[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 139 (Friday, November 14, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              GREAT LAKES MARITIME HERITAGE ASSESSMENT ACT

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                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 14, 2014

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Great Lakes 
Maritime Heritage Assessment Act, an important bill to promote and 
preserve the sunken treasures of the Great Lakes.
  The rich maritime history of the Great Lakes is an integral part of 
the American narrative. Millions of immigrants who settled the region 
and started America's westward expansion arrived on Great Lakes 
steamboats. As cities grew, Great Lakes ships and barges carried the 
timber, coal, and ore that fueled America's industrial might. One of 
America's first great naval victories, the Battle of Lake Erie, was won 
on the Great Lakes. Today, much of this heritage remains, beneath the 
waters of the Great Lakes.
  Despite thousands of shipwrecks throughout the Great Lakes, the 
Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary is the only designated sanctuary in the 
lakes. Located in Lake Huron, off the coast of Alpena, Michigan, 
Thunder Bay Sanctuary has been a major economic driver for the area, 
spurring tourism, research, and educational opportunities. We can build 
on the success of Thunder Bay by establishing additional sanctuaries 
across the Great Lakes.
  This bill would direct the Administrator of NOAA to identify 
underwater areas throughout the Great Lakes that possess significant 
historical and archaeological resources and recommend whether they 
should be designated as National Marine Sanctuaries.
  Preserving the cultural legacy of our region is an important 
component of caring for our Great Lakes, and I look forward to working 
with my colleagues to achieve this goal.

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