The Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Great Lakes Commission co-hosted the annual Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast Reception on Thursday, March 6th, on Capitol Hill. The Breakfast is an opportunity for Great Lakes stakeholders to hear from their Representatives and Senators about critical Great Lakes issues, and it leads into the outreach and advocacy efforts on Great Lakes Day. This year, ten Representatives, three Senators, and one Canadian Member of Parliament addressed the Breakfast. Speakers represented both parties and communities from all across the Great Lakes basin.
One major theme was the importance of bipartisanship, especially in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Speakers told stories of the work done by GLRI in their districts and states and the environmental and economic transformation that has resulted. Speakers also focused on an array of other Great Lakes issues, including ports and shipping, water quality, tourism, and the impact of recent executive branch actions on the Great Lakes.
Speakers at the Breakfast were: Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN), Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), and Canadian MP Brian Masse.