Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on Gov. Snyder Delay in Signing Flint Water Crisis Bill

January 5, 2017

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) issued the following statement calling on Governor Rick Snyder, without further delay, to sign H.B. 5120, a bill passed by the Michigan Legislature making changes to help Flint and prevent a similar water crisis from happening elsewhere. Governor Snyder, who received the bill on his desk on December 27, 2016, still has not signed the bill into law, despite the ongoing crisis:

“It is frustrating to see Governor Snyder once again have no sense of urgency when it comes to helping Flint families recover from the ongoing water crisis. Right now, a common sense bill that would help prevent another water crisis is with the Governor, awaiting his action. The Legislature passed the bill unanimously – and all the Governor needs to do is sign it into law. But unfortunately this important Flint water legislation continues to sit on his desk collecting dust.

“The Governor should sign this bill immediately – Michiganders are sick and tired of waiting for the Governor to step up to the plate and help fix this man-made crisis he created in the first place.”

At the federal level, Congressman Kildee and Congressman Fred Upton (MI-06) introduced a similar bipartisan bill, the Kildee-Upton bill, to ensure another Flint tragedy never happens again. Their bill, which recently was signed into law by President Barack Obama, strengthen requirements to have the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notify the public within 24 hours when concentrations of lead in drinking water are above federal requirements.

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