East Michigan News

On July 12, 2023, Congressman John Moolenaar advanced legislation to keep Line 5 open and protect it from the possibility of being closed by the Biden administration. Moolenaar included a provision in the State Department budget for 2024 that blocks the use of federal funding to shut down the flow of energy through Line 5. The provision and the overall budget for the State Department were passed by the House Appropriations Committee this afternoon.

“Line 5 is a vital source of energy for Michigan families who rely on propane for home energy. On his first day in office, President Biden shut down construction of an international pipeline and ended new drilling leases on federal land. The provision I included in today’s legislation will ensure the Biden administration cannot shutdown an international pipeline that Michigan families depend on for home energy,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.

Approximately 320,000 Michigan households use propane, and the state has the highest residential use of propane in the nation. Line 5 provides 55% of the state's propane needs.

Moolenaar’s provision states:

"None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Secretary of State to impede the uninterrupted transmission of hydrocarbons by pipeline through the territory of one Party not originating in the territory of that Party, for delivery to the territory of the other Party as ratified by The Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada concerning Transit Pipelines, signed at Washington on January 28, 1977.”

Last year, Moolenaar proposed this same provision and it received bipartisan support when it was included it in the 2023 budget passed out of committee.

Congressman Moolenaar is Michigan’s only member on the House Appropriations Committee, which sets funding levels for federal departments, agencies, and programs. 

Original source can be found here.