Partial Government Shutdown Affects Coast Guard

About 41,000 Coast Guard personnel, along with about one-third of its civilian employees, have been working without pay since a federal funding lapse February 14 initiated a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. 

According to a FAQ page on the Coast Guard’s website addressing the effects of the funding lapse, all Coast Guard personnel whose pay has been suspended are eligible for full retroactive pay once Congress ends the shutdown, but, in the meantime, some families may face hardships.

“Right now, we’re not seeing any immediate operational impacts, as marine inspectors are still on the job,” said Tava Foret, co-founder and president of the Towing Vessel Inspection Bureau. “That said, we understand some civilian roles—including third-party oversight coordinators (TPOCs)—are affected, and we’ll be watching closely to see how that may impact oversight and coordination in the coming weeks.” 

The shutdown has halted in-person processing of mariner applications for licenses and renewals at the National Maritime Center (NMC) and all regional examination centers (RECs), which remain closed. Customer walk-in service at the RECs has been suspended, and examinations and other REC appointments are canceled until further notice. 

According to a bulletin signed by Capt. Patrick A. Drayer, officer in charge, marine inspections, the NMC has implemented the following measures to mitigate the effects of the funding lapse. 

First, the NMC’s application submission portal for the submission of applications and supporting documentation remains active. Processing will resume once appropriations are restored. In addition, merchant mariner credentials (national endorsements only) and medical certificates (national and pilot expiration dates only) set to expire in February or March will remain valid until April 30. Mariners actively working with expired credentials that meet the expiration criteria must carry both their expired credential and a copy of the NMC letter addressing the funding lapse. The NMC will not issue separate or replacement merchant mariner credentials or medical certificates reflecting the extension. 

Mariners who began but did not complete all modules of an examination prior to February 13 may resume testing without penalty once the National Maritime Center reopens. Testing must be completed within 60 days of the NMC reopening. Mariners should contact NMC regarding waivers due to sea service. Also, regarding examinations, 90-day retest periods are paused effective February 13 and will restart once the shutdown comes to an end. 

The lapse in DHS funding is tied to measures demanded by Senate Democrats regarding the conduct of officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE). However, ICE funding was secured for several years by last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill and is not affected by the partial government shutdown. 

The dispute led to the expiration of a temporary two-week funding extension that Congress passed in January. Most recently, Democrats have blocked Republican attempts to pass short-term extensions to allow more negotiation. Lawmakers left Washington D.C. for a recess without a resolution, allowing the funding lapse to occur. This event followed a brief four-day partial government shutdown earlier in 2026, also tied to the same immigration reform disputes.