Press Releases

  Today, on the three-year anniversary of the water switch that resulted in a lead contamination in Flint, Mich., the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) sent a letter to President Trump questioning the Administration’s commitment to the area in light of proposed budget cuts to EPA and other agencies. Although the water in the majority African-American city continues to improve and federal agencies have invested millions of dollars in resources in the area, residents still have to use filters and many of them don’t trust that the water is safe for drinking and bathing. In addition to questioning the Administration’s commitment to Flint, the CBC requested an interagency briefing on the status of federal efforts. 

The letter was signed by CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond, Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich.), and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.). A copy of the letter is attached. Excerpts from the letter are below.

Trusting the Water

“One study found that the number of children with elevated levels of lead in their blood system nearly doubled after the water supply switch. Those children may suffer from the effects of lead poisoning for years to come, including health complications and learning disabilities. At the time of this writing, Flint residents are still advised to properly filter their water. Many residents rely on bottled water because they simply do not trust that even filtered water is safe enough for cooking or bathing.

Budget Cuts

“In light of proposed budget cuts to several of the agencies that play a critical role in responding to the Flint Water Crisis, we have serious concerns about your Administration’s intentions to continue supporting this effort. Accordingly, we request an interagency briefing to provide an update on your long-term plans to assist the residents of Flint and ensure this tragedy is not repeated in other cities around the country.”

Environmental Justice

“This needless crisis must not be taken out of context. Flint, Michigan is a majority-black city where nearly half of the residents live below the poverty line and the median household income is $24,862. Studies have shown that poor and minority communities are disproportionately impacted by hazardous waste facilities and environmental degradation. In fact, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission attributed the Flint water crisis to “structural and systemic discrimination and racism.” In 2017, one of the richest nations in the free world should be able to guarantee clean drinking water to all Americans, no matter their race, income, or zip code. As leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), we have a long history of fighting for environmental justice for all Americans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and look forward to your response.”