DETROIT — Sen. [crscore]Mike Lee[/crscore] is reportedly the last barrier to a bill that would send $220 million in aid to Flint, which is in a state of emergency due to residents being poisoned by lead-tainted water.
Lee’s fellow tea party firebrand Sen. [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] released his hold on the bill last week, ahead of the GOP’s debate Thursday in Detroit and Michigan’s March 8 primary. (RELATED: Cruz Says He Won’t Hold Bipartisan Bill Giving Federal Aid To Flint)
The widely bipartisan bill, introduced by Sens. [crscore]Debbie Stabenow[/crscore] and [crscore]Jim Inhofe[/crscore], was introduced as part of the Energy Modernization Act and would go toward fixing Flint’s corroded water pipes and infrastructure.
But the Utah senator is using a Senate maneuver called a “hold” to delay the bill, a Senate source told The Daily Beast.
His concerns stem from the bill not being put through the typical sluggish procedure called “regular order.” Lee is also concerned about how aid is being allocated for infrastructure improvement and the federal government involving themselves with a local issue, according to The Beast.
Sen. Lee’s spokesman would not give comment to The Daily Caller about the delay.
The Flint crisis began in 2014 when the city diverted its municipal water source from a Detroit source to the Flint River in order to save money. But damaged pipes leaked lead into the tap water, causing high levels of lead to be found in children’s blood. Residents complained about the odor and color of the new water, but the city billed residents for their tap water even until January 2016. (RELATED: Flint Is Still Billing People For Tap Water. Here’s What It Actually Looks Like)
The state of Michigan at first assured residents the water was safe to drink, but later admitted to using the wrong standards for monitoring drinking water, eliciting an apology from Gov. Rick Snyder and widespread calls for his resignation.
The Democratic debate is Sunday in Flint. Both front-runner Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders have called for Snyder’s resignation.
Republican candidate and Ohio Gov. John Kasich defended Snyder’s handling of the water crisis Wednesday at a town hall in Grand Blanc Township, according to MLive.
“When you suspect something, you have to act quickly, and I think now the governor is doing everything he can,” Kasich said.