On the recordJuly 18, 2018
I thank the gentlewoman very much and I am glad that she emphasized the work that the Environmental Justice grants have done in Puerto Rico, and the fact that they are citizens of the United States. But I have seen what the Environmental Justice grants have done because they are small. As Mr. Calvert indicated, the administration recommended $2 million. These grants are small, and they help communities clean up. They help communities deal with violators of environmental rules, both in the State and Federal, mostly State, and gives them the ability to clean and deal with neighborhood issues. That is how small these grants are. It also has provided assistance to Environmental Justice clinics that can work with community organizations on how to petition for something that is both an eyesore and environmental damage, to rid it of it, or to get the entity, the corporation, the small business, whatever it is, to clean it up. It makes it better for all concerned. Mr. Chair, I would just ask and recognize that this is part of civic participation, and these grants should be allowed. Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I just have to ask the question. Tragedies like the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, demonstrate the issues surrounding environmental justice to continue to persist in our country. So the question is: When did it become partisan to ensure children drink clean water?…
