U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, speaks at her swearing-in ceremony in Flint, Mich., on Jan. 27, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

A bill with bipartisan support instructing the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a plan for the design and building of a new Great Lakes icebreaker was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this month – a key legislative priority for U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City).

The Great Lakes Icebreaker Act of 2025 passed on July 16, and was the first bill written by McDonald Rivet to advance in the chamber. McDonald Rivet celebrated its passage in a statement released Wednesday. 

“The Great Lakes are our country’s most valuable natural resources and are a critical part of Michigan’s economy and way of life. We need to make sure it stays that way,” McDonald Rivet said. “We brought Democrats and Republicans together to support these efforts that will help protect Michigan jobs and commerce while also ensuring the safety of everyone on the water.”

The bill also instructs the Coast Guard to analyze its current icebreaking fleet.

Another priority for McDonald Rivet also passed recently, which is a provision requiring the Coast Guard to study the impact of reduced search-and-rescue operations at the Saginaw River station and others after around the clock operations were cut last year. McDonald Rivet championed the reinstating of that capability during a recent meeting of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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