WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced the Senate moved forward on a compromise measure to maintain protections that help keep invasive species out of Lake Erie and to also reauthorize funding for the U.S. Coast Guard. An earlier version of the bill to reauthorize the Coast Guard included harmful language to weaken protections that keep invasive species out of Lake Erie. Brown helped block the earlier measure, and helped broker the compromise bill set to pass the Senate tomorrow.

“Any efforts that threaten the health of Lake Erie do not belong in federal law,” Brown said. “I’m glad we were able to secure a bipartisan fix to protect our Great Lakes while also showing our support for the Coast Guard. I’ll continue to fight for the health of our Lake and the Ohio businesses and families that rely on it.”   

The initial provision would have made it easier for invasive species to enter Lake Erie, harm drinking water, and threaten local jobs that depend on boating and fishing in Lake Erie. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the annual value of Great Lakes Fishers is $7 billion. With Brown’s help, this spring the Senate blocked a procedural vote to move the bill forward. Brown worked with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to make additional changes to the bill and to make sure that Ohio and other Great Lakes states have the ability to protect this irreplaceable natural resource from invasive species.  

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