Great Lakes Congressional Watch

Razor-Thin Victory For Climate Change; 50/50 split among Great Lakes Fencesitters

In a narrow victory, the US House passed the first ever bill to deal with the affects of climate change on the Great Lakes. It will also provide future dollars toward protection and restoration efforts. In the end, eight republicans joined in the “yes” vote (two from the Great Lakes districts we asked you to call!) as well as several of the Great Lakes fencesitters. The final vote was 219 to 212.

The day of the vote, we asked you to contact twelve of the Great Lakes lawmakers that had not made up their mind yet and remind them that the Read More » »

They Did It! Obama’s Restoration Initiative Gets Thumbs Up

The US House approved President Obama’s historic commitment to Great Lakes restoration with a vote of 254 to 173. The $475 million investment will now head to the US Senate for a vote after the July fourth weekend.

Michigan’s Rep. Bart Stupak (D) voted in favor of the restoration funding today. “The Great Lakes are a national treasure and Michigan’s greatest resource. Our economy, health and way of life depend on protecting both the quality and quantity of Great Lakes water.” But even Rep. Stupak noted that the $475 million is just a down payment and much more Read More » »

Urge Great Lakes Congressmen To Vote For Climate Change Bill

As the US House nears a historic vote on climate change legislation, several Congressmen with districts on the Great Lakes are still on the fence as to whether or not they will support the bill. The America’s Clean Energy and Security Act promises to help the Great Lakes by protecting the lakes from the predicted devestating affects of climate change as well as providing money toward restoration goals.

Take a look at the list of lawmakers below and please call the Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121 if any are from your state and urge s/he to protect the lakes by voting in Read More » »

Do you live in Marcy Kaptur’s district?

Great Lakes Rep. Marcy Kaptur is reported to be leaning toward voting “no” tomorrow on the America’s Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), but she remains officially undecided. Ohio has been the focus for opponents of the legislation that would do much to help contain climate change in the Great Lakes and pay for restoration projects while providing new jobs. Perhaps, Rep. Kaptur has not heard how the bill would help the lakes and therefore her very district.

Rep. Kaptur was one of the ten Ohio lawmakers called into a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to discuss the bill. Read More » »

In Climate Debate: Great Lakes States are Targeted

The extreme tug-of-war going on in Congress over the Climate Change legislation has moved its battlefront to the Midwest. A cadre of Republican Congressmen against America’s Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) are targeting Great Lakes lawmakers in an attempt to pry their votes away from the Democratic majority in the US House.

Playing on regionalism, the Republican’s led by Ohio’s John Boehner are arguing that the bill meant to create clean energy jobs while confronting global warming will actually harm coal producing and farm states in the Midwest and South. Advocacy groups working for coal and big industry are circulating Read More » »

President’s Great Lakes Initiative Makes it Past First Senate Hurdle

The US Senate Committee charged with marking up the President’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative approved it yesterday providing $400 million for the initiative. The US House Appropriations Committee approved $475 million last week.

The $400 million is a huge victory because it represents the most that the US Senate panel could give toward the initiative as they have a smaller amount to spend on the committees programs.

Interior Appropriations chairman Diane Feinstein (D-CA) told Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich) that she will support full funding during the conference negotiations. Sen. Levin has been working behind the scenes to ensure that the Senate Committee Read More » »

Good and Evil in the Great Lakes Clean Water Debate

Minutes after the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted in favor of the Clean Water Restoration Act, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) put a hold on the legislation setting the scene for a battle and possibly defeat on the US Senate floor.

“Despite changes, water bill faces certain demise in the Senate,” stated a press release sent by Matt Dempsey who works for the minority members of the EPW Committee. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the ranking Republican on the Committee told reporters that the bill was a “dagger directed right at America’s heartland.”

Not a single republican Read More » »

Great News for the Great Lakes from Congress

Key steps were taken this week in Congress towards comprehensive restoration of The Great Lakes, adding momentum to the movement to protect the region’s most important environmental and economic asset.

Senate EPW Committee Votes for $150m for GLLA

The US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted to increase the appropriation for the Great Lakes Legacy Act from $50 million a year to $150 million a year.

The GLLA is responsible for cleaning up toxic pollution in the Great Lakes. There are more than 30 Areas of Concern on the US side of the Lakes and we are obligated to clean them up over the next five years. During the last authorization, the legislation appropriated $50 million and then actualy gave states and localities about $30 million a year for clean up efforts. The pace has not been nearly Read More » »

Clean Water Restoration Act Makes it Through Committee with Yes Vote!

Fingers crossed it won’t be long before the Clean Water Act is able to do its job again and stop pollution in all our major waters – including the Great Lakes and her tributaries – the original spark for the CWA. Today, the Clean Water Restoration Act was approved by the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and all but one of the Great Lakes Senators on the Committee voted for it with a resounding YES!

For some reason, most likely state politics, Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) voted against the CWRA which was a disappointment for us Read More » »