Senate Republicans Turn their Backs on Flint Water Crisis—Again

WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans today rejected an amendment to the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act that would have provided $1.9 billion for clean water infrastructure improvements and to reduce lead contamination nationally, and to address the drinking water crisis in  Flint, Michigan.

Henry Henderson, Safe Water Initiative Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, issued this statement in response to the vote:

“What do Senate Republicans have against the people of Flint? It’s appalling to see them, yet again, turn their backs on nearly 100,000 Flint residents who have a right to turn on their taps and get safe drinking water. Worse, Senate Republicans are instead steering taxpayer money to defense projects the Defense Department doesn’t want, and our country can’t afford. Talk about wrong priorities, this is a textbook case.”

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at http://www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.

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