The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the nation's five armed services - the only one residing outside the Department of Defense - and serves as a maritime military and law enforcement force within the Department of Homeland Security. According to Title 14, U.S. Code, the Coast Guard is responsible for enforcing federal law on the high seas and in U.S. waters. It administers the law and enforces regulations that promote the safety of life and property in the maritime environment. It also is charged with engaging in maritime surveillance and interdiction, licensing mariners, monitoring shipping within the United States and ensuring navigability of U.S. waterways.
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