary Mayorkas and Commandant Fagan details the Coast Guard’s personnel is nearly 5,000 servicemembers short while the branch has failed to meet its recruiting quota for the last four years. Reps. Gaetz and Crane pointed to DEI policies as a possible reason for the branch’s lack of recruitment.

“We are writing to raise concerns voiced by service members that affect operational readiness of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) amidst its decision to temporarily decommission ships due to staffing shortages,” Reps. Gaetz and Crane began. “As you know, USCG has reported that it is about 4,800 members short and has missed its recruiting targets for the past four fiscal years. We have also learned that the recruiting shortfall has resulted in the closure of USCG satellite boat stations in various districts, limiting the agency’s ability to monitor illicit maritime activities.”

Furthermore, the congressmen continued by mentioning the notion that decommissioning ships will “increase the burden” on the Coast Guard’s resources, possibly affecting taxpayer investments.

“Additionally, the decommissioning of numerous USCG ships creates a significant gap in our maritime operations by increasing the burden on remaining assets, thus shortening the lifecycle of ships due to continuous usage, and creates a hardship on USCG members to relocate to new bases due to their prior ships being decommissioned,” said Reps. Gaetz and Crane.

The U.S. Representatives would point to the Coast Guard’s deployment of “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) inclusivity training programs,” including “encouraging service member participation in Transgender Shipmates Inclusion Training.”

They included these questions in their letter to Secretary Mayorkas and Commandant Fagan below:

1. What initiatives are in place to improve manning shortages? Please provide details on any revisions to previous strategies, new strategies moving forward, and available statistics on their effectiveness.
2. What is the plan for the recommissioning of these ships, if there is any? When can we expect them to return to service, and what steps are being taken to expedite this process?
3. How do SOGI inclusivity training and events assist in improving manning issues – both retention and recruitment – within the USCG? Please provide supporting data.
4. What was the turnout for this specific event (on July 31, 2024) and the number of individuals who were notified about it? If exact figures are not available, an estimate will suffice.
5. How much of the USCG’s budget has been spent on developing and carrying out SOGI inclusivity trainings and events within the last three fiscal years?
6. What is the statutory authority or USCG directive relied upon to develop and carry out USCG SOGI inclusivity trainings and events?
7. Do USCG personnel who attend SOGI inclusivity training events receive promotion points or recognition?
8. Are USCG members attending these SOGI inclusivity trainings during work hours or as elective classes after duty hours?
9. If USCG ended SOGI inclusivity training, what would be the overall cost savings and additional training hours available to the USCG for mission-critical preparation?

Gaetz and Crane concluded their letter with the following message, saying “We ask you to end SOGI inclusivity training programs within the USCG and focus on mission-critical operations.”

Matt Gaetz represents Florida’s 1^st Congressional District. Eli Crane represents Arizona’s 2^nd Congressional District.