WASHINGTON DC - Two Michigan members of Congress are asking President Donald Trump to send a recently obtained icebreaker ship to the Great Lakes.

U.S. Reps. Tom Barrett, a Republican, and Hillary Scholten, a Democrat, sent an Oct. 21 letter after the Trump administration reached a deal to purchase 11 new icebreaker ships from Finland.

They’re asking for at least one of the new ships to support the U.S. Coast Guard in the Great Lakes, facilitate winter navigation and secure the northern border.

“The Great Lakes can easily be overlooked by some as part of the Coast Guard’s mission. Relentless winters on the Great Lakes often result in heavy ice accumulation that only icebreakers can navigate through,” they wrote in the letter.

“Without these USCG vessels consistently patrolling the water border between the United States and Canada, our federal law enforcement will be unable to effectively deter border crossings year-round.”

The Trump administration announced on Oct. 10 that reached a $3.5 billion agreement with Finland to purchase 11 Arctic Security Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard. The ships are designed to break though ice-covered waters.

Funding for the icebreakers came from a large tax and spending bill passed this summer.

Under the agreement, Finland will construct four icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard. The remaining seven will be built and delivered by U.S. shipyards.

It’s part of the ICE Pact, a collaboration between the U.S., Finland and Canada to strengthen the development, construction and delivery of icebreaker ships.

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