[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1024 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1024

     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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 12, 2009

 Mr. Levin (for himself, Mr. Voinovich, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Schumer) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
           Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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) 5 of the Great Lakes icebreakers of the Coast Guard are 
        nearing the end of the useful lives of the icebreakers;
            (2) 2 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 the hulls of the vessels 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 
        approximately 100,000 jobs at steel mills and approximately 
        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 to the Secretary of Homeland 
Security $153,000,000 for necessary expenses of the Coast Guard 
relating to the design, acquisition, and construction of a combined 
buoy tender-icebreaker to replace icebreaking capacity on the Great 
Lakes, to remain available until expended.
                                 <all>