Kaptur and Stabenow Statement on Inclusion of Great Lakes Authority Funding in FY2024 Budget Press ReleaseJobs and the EconomyEnergy

Washington, DC - Today, Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) - Ranking Member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the bipartisan House Great Lakes Task Force, and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force released the following statement after President Biden announced the inclusion of funding for the Great Lakes Authority in his FY2024 Budget.

"I am thrilled President Biden has included funding for The Great Lakes Authority (GLA) in his budget request for the coming year. The GLA represents a new vision for how to harness existing assets and focus attention and resources to the Heartland of our nation where we make, build, and grow America," said Rep. Kaptur. "As the home of a highly-skilled workforce, North America's freshwater kingdom, and a growing, innovative hub of manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and defense - Ohio and the Great Lakes region are poised and ready to capture the future. With the support of President Biden and a strong bipartisan coalition, our new Great Lakes Authority will serve as a powerful catalyst to strengthen our Midwest region and move us ahead for the 21st century."

"We need to make sure Michigan and other Great Lakes States have the resources and funding to promote economic growth, job training opportunities, and community development just like other regions across the country do," said Senator Stabenow. "Today's investment from President Biden will help create an important partnership to give state and local governments the tools they need to create jobs, boost their economy, and transform communities."

In March 2022, Rep. Kaptur introduced H.R. 7131 - the Great Lakes Authority Act - with the support of eleven Great Lakes colleagues in the House. In December 2022, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced a companion to Rep. Kaptur's bill in the Senate.

The Great Lakes Authority is empowered to:

• Grow the capacity for successful community economic development by deploying grants to programs focused on workforce skills training, employment-related education, entrepreneurship, technology, and business development as well as for transportation, telecommunications, and public infrastructure projects
• Promote the development of renewable and alternative energy sources as well as resource conservation, tourism, recreation, and preservation of open spaces in a manner consistent with economic development goals.
• Provide assistance to severely economically distressed and underdeveloped areas that lack financial resources for improving basic healthcare and other public services

Previous omnibus appropriations legislation authorized the Great Lakes Authority to receive - beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 - the same funding levels as the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, the Southwest Border Regional Commission, and the Northern Border Regional Commission. Currently, these three Regional Commissions are each authorized to receive $33 million annually through Fiscal Year 2023. The Fiscal Year 2024 funding levels for the three Regional Commissions and the Great Lakes Authority will be determined by the 118th Congress.

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