HR 5896
116th Congress
House
Transportation and Public Works
Canada
Coast guard
Congressional oversight
Great Lakes
Marine and inland water transportation
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Performance measurement
Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act of 2020
Introduced: February 13, 2020
See on congress.gov
Everywhere this bill has been
3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 14, 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Feb 13, 2020
Introduced in House
Feb 13, 2020
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Plain-English summary
Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act of 2020
This bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct icebreaking operations in the Great Lakes in accordance with specific performance standards.
Specifically, the Coast Guard must
- keep channels and harbors in the Great Lakes open to navigation not less than 90% of the hours that commercial vessels transit ice-covered waterways;
- in a year in which the Great Lakes are not open to navigation because of ice of a thickness that occurs on average only once every 10 years, keep channels and harbors open to navigation at least 70% of the hours that commercial vessels transit ice-covered waterways; and
- coordinate Great Lakes icebreaking operations with operators of commercial vessels.
The bill prohibits the Coast Guard from breaking ice in Canadian harbors or bays unless it meets these performance standards during such activity. Such prohibition may be waived on a case-by-case basis upon approval by the Department of Homeland Security and notification to Congress.
What's happening now
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Committees of jurisdiction
2