John,

Recently, I led a bipartisan Michigan Congressional delegation visit to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois. Located 45 minutes southwest of Chicago, the facility is a critical choke point in the Chicago waterway system where we can stop the spread of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.

Our hosts during the tour were the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who just recently finalized their multi-layered plan to keep Asian carp out of our waters. This was an important opportunity to see firsthand where technologies and barriers could be deployed to stop these fish from reaching Lake Michigan.

With the plan finished, Congress now has what it needs to approve the project, and we’re committed to moving as quickly as possible. If we don’t, we risk irreversible and costly damage to our ecosystem and our fishing, boating, and tourism industries that rely on healthy waterways.

I'm grateful to the bipartisan delegation and Army Corps for joining me on this trip. I won't stop fighting until this project is funded and the threat of Asian carp is neutralized.

Sincerely,

Debbie

Click here to see more photos from my trip to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on Facebook.