Sen. Murray secures funding for Homeland Security projects important to Washington state

Across two major federal funding bills, Sen. Patty Murray has advocated for Washington state.

The first funding package was signed into law on March 9, 2024. Congress is working to pass the second package of bills before funding for some agencies expires at the end of Friday.

Murray's local support includes Homeland Security.

“I worked hard to secure $100 million for Coast Guard Base Seattle in this bill, along with new funding for the Puget Sound Whale Desk and efforts to help address staffing shortages at Washington State Ferries,” said Senator Murray.

“This bill is a bipartisan compromise that will provide some important new resources to help meet increased operational needs at our border — and importantly, new resources to stop the flow of fentanyl way up the supply chain and at our ports of entry.”

Among other things, Senator Murray secured in the legislation: 

1. $100 million for improvements at the Seattle Coast Guard Base to accommodate three Polar Security Cutters that will be stationed at the Seattle Base to increase the nation’s Polar capabilities;
2. $579 million for Offshore Patrol Cutters at the Seattle Coast Guard Base—a $36 million increase over last year’s funding level, to replace outdated Medium Endurance Cutters such as those stationed at the Seattle Base
3. $250,000 for the Puget Sound Cetacean Desk Pilot Program, a joint program between the Coast Guard and NOAA to track and proactively alert vessel operations to whale presence in the Sound, as well as regulations and voluntary guidelines in place to protect the endangered Southern Resident orcas. This funding complements $200,000 included for NOAA in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies funding bill enacted earlier this month.

Murray also secured in the bill $11 million to modernize the Mariner Credentialing Program and language directing the National Maritime Center to review their system for approving Merchant Mariner Credentials to help streamline the hiring process and address the crew shortage at Washington State Ferries.

Additionally, Murray secured $272,000 through CDS for the Port of Longview to purchase and install two portable generators to ensure that the Port can continue to operate temporarily in case of a disaster—the full list of CDS projects is HERE.

A full summary of the Homeland Security bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.