[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 26, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H1954-H1957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE ACT OF 2016
Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 223) to authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 223
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 Restoration
Initiative Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE.
Section 118(c)(7) of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(c)(7)) is amended--
(1) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C) and inserting the
following:
``(B) Focus areas.--In carrying out the Initiative, the
Administrator shall prioritize programs and projects, to be
carried out in coordination with non-Federal partners, that
address the priority areas described in the Initiative Action
Plan, including--
``(i) the remediation of toxic substances and areas of
concern;
``(ii) the prevention and control of invasive species and
the impacts of invasive species;
``(iii) the protection and restoration of nearshore health
and the prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source
pollution;
``(iv) habitat and wildlife protection and restoration,
including wetlands restoration and preservation; and
``(v) accountability, monitoring, evaluation,
communication, and partnership activities.
``(C) Projects.--
``(i) In general.--In carrying out the Initiative, the
Administrator shall collaborate with other Federal partners,
including the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force established
by Executive Order 13340 (69 Fed. Reg. 29043), to select the
best combination of programs and projects for Great Lakes
protection and restoration using appropriate principles and
criteria, including whether a program or project provides--
``(I) the ability to achieve strategic and measurable
environmental outcomes that implement the Initiative Action
Plan and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
``(II) the feasibility of--
``(aa) prompt implementation;
``(bb) timely achievement of results; and
``(cc) resource leveraging; and
``(III) the opportunity to improve interagency,
intergovernmental, and inter-organizational coordination and
collaboration to reduce duplication and streamline efforts.
``(ii) Outreach.--In selecting the best combination of
programs and projects for Great Lakes protection and
restoration under clause (i), the Administrator shall consult
with the Great Lakes States and Indian tribes and solicit
input from other non-Federal stakeholders.
``(iii) Harmful algal bloom coordinator.--The Administrator
shall designate a point person from an appropriate Federal
partner to coordinate, with Federal partners and Great Lakes
States, Indian tribes, and other non-Federal stakeholders,
projects and activities under the Initiative involving
harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.'';
(2) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:
``(i) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (J)(ii), funds
made available to carry out the Initiative shall be used to
strategically implement--
``(I) Federal projects;
``(II) projects carried out in coordination with States,
Indian tribes, municipalities, institutions of higher
education, and other organizations; and
``(III) operations and activities of the Program Office,
including remediation of sediment contamination in areas of
concern.'';
(B) in clause (ii)(I), by striking ``(G)(i)'' and inserting
``(J)(i)''; and
(C) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:
``(iii) Agreements with non-federal entities.--
``(I) In general.--The Administrator, or the head of any
other Federal department or agency receiving funds under
clause (ii)(I), may make a grant to, or otherwise enter into
an agreement with, a qualified non-Federal entity, as
determined by the Administrator or the applicable head of the
other Federal department or agency receiving funds, for
planning, research, monitoring, outreach, or implementation
of a project selected under subparagraph (C), to support the
Initiative Action Plan or the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement.
``(II) Qualified non-federal entity.--For purposes of this
clause, a qualified non-Federal entity may include a
governmental entity, nonprofit organization, institution, or
individual.''; and
(3) by striking subparagraphs (E) through (G) and inserting
the following:
``(E) Scope.--
``(i) In general.--Projects may be carried out under the
Initiative on multiple levels, including--
``(I) locally;
``(II) Great Lakes-wide; or
``(III) Great Lakes basin-wide.
``(ii) Limitation.--No funds made available to carry out
the Initiative may be used for any water infrastructure
activity (other than a
[[Page H1955]]
green infrastructure project that improves habitat and other
ecosystem functions in the Great Lakes) for which financial
assistance is received--
``(I) from a State water pollution control revolving fund
established under title VI;
``(II) from a State drinking water revolving loan fund
established under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act
(42 U.S.C. 300j-12); or
``(III) pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.).
``(F) Activities by other federal agencies.--Each relevant
Federal department or agency shall, to the maximum extent
practicable--
``(i) maintain the base level of funding for the Great
Lakes activities of that department or agency without regard
to funding under the Initiative; and
``(ii) identify new activities and projects to support the
environmental goals of the Initiative.
``(G) Revision of initiative action plan.--
``(i) In general.--Not less often than once every 5 years,
the Administrator, in conjunction with the Great Lakes
Interagency Task Force, shall review, and revise as
appropriate, the Initiative Action Plan to guide the
activities of the Initiative in addressing the restoration
and protection of the Great Lakes system.
``(ii) Outreach.--In reviewing and revising the Initiative
Action Plan under clause (i), the Administrator shall consult
with the Great Lakes States and Indian tribes and solicit
input from other non-Federal stakeholders.
``(H) Monitoring and reporting.--The Administrator shall--
``(i) establish and maintain a process for monitoring and
periodically reporting to the public on the progress made in
implementing the Initiative Action Plan;
``(ii) make information about each project carried out
under the Initiative Action Plan available on a public
website; and
``(iii) provide to the House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment
and Public Works a yearly detailed description of the
progress of the Initiative and amounts transferred to
participating Federal departments and agencies under
subparagraph (D)(ii).
``(I) Initiative action plan defined.--In this paragraph,
the term `Initiative Action Plan' means the comprehensive,
multi-year action plan for the restoration of the Great
Lakes, first developed pursuant to the Joint Explanatory
Statement of the Conference Report accompanying the
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2010 (Public Law 111-88).
``(J) Funding.--
``(i) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this paragraph $300,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2017 through 2021.
``(ii) Limitation.--Nothing in this paragraph creates,
expands, or amends the authority of the Administrator to
implement programs or projects under--
``(I) this section;
``(II) the Initiative Action Plan; or
``(III) the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Gibbs) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
General Leave
Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous materials on H.R. 223, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to bring up H.R. 223, the
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2016, introduced by my Ohio
colleague, Congressman Dave Joyce, on the floor today.
The Great Lakes are an important resource for the United States. More
than 30 million people live in the Great Lakes region, and the lakes
help support over $200 billion a year in economic activity.
The Great Lakes Interagency Task Force of Federal agencies was
created in 2004 by executive order to help ensure coordination between
the Federal, State, and private parties protecting and restoring the
Great Lakes.
In 2010, the task force released an action plan as part of the Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative to accelerate efforts to protect and
restore the Great Lakes.
Under the Initiative, the Environmental Protection Agency
collaborates with other Federal partners, including the Great Lakes
Interagency Task Force, to select the best combination of projects and
activities for Great Lakes protection and restoration.
In September of 2014, the Federal agencies released an updated Action
Plan II, which summarizes the actions that the Federal agencies plan to
implement during fiscal years 2015 through 2019.
The Action Plan aims to strategically target the biggest threats to
the Great Lakes ecosystem and to accelerate progress toward long-term
goals.
H.R. 223 will formally authorize the Great Lakes Restoration
Initiative for 5 years and modifies the program based on
recommendations that the Committee received from stakeholders,
hearings, and the GAO reports on EPA's activities during multiple years
of oversight.
The bill is a positive step forward for the Great Lakes region and
the United States as a whole as we continue to prioritize protection
and restoration of one of our Nation's most valuable resources.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 223, the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative Act of 2016. This bill extends the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative, a program which has had bipartisan support
among the Great Lakes delegation for 5 years.
I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives David Joyce, Dan
Lipinski, and Rick Nolan, for their hard work and effort to extend the
authorization of appropriations for this program through fiscal year
2021.
These and other members of the Midwest delegation worked diligently
to get this legislation to the floor for consideration. I want to thank
them all for a job well done.
It accelerates efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes, the
largest system of surface freshwater in the world.
Through unprecedented Federal agency coordination and the development
of partnerships with the Great Lakes States and local communities, the
initiative has already funded more than 2,000 projects to improve water
quality, protect and restore native habitats, and prevent and control
invasive species in the Great Lakes.
Mr. Speaker, legislation similar to this bill was included in the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016. However, that authorization
was only for 1 fiscal year. This legislation provides for a full 5-year
reauthorization.
That timeline is necessary to allow many longer term projects to be
planned, capitalized, and completed.
Further, this bill will allow States and local communities to
coordinate their efforts to combat harmful algal blooms in the Great
Lakes for the first time.
The harmful algal blooms that shut down the drinking water system in
Toledo, Ohio, for 3 days in 2014 and that re-emerged in 2015 are still
fresh in our memories.
For this reason, I am pleased that this legislation includes the text
of H.R. 1923, sponsored by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), to
require EPA to appoint a Federal coordinator to work with the Federal
agencies, the States, the tribes, and other stakeholders to address the
recurring challenges of algal blooms in the Great Lakes.
This coordinator will ensure that GLRI funds are utilized in the most
efficient and effective way to reduce nutrients finding their way into
the lakes.
Lastly, this bill includes a savings clause to clarify that the GLRI
authorization does not expand the regulatory authority of EPA related
to restoration of the Great Lakes.
I did not advocate for this provision. However, let's make it clear
here today on the floor that this language should not be interpreted as
preventing EPA or other Federal agencies from continuing to utilize
their existing authorities to address ongoing water quality challenges
facing the lakes.
Accordingly, this bill should help ensure that the Federal
departments are able to fund work using all the existing tools in the
toolbox that cause harmful algal blooms and other pollution and prevent
Asian carp from invading the lakes, which would be a disaster, and
clean up areas of concern and other high-priority threats.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 223.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague from Ohio
[[Page H1956]]
(Mr. Joyce), who has been a strong advocate for the protection of the
Great Lakes and a sponsor of the bill.
Mr. JOYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 223, the
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2016.
First, I want to thank my good friend, Bob Gibbs of Ohio, for helping
me to shepherd this legislation through the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.
I also want to thank Chairman Shuster for lending a hand and
providing guidance on this.
Now, I know I may sound like a broken record, but one of the greatest
natural resources and economic powerhouses we have in the United States
and the world, for that matter, is the Great Lakes.
I think the resource is incredibly important because, in the future,
freshwater is going to be the new gold. And, if you believe that like I
do, you understand why the Great Lakes are so important.
Let me give you a few quick facts about this treasure. The Great
Lakes contains one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water.
The Great Lakes contain about 85 percent of the fresh surface water
in North America.
In the U.S., the Great Lakes account for 95 percent of the fresh
surface water. That is a lot of fresh water.
If you took the water and spread it evenly across the Continental
United States, the Great Lakes would submerge our country under 9\1/2\
feet of water.
These lakes provide more than 35 million people with their drinking
water. These Great Lakes support more than 3,500 species of plants and
animals.
Studies have shown that more than 1\1/2\ million jobs are connected
to the five lakes, and they generate $62 billion in wages.
Now, I know I have uttered those facts around the Capitol like a
broken record since I got here, as have others, but these are powerful
in telling our story.
An investment in protecting this national treasure is a small down
payment in protecting the drinking water for millions of people.
This legislation will continue to make sure that we look at these
Great Lakes as a national treasure and coordinate our investment in
protecting them. Please stand with me today in sending a message to
protect and preserve our Great Lakes.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Ryan).
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I also
thank my colleagues from Ohio. This has been one of the true bipartisan
issues that we have dealt with.
So I would like to thank Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Joyce, Ms. Kaptur, Marcia
Fudge, Jim Renacci, also, Pete Visclosky, and Chris Collins.
As you just heard from Mr. Joyce, the Great Lakes are a huge issue.
But, also, for us, Lake Erie is a huge issue. My legislation was put
into this bill to require the EPA to appoint a coordinator to address
the issue of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.
We have so many groups that are interested, but we need the EPA to
help coordinate. Our friends helped get this language into this bill,
and I am deeply grateful for that.
These harmful algal blooms affect over half a million Ohioans. It did
in 2014. Lake Erie provides clean drinking water for approximately 3
million Ohioans, many of them up and around the Cleveland and Toledo
areas.
In August 2014, we had an environmental disaster caused by a harmful
algal bloom that left nearly 500,000 residents of Toledo and the
western basin without safe drinking water for 3 days.
Lake Erie's tourist industry generates $12.9 billion in visitor
spending, including 119,000 jobs, and contributes $1.7 billion in
Federal, State, and local taxes.
This crisis just continues to build, and it is critical that we start
working together to come up with a plan to stem the growing tide.
The Great Lakes' abundance of fresh water is a vital resource and a
strategic advantage, and it is critical that we do everything in our
power to combat the threats to the Great Lakes that threaten the health
and well-being of Ohio and other States surrounding the Great Lakes.
So we must do everything we can. This language helps to make that
happen. This language will ensure that there is a coordinator at the
EPA to work with the appropriate Federal, State, local, tribal, and
foreign governments to address this critical issue affecting the State
of Ohio.
As we see the changes in our economy and as we see what is happening
out west, we are reminded every single day how critical and how lucky
we are, those of us who live in the Great Lakes region, to be able to
access this fresh water.
So, again, I thank my friends from Ohio. I thank Mr. Shuster from
this committee, Mr. DeFazio, and others who helped make this happen and
for including this language in the bill.
Hon. Tim Ryan,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Ryan: We write in support of H.R. 1923,
your bill requiring the administrator of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency to appoint a Great Lakes
Harmful Algal Bloom Coordinator, which is now part of H.R.
223, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2015.
Thank you for your leadership and for being a champion for
our Great Lakes, particularly Lake Erie.
Currently there are many efforts underway to reduce the
number of harmful algal blooms throughout the Great Lakes,
such as in Lake Erie, Saginaw and Green Bays, and Fox River.
These efforts, however, are not always coordinated to
leverage resources and share vital information. Appointing a
coordinator ensures resources are used effectively and
efficiently and that federal, state, and local agencies,
tribal governments, universities and non-governmental
organizations are working collaboratively to reduce
phosphorus flowing into the Great Lakes. The first step is a
coordinator to ensure everyone is working together to address
these complex issues.
A coordinator could not come quickly enough. Lake Erie is
the canary in the coal mine of what is to come for freshwater
bodies if the nation does not solve this problem. In 2015,
Lake Erie experienced a HAB that stretched from Michigan to
well past Cleveland and was the biggest bloom on record. In
2014 and 2013, residents in the Toledo area and Carroll
Township, respectively, went without tap water because of the
toxins produced by these blooms.
As you know, over 30 million people rely on the Great Lakes
for their drinking water. We must take action now because the
longer we wait, the more serious and expensive this problem
becomes.
Please let Kristy Meyer with the Ohio Environmental Council
know how we can be helpful in seeing this vital piece of
legislation become law.
Sincerely,
Heather Taylor-Miesle, Executive Director, Ohio
Environmental Council; Jill Ryan, Executive Director,
Freshwater Future; Molly Flanagan, Vice President, Policy,
Alliance for the Great Lakes; Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper,
Milwaukee Riverkeeper; Carol A. Stepien, Professor of
Ecology, Director, Lake Erie Science Center, University of
Toledo; Howard A. Lerner, Executive Director, Environmental
Law & Policy Center; Deanna White, State Director, Clean
Water Action Minnesota; Jennifer McKay, Policy Specialist,
Tipp of the Mitt Watershed; Melinda Hughes, President, Nature
Abounds; Michael Griffin, Executive Director, County
Executives of America; George Meyer, Executive Director,
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
Sandy Bihn, Executive Director, Lake Erie Waterkeeper, Inc;
Jim Stouffer, President, Lake Erie Improvement Association;
Lynn McClure, Midwest Regional Director, National Parks
Conservation Association; Mike Shriberg, Regional Executive
Director, Great Lakes, National Wildlife Federation; Matt
Misicka, President, Ohio Conservation Federation; Paul
Pacholski, President, Lake Erie Charter Boat Association; Ray
Stewart, President, Ohio Wetland Association; Nicole Barker,
Executive Director, Save the Dunes; Joy Mulinex, Director of
Government Relations, Western Reserve Land Conservancy; Indra
Frank, MD, MPH, Environmental Health & Water Policy Director,
Hoosier Environmental Council; Brian Smith, Associate
Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
Rick Novickis, MPH, RS, Director of Environmental Public
Health Services, Cuyahoga County Board of Health; J. Meiring
Borcherds, Watershed Coordinator, Mill Creek Watershed
Partnership; Ivan J. Hack, Jr., President, Headwaters
Chapter, Izaak Walton League of America; Sr. Rose Therese
Nolta, SSpS, Justice and Peace Coordinator, Holy Spirit
Missionary Sisters; Irene Senn, Coordinator, Religious
Coalition for the Great Lakes; Robert Stegmier, National
Director, Izaak Walton League of America; Josh Knights,
Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy, Ohio Chapter;
Christi Carlson, President, Friends of Euclid Creek;
Charlotte Jameson, Government Affairs Director, Michigan
League of Conservation Voters; Katie Rousseau, Director,
Clean Water Supply, Great Lakes, American Rivers; Denny
Caneff, Executive Director, River Alliance of Wisconsin; Todd
Ambs, Campaign Director, Healing Our Waters--Great Lakes
Coalition.
[[Page H1957]]
Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. Miller), who has fought for years to protect the Great
Lakes.
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. I thank the chairman for yielding the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my very, very, strong support
for H.R. 223, which is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of
2016.
{time} 1545
Actually, as the chairman has said, protecting and preserving the
Great Lakes has always been a principal advocacy for myself in all the
years that I have been in public service, way before I came to the
Congress.
I actually grew up on the Great Lakes. I still live on the Great
Lakes. My family was in the marina business, so for us, the lakes were
more than just a source of recreation, they put food on the table for
my family. Like so many from the region, the Great Lakes are such a
very proud, proud part of our heritage and of our identity.
Our Great Lakes, as has been said, generate billions of dollars each
and every year through the fishing and shipping industries and
recreational activities. They account for 85 to 90 percent of this
country's freshwater drinking supply and over 20 percent worldwide.
There is actually more freshwater under the polar icecaps, but you
cannot get at it. You can't get at it to drink it. You can get at the
Great Lakes. That is why we are always wanting to protect the Great
Lakes.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, we have not been the best stewards of
these magnificent lakes, and we owe it, I think, to future generations
to help assure that they are protected and that they are preserved as
well. One of the ways to do that, I believe, is through continued
funding and support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
For years, the administration has proposed budgets that include cuts
of millions of dollars to the GLRI, but it is Congress--this Congress--
that has always stepped in to recover this funding. That is just one of
the reasons that I support this bill, because it does authorize funding
at the essential levels--$300 million--for the next 5 years.
Mr. Speaker, I will also join my colleagues in pointing out that this
is truly a bipartisan effort, as you can tell from the people that are
on the floor this morning talking about this. Most of us are from the
Great Lakes, whether it is Ohio, Michigan, or some of the other Great
Lakes States. But it is not just a regional jewel, just a regional
treasure, the Great Lakes are a national treasure and deserve to be
protected in that way.
Mr. Speaker, over the years I have seen firsthand the impact that
GLRI is having on our lakes, whether that is dredging, or beach and
shoreline restoration, fighting invasive species, all of these projects
are so critical.
Just last fall I was delighted to be part of the unveiling of $20
million of GLRI grants for the Clinton River Restoration. The Clinton
River, which flows through a major metropolitan area in southeast
Michigan, is in desperate need of restoration. So this funding will go
a long way in ensuring that the Clinton River is no longer an area of
concern and has a thriving ecosystem and a watershed.
Mr. Speaker, God gave us these magnificent, magnificent Great Lakes
that have provided us with so much, but we need to be better stewards
of them. Quite frankly, we have a lot of making up to do to Mother
Nature--a lot of making up. I believe this bill goes a long way in
bringing the necessary attention and the resources to a problem that we
have long ago identified and need to address.
Mr. Speaker, again, I strongly support H.R. 223, the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative Act, and I urge all my colleagues to support it
as well.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Kildee).
Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the ranking member, for
yielding. I also want to thank the folks on both sides of the aisle for
their great work on this Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,
particularly my colleague from Michigan, Congresswoman Miller, who just
spoke and who will be leaving Congress at the end of this year. She has
been a defender of the Great Lakes for her entire time here. I think it
is a fitting part of her legacy that this legislation, hopefully today,
will pass this House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, being from Michigan and being a part of the Great Lakes,
really growing up around the lakes and in the lakes gives us a lot of
pride in my home State. It is the greatest freshwater source, surface
freshwater source on the planet, and provides drinking water to over 30
million Americans.
It is a great economic resource as well with great benefits to our
entire Nation. It supports millions of jobs, and billions of income
every year is derived from the dependence that we have on this great
resource. It supports commerce, agriculture, transportation, and
tourism. It is home to over 3,500 species of plants and animals. It is
an incredible ecosystem.
But we know that the threat to the lakes--the threats--multiple
threats to the lakes--are real. From invasive species like Asian carp
to toxic chemical contamination and to habitat loss, we have to do
everything we can within our power to protect the Great Lakes and
combat these really clear present threats.
So I am really proud in a very bipartisan fashion to support full
funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to protect and
restore that which we have lost in the largest system of fresh water in
the world.
In the short time that the GLRI has been in place, we have made
progress--and we know that this is an effective program--addressing
longstanding environmental problems confronting the lakes. Over 2,500
individual projects have already been implemented to improve water
quality, to clean up contaminated shorelines, to protect and restore
native habitats and species, and to control invasive species.
Mr. Speaker, we are here because we know we have to do more. I join
my colleagues in urging Congress to join us in supporting the economic
and environmental health of the Great Lakes and making this a permanent
part of American law.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to make a couple of closing comments.
We had some hearings in my subcommittee on this, and part of our
oversight responsibility is to make sure that taxpayer dollars are
being spent the way they should be. We requested a GAO--a government
accountability--report, and I am pleased to announce that the report
came back very favorable, that the monies to be invested to protect the
Great Lakes is being spent the way it is intended to be.
The only negative that was in the report--which is really minor--was
the agencies, the EPA needed to do a better job working together and
communicating, and they already had started that when they got the
report. So I want to assure our fiscal hawks out there that this money
is being spent the way it is intended by Congress, and we got that as
part of our oversight duty.
Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I urge our support of H.R. 223 and to
continue to protect and enhance the Great Lakes.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 223, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________