U.S. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Fred Upton (R-MI), and John Moolenaar (R-MI) applauded their chamber’s Feb. 5 approval of a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which is set to expire at the end of fiscal year (FY) 2021.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 373-45 to pass the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019, H.R. 4031, which would reauthorize the GLRI through FY 2026 and would increase funding from the current authorization level of $300 million to $375 million in FY 2022 and then by $25 million each year until it reaches $475 million in FY 2026.
“This legislation is a great example of the progress we can make when we work together to address the issues facing our communities,” said Rep. Joyce, a co-chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force and the lawmaker who sponsored H.R. 4031 in July 2019.
“As someone who grew up on the shores of Lake Erie, I have never been shy about my commitment to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes,” Rep. Joyce said. “I was honored to introduce this bill alongside my colleagues on the Great Lakes Task Force and thank all those who worked across party lines to ensure its passage this evening so that we can protect the invaluable natural resource and economic powerhouse that is the Great Lakes system.”
Rep. Huizenga, also a co-chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force, said the GLRI has been consistently successful throughout the Great Lakes region.
In fact, a recent study by the University of Michigan found that every $1 invested from the GLRI has generated more than $3 in additional long-term economic activity, he said.
“We have seen the positive impact of the GLRI in Muskegon where recent activity to clean up legacy pollution is estimated to have increased property values by nearly $12 million and generated $1 million in new recreational spending in the community,” said Rep. Huizenga.
Rep. Upton, an original cosponsor of the bill, called the House vote “a huge victory for our Great Lakes.”
“Today we passed bipartisan legislation that will make sure we responsibly fund the GLRI for several years to come,” the congressman said. “This program is such a necessary tool to preserve our Great Lakes for the four million people who call the shoreline home, the 60 commercial harbors that create incredible economic activity, and the billions of dollars generated from tourism.
“Don’t mess with the Great Lakes,” added Rep. Upton.
If enacted, the funding provided under H.R. 4031 would help clean up the lakes, protect them from invasive species, and preserve them as a safe source of drinking water, according to information provided by the lawmakers.
At the same time, the measure would ensure partnerships the GLRI has with the federal government, universities, conservation groups and local governments, said Rep. Moolenaar in a Facebook post.
“The GLRI works to protect wetlands, lakes, rivers and shorelines in the Great Lakes basin,” wrote Rep. Moolenaar, another cosponsor of H.R. 4031. “This legislation authorizes future funding through 2026 that will help the GLRI continue its vital efforts to support the Great Lakes.”
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate, which is considering the identical S. 2295.