Help for Flint May Be in Sight

After years of waiting, there is finally a glimmer of hope for the residents of Flint, Michigan. The Senate- in a largely bipartisan vote- approved legislation that would give $270 million to the people of Flint and other communities plagued by lead-contaminated water. This is a big win, not only for Flint residents, but for Michigan senators, who have been pushing to include aid for Flint in other pieces of legislation. In addition to this aid, the bill provides $9 billion to repair damage to water infrastructure in 17 states.

According to Coral Davenport in her article for the New York Times, “The Flint package would provide $100 million in grants to assist states with drinking water emergencies and $70 million to subsidize loans for water infrastructure projects. It would provide $50 million in grants to help small and disadvantaged communities comply with drinking water standards, $30 million in grants to reduce lead exposure among children, and $20 million to develop a national lead exposure registry.”

While this may seem like a good fix, many (including myself) are hesitant to declare victory just yet. In her article, Davenport consults Stephen Ellis- the vice president of a nonpartisan “budget watchdog” organization called Taxpayers for Common Sense- who, concerning the funding for Flint, is thinking past tomorrow. “The question will be whether Congress will make this a priority in the future, or is this just a flash in the plan,” he says. As the world saw with Flint, this community has had to- and likely will continue to- deal with the aftermath of the effects of lead in their water. Will Flint, and communities like it, be given the long term help that they deserve, or will they be forgotten by the next news cycle?

But more pressing is the action of the House. “The House is expected to take up a smaller $5 billion water infrastructure bill next week,” Davenport writes, “but it does not include the Flint spending.” Members are trying to attach the Flint spending to other legislation to ensure that this Flint spending becomes a reality. Said Representative Dan Kildee who represents Flint, “We just need to get it to the president’s desk.”

Although the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 with the Flint spending passed overwhelmingly in the Senate- 95-3-, in regards to its future in the House, “its prospects…remain unclear.”