A bipartisan group of Great Lakes lawmakers is urging President Biden to encourage Canadian leaders to boost their financial support for restoring and protecting the Great Lakes. 

The nine U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to President Biden, urging that partnerships between the United States and Canada are needed to clean up toxic Areas of Concern in the freshwater lakes, combat invasive species, restore habitats and reduce algae blooms.  

The letter was signed by Great Lakes Task Force co-chair Reps. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland, and Brian Higgins, D-New York, as well as Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor; Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and David Joyce, R-Ohio; as well as Reps. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet; John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia; Elissa Slotkin, D-Lansing; and Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin. 

The U.S. Congress has appropriated $300 million to $548 million a year over the last five years for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) for environmental restoration and cleanup work and efforts to combat invasive species. By comparison, Canada committed $32.97 million between 2017 and 2022, with plans for a $6.6 million annual commitment moving forward.