Ripon Forum


Vol. 52, No. 3

View Print Edition

In this edition

Twenty years ago, the notion that the U.S. could wean itself off of imported fuel to power its economy seemed like a pipe dream. But two decades later, all of that has changed.

America’s Great Lakes: An International Treasure Worth Preserving

With the Great Lakes accounting for more than 20 percent of the global fresh surface water supply, protecting and restoring them is in the best of both the U.S. and the world.

It’s Time to Get Creative to Solve the National Debt

While every child born today already inherits over $40,000 in debt, the next generation of Americans is on track to inherit a full-blown fiscal crisis.

Baseball, Unity, and George H.W. Bush

Throughout his life, America’s 41st President has never strayed far from the sport of baseball, which to him represents not just our national pasttime, but a way to bring people together, as well.

AMERICA’S ENERGY RENAISSANCE

With North America now an energy center rivaling the Middle East and Russia, a look at the policies that helped bring about this reality and what more needs to be done.

Baker’s Push for Clean Energy

Since taking office in 2014, the Governor of Massachusetts has pursued fiscally responsible policies to expand the state’s renewable energy industry and reduce greenhouse gas.

Why the Pentagon Cares about Climate Change

A recent vulnerability assessment by the Department of Defense revealed that climate impacts have damaged roughly half of the military installations surveyed.

How U.S. Companies are Investing in Renewable Electricity

The United States finds itself facing a clean energy revolution, spurred not by politics, but by good business sense. And that changes everything.

“Too Great an Opportunity to Miss.”

McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and Walmart are some of the world’s best-known brands. They are also becoming known as leaders in the fight against climate change.

The Science is Settled

“Heat in – heat out = change in heat.” Every climate change inferred from the geologic record is explained by this simple statement of the conservation of energy.

The Science is NOT Settled

The United Nations climate models are constantly being “updated,” and irresponsible climate predictions — like the starvation of 4 billion people during the 1980s — have not happened.

Ripon Profile of Don Bacon

The Nebraska Congressman discusses the challenge facing his District that he working to address and the part of the federal government he believes is in most need of reform.

America’s Great Lakes: An International Treasure Worth Preserving

My favorite summer pasttime is being out on a boat on Lake Erie, fishing and spending quality time on the water with family and friends. It’s a tradition I have held on to since my childhood. Today, I have a family of my own and now they too know the joy it brings.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; the Great Lakes are an economic, environmental, and international treasure. The Lakes account for more than 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water supply, and they provide drinking water for more than 40 million people.

Yet time and time again, no matter who is sitting in the Oval Office, the administration tries to either zero out or drastically cut funding to protect and preserve the Great Lakes. This year, President Trump cut the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request by 90 percent from the amount we appropriated for Fiscal Year 2018. This is unacceptable.

The Lakes account for more than 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water supply, and they provide drinking water for more than 40 million people.

I am proud to stand up and advocate for the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and other programs. Many of the Members of Congress that represent States with shorelines on the Great Lakes joined me in these efforts to continue their restoration and protection. After much hard work with my great colleague and friend, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), the House Appropriations Committee-approved Fiscal Year 2019 spending bill contains $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to help protect our Great Lakes from harmful algal blooms, nonpoint source pollution, and invasive species and provide habitat restoration.

This is truly a bipartisan issue that is not only so important to our region, but also the entire nation.

In early June, the House passed the Water Resources Development Act, also known as WRDA. Included in that legislation is an amendment that I introduced to help keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been conducting a study on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam. My amendment directs the Corps to release the final study by February 2019 so we can move forward and implement the next steps to keep Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes.

Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes is not only in the best interest of our nation, but of the international community.

Let me explain why the Brandon Road Study language is critical. As I mentioned before, I, like many of you, enjoy boating and fishing on Lake Erie. Sport fishing is a huge tourist attraction, which helps to build the economy of the Great Lakes region. The industry contributes $4 billion to the economy. If Asian carp get into the Great Lakes, they are likely to compete with native fish species, like walleye and trout, for food. These negative consequences would devastate the sport fishery industry and the regional economy. This translates to jobs and tourism losses in Northeast Ohio if we don’t take action. We must act with a sense of urgency now, so that our kids and grandkids can continue to enjoy Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes.

Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes is not only in the best interest of our nation, but of the international community. The Great Lakes are filled with amazing wildlife, natural resources, and are available for all to enjoy in sport and serenity. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, they provide fresh drinking water to 40 million people, while also providing 56 billion gallons of water per day for municipal, agricultural, and industrial use.

We depend on this water, which is why I am also so proud of the work my colleagues and I, from across the political spectrum, have done in Congress to preserve this treasure. It may not appear like it on television, the computer screen, or in the newspapers, but there is definitely more that unites us than separates us. Preserving the Great Lakes is one issue almost everyone agrees on. They need to be protected and preserved for the thriving economy, fresh water sources, and so they can continue to bring entertainment and joy to people from all over the world. Summertime has officially arrived so let’s all go out and enjoy a beautiful international treasure, the Great Lakes!

David Joyce is the U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.