[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 28, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E991]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 GREAT LAKES ICEBREAKER REPLACEMENT ACT

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                         HON. CANDICE S. MILLER

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 28, 2009

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 1747, the Great Lakes Icebreaker Replacement Act, because it is so 
important to promoting commercial activity on the Great Lakes.
  Over a billion dollars worth of commerce takes place on the Great 
Lakes during the winter months, despite the harsh conditions. Half of 
Lake Michigan, for example, is covered in ice during the winter months.
  Especially in this economy, we cannot afford to have business shut 
down simply because ice-breakers are spread to thinly across the Great 
Lakes. My State of Michigan currently has the highest unemployment in 
the country at about 12 percent, and many counties in my district are 
already near 20 percent. We need every job we can get in our State, 
including jobs that are supported by commercial activity on the Great 
Lakes.
  One of the other impacts of unbroken ice is property damage. In my 
district along the St. Clair River, we have regularly seen problems 
caused by ice jams lead to flooding for many of my constituents.
  This year, we saw a fairly spectacular occurrence in the town of 
Linwood, Michigan, when literal mountains of ice were blown up from 
Saginaw Bay and into people's yards and homes. Chunks of ice were piled 
up to 10 feet high in some places and excavators had to be brought in 
to remove the ice so that people could go about repairing damage to 
their windows and homes.
  Many of the ice-breaking ships that we do have in the Great Lakes are 
nearing the end of their useful lives and have become vulnerable to 
mechanical failure in these harsh winter conditions.
  Last fall, I was very concerned about the approaching winter and 
whether the Coast Guard would have sufficient ice-breaking capabilities 
to keep critical channels open. In fact, I joined a number of members 
in writing to Admiral Allen at the Coast Guard and urging him to 
provide additional resources to the Great Lakes to deal with the coming 
winter.
  Finally, after that incident in Linwood, the Coast Guard did respond 
and assigned an additional cutter from Maine to come over and assist 
with ice-breaking, which has been of great assistance to us as we get 
the lakes fully opened up for the summer shipping season.
  But the need for this bill has already been well established. This 
bill will authorize the Coast Guard to design and construct a new 
replacement ice-breaker for the Great Lakes. In addition to assisting 
with ice-breaking problems we have had on the Great Lakes, this bill 
will also put Americans to work building this vessel.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I commend the chairman 
for putting this legislation forward.

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