House Committee Investigating Flint Crisis Will Call On Michigan Governor To Testify

grossflintwater
Image Via Common Dreams.org

A U.S. House of Representatives committee has invited Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to testify on February 3 regarding the high levels of lead in the water supply for the city of Flint.

U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence’s office told the media Snyder would be one of several witnesses to speak to the committee on the matter. Just last week, Lawrence sent letters to members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, saying Congress has a responsibility to address:

“A man-made disaster created by the poor policy decisions of elected and career government officials.”

It is unclear at this point if the February 3 meeting of the committee will be a full committee or subcommittee hearing. However, Congresswoman Lawrence’s office did say that the GOP chair of the committee, Utah’s Jason Chaffetz, had accepted her recommendation to also invite Dan Wyant, who resigned as MDEQ’s director in the wake of the crisis; EPA Region 5 Director Susan Hedman, and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver.

Also expected to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is Dr. Mona Hanna-Atissha, a pediatrician at Hurley Medical Center in Flint. Her findings of highly elevated lead levels in children’s blood led to investigations into the crisis. Also invited is Virginia Tech Professor Mark Edwards, a specialist who brought a team to Flint for the purpose of studying the level of lead in the city’s drinking water.

President Obama has also weighed in on the condition of the water in Flint, remarking Wednesday:

“I am very proud of what I’ve done as president, but the only job that’s more important to me is the job of father. And I know if I was a parent up there, I would be beside myself if my kids’ health could be at risk.”

The President also said the situation in Flint:

“It is a reminder of why you can’t shortchange basic services that we provide to our people and that we together provide as a government to make sure that public health and safety is preserved.”

Featured Image Via CommonDreams.org