S. 4573119th CongressIntroduced May 19, 2026

Regional Great Lakes Partnership Act of 2026

IntroducedEnvironmental ProtectionNarrow

Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Committees: Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (primary)
Last action: Sep 16, 2026

Bottom line

The bill provides federal statutory recognition to the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership, integrating it into existing federal frameworks for regional collaboration.

What it actually does

This bill formally designates the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership under federal law. It achieves this by amending Section 10202(b)(3) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 to explicitly include the Commission, which is an interstate compact agency representing eight Great Lakes states.

Section 2

Designating the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership

prominently featuredstraightforward

This section amends existing federal law (specifically, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023) to add the Great Lakes Commission to the list of entities recognized as a "Regional Great Lakes Partnership." The Great Lakes Commission is an established interstate body, formed under the Great Lakes Basin Compact, that includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. This designation formalizes its role within federal initiatives concerning the Great Lakes.

FOUND

The bill amends Section 10202(b)(3) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (16 U.S.C. 1468(b)(3)) and references the Great Lakes Basin Compact (Public Law 90-419; 82 Stat. 414).

Section 2

Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice for amending existing law and referencing foundational legal documents to ensure precision and integrate new provisions into the established legal framework.

Case for: Supporters would argue that referencing existing laws and compacts ensures legal accuracy and avoids redundancy, seamlessly integrating the new designation into the established legal structure for Great Lakes governance.

Case against: Critics might suggest that relying on external statutory references makes the bill less self-contained and potentially less accessible to a general audience unfamiliar with the cited federal acts and compacts.

Estimated impact: Clarifies and formalizes the legal standing of the Great Lakes Commission within the broader federal framework for Great Lakes management and protection.

About this analysis. AI-Generated from the official bill text and available committee reports. Gaps in available data are noted explicitly. Verify important details with the official Congress.gov record.

S. 4573119th CongressIntroduced May 19, 2026

Regional Great Lakes Partnership Act of 2026

IntroducedEnvironmental ProtectionNarrow

View bill text

Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Committees: Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (primary)
Last action: Sep 16, 2026

Bottom line

The bill provides federal statutory recognition to the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership, integrating it into existing federal frameworks for regional collaboration.

What it actually does

Section 2

Designating the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership

prominently featuredstraightforward

FOUND

Section 2

Estimated impact: Clarifies and formalizes the legal standing of the Great Lakes Commission within the broader federal framework for Great Lakes management and protection.