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H.R. 5861: Guarding Our Great Lakes Act

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H.R. 5861: Guarding Our Great Lakes Act

113th Congress · introduced 2014-12-11 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2014-12-11 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Camp, Dave [R-MI-4] · 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 and Power. 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

Guarding Our Great Lakes Act

Plain summary

Guarding Our Great Lakes Act - Requires the Chief of Engineers, the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and each other applicable federal agency to take actions to prevent the transfer of aquatic invasive species, with a focus on Asian carp species, through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Illinois River. Directs the Chief to: (1) construct measures to prevent the upstream transfer of swimming aquatic invasive species through the Lock and Dam; and (2) submit a cost estimate for, and schedule for completion of, measures to be constructed. Requires the Director of the USFWS to implement all appropriate measures in compliance with applicable state and federal law around the Lock and Dam to prevent the upstream and downstream transfer of swimming and floating aquatic invasive species, with a focus on Asian carp species. Authorizes the Chief, the Director of the USFWS, and the Director of the USGS to acquire real estate to carry out this Act. Directs the EPA Administrator, acting through the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, to coordinate with the governor of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to carry out engineering and construction of flood mitigation and water quality measures on the Chicago Area Waterway System related to permanent prevention of the transfer of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. Permits the federal share of the cost of a project to be up to 100%.

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

Guarding Our Great Lakes Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Camp, Dave [R-MI-4] · 11 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Tim Walberg (R-MI), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Gary C. Peters (D-MI)

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.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
CBO cost estimate
The Congressional Budget Office's estimate of how a federal bill would change government spending and revenue. CBO is nonpartisan.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong113-hr5861 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113