[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 10, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5381-S5382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination.
  The legislative clerk read the nomination of James Byrne, of 
Virginia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.


                                S. 1689

  Mr. BOOKER. Madam President, I rise to speak today on S. 1689, which 
passed last night.
  Yesterday, this body unanimously voted to pass my legislation that 
could give States greater flexibility in how they use Federal funding 
for water projects. This bill is a tool to help communities in New 
Jersey and other States remove lead from their drinking water.
  We have a national crisis. It is a crisis we are seeing all over the 
country.
  I first wrote this legislation after a study was released last year 
that found lead leaching into the drinking water of my home city, 
Newark, NJ. Since then, I have been trying to get our State the Federal 
resources it needs to upgrade our aging water infrastructure.
  After it wasn't included in last year's end-of-the-year spending 
bill, I introduced it as a stand-alone bill and pushed its passage 
through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, with 
bipartisan support, earlier this summer.
  While the bill has been waiting to pass here in the Senate, the 
residents of my city, my neighbors, my family, and others have had to 
deal with additional concerns of exposure to lead in our drinking 
water.
  Local, State, and Federal officials have been working almost 
literally around the clock to bring residents answers they deserve, 
answers they demand. I have repeatedly pushed the Federal Government, 
and the EPA in particular, to provide more resources to Newark in every 
way I can. I have been making calls and writing letters, hosting 
meetings. When I spoke with Administrator Wheeler and then personally 
met with EPA in Newark, I reminded them of our shared responsibility in 
bringing safe, clean drinking water to residents. This is not just a 
national emergency; this is an urgency.
  We are waiting for more sampling results right now to better 
understand how to address the situation in Newark as quickly as 
possible. This legislation will allow Newark, NJ, and all of New Jersey 
to have access to upward of $100 million in Federal funds for pressing 
drinking water projects.
  For the last month, thousands of residents haven't been able to drink 
the city's water. As I was handing out bottled water to my neighbors, I 
heard how significantly this was affecting the daily routines of my 
neighbors and friends and undermining the well-being of my community, 
of my city.
  Again, I say this is a national urgency, a national emergency, 
because the residents of my city are not alone. This crisis is 
affecting communities all over the country. In fact, as Reuters

[[Page S5382]]

reported, there are over 3,000 jurisdictions where children in America 
have more than twice the blood lead levels of Flint, MI.
  These results across our country demonstrate yet again how we have 
failed to adequately invest in our Nation's aging infrastructure. In a 
Nation as wealthy as ours, clean drinking water should be a basic human 
right, and we must act to make that our reality.
  The majority of those impacted are low-income, economically 
vulnerable people. They are like the neighbors in my community. They 
cannot face this health crisis alone. The Federal Government must act.
  I am so grateful for the success we have had to help Newark and the 
bill we passed together last night, but clearly our work is not done, 
and I will not stop until every American has access to clean drinking 
water. Clean water and clean air must be an American right.
  I want to thank my partner on this legislation, Senator Bob Menendez. 
I also want to thank my Senate colleagues, especially Leader Schumer, 
Ranking Member Carper, and the chairman of EPW, Chairman Barrasso. I 
also want to thank others who are advocating for this critical 
legislation and urge the House to take it up immediately--not only to 
help New Jersey but communities nationwide.
  I am happy that finally the legislation I wrote has now passed this 
body, and I am grateful it was done with 100 Senators in accord. We 
still have work to do, but this, for me, was affirmation that now 
people in the State of New Jersey will have more of the Federal 
resources they need to address the crisis. I am encouraged that this 
bill was able to be passed and that there is more hope on the horizon 
for my city and others like it in New Jersey.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CASSIDY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.