The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WSML 751) crew members reunite with family, friends and loved ones after returning to their Base Alameda, California, home port, Aug. 11, 2024, following a 120-day Indo-Pacific patrol. The Waesche participated in various engagements, exercises, and events throughout their deployment. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matthew Masaschi.

Navy Times reports,

President Donald Trump signed a bill Thursday to fund the Department of Homeland Security, including the U.S. Coast Guard, after a 76-day partial government shutdown.

The signing came hours after the House passed Senate-approved legislation to fund the department. The bill funds DHS agencies that are not involved in Trump’s immigration crackdown through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

This could have happened months ago if Coast Guard funding had not been tied to non-Coast Guard programs.

The Coast Guard has broad bi-partisan support. The Coast Guard should be an independent agency since no single department covers all eleven Coast Guard missions. Department heads and members of Congress should not be allowed to leverage support for the Coast Guard to support non-Coast Guard programs.