Great Lakes Icebreaker Act of 2025

The Great Lakes Icebreaker Act of 2025 would require the U.S. Coast Guard to create a strategy for designing and constructing a new heavy-class icebreaker for the Great Lakes, including cost estimates and delivery timelines. The bill would also authorize a five-year pilot program to test whether the Coast Guard's current icebreaking fleet can keep priority shipping waterways open 95 percent of the time during winter ice seasons.

The legislation addresses concerns about inadequate icebreaking capabilities on the Great Lakes, which would support the region's shipping industry. Great Lakes shipping moves more than 90 million tons of cargo annually, and proponents argue that insufficient icebreaking capacity has resulted in significant economic losses and job impacts during harsh winters. The bill is currently under committee consideration and has not yet been voted on by the full House.