Senate Democrats are fighting for a major potential source of aid for residents in Flint, Michigan, and that fight could stall the first bipartisan energy bill in years. AP reports that a major energy bill originally backed by both sides of the aisle could not secure enough votes to move forward after Republicans rejected an amendment that would have provided hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency aid and a long-term lead support center for Flint residents:
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said that "100,000 people in Flint, Michigan have been poisoned, and Republicans do nothing" to help them. "Nine thousand little children ... have been poisoned. Still, Senate Republicans refuse to help."
The vote was 46-50, short of a number necessary to move ahead on the bipartisan legislation, the first such bill in nine years.
Democrats proposed a $600 million aid package for Flint last week, but Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan said they agreed earlier this week to cut that proposal in half.
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Democrats proposed an amendment last week that would authorize up to $400 million in emergency federal funding to replace and fix lead-contaminated pipes in Flint. The measure requires the state of Michigan to match the federal spending.
The Democratic proposal also requires federal action if a state refuses to warn the public about unsafe water and authorizes $200 million over 10 years to monitor lead exposure in Flint.
The unamended energy bill contains a number of provisions with support from both parties, including energy efficiency upgrades of schools, support for hydroelectric projects, and more regulation on natural gas exports. However, Senate Democrats have drawn a line in the sand and have deemed this opportunity a vital opportunity for providing federal aid beyond the $80 million granted by President Obama.
This vote comes a day after a U.S. House hearing heavily scrutinized decision-making in the EPA, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and other Michigan agencies and several representatives levied charges of environmental racism against the agencies.