House Passes Gillen-Backed Bipartisan Legislation Strengthening US Coast Guard Maritime Drug Enforcement

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 2351. Gillen, a Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is the Democratic co-lead of the bipartisan legislation, which strengthens maritime law enforcement by enabling the US Coast Guard to respond to opioid overdoses. The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration:

“Our brave Coast Guardsmen are the first line of defense against illegal drug trafficking on our waters,” said Congresswoman Gillen. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill will save lives by ensuring that the Coast Guard has the tools they need to combat opioid overdoses and closing loopholes that drug traffickers seek to exploit. I am proud to represent USCG Station Jones Beach and I will continue to fight for funding that supports the critical maritime operations carried out by USCG Sector Long Island and Coast Guardsmen across our country.”

Last month, Gillen visited U.S. Coast Guard Station Jones Beach. During her visit, Gillen spoke with the Coast Guardsmen about the vital Search and Rescue (SAR) operations carried out by USCG Sector Long Island and expressed support for increased federal funding to aid Long Island’s Coast Guard operations.