RESERVE REQUIREMENTS

Question: Admiral Kramek, is it true that the Coast Guard has a requirement for more than 12,000 reservists, but you currently have less than 7,600 reservists? How will this impact on your ability to fulfill your defense missions in time of national emergency?

Answer: The November 1997 report indicates the Coast Guard would require 12,293 Selected Reservists (SELRES) under a scenario of two Major Theater Wars and a simultaneous domestic emergency; unconstrained by budgetary considerations. The fiscal year 1999 request is based on an acceptable strength level of 7,600 Selected Reservists.. Given a Coast Guard SELRES of 7,600, we can meet our current highest priority defense missions.

RESERVE REPORTS

Question: Would you please submit to the Subcommittee the two reports on Coast Guard Reserve Recruiting and on the number of Reservists needed to meet your mission?

Answer: The Coast Guard's report on Reserve Recruiting is undergoing final revisions and will be submitted to the Subcommittee in summer 1998. The second report, A Unique National Security Asset: Roles and Missions of the Coast Guard Reserve, has not been approved by the Administration and is not a basis for our fiscal year 1999 request.

VESSEL DOCUMENTATION USER FEES - EFFECT OF EFFICIENCIES

Question: Now that the consolidation of vessel documentation offices is complete, are the user fees for these services going to be decreased to reflect this new efficiency? If so, when will these fees be decreased?

Answer: The review of vessel documentation user fees will begin during fiscal year 1998. The costs of these services will be recalculated and efficiencies that were realized as a result of the consolidation will be included in the recalculation. In the past, when costs were found to have decreased for certain services, the Coast Guard administratively reduced collection amounts while doing the rulemaking necessary to change the fees themselves.

ELECTRONIC STORAGE OF VESSEL DOCUMENTATION RECORDS

Question: When are the vessel documentation records, such as mortgages and liens going to be stored in electronic format?

Answer: The Coast Guard is exploring the feasibility of storing vessel documentation records in electronic format as part of the Vessel Documentation System (VDS) project. VDS, which will replace the vessel documentation module of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Information System, is currently scheduled for deployment by the end of fiscal year 1999.

ELECTRONIC VESSEL DOCUMENTATION ABSTRACTS OF TITLE

Question: When are the abstracts of title vessel documentation going to be done in an electronic form?

Answer: Abstracts of title for documented vessels will be generated electronically when the Vessel Documentation System (VDS) is deployed. VDS, which will replace the vessel documentation module of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Information System, is currently scheduled for deployment at the end of fiscal year 1999.