"Congress Friday unanimously passed and sent to the President the first authorization bill the U.S. Coast Guard has had since 2006. The measure strengthens oil spill protections, saves taxpayer dollars by overhauling a failed Coast Guard acquisitions program and sets new fishing vessel safety standards.

Senator Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, drafted the Coast Guard Authorization bill and led the effort to overcome minority-party opposition that has blocked Coast Guard legislation for the past four years."

Environment News Service had the story October 4, 2010. [2]