Politics & Government
Rep. Tlaib Helps Secure Billions To Remove Lead From Water
Four U.S. House Democrats, including Tlaib spearheaded an effort to secure funds to remove lead from water in the $3.5 trillion senate bill.
DETROIT — Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib on Thursday was among three other representatives who successfully lobbied for billions of dollars to remove lead from water in the Democrats' $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill.
The measure added to the bill would provide $30 billion in grants to replace lead water pipes. It will also add $700 million to remove lead from school water, as well as an additional $500 million to help low-income earners with their water bill.
"For too long, countless Americans have been forced to suffer the effects of lead-poisoned drinking water, especially low-income communities and communities of color," Rep. Tlaib said.
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"These investments my colleagues and I fought to secure will help turn the tide in every water warriors fight to ensure every home and school has safe, clean, and affordable water," she added. "That’s what funding the people’s infrastructure should be about."
Tlaib also worked with House Democrats Dan Kildee from Flint, Pramila Jayapal from Washington State and Debbie Dingell from Michigan.
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However, the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill has a steep hill to climb.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, has already blamed stimulus spending for raising inflation and labor shortages, and vowed to "make it hard" for the Democrats to pass the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill.
While Democrats don't need any republican senate votes to pass the bill, they must have all 50 senate democrats vote in favor of the bill to allow Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA) to cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
And two democratic senators, Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have repeatedly stressed caution about the bill in its current phase.
Manchin said there's no way to pass the bill, while Sinema said she simply won't back it.
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