Coast Guard Sustained Funding Act of 2025

Enumerated powers · passes

Congress has the explicit constitutional authority to raise and support armies, provide and maintain a navy, and make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces (Article I, Section 8, Clauses 12-14). The Coast Guard, as a military service and part of the armed forces, falls under this authority. Additionally, the Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) grants Congress the power to lay and collect taxes to provide for the common defense and general welfare, which includes appropriating funds for the Coast Guard. This bill is a valid exercise of Congress's power of the purse.

Bill of Rights · passes

The bill does not implicate any of the first ten amendments. It does not restrict speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, the right to bear arms, quartering of soldiers, search and seizure, self-incrimination, due process, takings, trial rights, or cruel and unusual punishment. It is a funding measure that only provides for the payment of salaries and benefits, which does not infringe on any enumerated constitutional right.

Individual liberty · passes

The bill does not restrict any individual's freedom over their person, property, speech, labor, or belief. It actually supports the individual sovereignty of Coast Guard members and civilian employees by ensuring they receive the pay and benefits they have earned, even during a funding lapse. There is no government-imposed restriction on individual action; rather, it is a provision that upholds the contractual and statutory rights of employees.

Decentralization · raises concerns · severity: minor

The bill fails the decentralization test because it consolidates decision-making at the federal level, which is appropriate for a federal military service. However, the question of whether an individual or family could handle this without government involvement is not applicable, as the Coast Guard is a federal entity. The local community and state cannot handle the funding of a federal military branch. The federal government is the only level that can fund the Coast Guard, so the consolidation is necessary. However, the bill does bypass the normal appropriations process, which could be seen as a minor consolidation of power in Congress to fund the Coast Guard without a full appropriations bill, but this is within Congress's constitutional role.

Due process and takings · passes

The bill does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. It does not involve any taking of private property for public use without just compensation. Instead, it ensures that Coast Guard personnel receive their due pay and benefits, which is a protection of property interests. There is no arbitrary government action; the bill is a clear and specific response to a defined funding lapse scenario.