WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., participated in a bill signing ceremony at the White House with President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday.

The president signed the “Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Reauthorization Act,” which authorizes the Coast Guard for two years and increases funding for the acquisition of National Security Cutters and other needed vessels and equipment. The legislation also includes key provisions of Wicker’s “Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act,” which would establish a national safety standard for ballast water discharge and other vessel discharges.

“I was honored to join President Trump at the White House to witness the signing of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act,” Wicker said. “This legislation will ensure our Coast Guard members have the resources they need to protect our homeland, fight international drug trafficking, and save lives. I am also pleased the legislation includes a national safety standard for ballast water discharge, which will protect our environment and encourage economic growth.”