Members of the Senate and House Great Lakes Task Forces (GLTF), lead by Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), Co-Chair of the Senate GLTF, and Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI), Co-Chair of the House GLTF, sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) urging for the timely and accurate completion of a study on the modernization of the Soo Locks in  Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.  The letter calls on the USACE to engage stakeholders and consider appropriate transportation alternatives as it moves forward with the economic reevaluation analysis of the construction of a new lock.  The text of the letter, which stresses the importance of the Soo Locks to both the region and the nation's economies, can be viewed here.  

Along with Sen. Stabenow and Rep. Huizega, Senate GLTF Co-Chair Rob Portman (OH); Senate GLTF Vice-Chairs Amy Klobuchar (MN) and Todd Young (IN); and House GLTF Co-Chairs Louise Slaughter (NY), Sean Duffy (WI), and Marcy Kaptur (OH), all signed onto the letter.  Additional Congressional Members on the letter include Senators Gary Peters (MI), Sherrod Brown (OH), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Al Franken (MN), Bob Casey (PA), Ron Johnson (WI), Joe Donnelly (IN), and Tammy Duckworth (IL); and Representatives David Joyce (OH), Rick Nolan (MN), Debbie Dingell (MI), Brenda Lawrence (MI), Sandy Levin (MI), Paul Mitchell (MI), Dan Kildee (MI), Mike Quigely (IL), Fred Upton (MI), Mike Kelly (PA), Mike Turner (OH), Bob Gibbs (OH), Dan Lipinski (IL), Mark Pocan (WI), Pete Visclosky (IN), Tim Ryan (OH), Tim Walberg (MI), Brian Higgins (NY), Dave Trott (MI), Erik Paulsen (MN), Jack Bergman (MI), and Marcia Fudge (OH).