Cummings Chairs Hearing On Coast Guard Diversity

Congressman calls for follow-up hearing in one year to receive new GAO report.
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, (MD-07), Chairman of the House
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, convened a hearing rega
rding civil rights programs and diversity initiatives in the United States Coast
Guard. The hearing examined a report by the Government Accountability Office (G
AO) concerning changes made by the Coast Guard’s Civil Rights Directorate. The Su
bcommittee also examined diversity at the Coast Guard Academy.
Consultants at Booz Allen Hamilton made 53 recommendations in an assessment of t
he Coast Guard Civil Rights Services released in early 2009. The Civil Rights Di
rectorate reports it has implemented 52 of Booz Allen Hamilton’s 53 recommendation
s.
However, the GAO report indicated that implementation of these recommendations m
ay not be fully completed. The report argues that achieving long-term changes i
n the civil rights directorate requires development of a clear vision of outcome
s to be achieved by reform, and of measurable steps that can be used to assess p
rogress toward the achievement of these outcomes.
“I have had justifiable concerns in the past regarding the effectiveness of the Co
ast Guard’s civil rights services given multiple third-party and internal assessme
nts pointing to long-standing challenges to the effective delivery of such servi
ces in the Coast Guard,” said Cummings. “I applaud the speed with which the Civil Ri
ghts Directorate has moved to seize the initiative and respond to the findings o
f the Booz Allen Hamilton report. However, with today’s GAO report in mind, I am c
oncerned that the Coast Guard must be clear that the changes it makes in its civ
il rights programs will improve the provision of civil rights services.”
By contrast, diversity at the Coast Guard Academy is likely to be significantly
increased in the incoming class of 2014.
According to current data, approximately 16 percent of the appointments offered
to the Class of 2013 went to minority students and the incoming class was simila
rly comprised of approximately 15 percent minority students.

As of April 19th 2010, 23 percent of those offered admission to the Academy’s Clas
s of 2014 were minorities, and approximately 25 percent of those who had accepte
d admission offers were minorities.
“I am very pleased with what the Academy’s expanded recruitment initiatives have thu
s far achieved,” said Cummings. “However, maintaining increased levels of minority a
pplications and enrollments will likely continue to require a concerted outreach
effort and it is therefore imperative that expanded recruitment initiatives be
institutionalized within the Coast Guard Academy.”
Cummings asked the Subcommittee Ranking Member, Congressman Frank LoBiondo, and
the Chairman of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Congres
sman James Oberstar, as well as the Ranking Member of the full Committee, Congre
ssman John Mica to join him in asking the GAO to conduct a new analysis of the C
oast Guard’s civil rights programs. This proposed study will examine the effectiv
eness of the changes made by the Civil Rights Directorate. Chairman Cummings in
tends to re-convene the Subcommittee in about a year to receive the results of t
he new report.