Washington DC – Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy, Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing & Insurance, today sent a bipartisan letter to President Trump voicing his support to rebuilding and improving the Soo Locks in Sault St. Marie, Michigan.
Read the full letter below.
“Dear President Trump:
“We write in appreciation for your commitment to rebuilding and improving the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and we pledge our commitment to doing what we can in Congress to get this vital infrastructure project completed. We urge your office to also remain engaged on this issue, since even though there have been recent improvements, bureaucracy has delayed this project for over 30 years since it was originally approved.
“As you noted in your remarks this past weekend, this nationally significant project needs to be undertaken. You also noted it will take the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ active involvement and partnership to get this task accomplished.
“As you know, the Soo Locks are nearly 50 years old, which is well past their useful and safe lifespan. A new 1,200-foot lock is vital to ensuring our economic prosperity and national security. These locks are the only waterway connection from Lake Superior to the rest of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. This makes it a single point of failure in a system that supports millions of jobs nationwide and billions of dollars of economic activity. Nearly all domestic iron ore – which is required for certain steel production, a substantial part of our economy and needed for national defense – travels through the Soo Locks. This passage also carries other significant domestic materials and products, and is used for recreational purposes.
“We believe this project is consistent with your commitments to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, and feel that the Soo Locks can be a crowning achievement for this effort. We look forward to working with you and your administration on this issue.”
