McDonald Rivet Introduces Legislation to Protect the Great Lakes 

WASHINGTON— Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) recently introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025. The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Democrats and Republicans, will reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a program which has been critical to protecting the Great Lakes and the communities that depend on them.

“The Great Lakes are a part of our way of life in mid-Michigan, and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been critical to preserving them. Thousands of jobs, our tourism industry, and beautiful recreational spaces all depend on our amazing natural resources,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “I am working with Democrats and Republicans on preserving the Great Lakes for the next generation of Michigan families.”

Specifically, the GLRI leads programs to to stop the spread of invasive fish, like Asian carp, and other invasive species, restore coastline, and prevent future contamination. Since 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has provided more than $4.1 billion to fund 8,000 projects throughout the Great Lakes region.

The GLRI is set to expire at the end of FY 2026; this bill would reauthorize the program for another five years through FY 2031. The bill increases the FY 2026 authorization level from $475 million to $500 million starting in FY 2027.

House co-sponsors of the bill from Michigan also include Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Bill Huizenga (MI-04), John Moolenaar (MI-02), John James (MI-10), Tim Walberg (MI-05), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13).