Hillary Clinton Meeting With Flint Mayor, Residents On Sunday
FLINT (WWJ) - Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will be in Flint Sunday to speak with residents who are dealing with the city's drinking water crisis firsthand.
Clinton is set to attend a community meeting with Flint Mayor Karen Weaver and local residents to hear about the water crisis that is harming families and what our leaders need to do to fix it.
The meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday (doors open at 9:30 a.m.) at the House of Prayer Missionary Church, 1851 W Carpenter Road.
Clinton will use her trip to urge the Republican-controlled Senate to approve the Senate Democrats' $600 million amendment to help Flint. Earlier this week, Senate Democrats blocked an energy bill in order to try to force action on the Flint provision.
Clinton's visit follows several weeks of action to bring attention to the crisis in Flint. Last month, she sent two top aides to the city to meet with the Mayor. In the aftermath of that visit, Clinton publicly called on Gov. Rick Snyder to stop refusing to accept federal resources from the Obama administration. Within two hours of Clinton's challenge, Snyder relented and allowed additional federal resources to come to Flint.
Clinton drew the nation's attention to Flint at a Democratic debate, using her closing comments to raise the issue unprompted and decrying how the situation would never be permitted in a wealthy neighborhood. She reiterated the urgency of the situation at this week's debate in New Hampshire, describing it as an emergency and calling for immediate action to fix Flint's water infrastructure as well as long-term health and educational support for the children affected by lead poisoning.
Clinton will be back in Flint on March 6 to participate in a debate with Bernie Sanders.
Flint switched its water source from Detroit's water system to the Flint River in 2014 to save money while under state financial management. The river water was not treated properly and lead from pipes leached into Flint homes. The city returned to Detroit's water system in October while it awaits the summer completion of a separate pipeline to Lake Huron.
Tests have shown high lead levels in some Flint children.
