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Latta Cosponsors Great Lakes System Legislation

Washington, DC, June 27, 2013 | Laura Strange (202-225-6405)

Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) has cosponsored H.R. 2273, the Great Lakes System Sustainability Act. This bipartisan legislation would streamline the current Great Lakes Navigation System by creating a single, cohesive system for budgetary purposes, which would allow the system to compete for Army Corps of Engineers maintenance funding as one unit against other areas, rather than against each other.  

“A unified system has proven to be successful for port systems in other regions; by organizing the Great Lakes Navigation System as one cohesive system it will allow for our Great Lakes harbors and ports to be more competitive,” Latta said. “The Great Lakes play an important role in our local and national economy, and the operation and maintenance of these ports and harbors is critical for the creation of jobs and commerce.”

In addition to modernizing the current system, this bill obtains $200 million in existing funding just for the use in the Great Lakes.  Finally, this bill directs the Corps to create a cost-share program to help reduce the backlog for recreational harbors.

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