Legacy Act Passes; White House Cuts Funding

Sep 29: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) issued a release applauding Congressional leaders for securing reauthorizing of the Great Lakes Legacy Act (H.R 6460). The House of Representatives re-approved an amended version of H.R. 6460 on September 28, which extends the Legacy Act for two years at level funding of $54 million per year. The bill now goes to President Bush for signing.

According to a release from Michigan Lt. Governor and Great Lakes Commission (GLC) Chairman John Cherry, "While this is a positive step forward, the Great Lakes Commission is disappointed that despite the best efforts of our region’s Congressional leaders, no additional funding was provided. HR 6460 first passed the House of Representatives on September 18 at $150M. At the 11th hour, the Bush Administration weighed in with a letter to House and Senate leaders in opposition to the bill, because of the proposed funding increase. To gain approval in the Senate, the bill was amended and the funding kept level with legislation approved in 2002."

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair, Representative James Oberstar (D-MN) explained further in a Floor statement saying, "Regrettably, when this measure got over to the Senate, as so often happens in the other body, one person can shut down the Senate and can shut down the country. In this case one objection held up Senate action on the bill until funding for the program was cut. I'm just so disappointed and so anguished over the failure of the Senate to provide the funding. They didn't change anything else in the bill, just implementing it, just funding it. That is cutting out the heart. . . We will come back next year. There will be a different spirit in the White House, a different spirit in the Congress. We will fix that."

Access a release from the GLC (click here). Access legislative details for H.R 6460 including links to Floor statements (click here).