Members of Congress often write and sign letters addressed to public officials and Congressional committees to express support or opposition to policies or developments. Through such letters, Congressmen of the Northeast and Midwest demonstrate a collective resolve to advance regional policy priorities–often in a bipartisan manner.
During the appropriations process, Congressional letters can come in the form of programmatic requests addressed to appropriations committees and subcommittees to testify to the importance of key federal programs and encourage continued or expanded funding. Below are a collection of Congressional letters written and signed by Members of the Northeast and Midwest region.
2026
GLTF Co-Chairs Send Letter Urging Restart of Work at Brandon Road | July 31, 2026
PFAS Task Force Sends Letter to DoD on Statutory Deadlines | July 17th, 2026
Bipartisan Members Send Letter Requesting USCG Meet Deadlines | July 15, 2026
Senators Lead Brandon Road Letter | January 15, 2026
2025
Barrett, Scholten, Send Letter to OMB Requesting Procurement of Great Lakes Icebreaker | October 21, 2025
Dingell, Kaptur, Request Information on NOAA Firings | February 28, 2025
House GLTF Statement on Invasive Carp | March 11, 2025
Minnesota Senators Send Letter Expressing Concern About Potential EPA Office Closures | April 3, 2025
Members of Michigan Delegation Send Letter on Invasive Carp | April 10, 2025
2024
House
2024 House GLTF Send Letter to House Leadership in Support of GLRI Act | December 11, 2024
2024 Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force Support H.R. 7257, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 | November 12, 2024
Senate
2024 Senators Ask for Funding for Programs Supporting the Lake Champlain Basin | April 15, 2024
2024 Durbin and Duckworth Letter to Pritzker on BRIP | June 25, 2024
2023
House
2023 Letter to Justin Trudeau on Breakdown of Great Lakes Fishery Commission | June 6, 2023
Governors
2023 Governors’ Letter to Congress Calling for Federal Funding for the Brandon Road Project | October 13, 2023
2022
House
2022 Congressional Call for Appointment of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Administrator | April 1, 2022
2022 Letter Calling for Swift Passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 | November 1, 2022
2021
House
2021 Letter to the President Requesting Funding for the GLRI | December 20, 2021
2021 Bipartisan Letter Urging Army Corps of Engineers to Prioritize Great Lakes Projects in 2021 | January 8, 2021
2021 Representatives Request for Great Lakes Projects to be Included in the FY Budget | April 20, 2021
Governors
2021 Governors’ Letter to Congress calling for Full Federal Funding for the Brandon Road Project | December, 10 2021
2021 Great Lakes Governors to Introduce PFAS Resolution to Congress | July 16, 2021
2020
House
2020 Congress Requests Great Lakes Fishing Aid | September 2, 2020
2020 Great Lakes Congressional Delegation Sends Bipartisan Letter Urging USAC to Prioritize Great Lakes Projects | January 13, 2020
Senate
2020 Senators Urge the Admin to Fund a New Great Lakes Icebreaker | January 29, 2020
2019
Governors
2019 Whitmer Emphasizes Great Lakes to Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment | June 24, 2019
Interest Groups
2019 Groups Call on Pritzker to Block Invasive Asian Carp | November 21, 2019
2018
House
2018 Urging the Committee to Direct the USACE to Release Report for the Brandon Road Study | February 8, 2018
2018 Request that Sand Replenishment for Presque Isle State Park is High-Priority | March 8, 2018
2018 Great Lakes Week Resolution Introduced in the House | May 4, 2018
2017
House — Appropriations Letters
2017 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative FY18 Request Budget House | March 30, 2017
Senate –Appropriations Letters
House — Policy Letters
2017 Letter to President Trump on Importance of Great Lakes FY18 House | February 8, 2017
2017 Letter to President Trump on Brandon Road Evaluation FY18 House | March 3, 2017
2017 Letter to Secretary Pruitt on the Importance of the Annual GLRI Report | June 28, 2017
Senate — Policy Letters
2017 Letter to USACE on Soo Locks Complex FY18 Senate | February 21, 2017
2017 Letter to Secretary Pruitt on the Importance of GLRI F18 Senate | March 10, 2017
2017 Letter to President Trump and Director Mulveney on the Delayed Release of Brand Road Study | April 10, 2017
2017 Letter to Secretary Tillerson on Great Lakes Deep Geological Repository for Nuclear Waste | June 7, 2017
2016
House
2016 Community Development Block Grant FY17 Request Budget House
2016 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program FY17 Request Budget House
2016 Home Investment Partnerships Program FY17 Request Budget House
2016 Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms FY17 Request Budget House
2016 Manufacturing Extension Partnership FY17 Request Budget House
2016 Great Lakes Interior & Environment FY17 Request Budget House
2016 Great Lakes State and Foreign Operations FY17 Request Budget House
2015 Brandon Road Feasibility Study FY17 Request Request Budget House
2015 Great Lakes Navigation System & GLFER FY17 Request Budget House
2015 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative FY17 Request Budget House
Senate
2015 Asian Carp and Invasive Species FY17 Request Budget Senate
2015
House
2015 Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds FY16 House
2015 Community Development Block Grant FY16 House
2015 Economic Development Administration FY16 House
2015 Great Lakes Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan FY15 House
2015 Great Lakes Commerce Justice Science FY16 House
2015 Great Lakes Energy & Water FY16 House
2015 Great Lakes Interior & Environment FY16 House
2015 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative FY16 House
2015 Great Lakes State and Foreign Operations FY16 House
2015 Historic Preservation Fund FY16 House
2015 Low Income Home Energy Assistance FY16 House
2015 Manufacturing Extension Partnership FY16 House
2015 National Network for Manufacturing Innovation FY16 House
2015 THUD St. Lawrence Seaway Dev. Corp. FY16 House
2015 Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms FY16 House
2015 Weatherization and State Energy Program FY15 House
Senate
2015 Great Lakes Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan FY15 Senate
2015 Harbor Maintenance & Inland Waterways Trust Funds FY16 Senate
2015 Historic Preservation Fund FY16 Senate
2015 Low Income Home Energy Assistance FY16 Senate
2015 Weatherization Assistance Program-State Energy Program FY16 Senate
2014
House
2014 Community Development Block Grant FY15 House
2014 Energy & Water FY15 House
2014 Great Lakes Commerce Justice Science FY15 House
2014 Great Lakes Interior & Environment FY15 House
2014 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative FY15 House
2014 Great Lakes State & Foreign Operations FY15 House
2014 Great Lakes THUD St. Lawrence Seaway Dev. Corp. FY15 House
2014 Great Lakes Energy & Water FY15 House
2014 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program FY15 House
2014 Manufacturing Extension Partnership FY15 House
2014 Pre Disaster Mitigation Program FY15 House
2014 Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms FY15 House
Senate
2014 Great Lakes Army Corps of Engineers – Invasive Species FY15 Senate
2014 Great Lakes Commerce Justice Science FY15 Senate
2014 Great Lakes Energy & Water FY15 Senate
2014 Great Lakes Interior & Environment FY15 Senate
2014 Great Lakes State & Foreign Operations FY15 Senate