U.S. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI) on Jan. 9 joined a bipartisan contingent of lawmakers in proposing legislation that would reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is set to expire at the end of fiscal year 2026.
“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supports efforts that confront direct threats facing the lakes like harmful algal blooms, water pollution, invasive species, and coastal erosion,” Rep. Joyce said. “I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect and preserve the national treasure that is the Great Lakes ecosystem.”
The bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025, H.R. 284, specifically would reauthorize the GLRI for another five years through FY 2031, and increase the FY 2026 authorization level from $475 million to $500 million beginning in FY 2027.
Rep. Joyce sponsored the bill with 27 original cosponsors, including Rep. Huizenga and U.S. Reps. Pete Stauber (R-MN), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Bryan Steil (R-WI), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI).
“The Great Lakes serve as a vital source of economic activity, recreation, and drinking water for millions of Americans,” said Rep. Huizenga, adding that studies from both Grand Valley State University and the University of Michigan show how the economic health of the Great Lakes is directly tied to their ecological well-being.
“In fact, according to the University of Michigan, for every $1 invested in the Great Lakes through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, $3.35 of economic output is produced,” Rep. Huizenga said. “The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is the leading federal program designed to clean up legacy pollution, restore habitats, and combat invasive species across the basin.
“I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort to fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and make preserving, protecting, and strengthening the Great Lakes a national priority,” he added.
Numerous groups endorsed the bill, such as the Great Lakes Commission, the American Sportfishing Association, the National Parks Conservation Association, the American Great Lakes Port Association, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, and The Nature Conservancy, among many others.
Along with the introduction of H.R. 284, Rep. Joyce also officially relaunched the Great Lakes Task Force for the 119th Congress. Reps. Huizenga and Dingell, along with U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), will serve as co-chairs of the task force alongside Rep. Joyce.