Sponsors (2)
The bill aims to clarify and potentially extend USGS authority and funding for Great Lakes monitoring—improving regional data and decisionmaking—but risks higher federal costs, transitional uncertainty for partners, and potential weakening of monitoring depending on the final statutory language.
States, local governments, and communities around the Great Lakes will receive continued federal monitoring and assessments that improve water-resource and public-health decisionmaking.
Scientists and researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey will have clarified or extended authority and/or funding to sustain or expand Great Lakes monitoring and research programs.
Communities and water managers across the Great Lakes region could face weakened monitoring and data reporting if the amendment narrows USGS authorities, undermining water-quality management and public health.
Taxpayers could face increased federal spending if the bill expands appropriations or extends funding timelines for Great Lakes monitoring.
Researchers and state partners may experience planning delays and uncertainty until the unspecified replacement statutory language and funding details are finalized, complicating near-term work.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Replaces the statutory reauthorization and appropriations language governing the Director’s Great Lakes monitoring, assessment, science, and research authorities.
Designates a short title for the Act and replaces the existing statutory reauthorization/appropriations language for the federal Director’s Great Lakes monitoring, assessment, science, and research authorities. Because the amendment removes and inserts new text in the existing statute, it changes how those authorities and the related reauthorization/funding provision are written; the exact programmatic and funding effects depend on the language that was inserted and are not shown in the provided summary.
Introduced September 18, 2025 by Gary C. Peters · Last progress December 26, 2025