[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3916-H3918]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SOO LOCKS SECURITY AND ECONOMIC REPORTING ACT OF 2023

  Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3399) to study the security of the Soo Locks and effects on the 
supply chain resulting from a malfunction or failure of the Soo Locks, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3399

       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 ``Soo Locks Security and 
     Economic Reporting Act of 2023''.

     SEC. 2. REPORT ON SECURITY AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS ON SUPPLY 
                   CHAIN OF SOO LOCKS, MICHIGAN.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in 
     coordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the 
     Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report that--
       (1) highlights any security deficiencies that exist with 
     respect to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan;
       (2) highlights the supply chain, logistical, and economic 
     effects that would result in the event of a malfunction or 
     failure of the Soo Locks and how such effects would impact 
     the region surrounding the Soo Locks and the United States;
       (3) highlights any potential domestic or international 
     threats to the integrity of the Soo Locks;
       (4) details the current security structure of the Coast 
     Guard and any other relevant Federal, State, or local agency 
     to protect the Soo Locks; and
       (5) provides any recommendations, and cost estimates for 
     such recommendations, for--
       (A) strengthening the security of the Soo Locks; and
       (B) reducing the impacts to the supply chain of the United 
     States that would result in the event of a malfunction or 
     failure of the Soo Locks.
       (b) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     Act, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (1) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
     the House of Representatives;
       (2) the Committee on Commerce, Transportation, and Science 
     of the Senate; and
       (3) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 
     Senate.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. James) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Auchincloss) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.

                              {time}  1700


                             General Leave

  Mr. JAMES. 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 material in the Record on H.R. 3399.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I am grateful for the bipartisan 
support of

[[Page H3917]]

my colleagues in Michigan, General Bergman, along with Representatives 
Scholten and Kildee, for cosponsoring this very important legislation.
  H.R. 3399, the Soo Locks Security and Economic Report Act of 2023, is 
proof that fortifying our national security and strengthening our 
economy transcends partisan politics.
  The Soo Locks are a feat of human ingenuity and a point of pride for 
all Michiganders. The Army Corps of Engineers has nicknamed the Soo 
Locks the ``linchpin of the Great Lakes,'' and for good reason. The 
locks connect both Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
  They play a vital role in transporting goods and resources not just 
throughout the Great Lakes, but all around the world. An average of 
7,000 vessels pass through the locks every single year, and with it, 
over 90 percent of the world's iron ore.
  As the hub of America's vehicle industry and one of the most critical 
States for our military industry, Michigan relies on the locks to get 
necessary materials in and out of the State. The Soo Locks aren't just 
important for my home State, they are also critical for every State and 
for our national security.
  As stated above, over 90 percent of the world's iron ore flows 
through the Soo Locks. Michigan is home to the third largest land 
border in the country. As a member of the House Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee and the congressman representing Michigan's 
10th Congressional District, America's number one manufacturing 
district, it is my job to safeguard our national defense and vital 
commerce by finding ways to secure our essential infrastructure. An 
unexpected closure of the Soo Locks would threaten both.
  In 2015, the Department of Homeland Security found that a 6-month 
shutdown would be disastrous: Recession, closed factories, shuttered 
mines, a pause in U.S. auto and appliance production for most of the 
year. Around 11 million jobs could be lost nationwide. That is the 
entirety of Michigan's population.
  Let's think of that. Our economy would be critically harmed and might 
never recover.
  A 2018 study concluded that an unexpected outage in the 1,200-foot-
long Poe lock would create a bottleneck that would disrupt the supply 
chain for steel production and wreak havoc in Michigan manufacturing, 
particularly in the automotive industry.
  That is why I introduced the Soo Locks Security and Economic 
Reporting Act of 2023, and this is why we must together pass this 
legislation. This is a commonsense measure that simply asks the 
Secretaries of Transportation and Defense, along with the commandant of 
the Coast Guard, to study potential security risks of the Soo Locks.
  It would examine the economic consequences in the event of 
operational failure. Finally, it asks these departments to provide 
recommendations, as well as the cost of these recommendations to 
Congress.
  This legislation is a commonsense step toward protecting the 
infrastructure that keeps this country running. Failing to move forward 
on this bill doesn't just jeopardize America's national security, it 
leaves our country vulnerable to an economic crisis that is 
unacceptable.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3399, 
the Soo Lock Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 3399, which, like my bill that is also 
under suspension today, will help to ensure a safe and resilient 
American supply chain.
  The Soo Locks, which are located on the St. Mary's River and connect 
Lake Superior to the rest of the Great Lakes system, facilitate the 
passage of 7,000 cargo ships per year. The locks connect the Great 
Lakes and are directly on the border with Canada, making them an 
important fixture for our national security. If something were to 
happen to the Soo Locks, 11 million jobs would be affected nationwide.
  This bill directs the Department of Transportation to conduct a study 
on any domestic or international threats to the Soo Locks, as well as 
the economic effect of an operational failure.
  This bill was reported out of the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee unanimously on May 23 of this year because my colleagues 
understand that economic resilience and national security are 
intertwined.
  A robust and resilient supply chain is the result of deliberate 
construction, maintenance, and operational security of locks, ports, 
waterways, roads, railways, and airports.
  As proponents of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law understood, 
maintenance of and investment in our ports and waterways is paramount. 
That law provided $17 billion for ports and waterways, which will go a 
long way to ensuring the viability of infrastructure like the Soo Locks 
and maritime transportation in the Great Lakes. This bill builds upon 
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by understanding the vulnerabilities 
from a national security standpoint, and, thus, better protecting our 
investments.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), a Lake Superior State University graduate.
  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I spent the last 2 years of my college 
experience living in dorm rooms that were about 250 yards from the Soo 
Locks at the beautiful Lake Superior State University.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3399, the Soo Locks 
Security and Economic Reporting Act, sponsored by my good friend from 
Michigan, Congressman  John James.
  Each year, vessels passing through the Soo Locks haul an estimated 70 
million tons of cargo to critical industries in the United States and 
Canada. In total, the infrastructure supports more than 123,000 jobs 
and has a $22.6 billion economic activity price tag.
  In my first year in Congress, I joined Congressman Jack Bergman from 
Michigan on a tour of the Soo Locks to see the critical infrastructure 
firsthand.
  Nearly all of the iron ore pellets essential for the American steel 
industry travel through the Great Lakes. A report by the Department of 
Homeland Security in 2015 found no alternative transportation mode 
exists for getting iron ore from the Minnesota mines to steel mills on 
the lower Great Lakes. The Iron Range of Minnesota produces almost 82 
percent of the taconite pellets that make up the steel industry in our 
Nation.
  National security experts and economists have warned that sustained 
closure of any of the locks would cripple our supply chain and plunge 
our economy into a recession.
  It is abundantly clear: The protection and modernization of the Soo 
Locks is not only a supply chain issue, but a national security issue. 
The Soo Locks infrastructure needs significant investment, and it needs 
it now.
  H.R. 3399 directs the Secretary of Transportation to study the 
security risks of the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and the 
economic ramifications in the event of their operational failure. This 
will provide us with concrete evidence of the importance of the Soo 
Locks and demonstrate our need for unwavering support.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for his 
leadership on this matter, as well as his remarks, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
3399, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, the Soo Locks are critical to international commerce and 
to our supply chain, and the report directed by this bill would provide 
important information to ensure their continued funding and operation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. James) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3399.

[[Page H3918]]

  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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