Coast Guard Budget To Be Trimmed

In an era where spending on precious few federal programs is cut or even slowed, the US Coast Guard finds itself in the middle of some unpleasant (but probably warranted) budget cuts.

"The U.S. Coast Guard is facing $155 million in cuts to its capital spending budget, according to federal documents.

The cuts, described in documents from U.S. Rep. John Mica's office, came as a shock to Mica of Florida.

Mica said the proposed federal budget for 2011 would:

• chop about 1,100 positions
• get rid of five helicopters, two of which would be from Florida
• reduce funds for port, waterway and coastal security by more than $100 million."

The proposed budget cuts are less than 2% of its total budget from its 2010 budget, so should be considered fairly modest.

Nonetheless, the leaders of the Coast Guard must be wondering who they have angered in Congress, because no other federal department's budget is seemingly being cut.