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H.R. 5516: Protecting Our Great Lakes Act of 2014

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H.R. 5516: Protecting Our Great Lakes Act of 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2014-09-17 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2014-09-17 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Our Great Lakes Act of 2014

Plain summary

Protecting Our Great Lakes Act of 2014 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to prohibit any discharge of dredged material into waters within Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior lakeward from a line drawn across the mouth of tributaries to the Lakes. Includes within the area protected from discharges all waters enclosed by constructed breakwaters (barriers built in a body of water to break the force of waves and protect surrounding land). Excludes connecting channels from the protected area. Requires any dredged material resulting from activity in the Great Lakes System to be reused in beneficial ways on land or disposed of in a confined land- or water-based disposal area determined to be economically and environmentally viable by the Army Corps of Engineers in consultation with concerned states. Treats violators of the prohibition as having violated a condition or limitation set forth in a permit to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Our Great Lakes Act of 2014

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5] reported raising $1.8 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong113-hr5516 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113