26 May...ON THIS DAY IN U.S. COAST GUARD HISTORY

1906-Congress passed an act to regulate enlistments and punishments in Revenue Cutter Service was passed. 

1924-Congress passed the "Immigration Act of 1924," (Pub. L. 68-139; 43 Stat. 153) that limited the number of immigrants annually who could be admitted to the U.S. to two percent of the number of people from that country who were already living in the U.S. in 1890. This was a one percent reduction from the three percent limit established by Congress in 1921. 

1988-Admiral Paul Yost, Commandant, explained the new "Zero Tolerance" initiative to Congress's Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Navigation. Yost noted: "The Coast Guard Zero Tolerance policy is that, subject to statutory and jurisdictional limitations, individuals possessing measurable quantities of controlled substances aboard vessels will be subject to the full extent of available criminal and civil sanctions. . .Zero Tolerance means that the Coast Guard, in the course of its regular patrols, boardings and inspections, will now, within the limits of the law, seize vessels and arrest individuals when 'personal use' quantities of illegal drugs are discovered." 

1995-The Secretary of Transportation authorized the involuntary recall of 300 reservists to assist in the relief efforts in the Midwest after the Missouri and Mississippi rivers flooded. However, only 143 were called to duty. (See the 2 May 1995 entry.) (How well I remember the three 500-year floods I worked!!!)