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What does the Department of Commerce have to do with anything?

The Coast Guard was under the DOC until 1967, and was then transferred to the DOT under LBJ. Historically, they have been more often a part of the Treasury Department as their original function was to collect tarrifs. I had not updated my memory. Mea Culpa.

BTW, that was when they added the gold fringe to your shoulder patches. I suppose you know what that means.

The US Coast Guard falls under the Department of Transportation, and is a federal law enforcement agency. In addition to search and rescue, they enforce the United States Code during peacetime. During wartime, they become a part of the US Navy.

That doesn't give them lawmaking powers, does it? In case you hadn't noticed, we don't have a Declaration of War from Congress, nor has the USCG been transferred to the Navy. Meanwhile my concern about mistaken priorities remains:

What about those container ships?

On June 15, a temporary Coast Guard regulation to protect U.S. Navy ships, that was put into effect Sept. 14, as a result of the attacks, will become permanent, creating a standing safety perimeter around all large U.S. Navy ships anchored, moored or operating in U.S. waters.

A law is very different from a regulation. All government agencies have regulations that help them carry out their responsibilities (for better or for worse). Can you think of an agency that doesn't make regulations and also enforce consequences for those who violate them? The US Coast Guard has been given the responsibility of protecting the Navy ships in US navigable waters, and they created some regulations to get the job done. I have no problem with that.

“These Naval Vessel Protection Zones (NVPZ) help protect our Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and Marines fighting the war on terrorism by effectively creating a no-float zone around U.S. Navy ships,” said Vice Adm. James D. Hull, Atlantic Area Commander. “Nothing the Coast Guard does now in the war on terrorism is more important than protecting our Navy ships and safeguarding our ports.”

The new Naval Vessel Protection Zone, along with dozens of security zones placed around power plants, marine facilities, cruise ships and hazardous cargo vessels across the nation, are designed to reduce vulnerabilities and increase security as part of the Coast Guard’s largest port security operation since WWII.

How can this be a problem for you?

Meanwhile my concern about mistaken priorities remains: What about those container ships?

What would you like the USCG to do? Board every one of them and open every container? Or maybe you are suggesting they write up some new regulations?

The United States Coast Guard, one of the country's five armed services, is also one of the most unique agencies of the federal government. We trace our history back to 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of the federal revenue. Known variously as the Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service, we expanded in size and responsibilities as the nation grew.
These added responsibilities included humanitarian duties such as aiding mariners in distress. Our law enforcement functions also continued to expand. Congress tasked us with enforcing laws against slavery, piracy, and enlarged our responsibilities to prevent smuggling. We were also given the responsibility to protect the marine environment, explore and police Alaska, and chart the growing nation's coastlines, all well before the turn of the twentieth century.
The service received its present name in 1915 under an act of Congress when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the Life-Saving Service. The nation now had a single maritime service dedicated to saving life at sea and enforcing the nation's maritime laws. We began to maintain the country's aids to maritime navigation, including operating the nation's lighthouses, when the Lighthouse Service was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1939. Later, in 1946, Congress permanently transferred the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation to the Coast Guard, thereby placing merchant marine licensing and merchant vessel safety under our purview.
The Coast Guard is one of the oldest organizations of the federal government and, until the Navy Department was established in 1798, we served as the nation's only armed force afloat. We have continued to protect the nation throughout our long history and have served proudly in every one of the nation's conflicts. Our national defense responsibilities remain one of our most important functions even today.
In times of peace we operate under the Department of Transportation, serving as the nation's front-line agency for promoting our laws at sea, protecting our coastline and ports, and saving life. In times of war, or on direction of the President, we are attached to the Navy Department.

"What about those container ships?"