[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            WORLD WATER DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, on World Water Day, I rise on 
behalf of every American who lacks access to the most basic necessity 
of human survival.
  Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, 15,000 households in Newark, New Jersey, 
were forced to rely on bottled water due to the lead in the city's 
supply. As lead contamination levels approached record highs, residents 
of my State's largest city were forced to reckon with the reality that 
access to safe drinking water would not be and could not be taken for 
granted.
  I am grateful that Newark has since replaced nearly all of its lead 
pipes, and their residents can once again trust that their tap water is 
safe to drink.
  In fact, had this emergency been unique to one city at one time, I 
probably wouldn't have been compelled to speak here today.
  However, the year after Newark put an end to its emergency, 
infrastructure failures in Jackson, Mississippi, cut off residents' 
access to safe water. Mississippi's capital city still lacks the 
resources to support residents in need.
  Let me be clear. This is not a Newark crisis or a Jackson crisis, or 
for that matter, even a Flint, Michigan, crisis. It is an American 
crisis.
  Due to climate change, outdated infrastructure, and systemic 
disinvestment in our most vulnerable communities, millions of Americans 
risk losing access to water.
  As the wealthiest Nation on Earth, we have the resources--not to 
mention the moral imperative--to change that situation. Safe, clean 
water is a human right. If we continue to ignore the water crisis, 
communities across the country will face dire consequences for their 
health, safety, and well-being.
  Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the WATER Act because the time to act 
is now. In addressing water scarcity, we must revitalize our failing 
infrastructure, remove dangerous contaminants from our water supplies, 
and reinvest in the communities that have been hit hardest by decades 
of privatization and austerity. The WATER Act tackles the crisis on all 
three fronts.
  My legislation would provide $35 billion annually to modernize our 
Nation's water and sewer infrastructure. Cities like Newark are not 
outliers. Lead pipes are used in every single State. By overhauling our 
infrastructure, we can remove these dangerous components and eliminate 
the threat of lead contamination.

  My legislation would also clean up other contaminants, as well, 
including PFAS, ``forever chemicals.'' New Jersey has some of the 
highest PFAS levels in the country and Black, Brown, and low-income 
communities suffer disproportionately from this contamination.
  Everyone, regardless of their race, their income, or their ZIP Code 
deserves reliable water access. That is why, in addition to cleaning up 
contamination, my legislation will provide grants to low-income 
communities to stop water shutoffs due to unaffordable bills.
  With these long-overdue investments, we can prevent further water 
shortages, protect our current supply, and make emergencies like those 
in Flint, Jackson, and Newark a thing of the past.
  Water is the essence of human life, and as public servants, we must 
ensure that every family in every community has reliable access to it.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge this Chamber to take up the WATER Act and pass it 
without delay.

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