House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advances bill on Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

During a recent legislative markup, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2015, H.R. 223, and the Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2015 (H.R. 1684), amongst other bills.

“…[T]he Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is bipartisan legislation that will help restore and maintain the ecological health of the Great Lakes,” U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said. “I applaud the sponsors of this legislation for their hard work.”

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2015 reauthorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for another five years, allowing the program to continue with its efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. It was introduced by U.S. Rep. David Joyce (R-OH). The Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2015, introduced by U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), allows the U.S. to pursue removal costs and damages from Foreign Offshore Units following oil spills, using the Oil Pollution Act. The committee also advanced several bills that will provide for better management and disposal of federal real estate.

“Bipartisan legislation passed by the committee today will shrink the federal government’s physical footprint, streamline the disposal process of excess federal property, and save taxpayers money,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), chair of the committee. “The committee also approved some common sense measures to protect the Great Lakes and help address cleanups of future oil spills.”