Political Quotes

“We all know that water is life. Safe, accessible, affordable drinking water is a human right. In 2021, I was proud to be able to work with the Energy and Commerce Committee and Congresswoman Dingell to establish the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program where we helped establish a $1.2 billion program to help many of our families pay off their water bills and debts and keep people's water connected, especially during the pandemic. This program saved countless lives. Millions of Americans today are still struggling to keep up with their water bills and many have their water shut off. We introduced the Half-Century Update for Water Access and Affordability Act to establish a permanent low-income drinking water assistance program within the EPA. Our program will dedicate funding every single year to keep people's water flowing. We do it for gas. We do it for electricity. Why don't we do it for water? The program will include reconnection assistance, but what I also love, it will help with water efficiency upgrades like plumbing repairs to many of our families that live in old homes. We are going to set up a community advisory committee made up of residents, nonprofits, utilities, and other local stakeholders to help advise the EPA how to implement this program more effectively. Mr. Speaker, the H2O UP Act will ban the practice of water shutoffs as punishment for not being able to afford your bills.…”