Hank Johnson: “The Conyers amendment would exempt from H.R. 4768, the Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2016, regulations…”

“The Conyers amendment would exempt from H.R. 4768, the Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2016, regulations promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency that protect drinking water from lead and copper contamination. {time} 2030 The Conyers amendment does not address a hypothetical concern. The recent lead-contaminated water crisis that occurred in Flint, Michigan, is only the latest in a history of cases of contaminated drinking water. Without question, the Flint crisis was a preventable public health disaster. The lead contamination occurred because an unelected and unaccountable emergency manager decided to switch the city's water source to the Flint River without there being the benefit of proper corrosion control. As a result, corrosive water leached highly toxic lead from residents' water pipes, exposing thousands of children to lead, which, in turn, can cause permanent developmental damage. While much of the blame for the Flint water crisis rests with unelected bureaucrats who prioritized saving money over saving lives, the presence of lead in drinking water is not unique to Flint. The drinking water of potentially millions of Americans may be contaminated by lead. In fact, just last month, elevated lead levels were detected in the drinking water supplied to the Cannon House Office Building right here on Capitol Hill.…”