Vice President Harris calls on Coast Guard graduates to protect U.S. in 'unsettled world'

May 18 (UPI) -- Vice President Kamala Harris congratulated graduating cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday calling them the "very best in America" and imploring them to protect the United States in an "unsettled" world.

"President Joe Biden and I, we view our cadets as our eyes and ears and hands and hearts wherever you serve at home or abroad," Harris said as she opened her keynote commencement address at Cadet Memorial Field in New London, Conn.

"You will be doing the critical work to protect our country, to advance our interests and to shape the trajectory of world affairs."

"The world you graduate into is unsettled. It is a world where long-established principles now stand on shaky ground, where the rule of law in places is strained, where rules and norms are under question," Harris said.

"We see this in Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine where fundamental principles are under threat.

The vice president called on graduating cadets to help "preserve stability" in the world.

"We must remember upholding a system of laws, institutions and common understandings -- this is how we insure the safety and security and prosperity of the United States," Harris said.

Harris also talked about the important role graduating cadets will play at home. "When you patrol the American shores looking for drug traffickers, you will help prevent harmful products from reaching our communities," she said.

"When you work on critical and emerging areas like cybersecurity and the climate crisis, you will push our country forward into new frontiers."

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy class of 2022 is graduating its first cadets with degrees in cyber systems.

Harris ended her remarks with her appreciation for the cadets, their service and their families.

"President Biden and I have great faith in your ability. We know you are ready, ready to serve and your country is so proud of you."