Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) spearheaded a recent letter to the Secretary of the Navy, John C. Phelan, urging that the UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, be included as part of the reauthorized U.S. Navy Museum System.
The U.S. Navy Museum System was authorized in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which allows designated museums to receive federal funding toward educational outreach and expansion of public access.
The UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce was originally the site of the U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base, which trained the first frogmen (professional or military scuba divers) during the Second World War, thus preserving the history of the modern Navy SEALs and their predecessors.
"The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum tells the story of our most elite warriors on the very ground where that legacy began," Rep. Mast wrote in the letter. "These are the service members who cleared beaches under fire, carried out harrowing missions, and defended America in dire conditions while facing unimaginable hostility. Officially including this museum within the U.S. Navy Museum System ensures their legacies are preserved, honored, and shared for future generations."
All but two members of Florida's Congressional delegation signed the letter.
In May, Rep. Mast was present for the inaugural awarding of the new Presidential Medal of Sacrifice, created to honor first responders who have fallen in the line of duty.
"The job is always dangerous, yet you do it still every single day, and I will thank the families because the job, as you are a reminder of, is often deadly," the Florida congressman said at the ceremony. "And I will thank you, Mr. President, because for the first time in our nation's history, you are willing to say to all of our first responders, all of our law enforcement, all of our firefighters, 'We are going to recognize that sacrifice from the office of the Presidency, for each and every one of them.' And that has never taken place before ever in this nation."
