Nine members of Congress addressed the Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast co-hosted by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Great Lakes Commission on February 25 during Great Lakes Week in Washington, D.C. Held in the Senate Hart Office Building, the event provided Great Lakes stakeholders and other interested parties the opportunity to hear directly from lawmakers about their top Great Lakes priorities for the coming year. Over 120 people attended the breakfast, which included staff from the Great Lakes Congressional delegation, state government representatives, mayors, tribal representatives and other groups including the Great Lakes Commission, the Council of Great Lakes Governors, the Healing Our Waters® – Great Lakes Coalition, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, and other Tribal agencies.
Offering remarks were key Great Lakes Congressional representatives, including Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL), David Joyce (R-OH), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). A wide range of Great Lakes topics were addressed, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, clean and safe drinking water, invasive species, water quality issues including harmful algal blooms, and other economic issues that directly impact the Great Lakes. Representative Joyce Beatty (D-OH) was in attendance at the Breakfast, and staff from Sen. Mark Kirk’s (R-IL) office provided a brief update on the issues that the Senator is working on regarding the Great Lakes. Below are photos from the event.
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL)
