Senate honors 50 years since Great Lakes maritime disaster
S.Res. 494 — A resolution observing the 50th anniversary of the date on which the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior, and remembering the 29 lives lost in one of the worst storms ever recorded on the Great Lakes. · Filed by Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) · 7 cosponsors · Introduced Nov 10, 2025 · Passed chamber
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What it does
This is a Senate resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking on November 10, 1975, in Lake Superior, which killed all 29 crew members. The resolution honors the lives lost, recognizes the ship's historical significance to Great Lakes maritime commerce, acknowledges safety improvements that resulted from the investigation, and expresses support for the families of the deceased and the communities affected.
Why we flagged it
This is a straightforward Senate resolution commemorating a historical maritime disaster and honoring the lives lost. It contains no legislative mechanism, appropriation, or regulatory change—only expressions of recognition, support, and commitment to maritime safety.
Who it affects
This is a commemorative resolution with no fiscal impact or regulatory effect. It honors a historical tragedy, recognizes the importance of maritime safety improvements that emerged from the disaster, and affirms commitment to ongoing shipping safety—all of which serve the public interest without imposing costs or narrowing rights.
Named in the bill
SS Edmund Fitzgerald, Lake Superior, Great Lakes, U.S. Coast Guard, Gordon Lightfoot, Superior, Wisconsin, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Captain Ernest McSorley
Where it stands
7 cosponsors: 6 Democrats, 1 Republicans.
- Nov 10, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Nov 10, 2025 — Passed the Senate · Congress.gov: “Passed/agreed to in Senate: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a…”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jul 5, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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