Fred Upton: “Mr. Chairman, I rise in offering this amendment to protect Great Lakes lighthouses. As I am sure the chairman is aware…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in offering this amendment to protect Great Lakes lighthouses. As I am sure the chairman is aware, lighthouses are a very important part of Great Lakes culture and they stand as a testament to the importance of shipping in the region's political, economic and social history. In Michigan alone, the U.S. Coast Guard plans to designate approximately 70 of these structures as surplus Federal property and turn them over to the GSA for disposal. Unfortunately, the standard Federal property disposal process is very confusing, complicated, and it does not facilitate transfers to nonprofits. This is especially troubling because in many cases, a local, not-for-profit historical organization has dedicated tremendous resources to preserving and maintaining those lighthouses.”