Senate passes Husted-backed bill to protect Great Lakes

“We must remain vigilant against invasive species and continue protecting our lakes so they can support Ohio and America for generations to come.” WASHINGTON – The Senate this week passed Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Sen. Gary Peters’ (D-Mich.) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act. This bill would reauthorize federal funding for critical projects like habitat restoration, cleaning up toxic sediments and pollution and preventing the spread of invasive species to protect and maintain the Great Lakes. The Senate passed the bill without objection. “The Great Lakes are an environmental and economic asset for the United States. They support thousands of jobs and contribute billions of dollars to Ohio’s regional economy. We must remain vigilant against invasive species and continue protecting our lakes so they can support Ohio and America for generations to come. I’m encouraged to see our bill pass the Senate, and I hope the House will act as soon as possible,” said Husted. Since 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has provided more than $4.1 billion to fund 8,000 projects throughout the Great Lakes region. The initiative has focused on stopping the spread of invasive carp and other invasive species, restoring the Great Lakes coastline and preventing future contamination. Husted is the only member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee representing a Great Lakes state. He has led efforts to advance the legislation in the Senate. The legislation builds on Husted’s record of protecting the Great Lakes. In 2025, his Great Lakes Fishery Reauthorization Act became law, reauthorizing the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s research activities and providing the U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center with dedicated funding to conduct critical research supporting the region’s multi-billion-dollar fishing industry. View Husted’s remarks on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative here . Full text of the bill is available here .