Rashida Tlaib: “Water is a human right. We can't live without it, but far too often our government treats it as just another product to…”

“Water is a human right. We can't live without it, but far too often our government treats it as just another product to be sold. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Water Authority voted to increase water rates by 5.9 percent and sewage rates by 4.5 percent. They approved these unaffordable increases despite unanimous and passionate public opposition, Mr. Speaker. I want folks to imagine how it feels for many of our residents in Detroit who have been living out of hotels for weeks after a massive water main break flooded their neighborhood, their homes, and even their vehicles. Now they are going to have to be paying more for their water. The Trump administration is already slashing every critical support program that the most vulnerable in our communities, especially our seniors, rely on to pay their bills. This will mean more water shutoffs and more stories of families melting snow and harvesting rainwater to shower and cook with. Our policy has to meet our principles. Water must be a human right in the United States of America. ____________________”