Bill > HR7492

This bill, titled the "Michigan-Canada Partnership Act," aims to prevent any federal interference with the opening and operation of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a crucial infrastructure project connecting Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, that is vital for trade, transportation, and national security between the United States and Canada. The bill emphasizes the economic importance of this crossing, noting that it is the busiest commercial land border crossing in North America and supports significant trade, particularly in the automotive sector. It highlights that the bridge's construction, which began in 2018, has proceeded with valid federal approvals and was agreed upon by both the State of Michigan and the Canadian government, with Canada financing the project. The core provision of the bill prohibits federal officials, including the President, from impeding the bridge's opening or attempting its closure unless approved by an Act of Congress or requested by the Governor of Michigan. Furthermore, it mandates that federal agencies with jurisdiction must take all necessary actions to ensure the bridge and its associated port of entry operate continuously and without delay, defining "continuous operation" in accordance with relevant federal agency staffing models, such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Workforce Staffing Model. The bill also explicitly forbids federal officials from using any action or inaction to impede or delay the bridge's operation and allows the State of Michigan or any affected local government to sue in federal court to enforce compliance.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7492/all-info