(Washington, DC) –Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced H.R. 3066, the Supporting Our Coast Guard Members Act to make sure Coast Guard servicemembers receive the same benefits and services offered to servicemembers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

Currently, Coast Guard officers do not have the same benefits and services offered to other members of the armed forces. These include retirement benefits, promotion opportunities, and employment assistance.

“Members of our Coast Guard dutifully serve our country,” said Congresswoman Fletcher. “With the vital role our Coast Guard undertakes to aid our citizens and keep them safe, it is only right that they receive the same benefits as their counterparts in the other branches of the armed forces.”

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Houston/Galveston sector includes parts of Texas and Louisiana and encompasses 180 miles of the Gulf Coast. It is part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s eighth district, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. This district includes 3,695 active duty military.