WASHINGTON – As Congress returns to negotiations on a spending bill to meet its October 1st deadline, the National Wildlife Federation and the NAACP chapter in Flint, Michigan responded to Senate Republican leadership's most recent proposal which includes emergency relief for the Louisiana flooding but does not provide long-overdue funding for Flint and other communities with elevated levels of lead in tap water.


Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation

“Right now, the Senate has a chance to do the right thing—to begin helping both the Flint families suffering from toxic water and the Louisiana flood victims. We are strongly supportive of the emergency assistance provided in the continuing resolution to the places affected by the catastrophic flooding in Louisiana and other states; however it is absolutely imperative that the bill also help the people of Flint, who have been unable to safely drink their water for more than two years, while as many as 12,000 children may have been exposed to lead, a potent neurotoxin. The National Wildlife Federation stands with both Flint and Louisiana and urges Congress to pass a continuing resolution that provides assistance to both of these impacted communities.”

Frances Gilcreast, President of the Flint Branch of the NAACP

“If Congress can respond to the needs of Baton Rouge this quickly, why not Flint? Why must we continue to wait? Our water is not safe to drink, not safe to bathe in, not safe to wash our dishes in. We have needed relief for two long years. What happened to our water was negligence on the part of government. We should be helping all our citizens, not be turning our back on some.”