WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a push by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) to modernize U.S. icebreaking capabilities, the Obama Administration announced today that it has requested from Congress  $150 million to acquire a heavy polar icebreaker for use in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Senator King released the following statement:

“A robust fleet of U.S. icebreakers is critical to expanding our presence and influence in the Arctic, particularly as Russian and other Arctic neighboring nations move quickly to increase their impact in the region,” Senator King said. “It’s imperative that we not only recognize the importance of the Arctic, but that we also dedicate significant resources toward enhancing our icebreaker capability to ensure that we are well-positioned to safeguard our economic and national security interests there. The Administration’s funding request in this year’s budget represents a serious commitment to begin production of a heavy polar icebreaker in 2020, and I am committed to advancing this issue in Congress.”

The Obama Administration announced today as part of its Fiscal Year 2017 Budget that it is requesting from Congress  $150 million in funding to build a heavy polar icebreaker for operations in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Senator King, who is a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources and Armed Services Committees as well as a co-founder of the Senate Arctic Caucus, has repeatedly called for the modernization of icebreakers ‎owned and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.‎ The United States currently only has two fully functional icebreakers, one heavy and one medium.‎

Earlier today and last week, Senator King also welcomed funding requests in areas that he has focused on, including funding to enhance U.S. cyber-defenses and to fight the opioid epidemic that is devastating Maine.

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