Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3399) to study the security of the Soo Locks and effects on the supply chain resulting from a malfunction or failure of the Soo Locks, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 3399.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I am grateful for the bipartisan support of

my colleagues in Michigan, General Bergman, along with Representatives Scholten and Kildee, for cosponsoring this very important legislation.

H.R. 3399, the Soo Locks Security and Economic Report Act of 2023, is proof that fortifying our national security and strengthening our economy transcends partisan politics.

The Soo Locks are a feat of human ingenuity and a point of pride for all Michiganders. The Army Corps of Engineers has nicknamed the Soo Locks the ``linchpin of the Great Lakes,'' and for good reason. The locks connect both Lake Superior and Lake Huron.

They play a vital role in transporting goods and resources not just throughout the Great Lakes, but all around the world. An average of 7,000 vessels pass through the locks every single year, and with it, over 90 percent of the world's iron ore.

As the hub of America's vehicle industry and one of the most critical States for our military industry, Michigan relies on the locks to get necessary materials in and out of the State. The Soo Locks aren't just important for my home State, they are also critical for every State and for our national security.

As stated above, over 90 percent of the world's iron ore flows through the Soo Locks. Michigan is home to the third largest land border in the country. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the congressman representing Michigan's 10th Congressional District, America's number one manufacturing district, it is my job to safeguard our national defense and vital commerce by finding ways to secure our essential infrastructure. An unexpected closure of the Soo Locks would threaten both.

In 2015, the Department of Homeland Security found that a 6-month shutdown would be disastrous: Recession, closed factories, shuttered mines, a pause in U.S. auto and appliance production for most of the year. Around 11 million jobs could be lost nationwide. That is the entirety of Michigan's population.

Let's think of that. Our economy would be critically harmed and might never recover.

A 2018 study concluded that an unexpected outage in the 1,200-foot- long Poe lock would create a bottleneck that would disrupt the supply chain for steel production and wreak havoc in Michigan manufacturing, particularly in the automotive industry.

That is why I introduced the Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023, and this is why we must together pass this legislation. This is a commonsense measure that simply asks the Secretaries of Transportation and Defense, along with the commandant of the Coast Guard, to study potential security risks of the Soo Locks.

It would examine the economic consequences in the event of operational failure. Finally, it asks these departments to provide recommendations, as well as the cost of these recommendations to Congress.

This legislation is a commonsense step toward protecting the infrastructure that keeps this country running. Failing to move forward on this bill doesn't just jeopardize America's national security, it leaves our country vulnerable to an economic crisis that is unacceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3399, the Soo Lock Security and Economic Reporting Act of 2023, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), a Lake Superior State University graduate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for his leadership on this matter, as well as his remarks, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Soo Locks are critical to international commerce and to our supply chain, and the report directed by this bill would provide important information to ensure their continued funding and operation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I spent the last 2 years of my college experience living in dorm rooms that were about 250 yards from the Soo Locks at the beautiful Lake Superior State University.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3399, the Soo Locks Security and Economic Reporting Act, sponsored by my good friend from Michigan, Congressman John James.

Each year, vessels passing through the Soo Locks haul an estimated 70 million tons of cargo to critical industries in the United States and Canada. In total, the infrastructure supports more than 123,000 jobs and has a $22.6 billion economic activity price tag.

In my first year in Congress, I joined Congressman Jack Bergman from Michigan on a tour of the Soo Locks to see the critical infrastructure firsthand.

Nearly all of the iron ore pellets essential for the American steel industry travel through the Great Lakes. A report by the Department of Homeland Security in 2015 found no alternative transportation mode exists for getting iron ore from the Minnesota mines to steel mills on the lower Great Lakes. The Iron Range of Minnesota produces almost 82 percent of the taconite pellets that make up the steel industry in our Nation.

National security experts and economists have warned that sustained closure of any of the locks would cripple our supply chain and plunge our economy into a recession.

It is abundantly clear: The protection and modernization of the Soo Locks is not only a supply chain issue, but a national security issue. The Soo Locks infrastructure needs significant investment, and it needs it now.

H.R. 3399 directs the Secretary of Transportation to study the security risks of the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and the economic ramifications in the event of their operational failure. This will provide us with concrete evidence of the importance of the Soo Locks and demonstrate our need for unwavering support.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 3399, which, like my bill that is also under suspension today, will help to ensure a safe and resilient American supply chain.

The Soo Locks, which are located on the St. Mary's River and connect Lake Superior to the rest of the Great Lakes system, facilitate the passage of 7,000 cargo ships per year. The locks connect the Great Lakes and are directly on the border with Canada, making them an important fixture for our national security. If something were to happen to the Soo Locks, 11 million jobs would be affected nationwide.

This bill directs the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on any domestic or international threats to the Soo Locks, as well as the economic effect of an operational failure.

This bill was reported out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously on May 23 of this year because my colleagues understand that economic resilience and national security are intertwined.

A robust and resilient supply chain is the result of deliberate construction, maintenance, and operational security of locks, ports, waterways, roads, railways, and airports.

As proponents of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law understood, maintenance of and investment in our ports and waterways is paramount. That law provided $17 billion for ports and waterways, which will go a long way to ensuring the viability of infrastructure like the Soo Locks and maritime transportation in the Great Lakes. This bill builds upon the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by understanding the vulnerabilities from a national security standpoint, and, thus, better protecting our investments.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3399, and I yield back the balance of my time.