Florida Congressman Daniel Webster has issued a statement following President Trump’s announcement of a new agreement between the United States and Finland to construct icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Webster said, “As former chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I understand the strategic necessity of restoring America’s icebreaking capability and have fought to assert our leadership in the Arctic. This region has fast become a theater for global competition, and investing in the ships and infrastructure necessary to secure America’s dominance in the region is vital to our national interests. That’s why I worked to ensure critical funding for the U.S. Coast Guard’s polar security cutter program which is being built on American soil by American workers.
“I look forward to reviewing the full details of this agreement. I am encouraged that President Trump has also made this a priority, recognizing the importance of establishing America’s dominance in the region. Unlike China, the United States is an Arctic Nation and President Trump’s leadership is ensuring the Coast Guard has the resources necessary to carry out its missions.”
Daniel Webster has represented Florida’s 11th congressional district since 2011 after succeeding Alan Grayson. He previously served in both chambers of Florida’s state legislature, with terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 1980 to 1998 and in the Florida Senate from 1998 to 2008. Webster was born in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1949 and currently resides in Clermont. He graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in 1971.
