Will New USCG Icebreaker Be Torpedoed by the Border Wall?
There is a serious crisis at our border. No, not the Southern border, where crossings are at close to a 50 year low. I am referring to our Northern border, the Arctic Sea, where the US has only one heavy icebreaker, the USCGC Polar Star , which at 42-year-old is just barely holding on. On her most recent mission, the Polar Star broke down repeatedly. The Coast Guard also operates a medium icebreaker and a research vessel with light ice-breaking capability.
Now, Homeland Security has stripped $750 million in funding to build one new heavy icebreaker from its most recent budget proposal, allocating it instead to the proposed border wall.