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.

United States119th CongressSRES-494Senate
Updated: Nov 10, 2025

Summary

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, which resulted in the loss of all 29 crew members. It acknowledges the ship's historical significance as a record-setting ore freighter and the severity of the storm that caused its demise, which featured gales of 100 miles per hour and 50-foot waves. The Senate expresses its profound support for the families of those who perished and commends the courageous efforts of the rescue crews, the Coast Guard, and commercial vessels involved in the initial search. Furthermore, the resolution recognizes Gordon Lightfoot for immortalizing the event and reaffirms a steadfast commitment to ensuring safe shipping practices across the Great Lakes, noting that the investigation into the wreck led to significant policy changes, including improved lake condition monitoring.

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Timeline

  1. Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8183; text: CR S8134)

    Senate

  2. Introduced in Senate

  3. Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

    Senate

  4. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

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