[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1747 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1747

     To authorize appropriations for the design, acquisition, and 
     construction of a combined buoy tender-icebreaker to replace 
                icebreaking capacity on the Great Lakes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 26, 2009

 Mr. Oberstar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To authorize appropriations for the design, acquisition, and 
     construction of a combined buoy tender-icebreaker to replace 
                icebreaking capacity on the Great Lakes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Great Lakes Icebreaker Replacement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) five of the Coast Guard's Great Lakes icebreakers are 
        nearing the end of their useful lives;
            (2) two other Coast Guard icebreaking assets have 
        experienced difficulty in heavy ice conditions;
            (3) during the spring of 2008, United States-flag vessels 
        operating on the Great Lakes suffered more than $1,300,000 in 
        damages to their hulls because the Coast Guard did not have 
        enough assets available to keep Great Lakes shipping lanes 
        open;
            (4) during the 2006-2007 ice season, shipments of iron ore, 
        coal, and limestone on the Great Lakes exceeded 20,000,000 
        tons;
            (5) during the 2006-2007 ice season, the transportation of 
        10,400,000 tons of iron ore on the Great Lakes helped support 
        100,000 jobs at steel mills and 300,000 jobs at supplier 
        industries by keeping those industries working during the 
        winter season; and
            (6) the 6,400,000 tons of coal shipped on the Great Lakes 
        during the 2006-2007 ice season kept the Great Lakes region 
        supplied with electricity.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $153,000,000 for necessary 
expenses of the Coast Guard for the design, acquisition, and 
construction of a combined buoy tender-icebreaker to replace 
icebreaking capacity on the Great Lakes, to remain available until 
expended.
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