[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1699-S1700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ABRAHAM:
  S. 1738. A bill to amend the National Sea Grant College Program act 
to exclude Lake Champlain from the definition of the Great Lakes, which 
was added by the National Sea Grant College Program Reauthorization Act 
of 1998; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


                        great lakes legislation

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
reverse the recent designation of Lake Champlain as a ``Great Lake.''
  Mr. President, I was extremely pleased to be an original cosponsor of 
the Sea Grant College Program Act, an important piece of legislation 
which supplies crucial funding for programs targeted at zebra mussel 
research and control. This Act is extremely important to the Great Lake 
states, which suffer considerably from zebra mussel infestation.
  Late last year, the Sea Grant College Program Act was amended to 
allow

[[Page S1700]]

Vermont Universities to apply for grants related to zebra mussel 
programs. This amendment, which designated Vermont's Lake Champlain a 
Great Lake, was never offered in Committee for consideration. Nor was 
it shared with the Great Lakes Task Force, whose Members would have 
been very interested in reviewing it.
  This was unfortunate, Mr. President, because that Lake Champlain 
suffers greatly from zebra mussel infestations and needs help. Let me 
make clear, I am not opposed to allowing Vermont Universities to apply 
to the Sea Grant program. Lake Champlain has a very real zebra mussel 
problem and it should be addressed. Michiganians can understand and 
empathize with Vermont's efforts to battle this invader.
  However, I am troubled by the approach taken to achieve funding for 
zebra mussel programs in Vermont. Rather than asking for language which 
would specifically allow Vermont Universities to apply for Sea Grant 
dollars, the definition of a Great Lake was changed to include Lake 
Champlain when, clearly, it is not. Lake Ontario, covering over 7,300 
square miles, is the smallest of the Great Lakes. It is almost 17 times 
the size of Lake Champlain and twice as deep. Lake Superior, the 
largest of the Great Lakes, is over 70 times the size of Lake 
Champlain. Clearly Vermont's lake is not a member of this elite class.
  For that reason, Mr. President, I have introduced this legislation to 
reverse the designation of Lake Champlain as a Great Lake. I would 
support language that specifically allows Vermont to apply for Sea 
Grant assistance, but I cannot agree to language changing the 
definition of a Great Lake, even for such a limited purpose. 
Notwithstanding assurances to the contrary, I believe such an action 
could lead to a host of unintended consequences and even serve as the 
basis for states outside the region to push for participation in a 
number of substantial Great Lakes issues. In addition, I oppose 
defining Lake Champlain as a Great Lake in the interest of clarity and 
truth. To call Lake Champlain a Great Lake is sheer nonsense.
  The legislation I have introduced will amend the definition to state 
that only the Great Lakes, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario 
are to be defined as Great Lakes. I hope that we can resolve this soon 
and put this entire matter to rest.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1738

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

     SECTION 1. DEFINITION OF GREAT LAKES FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT 
                   COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT.

       Section 203 of the National Sea Grant College Program Act 
     (33 U.S.C. 1122) is amended in paragraph (5), as added by 
     section 4(a)(3) of the National Sea Grant College Program 
     Reauthorization Act of 1998, by striking ``includes Lake 
     Champlain'' and inserting ``applies to Lake Superior, Lake 
     Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario''.
                                 ______