U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell accepts Legislator of the Year Award from Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, including AMO Vice President, Great Lakes, John Clemons.
On Monday, October 28, 2024, the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) recognized Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) for her efforts advocating for the Great Lakes Navigation System and the American workers that insure a resilient maritime supply chain which drives the nation’s economic base.
“The Great Lakes are not only an important natural resource but a way of life that supports communities across our region and country, creating more than 1.5 million jobs, supplying 90 percent of our nation’s fresh surface water, and generating $62 billion in wages every year. They are critical to numerous industries, supply chains, and our economy, and support countless families’ livelihoods. As a co-chair of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, I’m honored to be recognized by the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force and will continue to fight in Congress to protect these waters and all who depend on them,” stated Representative Dingell.
“It is an honor and privilege to present this award to Representative Dingell. She strengthened navigational infrastructure by supporting funding to finish the critical new large navigational lock in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and pressing for the acquisition of a desperately needed U.S. Coast Guard heavy icebreaker for the Great Lakes,” stated Jim Weakley President of the Lake Carriers’ Association and Vice President of GLMTF.
In addition, Representative Dingell understands the need to attract and retain a skilled workforce like those needed at the Soo Locks. As the only waterway connection between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Soo Locks are the linchpin of the Great Lakes Navigation System. In 2022, the Department of Defense reduced the wage rate for 77 skilled laborer positions at the Soo Locks Complex by 19 percent. Two-thirds of the workers occupying those positions are veterans. She has been a catalyst for a solution proposing that the Department of Defense approve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers May 2022 request for a special salary rate (SSR) to restore the wage scale lost in 2022 for these 77 positions.
“Representative Dingell is a true champion for the Great Lakes and the hard-working men and women which keep the pilot light of the North American economy lit,” said John Clemons, American Maritime Officers, Vice President, Great Lakes. “Representative Dingell has consistently delivered tangible results for the Great Lakes region, from securing increased dredging funding to championing the new Soo Lock project and supporting the acquisition of a vital new icebreaker. Her comprehensive understanding of the Lakes’ significance extends beyond infrastructure to the people who make our maritime economy work. She stands as one of the Great Lakes’ most effective advocates in Congress.”
Representative Dingell has been a strong supporter of the Jones Act, which insures the more than 147,000 U.S. jobs tied to the Great Lakes maritime industry remain in America.
The ceremony was hosted on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor and highlighted the Aaron Friedman Marine Hydrodynamics Lab, which has one of the only four towing tanks nationwide.
About Great Lakes Maritime Task Force
The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, with nearly 80 members, is the largest coalition to speak for the Great Lakes Navigation System. Advocating for domestic and international shipping, its members represent labor and management from U.S.-flag vessel operators, shipboard and longshore unions, port authorities, cargo shippers, terminal operators, shipyards, and other Great Lakes interests. The Great Lakes commercial maritime industry supports more than 147,000 American jobs in eight Great Lakes states and generates more than $36 billion in economic activity.