Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on Great Lakes Funding in Congressional Budget Deal
Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) issued the following statement today after a budget deal was reached in Congress that continues to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a program that President Donald Trump had proposed cutting by $50 million this year to help pay for his U.S-Mexico border wall:
"I am pleased to see that the budget deal reached in Congress rejects President Trump's proposed cuts to Great Lakes protection efforts. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has always had bipartisan support because it helps to protect the Great Lakes from harm, including from invasive species like Asian carp and pollution. It is vital that we protect the Great Lakes, now and in the future, because they help to generate billions in annual economic activity and support 1.5 million good-paying jobs in the tourism, boating and fishing industries.
"We can never put our Great Lakes in jeopardy – our jobs, our livelihood and our way of life are at stake. I will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans in Congress to fully fund Great Lakes protection efforts and stop President Trump's proposed elimination of the program next year."