Great Lakes Icebreaker Act of 2025

This bill tells the Coast Guard to plan and build a new icebreaking ship for the Great Lakes. Within 90 days of the bill becoming law, the Coast Guard must give Congress a plan that explains how it will design and build a ship at least as strong as the cutter Mackinaw, including the cost and a fast delivery schedule.

It also starts a five‑season test to see if the current Great Lakes icebreaker fleet can keep key waterways open 95% of the time each winter. After each season, the Coast Guard must report the results and explain any new performance measures it used and how they worked. The bill updates public reporting rules so the Coast Guard must post an online report about the cost of meeting proposed Great Lakes icebreaking standards by July 1 after the first winter once an earlier required report is in. It also requires cost briefings to Congress for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026, on specific deadlines.

• Who is affected: U.S. Coast Guard operations on the Great Lakes
• What changes: A 90‑day plan for a new icebreaker; a five‑season test to keep waterways open 95% of the time; yearly post‑season reports; new public cost reports and cost briefings to Congress
• When: Plan due 90 days after enactment; the five ice seasons start after enactment; reports due 180 days after each season; public report due by July 1 after the first qualifying winter; cost briefings due within 30 days after the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 becomes law and again by November 2025 and November 1, 2026