Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor the Families of Flint bill, introduced by Mr. Kildee, who has been working tirelessly to help his community cope with the crisis there. It is our moral obligation to make sure that those families get the help they need. The tragedy in Flint has brought to light the danger of using lead pipes to deliver drinking water, particularly in older cities. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 10 million American homes and buildings receive drinking water via pipes that contain lead, a known neurotoxin. The time to act is now, but Congress has cut infrastructure funding for this purpose. This year, Congress budgeted just $906 million for the safe drinking water fund. That is a cut of 34 percent compared to 2010, and far below the $334 billion that is needed over the next 20 years. We can do much better. I don't know whether a national lead pipe replacement program would have prevented the crisis in Flint, but I do know that without one, the next tragedy is inevitable. ____________________”