Capps Highlights Long-Term Public Health Effects of Lead Exposure at Hearing on Flint Water Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24) participated in an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing titled: Flint Water Crisis: Impacts and Lessons Learned. The Hearing was jointly held by the Health and Environment and Economy Subcommittees; Capps is a member of both subcommittees.

During the hearing, Capps stressed the importance of all people having access to safe, reliable drinking water. Capps asked witnesses testifying before the committee about efforts to improve the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention program to address both the crisis in Flint, as well as lead exposure in children in communities around the country. Federal funding for lead poisoning prevention was nearly zeroed in FY2012 and FY2013, and only partially restored it in FY2014 to 50% of original levels. The majority of lead poisoning prevention funding now comes from the Affordable Care Act Public Health Prevention Fund, a frequent target for defunding by Republicans in Congress.

The Hearing also highlighted Capps’ Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act (H.R. 1278), which would create competitive funding assistance through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support local communities seeking to improve their water infrastructure, including oversight of local drinking water, wastewater management, and storm water utilities. The bill would help address water quality in cities like Flint, Michigan and other communities without reliable access to safe and clean drinking water. This bill is also included in the larger Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act legislative package.

Capps opening remarks as prepared are enclosed below:

Thank you Chairmen Pitts and Shimkus and Ranking Members Green and Tonko for holding this hearing.

All people have the right to safe, reliable drinking water.

It doesn’t matter where you live, you should never be faced with the fear of not having access to clean drinking water.

Unfortunately, the Flint crisis reminds us that we cannot take access to safe, clean drinking water for granted.

Instead, this crisis shines the spotlight on our country’s insufficient water systems and the potential devastation that can result from not investing in our nation’s most important infrastructure.

This central need for safe access to drinking water is exactly why Representative Tonko, I, and several others introduced the Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act a little over a month ago.

This bill marks a much needed start to address the issues facing our crumbling drinking water infrastructure.

And, I am happy that several components from my Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act are among the many important provisions included to help ensure that our water is available and safe.

However, while we could spend the whole hearing discussing the need to revamp and protect our water sources and infrastructure, this is only one part of the conversation.

Lack of access to clean water threatens our families’ health and wellbeing, and it compromises our very way of life.

Today’s hearing is an important first step in what I hope will be a broader conversation on this imminent threat to our public health.

It cannot wait. We must act now.

Thank you, I yield back.

Source: Rep. Lois Capps