Congress Environment

Senate Democrats Block Energy Bill Because Republicans Blocked Flint Aid

Written by SK Ashby

Senate Republicans refused to add assistance for Flint, Michigan to an energy policy bill and, because of this, Senate Democrats chose to block it.

Just as she said she would yesterday, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) led the charge.

Michigan’s Democratic senators, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, proposed last week that Congress authorize up to $600 million in emergency aid to Flint. Most of that would be used to replace lead pipes that corroded because of a state-level decision to switch water sources; the rest would fund a center to monitor and treat the health of victims of lead poisoning.

The sponsor of the energy bill, Senator Murkowski (R-AK), did not oppose the Flint aid package, but her fellow Republican colleagues did.

As far as excuses go, this is pretty fucking weak.

Given the fact that we have about $19 trillion in debt, I think it’s fair to ask, do we want to have the federal government replacing all the infrastructure put in place by cities and states all across the country?” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), the No. 2 Republican leader, said last week.

And I suppose the senator believes the impoverished residents of Flint are responsible for our national debt, not the wars and tax cuts he voted for.

Republicans don't care if the entire city has been rendered virtually uninhabitable. Suffice to say they don't consider the people of Flint to be their constituents but there'd be no stopping them from passing an aid package if the people of Colorado Springs or Fort Lauderdale needed help.