Skip to main content
S 576 117th Congress Senate Transportation and Public Works Canada Coast guard Congressional oversight Great Lakes Marine and inland water transportation Military procurement, research, weapons development Navigation, waterways, harbors Performance measurement Public contracts and procurement

Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act of 2021

Introduced: March 3, 2021 Introduced by: Baldwin, Tammy Democratic · Wisconsin See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 16, 2021
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 197.
Dec 16, 2021
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Apr 28, 2021
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Mar 3, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mar 3, 2021
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act of 2021

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 and ferries attempt to transit ice-covered waterways; and
  • 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 and ferries attempt to transit ice-covered waterways.

Additionally, the Coast Guard must establish and maintain a database for collecting, archiving, and disseminating data on icebreaking operations and commercial vessel transit in the Great Lakes during ice season.

The bill also directs the Coast Guard to acquire a Great Lakes icebreaker that is at least as capable as Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw.

The Government Accountability Office must submit to Congress a report on the Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaking program.

What's happening now December 16, 2021

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 197.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 2 Republican 1