Let's lose "nonessential" for a minute; that's old language.
Coast Guard falls under Homeland Security, and our funding bill is one of the bills that is still being held. The ones engaged in public safety should be at work, since they are performing exempt functions; those who are in a support role are non-exempt and should be furloughed.
What I don't get is why they are in Homeland Security and not the DoD. They are a branch of the military, after all.
Coast Guard is transferred to DoD during wartime. I think before Homeland Security, they were Dept of Transportation during peacetime.
Coast Guard is sort-of a branch of the military, but also sort-of a law enforcement agency.
It was none other than “Mission Accomplished GW” who officiated over the moving of The Coast Guard from DoD to Homeland Security in 2002.
USCG is only a branch of military when activated as such, i.e., wartime...otherwise they are under DHS as law enforcement and other similar activities. Before DHS, CG was under DOT when not in wartime.