Lawmaker asks how Coast Guard C-130 funding aids inland disaster response

At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, a member of Congress representing North Carolina's 6th District asked how funding for the Coast Guard's C-130 fleet could help with inland disaster response.

The question came as the lawmaker said North Carolina has been hit hard by recent hurricanes and that rapid federal logistics support matters for inland communities.

A Department of Homeland Security official replied that "the C-130 is the only heavy lift, capable aircraft within the DHS inventory." The official said C-130s are currently being used to support other DHS components along the southern border to move assets and people.

The witness said the department has a "program of record of 22," and added there are eight C-27 aircraft that "will be sunsetting" in 2028 because of parts and sustainment problems. "So we'll be down. Our ability to build more C-130s or another aircraft like the C-27 is needed for us to continue to do the operations and support that the country expects," the official said.

No funding decision or formal committee action on the C-130 fleet was recorded in the exchange. The remarks were framed as an exchange of questions and answers during the hearing; the transcript does not record a vote, a formal directive to staff, or further committee scheduling tied to the funding question.

Details cited in the hearing: a program of record of 22 aircraft and eight C-27 airframes slated to sunset in 2028 because of parts availability were stated by the DHS witness. The witness also said current operational demands include supporting other DHS components along the southern border.

The hearing transcript does not identify the members by name or provide additional budget figures or legislative text related to funding; those details were not specified in the exchange.