Trump tax bill earmarks $8.6-billion for U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers in the Arctic

Open this photo in gallery: U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy on a research cruise in the Chukchi Sea of the Arctic Ocean in 2018.Devin Powell/The New York Times News Service U.S. President Donald Trump's massive tax and spending bill earmarks more than US$8.6-billion to increase the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker fleet in the Arctic, where Washington hopes to counter rising Russian and Chinese dominance. The funding includes US$4.3-billion for up to three new heavy Coast Guard Polar Security Cutters, US$3.5-billion for medium Arctic Security Cutters, and US$816-million for procurement of additional light and medium icebreaking cutters. The cutters will have…