Shortly before the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the administration decided to reduce the manpower, money, ships and helicopters of the Coast Guard.

Creeping Sharia reports on the proposed cuts:

· U.S. Coast Guard – Cuts 1,100 military positions, in addition to ships, aircraft and safety and security teams

· The FY 2011 President’s Budget requests $9.86 billion for the Coast Guard – which is a 0.24% decrease from the FY 2010 enacted level of $9.88 billion.

* Coast Guard asset cuts include decommissioning 4 of the service’s largest cutters; removing 5 HH-65 helicopters from service; eliminating 5 of 12 Maritime Safety and Security Teams; and reassigning 4 HH-60 helicopters & eliminating their work in drug law enforcement and anti-terrorism response.

U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the Republican leader of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today said the Obama Administration was on a collision course with disaster by asking the U.S. Coast Guard to do more with less …

At a Congressional hearing today, Mica said it would take a new position of “Second Lieutenant Magician” for the U.S. Coast Guard to comply with the policy that was recommended in the 2011 Obama budget. In that February document, the Coast Guard budget was targeted for cuts of 1,100 uniformed positions, along with ships, aircraft and helicopters. …

In the hearing before the Subcommittee, the Coast Guard testified they were barely meeting their personnel and asset requirements to conduct their first responder and inspection duties on deepwater rigs and vessels in the Gulf.