Even after the U.S. Coast Guard received nearly $25 billion in supplemental funding in fiscal year 2025—the largest investment in its history—major staffing and ship shortages persist, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
With missions expanding and demands rising, shortages mean cutters and crews may be overextended, maintenance backlogs grow, and the service struggles to fully crew and deploy assets when needed.