[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.
____________________