Senator’s comments follow damning CNN investigative reporting of “systemic mishandling of sexual assault allegations at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy”

During today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee oversight hearing on the United States Coast Guard budget, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Committee, expressed her anger over the lack of action, accountability and transparency by Coast Guard leadership regarding revelations of a secret investigation into decades of sexual assault allegations at the Coast Guard Academy and called for an Inspector General (IG) investigation to bring transparency to these reports.

“It is heartbreaking, maddening, frustrating and intolerable where we are today, with this sexual abuse and assault within the Coast Guard. [We] cannot tolerate the fact that the Coast Guard did not notify us of this,” Sen. Cantwell said to Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan. “I'm going to ask for an IG investigation so that we can get to the bottom of all the problems that have occurred here and post the knowledge and information.”

Earlier this month, Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing, which oversees the Coast Guard, sent a letter to the Coast Guard, seeking answers and accountability for the mishandling of the previously undisclosed, years-long investigation into sexual assault and sexual harassment allegations associated with the Coast Guard Academy. The Committee was briefed by the Coast Guard following a request for information by CNN investigative reporters.

Sen. Cantwell pressed Adm. Fagan on why Coast Guard leaders did not notify Congress of the internal “operation” and asked what steps the Coast Guard is taking to ensure transparency and accountability.

“I need to hear from you, what do you think are the necessary steps to really give everybody a full accounting of what's transpired?” Sen. Cantwell asked. “And your recommendations on how we're going to fix this? And what is the reasoning why Congress wasn't notified of this situation?”

“We failed the Committee when we did not disclose in 2020,” Adm. Fagan responded. “I've initiated a 90-day transparency and accountability review to understand what are the aspects of the culture that have allowed this to occur…I commit to the Committee that we will regularly report on the progress.”

“[I]t's a very different Coast Guard Academy than what it was in the in the 80s,” Adm. Fagan, who is the first woman to lead any branch of the military, added. “The class we just onboarded, I think, was 43% women, the largest number of underrepresented minority males. It's an incredible Academy. These are great young Americans. And policy and access to reporting care has improved dramatically, but we have work to do.”

Sen. Cantwell has been a staunch defender for accountability for sexual assaults at military academies and Coast Guard Academy oversight. In the most recent Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, Sen. Cantwell included significant provisions to improve oversight and investigations over sexual assault in the maritime industry, providing the Coast Guard with the authority to revoke credentials for those who commit crimes, establishing a process for reporting and strengthening policies to ensure victims are provided care as soon as possible. Additionally, it expands penalties for failure to report a sexual assault or harassment at sea from $5,000 to $50,000 per violation. In 2021, after maritime allegations of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment made by midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Sen. Cantwell sent a letter demanding answers and accountability from the then-Acting Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Lucinda Lessley.

Read a transcript of Sen. Cantwell and Adm. Fagan’s exchange here.